Fish Recipes

Last week I put a photo of my son Bob in the paper holding a fish that he caught in Alaska - well, he came to visit a couple days ago and brought some of that fish with him so that I could have a taste!
He told me that a few years ago he was visiting his cousin in Seattle and he had cooked some Halibut that was really good so I emailed my nephew and he was nice enough to share his recipe for Halibut Baked in Parchment.
Frank Arb (Director of Stevenson and Sons in Forsyth) was also nice enough to share his own recipe for salmon which he tells me has won a few prizes and was also published in Sunset magazine.
I can attest to the fact that they are both excellent and I would highly recommend trying them yourself, even if you have to buy the fish at the market!

Halibut baked in Parchment with Pine Nut and Sweet Pepper Relish

(From The Fish Book: Kelly McCune)
“Baking in a parchment packet is an excellent way to cook fish. The parchment, when properly sealed, puffs up in the hot oven. The fish cooks in its own juices inside this “steaming chamber” and remains very moist and succulent. The slightly sweet relish in our recipe lightly flavors the fish and is hot and aromatic when guests break open their own packets.”
Any firm white-fleshed fish, such as black sea bass, red snapper, flounder, grouper, etc. may be substituted for the halibut in this recipe. Use one fillet per serving if small fillets are unavailable, or cut the larger ones in half.
Pine Nut and Sweet Pepper Relish - (recipe to follow)
Butter
Salt
freshly ground white pepper
8 small halibut fillets, approximately 1/3 pound per serving, boned
White wine
Prepare the relish a few hours in advance and set aside. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees (this step is important, as steaming should begin the moment the packets are placed in the oven. Fold a piece of parchment in half lengthwise and cut out half of a heart with the center at the fold. Open the paper (you should now have a whole heart) and butter one half. (Note: more paper is better than less. It’s really irritating to try to seal the edges over a beautiful fillet when they don’t quite meet. Grrrr...)
Lightly salt and pepper that same half and place 1 fillet on it. Spread 1 tablespoon of relish on top (I like to add about twice that amount) and place another fillet on top. Dot the top fillet with butter, spread another tablespoon of relish on top, and sprinkle a teaspoon or so of white wine over it. Season lightly with salt and pepper.
Fold the other half of the paper over so the edges meet. Starting at the top center of the heart, fold the edges together in small overlapping folds, working your way down to the bottom point. Fold the bottom under twice so that no moisture will leak out. It is important for the packets to be well sealed. Repeat these steps with the other three packets. Place the packets on a baking sheet and bake in a preheated oven for 10 - 12 minutes. Remove the packets from the oven. Cut a small hole at the corner of each one and drain off the liquid without crushing or tearing the packets.
Serve the packets immediately on large plates and let each diner open his or her own.

Pine Nut and Sweet Pepper Relish

This flavorful relish goes well with grilled fish or with fish cooked in parchment.
1 yellow bell pepper
1 red bell pepper
1/3 c. pine nuts
1 T olive oil
1 t. red wine vinegar
3 T minced onion
1 garlic clove - minced to a paste
1 t. brown sugar
Large pinch ground nutmeg
Pinch salt
Several grindings of fresh white pepper
To roast the peppers: char the skins over a gas burner, on a grill, or under a broiler. The skin should be quite black all over. Place the peppers in a paper bag for 15 minutes to steam and cool. Stem and seed the peppers. Scrape the charred skin away with the blunt side of a knife: do not rinse. Chop the peppers and set aside.
Toast the pine nuts in a single layer on a baking pan in a preheated 375 degree oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until light brown. Remove and cool. Coarsely chop two-thirds of the pine nuts and leave the other third whole.
Combine all the ingredients in a stainless steel or glass bowl. Blend well. Let stand two hours before using.
This relish will keep in a sealed jar for 1 week in the refrigerator.
Darren’s notes: I like a little more garlic. I’ve also added minced red onion and/or chives to good effect. I’ve tried spicing it up a little with red & green serrano peppers sliced very thin as rounds (looks pretty, too). Cilantro is good if you like that sort of thing. I’ve squeezed lime over it (not lemon, though... too tart.) And, I’ve added fresh corn cut off the cob to the relish.
More on “Packet Cooking” next week.

Cardogs’ Award Winning Salmon

Source: Frank Arb
This recipe won a Reserve Champion ribbon at the Canadian BBQ Championship in 1999 at New Westminster, BC, 2002 2nd place at the Pacific NW Regional Championship “Anything But” Competition and 1st Place at Beaverton, OR 2003 (won by Frank Arb & Jack Rogers) as well as 1st place in the Montana State BBQ championship in 2007(won by Frank & Susan Arb). It was also published in Sunset magazine with an article about my cousin Jack Rogers of Seattle and some of his BBQ secrets.
3 lb. filet of salmon - boned (preferably Sockeye or King)
Dry rub:
1 c. light brown or turbinado sugar 1 T dill weed
1 c. non-iodized salt
1 T summer savory
3 T granulated garlic
2 t tarragon
3 T granulated onion
Finishing rub:
1/4 c. light brown or turbinado sugar
1 t. summer savory
1 T granulated garlic
1 t. tarragon
1 T granulated onion
Buy a fresh salmon filet, sockeye or king if available. Bone the filet using tweezers or needle nose pliers. Do not remove the skin. Place in a glass or stainless steel pan.
Mix all ingredients and sprinkle very heavily on the flesh side of the filet. Let the filet rest for 3 hours. Rinse the filet in cool clean water to remove the dry rub and pat dry. Allow to dry for about 30 minutes, until the flesh becomes tacky.
Heat a BBQ grill to medium to medium-high. Sprinkle finishing rub on the filet (twice what you would use as if you were heavy salt and peppering). Cook with the lid closed to 155*F measured in the center of the thickest part filet.
We recommend using a wood to produce smoke while cooking. On a charcoal grill, just sprinkle a few wood chips on the coals. On a gas grill, place wood chips in a pouch made of aluminum foil. Poke holes in the top of the pouch and place it on the hottest spot under the grill surface. Alder is our wood of choice, but fruitwoods are a wonderful substitute.
If, by chance, you have any leftover salmon you could try the following recipe:

Salmon Cakes

Vegetable or canola oil, for frying
3 (6 oz.) portions cooked salmon OR
3 (6 oz.) cans salmon, drained well
1 1/2 c. cracker meal
2 large eggs, beaten
2 t. Old Bay seasoning blend
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
20 blades fresh chives, snipped or chopped
2 to 3 T fresh dill - a handful, finely chopped
1 t. cayenne pepper sauce
1 lemon, zested and juiced
Salad greens
Coarse salt
Extra-virgin olive oil - for drizzling
1/2 c. mayonnaise or reduced fat mayonnaise
1/2 c. chili sauce
2 T dill pickle relish
Heat a large, heavy skillet with 1 inch of frying oil over moderate heat.
Flake the cooked cooled salmon with a fork. Add cracker meal to the bowl and work through the fish with your hands. Add the eggs, seasoning, pepper, chives, dill, pepper sauce, and the zest of one lemon to the bowl. Combine the ingredients well with your hands. If the mixture is a little wet, add a bit more cracker meal. Form 3-inch patties of salmon cakes 1-inch thick. You should yield 8 to 10 cakes. Fry cakes until golden in a single layer 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Drain on paper towel lined plate.
Toss salad greens with coarse salt and the juice of the lemon you zested. Drizzle the greens with a little extra-virgin olive oil and re-toss the salad to coat.
Combine mayonnaise, chili sauce and relish in a small dish. To serve, place salmon cakes on a bed of baby greens, 2 cakes per person and top with chili mayonnaise sauce. Print this post