Fluke with Lemon Vinaigrette

Makes 2 servings. 

Easy, light, and delicious this fish is very much a summer dish when paired with corn and other seasonal vegetables.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 skinless, boneless fluke fillets, about 6 ounces each. 

LEMON VINAIGRETTE:

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

• Leaves from 3 tarragon sprigs, finely chopped

PREPARATION:

1. Pat dry the fish with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.

2. In a small bowl combine the vinaigrette ingredients.

3. Place the fish in a Ziploc bag and pour the vinaigrette over the fish.

4. Refrigerate for a few hours. Before broiling, bring the fish back to room temperature.

5. Preheat the broiler.

6. To save time cleaning up, I line the top of the broiler pan with heavy foil. Then I make a shallow basket with a piece of heavy foil, crimping at the corners so that the juices do not spill out.   

7. Place the fish with the vinaigrette on the foil.

8. Broil as close to the heat source as you can for 6 minutes, without turning.

9. The top will be lightly brown.   

Red Snapper with Parsley and Parmesan

Makes 2 servings. 

This fish recipe is an easy last-minute dish with a flavorful coating.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 skinless red snapper fillets, about 6 ounces each

COATING:

• 1 cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

• 2 tablespoons panko

• 2 tablespoon imported grated Parmesan cheese

• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 500F. 

2. Combine the coating ingredients. 

3. Pat fish dry with paper towels and place on a foil lined baking sheet.    

4. Spread and pat the coating on top of the fish.

5. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the inside of the fish is opaque.

Tuna With Olive Sauce

Makes 4 servings.

This tuna recipe is easy, quick, delicious and nutritious. I serve it at room temperature with French lentils and roasted bell peppers. The lentil recipe follows and the roasted bell pepper recipe can be found on my website under “First Course.”  

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 tuna steaks, about ½ an inch thick and 6 ounces each

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

DRESSING:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 tablespoons lemon juice

• ½ cup pitted black olives (Kalamata), coarsely chopped

• 3 scallions including green parts finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

LENTILS:

• 1 cup French green lentils

• ½ teaspoon Kosher salt

• 1¼ cups water

• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

PREPARATION:

1. Make the dressing and set aside.

2. Pat the tuna dry and season lightly with salt and pepper.

3. Heat the olive oil in a heavy skillet and sear the tuna steaks over high heat for less than a minute on both sides. 

4. Place the lentils, salt and water into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and cook, covered, for about 25 minutes, or until the lentils are tender (if the lentils are not ready and all the water is absorbed add 1-2 tablespoons of hot water and continue cooking).

5. Toss the lentils with the olive oil and season to taste with salt.

Miso Glazed Wild Salmon

Makes 4 servings. 

Miso paste is what makes this dish so delicious. The paste is made of fermented soy beans that embody sweet, sour, salty and bitter flavors. When wild salmon is in season, I make this recipe frequently.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 center cut skinless salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each 

GLAZE:

2 teaspoons white miso paste

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Pat fish dry with paper towels. Place the salmon in an ovenproof dish.   

2. In a small bowl mix the glaze ingredients well to make a smooth paste. Coat the fish with the glaze and  cover with plastic wrap. You can leave it at room temperature or refrigerate it for as long as is convenient.

3. Preheat the oven to 500F.

4. Take out the fish from the refrigerator before roasting. 

5. Roast the fish for about 8 minutes. The inside should have turned opaque. If in doubt whether the fish has cooked sufficiently to your taste, take it out and cover with foil for 1 minute. The fish will continue cooking.

Lemon Sole with Avocado and Lime

Makes 2 servings. 

This is a flavorful, attractive and nutritious dish which is suitable to any season.

fish INGREDIENTS:

• 2 skinless lemon sole fillets, about 6 ounces each

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

AVOCADO PUREE:

• 1 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

• 3 tablespoons lime juice

• 1 SMALL ripe avocado.

• Zest of 1 lime

• ½ cup tightly packed flat leaf parsley

• ½ cup cilantro leaves

• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat the oven to 500F. 

2. Pat dry fillets with paper towels, place on a piece of wax paper and season lightly with salt and pepper. 

3. Reserve half the melted butter and half of the lime juice in a small dish. Add the avocado and mash with a fork to a paste. Add the lime zest, parsley, cilantro, salt and pepper. Season to taste.   

4. Divide the puree equally and place in the center of the darker side of the fillet. Fold the thinner end towards the center, so it covers about half of the fillet; fold the other end on top to form a neat three layered “packet.” 

5. Place the packets with the folded side on the bottom in an ovenproof dish, pour over the reserved butter/ lime juice. Cover the dish with heavy foil and bake for 20-25 minutes. The fish should turn opaque.  

6. To serve, spoon the accumulated juice over the fillets.  

NOTE:

The entire dish can be prepared several hours in advance and refrigerated. Before baking, bring it back to room temperature.

Salmon with Dill Yogurt Sauce

Makes 2 servings. 

I like to cook this dish in spring and summer when wild salmon is plentiful. It is easy to prepare and lovely at room temperature, served with yogurt in a separate dish on the side.  

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 center cut wild skinless salmon fillets, 6 ounces each

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• ½ tablespoon unsalted butter

DILL YOGURT SAUCE:

• 5.3 ounces Greek plain yogurt

• 1 shallot, finely chopped or 2 scallions including green part, coarsely chopped

• ½ tablespoon capers, coarsely chopped

• Zest of ½ lemon

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

• ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 6 dill sprigs, snipped with scissors

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 

2. Line a baking sheet with foil. Pat fish dry with paper towels. Place on the foil and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Top with slivers of butter.

3. Bake for 10 minutes. The inside of the fish should be slightly opaque. I like mine medium rare.  

4. While the fish is baking make the Dill Yogurt Sauce and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Baked Branzino Fillets

Makes 2 servings. 

Easy, quick and nutritious.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 skinless Branzino fillets, about 6 ounces each

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper 

COATING:

• ½ cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley

• 4 halves sun dried tomatoes packed in oil

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

PREPARATION:

1. Preheat oven to 450F.

2. Pat fish dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper on both sides.

3. Place in an oven proof dish.  

4. Chop the coating ingredients coarsely, combine well in a bowl, and spread on top of the fillets.

5. Bake for 8 minutes or until the fish has just turned opaque.

Dorade in a Coconut Tomato Sauce

Makes 4 servings.                                                                                                  

Dorade is a tender, delicate white fish, quite similar to red snapper or branzino. The sauce has a bit of a kick, and the cilantro gives it a beautiful appearance. The fish is prepared earlier in the day and the sauce can be made at the same time. Pair it with any rice.   

INGREDIENTS FOR FISH:

• 4 skinless Dorade filets, about 6 ounces each

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• ½ teaspoon curry powder

• 3 tablespoons lime juice

INGREDIENTS FOR SAUCE:

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• 3 shallots, finely chopped

• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

• ¾ cup unsweetened coconut milk

• ½ cup chopped tomatoes (See Note)

• Kosher salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

• Cilantro leaves, for garnish

PREPARATION:

1. Pat the filets dry with a paper towel and lightly season both sides with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the curry powder with the lime juice and spread it over the fish.  

2. Place the fish in a zip-top plastic bag. Seal the bag and refrigerate for at least two hours. 

3. Before cooking bring the fish back to room temperature. 

4. Preheat the oven to 450 F. 

5. Heat the olive oil in a small saucepan. Add the shallots and garlic, and sauté, covered, over low heat until soft, about 5 minutes.  Add the coconut milk and chopped tomatoes. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and cook uncovered, for about 5 minutes to thicken the sauce. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6.  Spoon some of the sauce into a nonreactive baking pan large enough to hold the fish in one layer.

7.  Place the fish on top and spoon the rest of the sauce over the fish. Bake for about 8 minutes, or until the fish has just turned opaque. If not completely cooked, cover it with foil for a minute and it will continue cooking.

.NOTE:

I use the Pomi brand chopped tomatoes from 100% fresh Italian tomatoes, which come in a carton. Leftover tomatoes can be refrigerated and even frozen.

Fish in a Coconut-Curry Broth

Makes 4 servings.

I love this dish with its intense flavor. Of course, you can reduce the seasonings. I also treat this dish as a meal in itself especially when served with rice.

INGREDIENTS:

• 13.5-ounce can coconut milk

• 1 cup vegetable broth

• 2 medium carrots, peeled quartered, coarsely chopped (See Note)

• 2 medium shallots, quartered, coarsely chopped

• 4 garlic cloves, quartered coarsely chopped

• 2 teaspoons curry powder

• 2 teaspoons turmeric

• ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

• 1½ pounds halibut, or other firm whitefish

• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt, approx

• Freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons lime juice, approx.

PREPARATION:

1. In a medium saucepan combine coconut milk, vegetable broth, carrots, shallots, garlic, turmeric, curry powder and crushed red pepper.  

2. Cook over medium heat, uncovered, stirring from time to time, until vegetables are almost soft, about 8 minutes.  

Fish:

1. Pat the fish dry with paper towels.

2. Cut into 1-inch squares and place in a bowl.

3. Season with salt and pepper.  

4. Bring the broth to a boil and add the fish. Cover and cook over low heat until fish is JUST cooked through, about 1 minute.

5. Season to taste with lime juice, salt and pepper.

Note:

I chop all the vegetables in a food processor. Be sure to quarter them first.  

Brook Trout with Almonds

Makes 2 servings.

Trout is not a popular fish. I recently discovered it and I like its sweet taste and non-oily texture. They are very small, generally 1 pounders. I, therefore, suggest one fish per person. After filleting it renders about 6 ounces.

I like to serve it on a bed of stir-fry spinach. 

INGREDIENTS:

• Two, 1 pound trout
• 1½ tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, approx
• 2 tablespoon toasted blanched almonds, coarsely chopped
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

1. Have the fishmonger fillet the fish and leave the skin on.
2. Rinse the fish and dry very well with paper towels.
3. Melt the butter in a large non-stick skillet and sauté the fish skin side down over high heat for 3 minutes.
4. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Flip the fish over with a spatula, season with lemon juice and scatter the almonds. 
6. Shut off the heat.
7. I like to serve this fish skin side up with the accumulated pan juices.