Here Fishy, Fishy...

I like fish.  Raw fish, pan-seared fish, baked fish...I love it any way it's prepared.  The added bonus for a working girl like me, is that it's usually simple and quick to fix for a weeknight meal.  It can also be fancied up for a dinner with friends, especially the vegetarian variety (assuming they eat fishy fishy as well).  I think Salmon is a classic.  You really can't go wrong with most salmon recipes, and I'd say the majority of people love it.  A few years ago I asked my mom for her Laquered Salmon recipe because it was one that always stuck in my mind as being uniquely delicious.  And most importantly for me, I remember her commenting on how easy it was to make.  Sold!  It's now become one of my regular dishes in rotation for easy, mid-week meals or hosting a simple dinner at home.

Laquered Salmon

1 cup soy sauce

1 tbl. cornstarch

1 tbl. sesame oil

1 tbl. minced, peeled ginger

1 tbl. rice wine

1/2 tbl. honey

1/2 tsp. Tabasco

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp. turmeric

4-8 oz. salmon fillets, 1" thick

1 bunch green onion (or asparagus - which I prefer)

1/3 cup water, if needed

(Suggestion: make with Jasmine rice - a great combo with the sauce that drips down from the fish)

Puree first 10 ingredients 'til smooth.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly grease medium baking dish with oil.  Place whole green onions (or asparagus) in dish.  Place fish on top.  Pour 1/2 sauce over fish and bake 'til fish is just cooked through, basting frequently with sauce (add a little water if sauce begins to burn), about 20 minutes.  Arrange fish and asparagus on top of rice mounded in center of plate.  

The arrangement of the asparagus on the mound of rice with the salmon is very dramatic and appetizing.  Makes me want to eat fishy, fishy even more!

-- the daughter

Niner Sliders

Really nothing better than watching your home team in the playoffs…Go 49’ers!! I thought witnessing our team in battle deserved a special food offering and what would make more sense than tailgate type fare? Since we were watching from the comfort of home (we didn’t have to deal with any pesky foam fingers in our face), it made the preparation a lot easier and the menu could be a little more interesting. I decided on making build-your-own shrimp sliders, cole slaw, and sweet potato fries.

(I made a smaller version of my shrimp cakes as sliders!)

Shrimp Louis Sliders

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 Tbl. butter

½ cup finely chopped celery

¼ cup finely chopped onion

1 ½ cup panko, divided

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 large egg

1 tsp. lemon zest

½ tsp. sea salt

½ tsp. dry mustard

½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

½ cup vegetable oil

Louis Dressing (if desired)

Mini burger/slider buns, split*

Cole Slaw (if desired)

Pulse shrimp in a food processor 4 or 5 times or until chopped. Spoon into a medium bowl.

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium heat; add celery and onion, and sauté until tender. Add to shrimp in bowl; gently stir in 1 cup panko and next 6 ingredients. Shape mixture into approx. 8 patties (about 1/3 cup each). Place remaining ½ cup panko in a shallow dish; dredge both sides of patties in panko. Place patties on a foil or parchment-lined baking sheet; cover and chill 1 hour.

Fry patties in hot oil, in 2 batches, in a large skillet over med-high heat 2-3 min. on each side or until golden. Drain on paper towels.

Place about ¼ cup cole slaw* on bottom bun, place shrimp patty on top, add dollop of Louis dressing, if desired, and cover with top half of bun.

*I served the cole slaw separately so the guest could decide whether they wanted it on the slider or on the side as a salad.

**Trader Joe’s makes a great mini-burger bun

This must have been a “lucky” menu. Not only was it delicious, but the Forty-Niners went on to victory in an exciting finish. Maybe I should make it again next week to insure another win. Wouldn’t want the vision of a Superbowl trip to go slip-sliding away!

--the Mother