Mountain Trout Stuffed with Lemon-Butter Mushrooms

What a long, strange week-plus it's been since I last blogged! I'll spare you the gory details, but suffice it to say that nothing went as planned with the house we thought we were buying, and with the job I thought I was starting last week. The good news is that we've found a new house we love and plan to make an offer on tomorrow, AND I'm now all set to start my new job tomorrow, so I think our temporary streak of mishaps and setbacks is coming to an end.

During this tumultuous time, Greg treated me to the following magnificent fish dinner: Fresh local mountain trout, butterflied and stuffed with butter, lemon and mushrooms, and delicately seasoned with tarragon, salt & pepper. I whipped up some sassy sauteed spinach to serve on the side, and that recipe will be posted here in the near future.

Back to the trout: There's no need to measure any ingredients for this recipe. Simply plan on one butterflied trout per person (they're not very large), then use your judgment and common sense when layering the ingredients and sprinkling with the seasonings. As with any fish recipe, it's imperative to use the freshest fish possible.

Ingredients
Butterflied trout
Thinly sliced lemon
Sliced mushrooms
Butter
Coarse salt & crushed pepper
Dried tarragon (or another herb such as dill, parsley or marjoram)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Open up each butterflied trout, skin side down, in the center of a square of foil that's large enough to wrap completely around the fish when it's stuffed and folded back together. Place a few lemon slices in a single layer on one half of the fish, then a few pats of butter, then the sliced mushrooms. Sprinkle lightly with salt, pepper and tarragon or other herb. Fold the other half of the trout back over the topped half to "close" the fish up, then wrap the whole fish with aluminum foil, crinkling the seams of the foil to seal.

Place the packets of fish on a baking sheet, then bake for 20 to 25 minutes at 350°F until fish is fork-tender.  Remove from oven, carefully open each foil package and gently transfer each baked fish onto a plate. Enjoy!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS:  As much as it pains me to admit it, this fish requires no hot sauce. But if you must spice it up, keep it simple and select a milder, gentler, simpler hot sauce such as Cholula Green Pepper Sauce or Amazon Green Hot Sauce.

How to Poach Fish Perfectly in 6 Simple Steps

Perfectly poached fish is tenderly flaky yet moist, and sublimely satisfying in its simplicity of a few complementary, and never overpowering, flavoring ingredients.

Too many people are intimidated by the thought of poaching fish. They mistakenly assume that it's a difficult skill to master, or that the poached fish is likely to turn out soggy and bland or dried out and unpleasantly fishy.

Well, they're wrong.

If you've always wanted to poach fish but were afraid to try, these foolproof instructions are for you. Just follow these six simple steps with any fresh fish you wish to poach:

1. Choose a Poaching Liquid: Preferred options include white wine, broth (chicken or vegetable), or even plain water.  You'll need 1 to 1 1/2 cups for 1 to 1 1/2 lbs fish fillets.


2. Select Fish-Friendly Vegetables:  Good choices include sliced fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced carrots & celery, chopped green onions, thinly sliced fresh ginger & lemongrass with snow peas. Use one or more of what you like, remembering to keep it simple and that the fish has the starring role. All you need is a cup or so of vegetables, depending on type (strongly flavored ones like ginger & lemongrass should be used sparingly).


3. Add Complementary Herbs & Spices: Add a Tablespoon or so of chopped fresh herbs or a teaspoon or so of dried. Good choices include parsley, tarragon, thyme, rosemary, oregano, or cilantro. Use less of a stronger herbs such as rosemary or cilantro than you would a milder herb like parsley. A twist or two of freshly-ground black or white pepper from a peppermill is nice, as well as a touch of sea salt. If you want to get "fancy," add a little bit of freshly-scraped lemon, lime or orange zest. Or get creative and add a sprinkling of Caribbean Key Lime Spice.


4. Prepare the "Fish Bath": Place the poaching liquid, vegetables & herbs in a 10" skillet or similar frying pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.


5. Start Cooking: Uncover the skillet and use a spatula or serving spoon to carefully lower the fish fillets into the hot liquid. Spoon the liquid over the fish so that exposed surface is moistened. Cover and simmer until the fish is done, about 6 to 8 minutes. You know the fish is done when it flakes easily and you insert a fork at the thickest part and the flesh is opaque white instead of translucent. Use a slotted spoon or spatula to gently remove the fish along with the vegetables to a plate and keep warm while you make a sauce with the poaching liquid.


6. Finish the Sauce: Return the liquid to a boil and boil, uncovered, until reduced to less than half a cup of liquid. Spoon this sauce over the fish and vegetables.

That's it!

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

Low Carb Recipe: Parmesan-Crusted Fish

Here is a healthier, low-carb alternative to breaded and fried fish. My recipe uses parmesan cheese instead of bread crumbs or other such breading.

The trick is to get your skillet REALLY hot, which is why I like using cast iron. The high heat will cause the cheese to form a nice browned crust instead of a gooey mess. You only need a very small smear of butter, oil or other fat, and it's best to apply it with a wadded paper towel once the skillet is hot by carefully and quickly wiping onto the skillet (it will sizzle and possibly smoke). Make sure you fish is ready to go in the skillet immediately afterwards so that you don't burn the oil or fat.

I used tilapia when I made the parmesan-crusted fish shown in the photo, but catfish, flounder, sole, whiting and other similar fish will all work. If you can bread and fry it, you can use parmigiano cheese instead of bread crumbs.

If you are cooking more than two fish filets, simply increase the amount of parmesan and seasoning, keeping the ratio essentially the same (one egg will be sufficient for several filets).

Ingredients
2 fish filets (approx. 3-4 oz each), rinsed and patted dry
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup grated or finely shredded parmesan cheese
1 Tbs seafood seasoning or herb seasoning of your choice, e.g., Italian herb blend
Butter, oil, bacon fat, lard or other fat

Heat a large cast-iron or other similar skillet until very hot (be careful if using a nonstick skillet because some types should NOT be heated while empty or ungreased). While the skillet is heating, stir together the cheese and seasoning in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Dip each fish filet in beaten egg, allow excess egg to drip off, then place the filet in the cheese mixture and coat well on both sides with the mixture -- you may want to use your fingers to pat it on well, covering both sides of each filet. Place the coated filets on a plate until all are ready to fry.

Cooking parmesan-crusted fish

When the skillet is very hot, use a wadded paper towel to smear a very small amount of fat to coat the cooking surface, working quickly and being careful not to burn your fingers. Immediately place the cheese-coated filets in the skillet, being sure to leave enough room between them for flipping (if you are cooking several filets, you may need to work in batches). If you have additional cheese mixture left over, you can pat more of it on to the exposed side of the filets as they cook. Cook the fish until the cheese on the bottom side is nicely browned and forms a crust, about 3 to 4 minutes, then carefully flip the fish to cook the other side -- you'll know the fish is ready to flip when it slides easily on the skillet if you push it with your spatula. Cook on the other side until nicely browned and crusted, about 3 minutes (it's been my experience that the second side cooks faster). Serve hot.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: If you like to use cocktail sauce on fried fish, try Historic Lynchburg Jalapeno Seafood Cocktail Sauce for a zippy, zesty flavor.

Gloria's Mexicali Tuna Salad

This simple yet full-flavored chunky tuna salad is sure to wake up tired taste buds without burning your mouth or breaking your wallet. It's inspired by California's "fresh-Mex" cuisine (hence the name), and you control how spicy to make it by your choice of chili pepper. I used a relatively mild Pasilla chili in the salad shown in the photo, but feel free to go with a jalapeno, habanero, serrano or other hotter pepper. The mayonnaise and avocado help mitigate the heat so even when you use a hotter variety of chile pepper, my Mexicali Tuna Salad won't get too hot.

I usually serve this salad on a simple bed of lettuce, but it's fantastic in pita sandwiches, wraps, and regular ol' sliced-bread sandwiches. You can also enjoy it as a chunky dip for raw celery, carrot sticks, endive and similar crudites, or with crackers as a snack.  The following recipe makes enough for two to four servings.

Ingredients
1 10oz-12oz can tuna packed in water, drained & flaked
1/4 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup seeded & diced chili pepper of your choice
1/4 cup chopped tomato
1 or 2 cloves finely minced garlic
1 tsp. chili powder (preferably Mexican chili powder)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 small avocado, cubed

Mix together all ingredients, except avocado, in a bowl. Gently fold in the avocado -- a silicone spatula works well for this. Taste for balance and season with additional chili powder if desired, or with salt and/or pepper.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: If you want to add a little bit of tangy heat to this salad, add a few drops or splashes of a good Mexican hot sauce like Bufalo Hot Sauce or Cholula. And if you're a fan of cilantro, you can add a little bit of chopped fresh cilantro to the mix, too. I would have done so, except I didn't have any at the time.

Spicy Pecan-Crusted Fish (Baked, Not Fried)

Spicy Pecan-Crusted Tilapia (with roasted radishes & sauteed radish tops)

Here is a low-carb, healthier alternative to breaded fried fish, with a pleasant nutty crunch and a nice spicy kick. I used tilapia fillets but any similar fish will work, e.g., sole, catfish, flounder, cod, walleye, etc.

If habanero powder is too spicy for you, substitute cayenne or red pepper powder, or even ground chipotle powder or ancho chile powder for an earthier, less fiery flavor.

This recipe takes only a few minutes to assemble and no more than 15 minutes to cook in the oven. If you insist on pan-frying rather than baking the fish, use about 2 Tbs butter or oil (or 1 Tbs each) over medium-high heat and fry on each side until golden-brown and fork-flaky, about 3 to 4 minutes per side depending on the thickness of your fish fillets. Your skillet should be large enough to fry all 4 fillets simultaneously -- if not, you can fry in batches and hold the fried fillets in a warm (200°F) oven until all are done.

Depending on how hungry everyone is and how much other food you're serving, plan on 1 or 2 fillets per person -- and you can multiply this recipe for more (or bigger) servings.

Ingredients
4 tilapia or other fish fillets, approx 3-4 oz each
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans*
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
pinch (or to taste) habanero powder (or other ground chili pepper)
Oil or cooking spray

*Place pecan halves or pieces in a resealable plastic bag, squeeze out all the air, seal and then use a rolling pin to crush into very small pieces. Or, you can pulse in a food processor, but be very careful not to over-process or you'll end up with ground pecans or pecan butter (neither of which is a bad thing, but they're not the right thing for this recipe).

Preheat oven to 400°F and very lightly oil (or spray with cooking oil) a baking sheet. Stir together the chopped pecans, spices, salt & pepper in a small bowl until thoroughly combined, then spread on a shallow plate. Dip each fillet in the beaten egg, then press into the pecan mixture to coat both sides well. Place each pecan-coated fillet on the oiled baking sheet and bake at 400°F until golden-brown and the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 10 to 15 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets. Serve with lemon wedges, or your favorite cocktail sauce or tartar sauce.

Makes 2 to 4 servings.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: If you enjoy spicy foods and want an alternative to humdrum, everyday cocktail sauce, try Historic Lynchburg Tennessee Whiskey Jalapeno Seafood Cocktail Sauce, a grown-up take on cocktail sauce that's spiced with red ripe jalapeno peppers and spiked with a splash of real Jack Daniels Black Label Whiskey.

Low-Carb Recipe: Broiled Avocado Tuna Melts

If you're on a carb-restricted diet, here is a low-carb alternative to traditional tuna melt sandwiches. Instead of using bread, the "base" is an avocado half. Broiling gives the avocado a buttery texture and enhances the richness of the flavors in this dish.

The following recipe is quite flexible: You can substitute a quarter cup of salsa for the garlic, pepper, onion & tomato; or add a few dashes of hot sauce to the tuna filling; use chopped cooked shrimp or crab meat instead of tuna; or use a different hot pepper or cheese (in fact, shredded cheese would probably produce a more attractive look). Let your imagination and taste buds be your guide.

My Broiled Avocado Tuna Melts recipe makes either 2 or 4 servings: As a main course, plan on 1 avocado per person. As a hearty appetizer, "salad" or snack, plan on half an avocado per person. And yes, you can multiply this recipe as needed.

Ingredients
2 ripe but firm avocados*

1 can (5 to 7 oz) tuna, drained
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp minced jalapeno
1/4 tsp onion powder
Salt & pepper to taste (I added about 1/4 tsp sea salt & a few twists from my pepper mill)
1/4 cup diced tomato
1 or 2 slices Swiss cheese
Chili Powder or other ground chile pepper powder

*The avocados should "give" a little when you press at the stem end, but they shouldn't be soft or mushy and should still be fairly firm.

Combine the tuna, garlic, jalapeno, onion powder, salt & pepper in a bowl and use a fork to flake the tuna and combine everything. Cut the avocados in half, remove pits, then use a spoon to carefully scoop out most of the flesh, leaving about 1/4" to create a "bowl." Place the scooped-out avocado flesh in the bowl with the tuna mixture and use fork to mash together and thoroughly combine. Fold the tomatoes into this tuna-avocado mixture.

Place the avocado halves, cut side up, on a foil-covered broiler pan. Spoon the tuna-avocado filling evenly into the hollowed-out avocado halves.

Tear the cheese into small strips and place over the stuffed avocado halves (you might not need 2 full slices, so feel free to snack on any leftover pieces). Sprinkle with chili powder. Place broiler pan in oven on 2nd rack from the top broiler, turn on broiler and broil until cheese is bubbly and begins to brown, about 3 minutes or so (keep your eye on them so they don't burn). Serve hot.

Zestfully yours,
Gloria

PS: If you're searching for low-carb or no-carb sauces & seasonings, be sure to visit the Carolina Sauces online store and browse our extensive selection of low-carb/no-carb products.