Parmesan Baked Fish with Onion and Leek

My son-in-law made this for dinner one evening while I was visiting. It was something that he came up on his way home from work. It was baked fish fillets with onion, leek and cheese stuffing, and polenta on the side. You can use any variety of firm white fish: cod, catfish, or grouper works well. If you are looking for a simple yet elegant fish dinner--this is the one!

Grilled Tuna Steak with Mango Salsa and Sweet Potato Sticks

Today it's my day off and the car in the workshop. I have all the time to pick up on my knitting and prepare a nice lunch for John. I have some lemons that I picked from an abandoned office lot. The tree is no taller than me and it's abundant with fruits all year round--it puts my gardening skills to shame. Well, so much for the lemon story.

Grilled Sardines with Caramelized Onions

When one think of sardines, the canned version often comes to mind. They are the ones in oblong or round tin cans flavored in oil or tomato sauce. Sardine or Pilchards are small oily fish. They have high levels of Omega-3 and a good source of healthy nutrients, such as vitamin D and calcium. When I was a teenager, we used to make sardine sandwiches for our school lunch. Today, I am going to grill them and serve on caramelized onions with a twist of lemon.

Steamed Egg with Fish Paste

Beside rice, egg is another practical ingredient in most Chinese household. Whenever we have an extra guest for dinner, we'd fried some eggs to add to the meal. This is another of my favorite dish that my mother used to make for us. She would prepare this quite often for us whenever a particular fish (ikan kurau) is in season to make fish paste. She would filet the fish and then minced the flesh on a wooden chopping board until the paste is smooth and bouncy to touch. This dish is easy enough to make nowadays, as fish paste is readily available in Asian supermarkets.
Ingredients:
2 eggs, beaten
½ lb fish paste
1 stalk spring onions, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
oil for frying
Method:
1. Season eggs with salt and pepper. Heat a shallow pan with some oil, and make 2 thin omelettes and cooked on both sides. Remove and set aside to cool.
2. In a bowl, mix fish paste with spring onions, and season with salt and pepper. Spread paste evenly on cooked omelettes and roll up to form a log.
3. Bring a steamer with water to a boil and steam and cook fish rolls for about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool before slicing. Serve with rice and chilli sauce.
Printable Recipe

Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa

I love to make this dish when mangoes are in season. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3-4 slices of Snapper or Salmon

Salsa:

1 can black bean, washed and drained

1 large semi-ripe mango, peeled, seeded and chopped finely

1 cup chopped tomato, skin removed

½ cup finely chopped onions

½ cup finely chopped red pepper (optional)

1 jalapeno (optional)

A handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
Juice of 2 lemons
2 teaspoons oil
2 tsp. sugar
Latke:
2 russet potatoes (peeled, coarsely grated with hand grater)
1 egg, beaten
1 Tbsp. flour
salt and pepper
Oil for frying
Method:
1. Combine potatoes and salt and let stand for 10 minutes stirring occasionally. Press firmly on solids to remove as much liquid as possible. Discard any accumulated liquid. Transfer potato mixture to large bowl. Mix in egg, flour and pepper.
2. Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 250°F. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, drop 2 tablespoonfuls of potato mixture into hot, flattening slightly into 3 inch diameter cakes. Cook until crisp and golden, about 5-8 minutes on each side. Transfer and drain on paper towel and keep warm in oven Note: Can be prepared a day ahead and reheat.
3. Mix all the above ingredients for the salsa and season to taste. Put in fridge for later use.
4. Season fish with salt and pepper. Heat oil in pan and fry fish until cooked on both sides.
5. Serve warm with potato cakes and salsa on top.

Printable Recipe

Grilled Fish with Turmeric

What a wonderful treat! A dear friend gave us a freshly caught fish yesterday. It was a rod cod and it's flesh is white and meaty. I have some left over banana leaves and I am going grill it outdoors.

I am sure for the most part, most of you know how to tell if a fish if fresh. Here's a few tips: a fresh fish should not smell fishy; the eyes should be clear with no cloudiness, and not sunken; the gills should be pink/red and wet and not slimy. 

 Ingredients:
1 fresh fish, clean and gutts removed
1 Tbsp. turmeric powder
1 Tbsp. curry powder
1 Tbsp. lemon grass powder
1 small chilli, sliced
1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
juice of 2 medium lime/lemon
oil
1 piece banana leaf, soften (you can use aluminum foil)
Method:
1) Mix all the dried spices and lemon juice in a bowl. Slit the fish on both sides. Marinade the fish and leave for about 2 hours in the refrigerator.
2) Spread a thin layer of oil on the banana leaf or aluminium foil. Put the fish on top and wrap and seal corners with tooth picks

3) Grilled on stove on medium for about 30 minutes until fish is cooked. The eyes of the fish should be white in color. Remove and serve with extra lime if desired.

Flambé White Sea Bass with Fresh Fennel

If you like the taste of licorice, and want to impress your guests you might enjoy this dish. The fish is grilled and flambé with Pernod, an alcoholic liqueur with the taste of anise. Bon Appétit!
Ingredients:
1 white sea bass, about 2 lbs, cleaned, gutted, and head removed
2 medium sized fresh fennel bulbs and fronds, sliced thinly
½ cup olive oil
1 small onion, sliced
3 tsp. fennel seeds
salt and pepper to taste
an ovenproof platter
½ cup Pernod
Method:
1. Pat fish dry and cut three deep cuts on both sides of the fish. Brush some olive oil on fish and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the cuts and the fish cavity with fennel seeds. Set aside.
2. Preheat the broiler. Spread the slices of fennel evenly on the broiler rack and brush with remaining olive oil. Broil on high for 3-4 minutes on each side until fennel is tender. Remove and transfer to an ovenproof platter and keep warm.

3. Place the oiled fish back to the broiler rack and broil for about 10-15 minutes on each side.
4. Assemble the fish on top of the fennel and garnish with fennel frounds. In a saucepan, heat the liqueur gently, light it with a long bamboo stick and pour the flaming warm liqueur over the fish. Serve immediately.
Printable Recipe

Baked Fish with Tomatoes and Basil

This is a quick dish for someone who is grumpy and hungry----especially when you come home after a long drive in this lousy weather and have to contend to cooking a meal.
Ingredients:
1 fish fillet (salmon or any white fish)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tbsp. chopped basil
4-5 ripe tomatoes, diced
juice from 1/2 lemon
1 Tbsp. olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Season fish with some salt and pepper and put in a baking dish.
2. Heat oil in pan on medium heat and fry garlic for 2 minutes, add tomatoes, basil and fry till tomatoes for about 10 minutes. Add in lemon juice and season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and pour mixture on top of fish.
3. Bake in oven for about 20 minutes till meat is cooked through.
Printable Recipe

Pan-Fried Spicy Fish with Cilantro Sauce

I remembered growing up in Malaysia, we would go out to the sea with the local fishermen. Most of the time, when they hauled in a catch, they would cooked some for us onboard. It was quite an experience to see the different types of fishes of various colors and sizes in their nets. The fish was so fresh that you don't need much seasonings to taste its delicious flavor and freshness. Fish that you buy in the supermarkets nowadays are either pre-thawed or frozen. I normally steam the fish that I buy from Chinatown, and the ones from the local supermarkets, I would normally seasoned it well with spices and compliment with a sauce. The other popular preparation is to wrap it with banana leaves after stuffing it with spices and grill it over the stove.
Ingredients:
1 sea bass, or trout (cleaned and gutted)
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. curry powder
salt and pepper
2 tsp. plum sauce
¼ cup cilantro
oil for frying
Method:
1. Washed fish and pat dry. Mix spices in a bowl. Season fish with salt and pepper and then rub spices outside and inside of fish. Set aside.
2. Heat a frying pan with oil on high heat. Gently lift fish to pan and fry on both sides till cooked on both sides on medium heat. Let fish cook slowly on one side before turning over. The spices makes the fish blackened. Remove and drain on paper towels.
3. Blend cilantro and plum sauce till fine. In a small saucepan, gently heat sauce and thicken with some cornstarch. Serve fish with cilantro sauce.
Printable Recipe

Chinese Fish Salad/Yee Sang

 

"Yee Sang" (鱼生; pinyin: yúshēng) in Cantonese means raw fish and this salad is another auspicious dish to present on the 7th day of Chinese New Year. It is an assortment of shredded vegetables, raw fish (sashimi), tossed with a sweet and tangy dressing served on a big platter. Generally, the tradition is to stand around the dish to mix, blend, and gently lifting the ingredients up from the bottom using a pair of chopstick. "Lo hei" (撈起 or 捞起), literary means prosperity and an increased in abundance. Normally, I would prepare and season the raw fish (sashimi) myself, but this time I ordered the sashimi from our regular Japanese restaurant instead.
Note: If you decide to prepare the sashimi at home, be sure to buy it from a reputable market as it has to be very fresh and of good quality. You cannot go wrong if you purchase it from either Berkeley Bowl in the East Bay, or from a Japanese grocery market. I packed the fish in ice pack to keep it fresh. Wash the fish well and pat dry. Season and rub fish with salt and some brandy. Wrapped in plastic and keep refrigerated for later. Before serving, rinse well with boiled drinking water.
Ingredients: (4-6)
20 or more pieces of fresh salmon or tuna (sliced thinly, and chill it refrigerator)
Dressing:
2 Tbsp. plum sauce
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
3 tsp. honey
2 tsp. sesame seed paste
¼ cup lemon juice
sesame seed oil
Garnishing:
1 radish, peeled and shredded
1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced thinly
1 small papaya, peeled and shredded
½ pomelo, cut and remove the rind around the segments
½ cup roasted peanuts, chopped finely
2 tsp. roasted sesame seeds
cilantro, chopped
3 slices ginger, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 red chilli, sliced thinly
½ cup thin rice sticks noodles or vermicelli, break in half
cooking oil

Method:
1. Season the papaya and radish with a little salt and put in separate bowl, set aside for about 5 minutes. Squeezed out most of the juices and put aside. Colored half of the radish and papaya in red.
2. Heat enough oil on high in a small saucepan, when it's hot turn to medium heat, then add in a small amount of rice sticks to oil to puff up the noodles. Use a sieve or slotted spoon to remove it quickly when the rice sticks has puff up and white in color. Drained well on paper towels. Remove and discard used oil.
3. Heat the same saucepan with 2 tsp. oil and brown slightly the ginger and garlic. Remove and set aside. In a bowl mix the hoisin sauce, plum sauce, honey, sesame seed paste to a smooth paste.
4. In a another clean saucepan simmer ingredients for the dressing on medium heat, stirring to remove lumps. Add 2 drops of seseame seed oil, lemon juice and season to taste. Add a little more honey or lemon juice if needed. The taste should be sweet and tangy.
5. To assemble: In a large platter, arrange the ingredients, garnishing, and put the raw fish in the center of the platter.

6. Mix in the dressing, ginger and garlic oil, peanuts, and sesame seeds. Using a chopstick mix and blend in the ingredients. Serve immediately.

Printable Recipe

President's Day Salad

I brought in a basketful of leafy lettuce from the garden this morning. These were last year's crop and they must have reseed again--perfect for a colorful salad.
Ingredients:
½ cup baked Kabocha, cut into bite-sized

1 small fillet of salmon

1 medium-sized tomato, sliced

1 small bunch of leaf lettuce

½ tsp. light soya sauce

sesame seeds for garnishing

Dressing:

¼ cup olive oil

1 tsp. brown rice vinegar

1½Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

½ tsp. dill

salt and pepper to taste

pinch of sugar

Method:

1. Cut fish into 1-inch strips, season with pepper and soya sauce. Heat pan with oil and cook fish on both sides till brown.

2. Mix the ingredients for the dressing and refrigerate to keep cool.

3. Washed and tossed dry salad greens and arrange on a plate. Add the cooked fish, tomatoes and Kabocha on top. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with dressing.

Fish and Pineapple Curry

This recipe came to mind when a friend brought me a pineapple this morning. Hmm...I have some salmon in the freezer and fresh Enoki mushrooms. Hmm...Fish and pineapple in a sweet and spicy sauce do sounds delicious. I served this with a simple tossed Chinese mustard greens with Enoki mushrooms.

Ingredients:
2 fillet of fish, cut into bite-sized
1 cup pineapple, cut into cubes
1-2 Tbsp. curry powder (use 1 Tbsp. for mild)
1 tsp. cumin powder
1 tsp. galangal powder
1 tsp. ginger, minced
1 tsp. garlic, minced
3 tsp. tamarind paste
2 tsp. Agave Nectar (or sugar)
1 Tbsp. oil
¾ cups milk (coconut if prefer)
Method:
1. Mix the spices, garlic, ginger to a smooth paste with a little water. Heat oil in pan and fry mixture till fragrant on medium heat.
2. Add tamarind paste and milk to the mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking to pan. Stir in pineapples and mix it with the curry mixture. Add fish and simmer till fish is cook through. Serve hot with rice.
Printable Recipe

Steamed Pomfret

 
Steamed fish is a must have dish for Chinese New Year celebration. The Chinese name for fish is "Yu", sounds like the word for abundance and riches. It is believe that eating fish on this auspicious day will bring good luck to the family. I love pomfret for its delicate and smooth texture.

Ingredients:

1 medium sized white pomfret
2 Tbsp. thin soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 Tbsp. oil
1 tsp. white pepper
salt to taste
3 slices of ginger, sliced thinly
spring onions and cilantro for decoration
Method:
1. Clean the fish without removing the fins and tail.
2. Stuff some ginger and spring onions into the fish stomach. Place on a dish.
3. Pour water into a steamer and bring water to a fast boil. Put the fish in to steam until the fish is cooked--when its eyes popped out--it is ready!
4. In a small saucepan, heat some oil over medium heat, stir in the soy sauce. Pour this over the fish. Garnish with spring onions and cilantro. Serve hot with rice.
Printable Recipe

Grilled Tuna and Shrimp with Mint Pumpkin Sauce

Despite the rain, the drive home tonight wasn't too bad. However, the rain reminds me of my childhood days in Malaysia. After a light shower, we would go shrimping on the beach when the tide is low. Armed with flashlights we would go searching for them in the muddy water. Also, it reminds me that I have some seafood in the refrigerator. John likes tuna fish and I like shrimp---so why not have a seafood fiesta on a Tuesday night! I will serve this with a mint pumpkin sauce and watercress. Yummy!

Ingredients:
8 oz yellowfin tuna fish
10-12 tiger shrimp
2 tsp. galangal powder
1 tsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. lemon juice (more if needed)
1 tsp. garlic
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. cornstarch
salt and pepper to taste
Method:
1. In a bowl, mix galangal, oil, soy sauce, lemon juice, garlic and ginger together. Set aside.
2. Shelled shrimp leaving tails. Make a shallow cut lengthwise down back of shrimp and devein (remove black thread). Rinse with water and drain. Wash tuna and drain.
3. Season tuna and shrimp for about an hour before cooking. Covered and refrigerate.
4. Grill and cook the shrimp till golden brown. Remove and keep warm.
5. In a heavy non-stick pan on high heat. When hot, sear sear tuna fish 2 minutes on each side for medium raw. Cook abit longer if you want it well-done.
6. Serve with rice, cooked greens and drizzled with mint pumpkin sauce and sprinkle with sesame seeds on top.Printable Recipe

Fish Fillet in Creamy Coconut Curry

I bought some LingCod on sale last weekend at the supermarket. I would normally use this to make a porridge with salted vegetables. Tonight, I've decided to make something spicy this time with Kabocha Squash and coconut milk. I missed the smell of fresh coconut that we usually buy at the wet market in Malaysia. The seller would split open the coconut and grind it fresh for you. It is so fresh and rich in flavor that I eat it right from the bag. Here in the States, our only choice is to use either the frozen or canned ones. Like my mother always says--"something is better than nothing."

Ingredients:
1 lb. lingcod fillet, cut into bite-size (you can use shrimp too)
¼ cup cooked kabocha squash, cut in chunks
½ onion, sliced
5 ripe tomatoes, chopped (or 1 can (14.5 oz. diced tomatoes)
1½ cups coconut milk
1 Tbsp. tamarind paste (1 Tbsp. lemon juice)
2 sprigs Indian curry leaves
1 Tbsp. parsley or cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. oil
Blend Ingredients:
5 green/red chilles, seeds removed
5 dried chillies, soaked and deseed (use this if you are not using fresh chillies)
2 lemon grass
2 inch-sized of ginger
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. curry powder (optional)
½ tsp. tumeric powder
½ tsp. coriander powder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
½ onion
Method:
1. Heat oven and bake squash at 400 degees F. Remove when it is slightly golden brown, or test with skewer for doneness. Remove and let cool, then remove skin and cut in chunks. Set aside.
2.Blend the spices into a smooth paste. Cut the fillets in chunky pieces, season with a salt and pepper, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.
3.Heat oil in a deep pan, stir fry onion till soft  Add in the curry leaves, curry paste and 1/2 tsp. coriander, adding a little more oil if necessary. Fry on medium heat till fragrant and oil separates from the paste. Add the squash and tomatoes and stir for another 10 minutes. Remove curry leaves, add the tamarind juice a little at a time, according to your taste. Blend mixture till smooth, then pour mixture back into the pan.
4.Reheat on medium heat and add in coconut milk at little at a time and mixing it as you add the milk. Add slightly more coconut milk if you like more sauce. Bring coconut milk to a boil, add fish to the mixture. Cover and simmer over meduim heat for 5-6 minutes. Gently turn fish over to cook through. Season to taste.
5.Sprinkle with parsley or cilantro, and serve with cooked basmati rice.
Printable Recipe

Salmon Sandwich with Mustard Caper Dressing

We dropped by Fry's Electronics on our way back from Palo Alto, as we were interested in buying a Mac computer. We waited for over 45 minutes for an associate to serve us. By the time he came over we realized they ran out of the new ones, except for one from the open stock... He offered us a 5% discount and a 15-day warranty, should we decide to return it for a refund, a 15% stocking fee will be deducted from our cost. What a lousy deal--not to mention the box was in a bad shape. We left the store without buying the computer. Since it was almost time for dinner, we've decided to go home to make dinner instead. On the way home, I've came up with this recipe. Not bad for a hungry me.

Ingredients:
1 lb salmon, skinned
1 red pepper, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped artichoke (canned)
2 potatoes
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup bread crumbs
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. cayenne
Sandwich buns (I used Oroweat's Multi-Grain Sandwich Thins)
Salad greens
salt and pepper to taste
Lemon Mustard Sauce:
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. chopped capers
¼ tsp. olive oil
Method:
1. Peel potatoes, boil and mash them. Set aside for later.
2. Fill a saucepan with water, bring to a boil and cook the fish for 5 minutes. Remove and flaked fish with a fork finely, making sure to remove any bones.
3. Place the fish, mashed potatoes, artichokes, and the rest of the ingredients. Mix well by hand, adjust the mixture, if it is crumbly, add another egg or more bread crumbs if it is too sticky.
4. Gently form the mixture into cakes. Heat skillet with a little oil and fry cakes over medium heat. Set aside. In a bowl, whisk the ingredients for the lemon mustard sauce. To assemble: Brush buns with mustard sauce, arrange some salad greens on bun and serve salmon cake on top. Drizzle some sauce on top if you like.

Printable Recipe

Smoked Salmon with Endives

Endives or Chicory is an European salad vegetable. It is crisp and with a delicate flavor, perfect if you want to serve an elegant and festive dish during the holidays. Here's another recipe adapted from "Sunset Potluck Cookbook".

Ingredients:

8 Endives

1 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature

¼ cup (4 oz) sour cream

½ cup smoked salmon, minced

1 Tbsp. lime juice

1 Tbsp. onion, minced finely

3 Tbsp. fresh dill, chopped

Method:
1. Rinse endive with cold water, drain and wrap with paper towels and keep in refrigerator.

2. In a bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, salmon, lime juice, and onions. Beat until with an electic mixer until well blended and fuffly. Mix in dill. Cover and refrigerator (can be made a day ahead)

3.To serve, place spread on a tray. Break endive spears from core of each head. Surround bowl with endive spears, tips pointing outward.

Printable Recipe