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Chef2Chef Recipe Club - Volume 2 Issue 109 - May 30, 2002 Automatic system commands and instructions: End of Message Chef2Chef Recipe Club Member Forum: http://forums.chef2chef.net -------------------------------------------------- Good Day Recipe Club, Grilling fish and seafood! The one thing I find about grilling fish and seafood is that the flavor is often so wonderful that a sauce is not even necessary. But a sauce will add dimension so we'll talk about a couple. Fish and seafood are so flexible that a sauce you like on one will most likely work on the next one. This is a good thing. Fish is healthy, low in calories and cholesterol and high in protein. My wife reminds me that some people call it "Brain Food" and suggests that I pick some up when I do the weekly shopping. She loves me I think! So, let's "Take our fish and seafood "Off of the Stove and onto the Grill" -------------------------------------------------- Checking for Freshness and Quality of Fish: The flesh should be firm so that when pressed with your finger, it doesn't leave an indentation or mark. The eyes should be clear and plump, not cloudy, dull or sunken. The fish should not have a strong "fishy" odor. It should have a clean aroma akin to fresh seaweed or I've even heard of it referred to as a cucumber-like smell. Look for bright red gills. Grey or yellow is a sign of loss of freshness. If the skin is on, it should be firm and elastic. The gut cavity should be clear of blood, have no cuts into the meat, and the bones should not be torn from the flesh or easily torn away. Fish should always be packed in ice. Check the temperature. No matter what the season, or time of year, fish should arrive at 32 to 36 degrees Fahrenheit. -------------------------------------------------- Buying Fish Get your fish at the busiest fish store you can find. Chances are it will be freshest from there. Use the guidelines above. Buy it as close to when you'll use it as possible and figure 7-8 ounce per person on boneless fillets and steaks. For whole fish that you will clean or cook whole, plan on one pound per person. Frozen fish should always be thawed in your refrigerator overnight. -------------------------------------------------- I hesitate to recommend cooking times for fish or any other product on a grill. The reason for this is that every grill cooks differently, so my time on my Weber gas grill will be different than your charcoal grill of Hibachi. But I'm going to give you a guideline anyway, because overcooked fish and seafood is basically "Cat Food" in my opinion! Here goes! These guidelines are based on direct heat cooking over a medium grill. See, confusing already! Small Whole Fish will need about 7 minutes on each side. A little longer if stuffed. Large Whole Fish will need about 15 minutes per side, again longer if it is very large or stuffed. Fillets (like salmon) will need about 6-8 minutes per side, Trout fillets may only need 4 minutes per side. Steaks (like halibut or salmon) usually need about 5 minutes per side. Kabobs are usually cut into chunks a little over an inch thick and will need about 12 minutes turning often. Remember Please: These are just guidelines to use in planning your meal. Every grill is different and will produce different results. Oh yeah! Remember to always cook fish and seafood like shrimp on a cleanly scrapped grill that has been brushed with a little oil or fat. Do not "Dry Weld" your fish to a filthy grill! Cook fish on an oiled grill skin side down for the first part of the cooking time. The skin protects the fish from burning and drying out. It also can provide natural oils to your grill, so when you flip the fish it doesn't stick. -------------------------------------------------- Ok, here is the first recipe. It's another compound butter. I love these in the summer because you always have a quick fix for dinner. This one is a simple lemon butter. Wonderful for any fish or seafood and great with grilled or steamed vegetables like broccoli, brussel sprouts or asparagus. 1 stick of butter, softened to room temperature 1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced 4 Tbsp. lemon Juice, fresh 2 tsp. lemon zest, grated Whip the butter until soft and creamy, then add the other ingredients and incorporate. Decant the butter to a piece of waxed paper and roll up into a 1-1/2 inch diameter roll. Chill or freeze. When ready to use, thaw if frozen and slice little "Coins" and top your fish or veggies. -------------------------------------------------- Sauce New Orleans (Creole Style) 2 Tbsp. Butter 2 small cloves fresh garlic, peeled and diced fine 1 medium red onion, diced fine 1 stalk celery 1/2 each red and green bell pepper, seeds removed and diced 1 bay leaf, whole 1 pinch of paprika and cayenne each 2-1/2 cups fresh diced tomatoes 1/2 cup chili sauce Cook the veggies in the butter until tender but not brown. Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about 15-18 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and serve over fresh fish or a bowl (1-1/2 pounds cooked) of steamed shrimp or crawfish tails. -------------------------------------------------- Here is one I may have given you a long time ago, but it is worth sharing again. I like it on smaller fillets of fish like trout, sea perch or sole. Amaretto Almond Cream Sauce Serves 4 Preparation Total: 23 A mildly sweet and nutty complement to any boneless cut of white meat or fish. 1 tablespoon butter 1/4 cup almonds, sliced 2 tablespoons Amaretto 2 cups heavy cream 1 teaspoon tomato paste 1 each bouillon cube, chicken, crushed In a non-stick skillet, melt the butter and brown the almonds until golden brown. Be very careful as they will burn quickly. As soon as the almonds are nicely browned, add the Amaretto. Be extremely careful as it should and will flame up for about 10 seconds or so. Don't be afraid, it is supposed to do that. This process burns off the alcohol. After about 30-40 seconds you will have very little liquid in the pan (it will be dark brown). Add the cream, tomato paste, and the crushed bouillon cube and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a rolling simmer and reduce by half (about 12 minutes) stirring often. The finished sauce should have a beige, ever so slight pink color and coat the back of a spoon. NOTE: If the Amaretto doesn't flare up in the pan, don't worry! Your sauce will be fine. -------------------------------------------------- CLUB MEMBERS, WIN FREE HOT STUFF! Our newest sponsor is FireBreath.com Register to win this gift crate of hot and spicy goodies by clicking the link below. Offer ends at the end of the month. You need to keep open flames away from this crate. Comes with Galena Blasting Powder BBQ Rub, Spontaneous Combustion Peanuts, Hot Sauce Harry's Dynamite Hot Sauce, and Galena Basting Sauce. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=93 -------------------------------------------------- Here is a fun recipe from our friend Martin Kimeldorf, author of "Grill Play, The Art of Leisurely BBQ" I've had this a few times and it is always a hit. -------------------------------------------------- Bacon-Wrapped Barbecued Shrimp This "porky shrimp" comes with a tang. You can cook them like Kabobs on skewers or toothpicks (or on a fish screen). They make great appetizers or entire meals with side dishes. If you serve them as appetizers, then you may want to skewer each shrimp combo with toothpicks. Otherwise it's easier to assemble them on skewers. When used as a meal, you might augment this with garlic bread or additional grilled vegetables. Need to soak bamboo skewers or toothpicks in advance. Ingredients 1 lb. Large, Giant, or Jumbo raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined 1/2 slice of bacon per jumbo shrimp, partially cooked, cut in half (You can start with 8 slices 8 bamboo skewers, soaked for 2 hours (or 16 toothpicks) 1 each red and yellow bell pepper, seeded, cleaned and cut into 1-inch chunks 1 small martini olive per shrimp (again, start with about 16 olives) 1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce 1 lime, cut up and quarter Steps Half cook the bacon. Place a martini olive in the center of each shrimp and a piece of bacon around the shrimp. On a skewer place a piece of pepper followed by the shrimp combo. The peppers make excellent anchors. Typically try using two parallel skewers to make turning shrimp easier. If using toothpicks, you can use one piece of pepper (or two if room). Coat with the barbecue sauce and place over direct heat for 3 minutes. Turn once and baste again with barbecue sauce for 3 more minutes. Check for doneness, when shrimp turns opaque. If using larger shrimp, you may need to cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Drizzle a few drops of lime on your tasty treat. -------------------------------------------------- Kentucky Virtual Handcrafted gifts, gift baskets, & delicious gourmet foods like Derby Pie, chocolates, cream candy, ham, preserves, flavored honey & more! Hand woven placemats, napkins & rugs! Books, Pottery, Home Accents, too. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=83 -------------------------------------------------- Here is one of my wife's favorites. Salmon cooked in foil. This one uses the Guacamole Butter I shared with you on Monday. If you didn't make it yet or keep the recipe I'll include it again. The things I do for you!!! Salmon Filet Vera Cruz Serves 2 Preparation Total: 35 1 tablespoon mayonnaise 2 slices red onions, 1/4 inch thick 1/4 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips 1 Roma tomato, sliced 1/2 inch slices 4 button mushrooms, stem removed, cut in half to form circular pieces 1/4 teaspoon cracked peppercorns 1 pound salmon, filet 3 tablespoons GUACAMOLE BUTTER 3 slices limes Start your gas grill and set the temperature to high, or preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Spread the mayonnaise in the center of a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil, cut to about 16 inches long. Place the onions on top of the mayonnaise and carefully pile each ingredient, in the order listed, on top of each other. Once you have finished stacking the ingredients up, fold the foil around the vegetables and fish, and seal so as not to let the juices flow out during the cooking process. Place the package on the highest rack of your covered gas grill or on the lowest rack in your oven and cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to steam in the foil for an additional 5 minutes before opening. Open foil and carefully remove salmon to a cutting board. Place half of the cooked veggies on each of 2 warm dinner plates. Cut the salmon filet in two, and place a piece on each plate as well. Serve with oven brown potatoes or your favorite rice recipe. Cut the veggies up and eat them with the fish like a warm salsa. Guacamole Butter Serves 10 Preparation Total 1:15 1/4 pound butter, softened 1 tablespoon red onions, diced 1/2 tablespoon green pepper, diced 1/2 ripe avocado 2 tablespoons salsa 1/4 lime, juiced with pulp Combine above ingredients in a bowl and mix with a handheld potato masher or your hand until well blended. Do not over blend, as the pieces of vegetable and avocado will look nice in the butter once chilled and sliced. Once blended, place the butter onto a piece of wax paper and roll it up into a 1 1/2 inch diameter tube. Place in the freezer or refrigerator to set up. Once the butter is firm, you can slice it into 1/2 inch slices and top off your favorite steak or grilled fish. It's also great on fresh steamed asparagus or beets. -------------------------------------------------- CLUB MEMBERS! GET 4 COOKBOOKS FOR $1 EACH! Turn any meal into a magnificent feast with the help of world famous chefs like Julia Child and Emeril Lagasse. Learn how to make tempting treats, dazzling dinners and decadent deserts--fantastic foods that will make dining a delight! Discover a great selection of quick and easy recipes, techniques, and tips for both beginners and experts alike. Start now with 4 cookbooks for $1 each from The Good Cook. Click for details. http://html.chef2chef.net/goto.php?id=86 -------------------------------------------------- Shopping Lists: 1 stick of butter Fresh parsley Lemon Juice, fresh 2 tsp. lemon zest Butter 2 small cloves fresh garlic 1 medium red onion 1 stalk celery 1/2 each red and green bell pepper 1 bay leaf Paprika and cayenne 2-1/2 cups fresh diced tomatoes Chili sauce Butter Almonds, sliced Amaretto Heavy cream Tomato paste 1 each bouillon cube, chicken 1 lb. Large, Giant, or Jumbo raw shrimp 1/2 slice of bacon per jumbo shrimp 8 bamboo skewers, soaked for 2 hours (or 16 toothpicks) 1 each red and yellow bell pepper 1 small martini olive per shrimp (again, start with about 16 olives) 1/2 cup of your favorite barbecue sauce 1 lime Mayonnaise Red onions Green bell pepper 1 Roma tomato 4 button mushrooms Peppercorns 1 pound salmon, filet GUACAMOLE BUTTER Lime Butter Red onion Green pepper 1/2 ripe avocado Salsa 1/4 lime -------------------------------------------------- QUESTIONS, Comments, Technical Support: http://forums.chef2chef.net -------------------------------------------------- SUBSCRIBE or Unsubscribe Requests: http://chef2chef.net/forms/form-entry.htm or reply to this E-Mail by typing into the SUBJECT line: remove club or subscribe club -------------------------------------------------- ARCHIVE: All Club e-mails are archived each Friday at: http://chef2chef.net/news/club/ -------------------------------------------------- LIST PURGE: We attempt to send email for 24 hours. 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