Fish Recipes - lvdkeyes, can you help?

[Thaimo]

Lvdkeyes, your recipes are wonderful. Now I would like to have some fish recipes if you have any. I am especially interested in good recipes for salmon and I would like to be able to make my own fish and chips. I also love lobster thermidor, but I don't want to spend the money for lobster. Do you have a recipe for it that can be done with fish or crab meat instead of lobster?

[lvdkeyes]

Thanks for the compliment. You can try these:

Beer Battered Cod with Homemade Chips

15 ounces lager lukewarm

1 t dry active yeast

1 pinch sugar

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour plus more for dredging

4 russet potatoes large and peeled

Canola oil

4 skinless cod fillets (6 ounces each)

Lime zest

Lemon wedges

Malt vinegar

Batter

Whisk the beer, yeast and sugar in a large bowl to blend then set it aside in a warm place until the yeast dissolves about 15 minutes.

Gradually whisk in the flour to form a thick batter. Bubbles in the batter should fall slowly from your finger. Cover the batter with a wet tea towel and set aside until larger bubbles form about 45 minutes.

Chips

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Cut the potatoes into 5-inch-long by 1/2-inch-thick sticks. Cook the potatoes in the boiling water for 5 minutes.

Drain and allow the potatoes to cool completely on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Frying the Fish and Chips

Fill a clean large wide wok or pot about halfway with oil. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F on a deep-fry thermometer. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain this temperature.

Season the cod with lime zest, salt and pepper and dredge the cod in the flour to coat lightly.

Working in batches dip the cod into the batter to coat and then gently lower it into the oil.

Fry until the cod is golden brown about 4 minutes. Using a slotted skimmer remove the cod from the oil and place it onto a baking sheet lined with a rack to drain the excess oil.

Return the oil to 375°F. Working in 3 batches, fry the potatoes in the oil until golden and crisp about 5 minutes. Using the slotted skimmer transfer the chips to the baking sheet lined with a rack to drain. Season the fish and chips with salt while they are still hot.

Arrange the fish on plates with the chips and serve with malt vinegar and lemon wedges.

Salmon with Lemon and Parsley Butter and Lentil Salad

Lemon Parsley Butter

200g butter

1 lemon zest

2 tbsp chopped parsley

Soften butter (don't melt) in a bowl and stir until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and combine.

Shape butter into a long sausage shape wrap in plastic and chill

slice off 1cm portions to serve

Green Lentil Salad

1 cup green lentils

1 clove garlic

3 tbsp olive oil

1 fennel bulb

1 lemon juice

¼ cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Place lentils in a sauce pan and cover with cold water. Bring to boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20min until the lentils are just tender to bite. Drain. While still hot so the lentils absorb most of the flavor, toss the lentils with the garlic and olive oil then allow to cool.

Finely slice fennel bulb and toss with lemon juice to prevent discoloring.

In a bowl combine cooled lentils with fennel and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss together well (this salad can be made a day ahead).

Seared Salmon

4 * 150g portions salmon fillet, with skin on and pin bones removed.

Olive oil for frying

Season salmon portions with salt and pepper, heat pan with oil. Add salmon skin side up and cook over a medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Turn and cook other side until flesh starts to flake.

To serve, arrange lentil salad on plate with salmon portions on top. Put two slices of lemon and parsley butter on top, butter will melt over hot salmon and add flavor to finished dish.

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Shrimp Gratin with Panko Bread Crumbs, Lemon and Rosemary

2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell

3 tablespoons good olive oil

2 tablespoons dry white wine

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)

1/4 cup minced shallots

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 extra-large egg yolk

2/3 cup Panko

Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Peel, de-vein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the

shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2

teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature

while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots,

parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk,

Panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the

shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute.

Serve with lemon wedges.

Lobster Thermidor

You can substitute rock lobster for the lobster.

Servings: 2

Ingredients:

1 medium (1 1/2 pound) cooked lobster

2 tablespoons butter

1 shallot, finely chopped

1 3/8 cups fresh fish stock

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup double cream

1/2 teaspoon hot English mustard

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Cut the lobster in half lengthwise, and remove the meat from the claws and tail. Leave to one side. Remove any meat from the head and set aside. Cut the meat up into pieces and place back into the shell.

2. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot; cook and stir until tender. Mix in the fish stock, white wine and double cream. Bring to a boil, and cook until reduced by half. Mix in the mustard, lemon juice, parsley, salt and pepper.

3. Preheat your oven's broiler.

4. Place the lobster halves on a broiling pan or baking sheet, and spoon the sauce over the lobster meat in the shell. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.

5. Broil for 3 to 4 minutes, just until golden brown. Serve immediately.

[Thaimo]

Now I have to ask you about Panko. I know what it is, but I don't know where to get it. Do you? If it isn't available, sometimes I see tempura batter mix. Is that a suitable substitute? If not, what would be best to use?

[lvdkeyes]

I find Panko or equivalent at many stores i.e., Villa Market, Carrefour. Just ask for Japanese breadcrumbs. Tempura batter is nothing like Panko and won't work.

[Thaimo]

One more question. For the fish and chips I know that cod is the preferred and traditional fish, but it is expensive and I can live without being a traditionalist. Does it really matter all that much if a Thai fish, or something less expensive is substituted? If you know of a decent and inexpensive fish to substitute with, what do you recommend?

[lvdkeyes]

Cod is more expensive, but I indulge myself when I want fish and chips. You could try talapia or tuptim (Red Snapper).