Article by Mary Jock
Sesame-Crusted Mahi Mahi
1/2 cup white Japanese miso
3 TBSP light brown sugar
3 TBSP sake
2 TBSP seasoned rice vinegar
2 TBSP tahini
1 TBSP soy sauce
2 skinless mahi mahi fillets
2 TBSP white sesame seeds
2 TBSP black sesame seeds
2 TBSP all-purpose flour
1 TBSP dark sesame oil
1 TBSP peanut oil
Whisk together first 6 ingredients and pour into a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag.
Add mahi mahi and chill for 8 hours, turning occasionally.
Combine sesame seeds and flour in a shallow dish.
Remove fish from marinade and pat dry with paper towels.
Coat fish on all sides with sesame seed mixture.
Heat sesame and peanut oils in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat.
Add fish and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until golden.
Turn over, reduce heat to low and cook 2 to 3 minutes until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Sea Bass Couscous
2 TBSP cooking oil
1 onion, cut into thin slices
1 red bell pepper, cut into 3/4-inch pieces
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
2 1/4 tsp. salt
1 quart canned low sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes in thick puree
3/4 lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 cups water
1 1/3 cups couscous
2 cups drained canned chickpeas, rinsed
4 sea-bass fillets, skinned, cut into approximately 3/4 x 1 1/2-inch pieces
In a large pot, heat the oil over moderately low heat.
Add the onion and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 4 minutes.
Stir in the paprika, coriander, cayenne, ginger, cinnamon, black pepper and 1 tsp. of the salt.
Add the broth, tomatoes and sweet potatoes.
Simmer until the potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, bring the water and 3/4 tsp. of the salt to a boil.
Stir in the couscous.
Cover, remove from the heat, and let sit for 5 minutes.
Stir the chickpeas, fish, and the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt into the sweet potato mixture.
Simmer until the fish is just done, about 4 minutes.
Serve the fish and vegetables over the couscous.
Ladle the liquid over the top.
Bacon-Wrapped Bluefish
4 bluefish fillets, skinless
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 to 12 slices bacon
8 sprigs thyme
3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil
Preheat oven to 425-degrees.
Season bluefish lightly with salt and pepper.
Wrap each bluefish fillet crosswise with 2 to 3 strips of bacon and tuck two sprigs of thyme in between the bacon and each filler. Set aside.
Coat the bottom of a small baking dish with 1 TBSP of oil and place the fillets in the dish.
Drizzle fish with remaining olive oil.
Bake until fillets are cooked through and bacon is crispy, about 12 minutes.
Set oven to broil to crisp bacon, if necessary.
Sesame Shrimp with Herb Salad
Shrimp
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup fish sauce
1 TBSP toasted sesame oil
2 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
Salad
1 TBSP red pepper paste
2 TBSP rice wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
Kosher salt
2 cups fresh parsley, mint, cilantro or basil, torn if large
2 medium carrots, peeled, julienned (about 1 cup)
1/2 medium English cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half-moons (about 1 cup)
2 large radishes, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced into half-moons (about ½ cup)
1 tsp. toasted sesame seeds, plus more for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Prepare grill for medium-high heat to cook shrimp.
Whisk fish sauce, sesame oil, and chile flakes in small bowl.
Add shrimp and toss to coat. Set aside to marinate, 15 minutes.
Lightly brush grill with oil.
Season both sides of shrimp with salt and pepper and grill, turning once, until opaque throughout, about 4 minutes.
To prepare salad, whisk together red pepper paste, vinegar and sesame oil in a medium bowl.
Add herbs, carrots, cucumber and radishes.
Toss to combine and season with salt.
Serve shrimp topped with salad and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
Grilled Shrimp Tacos
1 TBSP olive oil
3 limes, juiced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. chili powder
3 TBSP cilantro, finely chopped
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 corn or flour tortillas
Diced avocado or guacamole
Feta cheese
Hot sauce
In a medium bowl, combine oil, lime juice, garlic, chili powder and cilantro until well mixed.
Add shrimp and toss to coat.
Season with salt and pepper.
Let marinate in refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Preheat grill to medium heat.
Place shrimp directly on grill (or use metal or soaked wooden skewers) and grill for 2-3 minutes per side, until shrimp is pink and thoroughly cooked.
Warm tortillas on the grill for 1 minute per side.
Distribute shrimp evenly among tortillas and garnish with avocado, cheese and hot sauce.
Sea Bass
Habanero
3 TBSP extra-virgin olive oil
4 sea bass fillets, with skin if desired
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small onion, thinly sliced
5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 small mango, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large tomato, seeded and cut into thin strips
1 habanero chile, seeded and thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup fish stock
1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro
Heat the oil in a large nonreactive skillet until shimmering.
Season the bass with salt and pepper and add to the skillet skin side up.
Cook over high heat until nicely browned but barely opaque throughout, about 1 minute per side.
Transfer to a plate.
Add the onion to the skillet and cook over moderately high heat, stirring, until browned.
Raise the heat to high.
Add the garlic, mango, tomato, habanero and a pinch each of salt and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Add the wine and cook until reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
Add the fish stock and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer for 2 minutes.
Lightly squeeze the lime into the broth and add the wedges along with the fish.
Cover and cook until the fish is opaque throughout, 1 to 3 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer the fish and vegetables to 4 soup bowls.
Spoon the broth over the top.
Sprinkle with the cilantro and serve.
Pan-Fried Striped Bass with Citrus Sauce Tacos
1/2 cup scallions, thinly sliced, white and light green parts only
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBSP jalapeño pepper, chopped and seeded
1 TBSP soy sauce
Kosher or coarse sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
6 striped bass fillets
All-purpose flour, for coating the fish
Vegetable oil, for frying the fish
12 corn tortillas, warmed
Preheat the oven to 250-degrees.
In a small bowl, combine the scallions, cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, jalapeño and soy sauce.
Season with salt, to taste.
Set aside for at least 15 minutes.
Season the fish fillets with the salt and pepper, to taste.
Spread some flour on a large plate and coat each fillet thoroughly on both sides.
Heat 1/4-inch vegetable oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking.
Line a baking sheet with paper towels.
Add the fish in batches to avoid crowding and sear until thoroughly browned on the bottom, for about 3 minutes.
Turn and sear for about 3 minutes on the second side.
Put the fish on the baking sheet and keep warm in the oven.
Transfer the fish to a platter, flake the fish with a fork and serve it drizzled with the sauce, ready to make tacos.
Serve with the corn tortillas.
