Serving Up {Fish}: Almond-Topped Fish

I am staring at this computer screen, and the photo of this delicious fish, and drawing a complete blank as to what I want to type.

The recipe is easy and delicious.  Is that saying enough?  It may have to be.

I have a list a mile long of what I need to accomplish this week and yet both of my day's off are filled so I am not sure when I will accomplish anything on my list.  The result is that I am anxious to jump up from my desk and get out the door.  Will you hold it against me?  I hope not.

If you like fish, try this recipe.  In fact, it is a perfect recipe for a busy week like mine because it comes together so quickly.  I love that about fish - it seems like a fancy meal and yet, in truth, it is one of the easiest things to pull together on a busy night.  I think I know what we will have for dinner tonight :)

One Year Ago: Pumpkin Curry Soup

ALMOND TOPPED FISH     
(recipe from allrecipes.com)
printable version

1 Tbs. butter
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 6-ounce fillets cod or haddock
1 tsp. seasoned salt
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbs. parsley
1 Tbs. lemon juice
2 Tbs. sliced almonds, toasted

Place butter in a 13.9 baking dish and place in a 400 degree oven until melted.  Remove pan and tilt to spread butter evenly over the bottom of the dish.  Arrange onion slices in the bottom of the pan.  Place fish on top of sliced onion.  Sprinkle fish with seasoned salt, dill and pepper.

Combine mayo, Parmesan cheese, parsley and lemon juice and spread over fish.  Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.  Sprinkle with almonds prior to serving.

Serving Up {Tacos}: Easy Fish Tacos

I tend to order fish tacos frequently when I eat out, because I really like them but seldom take the time to make the "real thing" at home.  What I do make frequently at home, and is a great alternative, are these quick and easy cheater fish tacos.  Because they use fish sticks, they come together really quick and are a perfect meal when you need something tasty but not time consuming.

At our house I set out all the toppings and everyone makes their own.  My daughter usually rolls hers up in a tortilla drenched in ketchup.  Gourmet I know!  My son is a bit closer to my heart because he will actually throw some shredded lettuce/cabbage in there and then he adds salsa and cheese.  My own taco begins with the coleslaw-shredded cabbage, fish sticks, a generous squeeze of fresh lime, pico de gallo and then a squirt of ranch dressing.  I will take two thank you!

One Year Ago: S'more S'morgasbord

EASY FISH TACOS     
6-inch corn tortillas
frozen fish sticks
shredded lettuce or cabbage
lime
pico de gallo
sour cream or ranch dressing
avocado (optional)

If you are even still reading this please comment and tell me why!  Really, a recipe?  These are simple!
Heat up those fish sticks.  While they are baking, warm your tortillas on the stove.
Fill the tortillas with fish sticks and any other delicious topping you so choose - please get creative and don't limit yourself to my list above.

Serving Up {Fish}: Thai Barbecued Salmon Filet

Sometimes I will be really excited to share a recipe only to realize, either when taking the photos or when editing the photos, that the photos just don't do the meal justice.  I mean, this lasagna is one of my favorite but do you know how difficult it is to photograph?  It is downright ugly (note to self to re-photograph).

Not the case with this meal!  Forgive me for not being humble, but it is gorgeous (even though I forgot the mangoes)!  And it is equally delicious!  I really love to make salmon, or most fish for that matter, because it really can be an impressive meal, yet it cooks so quickly that you aren't stuck in the kitchen forever slaving over it.  This recipe uses a marinade that you prepare ahead of time, so the most time consuming part of the entire meal is cooking the rice.  Now that is my kind of meal!

One Year Ago: Philly Steak

                        French Bread

THAI BARBECUED SALMON FILET     

(recipe from Chef Dave Prows, Good Things Utah 2003)

printable version

2 Boneless Salmon Filets
Marinade (detailed below)
1 cup julienne carrots
1/4 cup sliced green onions
1/4 cup sliced red bell peppers
1/4 cup fresh mango
1 tsp. lemon pepper

Marinade Ingredients:
1 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Rice vinegar
1 tsp. chopped garlic
1 tsp. chopped ginger
1/2 cup honey
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. julienne red onion
1 Tbs. fresh limejuice

For the marinade, add all the ingredients together in one bowl and allow to sit overnight.
30 minutes before cooking, add the vegetables and salmon to the marinade.

Make a bowl with several layers of foil and place the fish flat on the foil and pour the marinade and the vegetables and mangoes over the top. Season with lemon pepper. Seal the foil bowl around the fish and place on the hot barbecue grill.  After 10 minutes on the grill, open the foil bowl and remove the fish. Place
the fish on the grill and baste with the marinade until the fish has finished cooking. Remove the fish from the grill and top with the vegetables and mangoes. Serve with rice (chef suggest Jasmine or Sticky Rice)

Serving Up {Fish}: Unbeatable Salmon

I was looking through my recipe box recently and realized that I haven't posted a single fish recipe on the blog.  We really do eat fish!  We even have some recipes that are pretty darn good!  So I made a very deliberate effort this week to cook salmon for dinner on Sunday so that I could share this delicious recipe for salmon.

The thing that I love about this recipe is that it is a dry rub that stores effortlessly.  Combine the seasonings and store them in an airtight container, and you are prepared at a moments notice to have a delicious salmon dinner.

One Year Ago: Pizza Roll Ups (a family favorite)
                        Polenta Bread


UNBEATABLE SALMON     
(recipe from Julie J.)
printable version

3 Tbs. salt
2 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. brown sugar
2 tsp. pepper
2 tsp. celery seed
2 tsp. paprika
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. ground fennel seed
Salmon Fillets

Combine all the seasonings in a small bowl, which will make enough rub for multiple uses.  Store excess in an airtight container.

Wash salmon fillets and gently pat dry.  Rub seasoning mixture over the salmon and grill (outdoors) or broil (indoors) until the fish flakes easily.

I almost always coat the salmon with a thin layer of mayo prior to rubbing in the seasonings.  It keeps the fish very moist.  My cousin (who is who I got the recipe from) recommends drizzling honey over the fillets before sprinkling the rub on, although I have never personally tried that.