Ultimate Cook Book_ 900 New Recipes, Thousands of Ideas - Bruce Weinstein [221]
Variations: For a sweeter crust, add 1 teaspoon packed light brown sugar with the coconut.
Substitute lemon juice for the lime juice.
Reduce the lime juice to 1 tablespoon and add 1 tablespoon gold or white rum with the remaining lime juice on the fillets.
Fried Sardines
Fresh sardines are nothing like canned ones. Fried with a semolina coating, they make a light main course. Makes 4 servings
¼ cup olive oil
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup semolina or finely ground yellow cornmeal
12 whole sardines, scaled and cleaned
1 teaspoon kosher or coarse-grained sea salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 lemons, halved
Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet, sauté pan, or wok set over medium-high heat until there are a few ripples across its surface.
Meanwhile, mix the flour and semolina on a large plate. Pat the sardines dry with paper towels, then dredge them in this flour mixture, coating both sides evenly and thoroughly. Shake off any excess.
Slip the sardines one at a time into the oil, holding them by the tails and lowering them slowly into the oil. Work in batches, if the skillet or wok is not big enough to hold them all comfortably in one layer.
Fry until golden on both sides, turning once or twice with a metal spatula, about 6 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack. Season with salt and pepper. Let stand at room temperature for 5 minutes, then serve each with a lemon half to be squeezed over the fish.
To eat the sardines, use a fork to pull the meat down off the spine, pulling it off the tiny bones as you rake it onto your plate. Always check for bones before eating.
Variations: Season the flour with 2 teaspoons dried oregano and/or 1 teaspoon dried thyme.
Serve the sardines with red pepper flakes on the side for garnishing.
Omit the salt and pepper. Instead, mix 2 tablespoons kosher or coarse-grained sea salt with 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Place in a small bowl and set this in the middle of the table as a “dip” for the sardines as everyone debones and eats them.
Skate with Potatoes and Garlic
Skate wing is traditionally browned in butter, then served with a simple sauce. We prefer a meat-and-potatoes approach that doesn’t mask the delicate taste. Makes 4 servings
¼ cup olive oil
3 pounds yellow-fleshed potatoes, such as Yukon golds, cut into very small, ½-inch pieces
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons chopped oregano leaves or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
2 cups vegetable or fish broth
Two 1-pound skate wings, each cut in half into separate, fanlike “wings”
½ teaspoon salt, or to taste
Heat a large, deep skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Pour in the olive oil, then add the potatoes. Cooking, stirring often, until the potatoes have started to brown and are getting a crunchy crust, about 12 minutes.
Add the garlic; cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add the oregano and vinegar; stir well over the heat for 10 seconds. Pour in the broth and scrape up any browned bits on the pan’s bottom. Bring the mixture to a full simmer.
Lay the skate-wing pieces over the potatoes. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and steam until the thin parts of the wings flake when gently scraped with a fork and until the potatoes are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt before serving. Scoop up the wings and potato stew with a large ladle or spatula and serve in bowls.
Variations: Add 1 carrot, finely diced, with the garlic.
Substitute 2 teaspoons chopped rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed, for the oregano.
Reduce the broth to 1 cup and add 1 cup dry white wine with the remaining broth.
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Fish Steaks: Marlin, Tuna, Mahimahi, Swordfish, Halibut, Opah, or Salmon Steaks
Not all fish flakes. Some deepwater fish is so meaty, it can be sliced into steaks. And salmon can be sliced through the body, rather than along