Grilled Fish Sandwich

Mouth watering yet?

Mine is...

Both of these recipes come from the new cookbook that I've (not officially) added to this challenge. 

I've been cooking out of it quite a bit lately, but I have yet to add it to the count, because I feel like if I do, this challenge may never end.

But would that be such a bad thing?  I'm not so sure...

Anyway, I guess I will continue to ponder that, while I also continue to cook delicious things out of it.

Like this beautifully light and delicious fish sandwich with a mustard potato salad.

Really while I love a battered fish sandwich (and all things fried) as much as any other Minnesotan, 

I do think this grilled fish sandwich is just as good, if not better.

Partially because you don't feel guilty about eating it for hours after you finish, but also because it is flavorful and paired with a delicious slaw that gives it even more dimension.

I paired it with a potato salad, because I just knew Logan would love this mustard based (German) version.

And boy was I right, this meal was a hit in general, and I think you should try it. 

In fact it would be a pretty great Memorial Day meal, 

that is if the weather where you are allows you to grill...ours does not, darn spring time in MT.

Nonetheless...

Happy Memorial Day 

and 

HAPPY GRILLING!

Grilled Fish Sandwich with Cabbage Slaw

4 cups shredded green cabbage

S&P

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced

1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

3 T mayo

1 T red-wine vinegar

1/4 tsp caraway seed (I actually used celery seed)

Vegetable oil, for grilling

4 striped bass, fillets or other firm-fleshed fish such as tilapia or flounder (4-6oz each)

8 thick slices sandwich bread, such as brioche or country style white (I used a 7 grain wheat)

Heat grill to medium high.  (I used an indoor grill pan, because our weather SUCKS). In a bowl, toss cabbage with 2 tsp salt, let stand 20 min, then press between layers of paper towels to remove excess liquid. 

In a clean bowl, toss cabbage with celery, onion, mayo, vinegar and caraway seed, season with pepper.

Clean and lightly oil hot grates.  Pat fish dry, season with salt and pepper, and brush with oil.  

Grill fish until opaque around the edges and underside releases easily from grill, 2-4 min.  Using a thin metal spatula, flip fish and cook until opaque throughout, 1-5 min. Transfer to a plate.

Grill bread until lightly toasted, 5-10 seconds per side.

Assemble sandwiches with fish and cabbage slaw. 

Potatoes Vinaigrette

1 1/2 lbs new potatoes, scrubbed 

S&P

1/4 cup white-wine vinegar

1 T Dijon mustard

1 T whole-grain mustard

3 T olive oil 

1 celery stalk, thinly sliced crosswise, plus 1/2 cup celery leaves

Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil, and add salt.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until just tender, 12-14 min.  Drain; set aside to cool slightly. 

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine vinegar and both mustards; season with S&P.

When potatoes are cool enough to handle, quarter and toss with mustard-vinegar mixture.

Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours or up to overnight.  Add oil and celery stalk leaves to potatoes; toss and serve.

Serves 4.

LOGAN RATING: ****

Nicoise Salad

I had never heard of this fancy French salad until a couple years ago when my Uncle Dug made it for my mom and myself. I was suspicious, because lets face it, I'm not the fanciest of people.

But after the first bite I was pleasantly surprised, it is light, bright, and fresh.

I was totally impressed.  I never thought I could make something so pretty and fancy.

Now, probably 3 years later, I did it. 

I made my first Nicoise salad, thanks to this blog forcing me out of my comfort zone. 

And although it would not be authentic according to the french, as they used NO cooked vegetables, I think it was a home run.  

If I can do it, you can too...just TRY!

ENJOY!

Salmon Nicoise Salad

Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

12 oz (4-5) red new potatoes

8oz green beans, trimmed

2 skinless salmon fillets (each about 8oz)

2 heads Boston lettuce

4 plum tomatoes

3 large eggs, hard-cooked

1 medium red onion

1 jar or tin anchovy fillets, drained (optional)

1/4 cup kalamata olives

Dijon Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Dijon Vinaigrette

2 T fresh lemon juice

1 T Dijon mustard

S&P

1/4 cup olive oil

In a medium bowl, whisk the juice, mustard, 1/2 tsp salt, and a pinch of pepper until combined.

Whisking constantly, add the olive oil in a steady stream; whisk until thickened and creamy. (Alternately shake all ingredients in a small jar). 

In a 5 qt pot, bring 1/2 in of water to boil; add salt and the potatoes.  Cover; cook, turning occasionally, until tender, 14-16 min. 

With a slotted spoon, transfer the potatoes to a bowl.  Set aside to cool. 

Add the green beans to the pot of boiling water.  Cover; cook turning occasionally until tender, 4-6 min.  Remove with a slotted spoon.  Rinse under cool water, and set aside.

Fill a deep skillet with 1/4 in water.  Season the salmon on both sides with S&P; place in the skillet.  

Bring the water to a gentle simmer; cover, and cook until the salmon is opaque throughout, 10-12 min.  Transfer to a plate; flake with a fork and let cool.

While the salmon is cooking, tear lettuce into pieces, 

quarter the potatoes and tomatoes, peel and quarter the eggs and thinly slice the onion.

On a large platter (or 4 serving plates), arrange the lettuce, salmon, green beans, potatoes, eggs, tomatoes, onion, anchovies (if using) and olives.  Serve with the vinaigrette.

Foolproof Hard-Cooked Eggs

Place 4 eggs in a saucepan and add enough water to cover them by 1 inch.  Bring the water to a simmer over high heat.  Remove from the heat and cover and let stand for 12 min. 

Drain and rinse under cold running water.  

Logan Rating: ***

The Return of the Horrible Blogger!!!!

Hello All!

It is me, Paige...KING!

 I'm sure you have probably forgotten all about me and my horrible blogging ways.

Well probably not the second part.

But I'm back!  

At least for now...

If you are reading this, thanks for hanging in there with me, I do appreciate your support! 

I'm hoping to get back to this blogging thing, now that life has slowed back down a bit, if I even remember how.

I still have A LOT of recipes to go and I plan on tackling every last one of them, with you all by my side!  

So here we go...back to Martha Stewart world I come...

This is a meal I made a while back, but I remember it was quite delicious, extremely lemony (word? it is now) and fresh.  I find fish to be at its best when paired with lemon and herbs and this did not disappoint.  I paired it with some asparagus and roasted cauliflower, Logan actually ate the cauliflower...kudos to me!

Sole with Lemon-Butter Sauce

1/2 cup dry white wine

8 sole fillets (3-4 oz each)

coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

16 very thin lemon slices (from 1-2 lemons), seeds removed

Juice of 1 lemon (3 T)

3 T cold butter, cut into pieces

Dill Sprigs (optional) HIGHLY recommended

Place the 1/2 cup wine in a large lidded skillet. 

  Fold each sole fillet into thirds.  Arrange in the skillet; season with salt and pepper.  Lay two overlapping lemon slices on each piece of fish.

Bring the wine to a boil; reduce heat to med-low. Cover and simmer gently until the fish is opaque throughout, 3-5 minutes.  With a spatula, transfer the fish to serving plates.  

Return the liquid to a boil; cook until reduced to 1/3 cup, 1-2 min.  Add the lemon juice; remove from heat.  Whisk in the butter until smooth.  Season with salt; strain if desired.  Serve with fish; garnish with fresh dill and pepper, if desired. 

Serves 4.

Asparagus with Lemon Butter

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 lbs asparagus, tough ends removed

1 T unsalted butter

1 tsp grated lemon zest, plus 1 T lemon juice

Bring 2 inches of water to boil in a large saucepan or deep skillet; add salt and asparagus. 

Blanch until stalks are crisp-tender, 5-8 min.  Drain well in a colander.

Return asparagus to pan; toss with butter and lemon zest and juice.  Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 4.

Roasted Cauliflower with Paprika

1 large head cauliflower (1 lb), trimmed and broken into small florets

2 T olive oil

1 1/2 tsp paprika

S&P

Preheat oven to 450.  Place cauliflower florets on a rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with oil and sprinkle with paprika.

Season with S&P and toss to coat, spread in a single layer.

Roast until tender when pierces with the tip of a sharp knife and lightly browned, 20-25 min, tossing half way through.  Serve hot or room temp.

Serves 4. 

And this is what you get...

YUMM!

Logan Rating: ***

Sushi Grade Tuna...YUM

Um, yeah, it was just as good as it looks.

This Tuna is served over a bed of sauteed eggplant and topped with a scallion sauce.

Seriously delicious.

So this is what Logan/dishwasher extraordinare does while I cook.

Yes he wears his sunglasses inside...he's really cool.

Ok onto the food.

You must try this one, I'm serious.

Even Logan ate eggplant, I couldn't believe it.

I should eat Seared Tuna more often,

I forgot how awesome and easy it is!

ENJOY!

Seared Tuna Steaks with Eggplant and Scallion Saute

1 T finely grated peeled fresh ginger

6 scallions, trimmed and thinly sliced crosswise

1 cup rice vinegar 

1/3 cup toasted sesame oil

S&P

3 T vegetable oil, such as safflower

1 1/2 lbs small eggplant halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise

4 tuna steaks, 1 inch thick

In a med bowl stir together ginger, scallions, vinegar, and sesame oil, season with S&P.

In a large skillet with a tight fitting lid, heat 2 T oil over med high.  Add eggplant and season with S&P. Cover, cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened and lightly browned, 5-6 min.  Uncover and cook stirring occasionally, until tender and browned, 4-5 min.  Transfer eggplant to a plate, wipe skillet with a paper towel.

Rub both sides of tuna with remaining 1 T oil, season with S&P.  Place in a skillet and cook over high heat, turning once, until browned but still pink in the center, about 5 min.  Cut each tuna steak in half.  Divide eggplant and tuna among four plates.  Spoon sauce on top, and serve.

Logan Rating: ****

Oddly delicious!

This dish is sweet, savory, fishy and oh so delicious.  

The combination of ingredients definitely threw me off at first, but they all worked really well together.

Oh Martha, I don't know why I doubt you...forgive me!

So this meal is a little "winterish" for this nice sunny weather we are having, but I made this when it was still nasty outside.

So maybe you could make it on a rainy day :)

It was a great different meal and I'm so glad I have this blog, because I NEVER would have tried it without it.

Did I mention it is super easy?  Well it is!

ENJOY!

Cod with FEnnel and Potatoes

1 T olive oil

1 small onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 trimmed fennel bulb (reserve fronds) cut into 1/2 in pieces

1 lb russet potatoes, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced

1 can reduced sodium chicken broth 

2 T tomato paste

3 strips (1/2 in wide) orange zest

Salt

4 boneless skinless cod fillets (6oz each)

In a 12 in skillet, heat olive oil over med heat.  Add onion and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently until onion is soft, about 7 min.

Add the choped fennel; cook, stirring frequently until crisp-tender, about 5 min.

Add potatoes, chicken broth, tomato paste and orange zest; season with salt. Boil for 10 min.

Place cod fillets on top; reduce heat.  Cover simmer  until fish is opaque throughout, about 10 min.

Serve with chopped reserved fennel fronds if desired.

Serves 4.

Logan Rating: ***

25 Followers!!! THANKS everyone!!! Keep em coming!

There is a first time for everything.

This was my first time with fennel.

I was surprised...it was pretty good.

Interesting flavor, but worked really well in this salad, 

which was a nice, fresh, light twist on a side dish.  

I didn't really like the parsley, in fact

I think I realized this week that I don't like parsley at all...bummer.

The salad paired really well with this Asian glazed salmon, which was REALLY good.

Another springy meal in some seriously not so springy weather.

I'm still willing the warm weather to arrive!

ENJOY!

Fennel, Orange, and Parsley Salad

2 medium fennel bulbs

5 medium oranges

2/3 cup fresh parsley leaves (LESS, in my opinion)

2 T slivered pitted black olives

1tsp olive oil

S&P

Trim fennel bulbs.  Quarter, core, and thinly slice the bulbs crosswise.

Using a paring knife, remoe the peel and pith from the oranges.  Separate into segments over a large bowl (to catch the juice) then add the segments to the bowl.

Add the fennel, parsley, olives, and olive oil; season with S&P.  Gently toss and serve.

Serves 4.

Salmon Steaks with Hoisin Glaze

1 T fresh orange juice

2 T hoisin suace

2 tsp honey

4 salmon steaks (each 8-10 oz and 1 in thick)...I couldn't find steaks, so I just used fillets

S&P

Heat broiler.  In a small bowl, whisk together the orange juice, hoisin sauce and honey to make a glaze.

Rinse the salmon steaks, and pat dry.  Season both sides with salt and pepper.  Place the steaks on a rimmed baking sheet.  Brush generously with the glaze.

Broil the salmon about 4 inches from the heat source, basting once, until opaque in the center, 10-13 min.

Serves 4.

Logan Rating:

Salad:***

Salmon:****