Something Smells Fishy...but, really good!!!

Honestly the fish was this big!!!

The term that is used for the title of this blog basically mean distrust, or distaste, because of odor. Another thought come to mind is our internal gauge feels weird or maybe something doesn’t seem you know, well, just not right. I want to make something very clear.  I am here to tell you that fish is nearly always right. It all comes down to freshness, type, cut and how it is prepared.  It seems like in my previous blogs, I always have a certain sequence of how I bring everything together (at least try).  Well, it isn’t going to change now.  My first memories of fish are my Mom’s using her old favorite cast iron skillet.  She was a miracle worker with one skillet.  We would go anywhere and she pulled it out of nowhere…and it was full of something I couldn’t tell you since butter was too expensive and margarine didn’t melt, it just sat there and looked at you mockingly saying “you’ve got to be kidding”… I swear.  Well, I won’t go that far.  The “liquid”, probably vegetable oil was hot and ready for something and when that something was fish, it fantastic. I think that anything thing you hunt seems to taste better.  The reason would be…you knew how old it was.  It was after one of our family fishing excursions… with five kids, (my parents needed time out of the house) so we would go off on one our adventures.  We would go to the docks or the beach, anywhere the fish were.  My parents just knew where to go, we would all fish together.  It was also a training session, we had to learn how to fish.  After all it didn’t just appear on the table ready to eat. Fishing was outdoors and cheap.  I guess back then chicken was expensive, so after great day fishing there was a certain drill. My Dad would prepare the fish.  The first phase was usually scaling the fish before we left, he would get his fishing knife and scrape the fish from the tail to the gills to remove the scale…it depended on how big the fish was to how big the scales were.  I remember some of the fish we caught,  the scales were like size of quarter, (usually the kind that was from the ocean) well maybe smaller, you know the men would give the best “fish” stories sometime…well I doing the same thing with fish scales.  He had certain responsibilities like preparing the meat before it was cooked.  The fish were in the sink, they were just rinsed, he would take them one at a time and put them on the wood board and He would first bring the fish around and with his cleaver…bam… cut the head off! He would take his filet knife make a cut from the hole, (we didn’t know what else to call it.  I guess it wasn’t until I was older and realized what goes, in must come out)… and slice if from there up to its gill…open it up and pull everything out…it was intriguing…it was called “gutting the fish”, and (we also saved a lot of “extras” for soup)…he was a master.  It was an amazing feat and it had just begun.  Next, he would cut the fins off and when it was all done, everything was gone.  Then my Mom came into the picture.  She was the chef.  She would fry the fish.  We didn’t bake or poach back then.  It was pretty basic.  My Mom could cook an old shoe and it would look cooked, but I am sure it didn’t smell fishy…(did you see how I brought everything around).  Well…when she was done and we were sitting at the table all cleaned up and our fork and knives in our hands pounding the tables saying, “food…food…we want food.  Well at least one time I remember, because I saw on some movie or something…but my Mom gave us the “glare” and wrinkled brow that would quietly and efficiently calm all of us down, it was funny, my Dad had the same look…maybe that is where I got it…just ask my kids.  Anyway, she would bring in the large tray of Freshly Fried Fish. (Did you see that.. the three f’s?)  It was terrific…cooked fish never smelled bad after my Mom was done, it had an aroma, and the taste!!! we would put it on the plate with and some vegetables and it was dig in time…We all moaned with ecstasy at every bite.  I don’t remember if we had tartar sauce back then…in this case it didn’t need a thing.  The other fond memories were…watching my wife biting into her first, (with me), fish and chips, there was favorite place in town that had high stools and tables, you would go to their counter and give you order and back would come a newspaper wrapped fried fish and potatoes (chips), I don’t know why newspaper, but it was an acceptable means of delivery.  They always had vinegar and salt and tartar sauce.  It was great!  My favorite kind of fish is, any of the dense meats (from the ocean), like halibut, lingcod, striped bass, red snapper or flounder or expensive fish like tuna, sword fish and shark.  Another favorite is Salmon.  My wife makes the best salmon; we cooked it every different way…Poaching, boiling, baking or barbequed.  She has a knack with just the right seasonings.  The “other” fish like the white fish they use to cut the costs, like cod…Well you get the picture…now for the recipes.

Warning!!!

--These are all so good, but forget the diet--

Classic Fish and Chips

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 45 Minutes
Servings: 4

"Good tasting, simple recipe for New England's favorite dish fish and chips. Serve with malt vinegar, lemon, or tartar sauce."

Ingredients:

·         4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into strips
·         1 cup all-purpose flour
·         1 teaspoon baking powder
·         1 teaspoon salt
·         1 teaspoon ground black pepper
·         1 cup milk
·         1 egg
·         1 quart vegetable oil for frying
·         1 1/2 pounds cod fillets

Directions:

1.    Place potatoes in a medium-size bowl of cold water. In a separate medium-size mixing bowl, mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the milk and egg; stir until the mixture is smooth. Let mixture stand for 20 minutes.
2.    Preheat the oil in a large pot or electric skillet to 350 degrees F.
3.    Fry the potatoes in the hot oil until they are tender. Drain them on paper towels.
4.    Dredge the fish in the batter, one piece at a time, and place them in the hot oil. Fry until the fish is golden brown. If necessary, increase the heat to maintain the 350 degrees F temperature. Drain well on paper towels.
5.    Fry the potatoes again for 1 to 2 minutes for added crispness.

Fried Bass

Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Ready In: 25 Minutes
Servings: 3

"Crushed salt-and-vinegar potato chips are a deliciously innovative coating for spicy fried bass fillets."

Ingredients:
·         1 cup peanut oil for frying, or as needed
·         3 eggs
·         1 tablespoon water
·         3 (6 ounce) fillets striped bass fillets, skinned
·         1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
·         1 teaspoon lemon pepper
·         1/2 cup flour
·         1 (1 ounce) package salt-and-vinegar
·         Potato chips, crushed
·         1 lemon, cut into wedges

Directions:

1.    Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Whisk eggs and water together in a bowl; set the egg wash aside.
2.    Sprinkle the bass fillets on both sides with Cajun seasoning and lemon pepper. Dredge the fillets in flour, and shake off any excess. Dip the fillets in the egg wash, then dip fillets in the crushed potato chips.
3.    Fry the fish in the preheated skillet until lightly browned, about 4 minutes per side. Serve with lemon wedges.

Simple New England Fried Fish

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 20 Minutes
Ready In: 30 Minutes
Servings: 4

"Get fresh, buttery-tasting fillets of white fish with this recipe using corn meal to coat the fish before deep frying."

Ingredients:

·         2 egg whites
·         2 tablespoons cool water
·         3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
·         3/4 cup all-purpose flour
·         1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
·         1 1/2 cups vegetable oil, or more as needed
·         4 (6 ounce) fillets flounder
·         1 pinch salt to taste

Directions:

1.    Stir egg whites and water together with a fork in a wide, shallow bowl. Mix cornmeal, flour, and pepper together with a fork on a plate.
2.    Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3.    Dip each flounder fillet into the egg white mixture and press into the cornmeal mixture to coat completely. Gently toss between your hands so any cornmeal that hasn't stuck can fall away. Place fish onto a plate while preparing the rest of the fillets; do not stack.
4.    Carefully put fish into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Drain fillets on a plate lined with paper towel; season with salt.

Almond-Crusted Tilapia 

Almond-Crusted Tilapia is a simple seafood supper with just six ingredients. If you don't have a skillet large enough to hold all the fillets comfortably, we recommend cooking them in batches. You can substitute catfish, flounder, or orange roughy for tilapia.

 

Yield: Makes 4 servings

Cook time: 9 Minutes

Prep time: 15 Minutes

Ingredients:

·         1 cup sliced almonds, divided

·         1/4 cup all-purpose flour

·         4 (6-oz.) tilapia fillets

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         2 tablespoons butter

·         2 tablespoons olive oil

 

Directions:

1.    Process 1/2 cup almonds in a food processor until finely chopped, and combine with 1/4 cup flour in a shallow bowl.

2.    Sprinkle fish evenly with salt; dredge in almond mixture.

3.    Melt butter with olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat; add fish, and cook 4 minutes on each side or until golden. Remove fillets to a serving plate.

4.    Add remaining 1/2 cup almonds to skillet, and cook, stirring often, 1 minute or until golden. Remove almonds with a slotted spoon, and sprinkle over fish.

 

Crockpot Seafood Chowder

Ingredients:

·         2 pounds fresh-frozen fish fillet  

·         1/4 pound bacon; diced  

·         1 medium onion; diced  

·         1/2 cup chopped green onion tops; (1/2 to 3/4)  

·         1 cup cubed carrots  

·         4 potatoes; peeled and cubed  

·         1 teaspoon minced garlic  

·         2 cups water  

·         8 ounces clam juice  

·         2 teaspoons shrimp bouillon  

·         1 1/2 teaspoons salt  

·         1/4 teaspoon black pepper  

·         1/4 teaspoon white pepper  

·         1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper  

·         9 ounces heavy whipping cream  

·         1 cup milk; to 2  

·         2 cups cooked shrimp; optional but quite effective  

·         3 tablespoons finely diced parsley  

Original recipe makes 8 Servings

Directions:

·         Cut fish into bite size pieces, lightly brown bacon and onions; drain.

·         Combine all ingredients in crockpot except last 4 ingredients; cover and cook on Low

      6 -9 hours, or High 2-1/2 - 3-1/2 hours.

·         Turn to HIGH in last 30 minutes; add cream, milk, and shrimp.

·         Ladle into bowls; garnish with parsley and additional pepper.

This is all for now...as you can see there is some variety