Main Course Fish

Simple Salmon

2 servings. 

This salmon recipe is simple, delicious, and good at room temperature.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 2 center cut skinless salmon fillets, 6 ounces each 

MARINADE:

  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1½ tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1½ tablespoons honey mustard

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

PREPARATION:

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

  2. In a small bowl combine olive oil, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. 

  3. Place the fish in a Ziploc bag, pour the marinade over the fish and coat well. Refrigerate for a few hours. Before broiling, bring the fish back to room temperature.  

  4. PREHEAT THE BROILER 

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

  6. Place the fish with the marinade on the foil.  

  7. Broil as close to the heat source as you can for 7 minutes without turning.

 

Spaghetti with Sardines

Makes 4 servings as a main course. 6 servings as a first course. 

This is a last-minute dish when you don’t plan to cook, but then realize you have most of the ingredients in the cupboard. I serve it at room temperature. 

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1 onion, finely chopped

  • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

  • Two  3.75 cans of skinned sardines in olive oil

  • ¼ cup lime juice, approx

  • 1 cup tightly packed flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • I pound imported spaghetti

PREPARATION:

  1. Heat the oil in a large skillet, add the onion and garlic and sauté, over low heat until the onion is soft.

  2. Add the sardines with the oil and cook for a few minutes. Add the lime juice, parsley, salt and pepper.   

  3. In a large covered saucepan, bring 5 quarts of water to a rolling boil. Add 2 tablespoons salt and all the pasta at once. Stir.

  4. Boil briskly, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, or until pasta is al dente.  

  5. Drain well in a colander and toss with the sardines, onion and garlic. 

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

NOTE:

Leftover pasta may require more seasoning. 

 
 

Tuna with Olive Topping

Tuna with Olive Topping.jpg

Makes 4 servings. 

I like to serve this dish at room temperature on a bed of sautéed vegetables or dressed greens. In this recipe, I am featuring it with sautéed shredded Napa cabbage and sautéed bell pepper strips.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 4 tuna steaks, ¾ inches thick, about 6 ounces each

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper 

OLIVE TOPPING:

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 1 tablespoon grainy mustard

  • ½ cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced

  • 3 scallions including green parts, thinly sliced

  • 1 cup loosely packed flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper  

PREPARATION:

  1. Combine the topping ingredients and set aside.

  2. Sautee the cabbage and the bell peppers and set aside.  

  3. Pat the fish dry and season lightly with salt and pepper on both sides.  In a skillet heat the olive oil and sear the tuna over high heat for 30 seconds on each side for rare fish.  

  4. Cut each steak into 3 pieces.

  5. Place the cabbage and the peppers in the center of the plate, top with tuna and the olive topping.

 
 

Tuna With Olive Sauce

Tuna+with+Olive+Sauce.jpg

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.

 
 

Lemon Sole with Avocado and Lime

Lemon+Soul+with+Avocado.jpg

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

Salmon+with+Dill+Yogurt+Sauce.jpg

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

Baked+Bronzino.jpg

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

Dorade in a Coconut Tomato Sauce.jpg

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.

 
 

Snapper with Olive Topping

Snapper with Olive Topping.jpg

Makes 4 servings.

This main course fish dish is simple, easy and tasty.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 skinless snapper fillets, about 6 ounces each

  • Kosher salt

  • Freshly ground black pepper

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 3 tablespoons lime juice

TOPPING:

  • 4 sundried tomato halves packed in oil, cut into thin strips

  • ¾ cup mixed pitted olives, cut into small pieces

PREPARATION:

  1. Preheat the broiler.

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

  3. Place the fish on a foil lined broiling pan and sprinkle with the oil and lime juice.

  4. Broil very close to the heat source for about 6 minutes, without turning, or until the inside is opaque.

  5. Keep the TOPPING warm in a small skillet and scatter over the fish.