We all know that fish is good for our health. Whether it’s grilled, boiled, or served raw, we are getting the best that nature can provide us. Sadly, the advent of commercial fishing practices, and a unusual fancy of many people to eat only one kind of fish species, have put the natural ecosystem in disarray. It would be good to find better alternatives to fish that we are used to. Come to think of it, variety is the spice of life.
Who knows what flavors we’ll discover with different kinds of fishes? It might just surprise us. Just take a look at ten recipes that call for fishes obtained through sustainable means.
1. GRILLED HALIBUT WITH TATSOI AND SPICY THAI CHILES
Prep: Prep: 25 minutes; total: 25 minutes Servings: Makes 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
5 tbsp sugar
5 tbsp fish sauce*
1/4 cup water
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp minced peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Thai bird chiles with seeds or 1/2 large jalapeno chile with seeds, minced
1 small carrot, peeled, cut into matchstick-size strips
4 6- to 7-ounce halibut fillets
3 tbsp vegetable oil, divided
1 shallot, thinly sliced
3/4 pound tatsoi or baby spinach (about 12 cups packed)
DIRECTIONS
Mix first 7 ingredients in medium glass bowl. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. (Sauce can be prepared 2 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Place carrot in medium bowl. Cover with ice water. Let stand 15 minutes, then drain well. Brush fish on all sides with 2 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallot; stir 1 minute. Add tatsoi; sprinkle with salt. Toss until tatsoi is wilted but still bright green, about 2 minutes; divide among 4 plates.
Place fish atop tatsoi. Sprinkle each fillet with carrot; drizzle each with 2 tablespoons sauce. Serve, passing remaining sauce separately.
2. Prep: Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 20 min Servings: Makes 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp (raw; 20 to 25 per lb)
4 large garlic cloves, left unpeeled and forced through a garlic press
1/2 tsp dried hot red-pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
5 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 lb capellini (angel-hair pasta)
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
DIRECTIONS
Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of salted water to a boil.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then saute shrimp, turning over once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes, and transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Add garlic to oil remaining in skillet along with red pepper flakes, wine, salt, and pepper and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add butter to skillet, stirring until melted, and stir in shrimp. Remove skillet from heat.
Cook pasta in boiling water until just tender, about 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander. Toss pasta well with shrimp mixture and parsley in large bowl, adding some of reserved cooking water if necessary to keep moist
3.CLAMS WITH JALAPENO LEMON AND BASIL
Prep: Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 3/4 hr Servings: Makes 8 servings.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp minced jalapeno chiles
1 cup canned tomato sauce
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
6 pounds littleneck clams, scrubbed
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tbsp grated lemon peel
DIRECTIONS
Melt butter in very large pot over medium-high heat. Add minced garlic and jalapeno; stir until garlic is golden, about 2 minutes. Add tomato sauce, wine, and lemon juice and bring to boil. Add clams; cover and boil until clams open, about 9 minutes (discard any clams that do not open). Add basil and lemon peel. Season with pepper. Transfer clams and sauce to large bowl and serve.
4. SIMPLE SALMON WITH GARLIC AND CAPERS
Prep: Approximate 10 minutes prep, 30 mins cooking
INGREDIENTS
1 fillet of salmon sized for number of guests.
1 sliced lemon
Several spoonfuls of capers
2 table spoons chopped garlic
olive oil
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spread out a length of aluminum foil large enough to completely cover the salmon.
Place the salmon fillet in the center of the foil.
Drizzle olive oil over the salmon and spread around with a spoon or fork.
Sprinkle spoonfuls of garlic and capers evenly over fillet (the more of this the better in my opinion, but everyone’s tastes are different.)
Lay out the sliced lemon lengthwise along the fillet.
Close up the foil around the salmon and other ingredients.
Bake at 350 until salmon is cooked. Time varies based on size of fillet.
5. CATFISH IN SPICY TOMATO SAUCE
Prep: Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 25 min Servings: Makes 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS
1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in juice
1 tbsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Rounded 1/4 tsp cayenne
3/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp sugar
6 (5-oz) catfish fillets
3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
DIRECTIONS
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400F.
Puree tomatoes with their juice in a blender. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook garlic, spices, and 3/4 teaspoon salt, stirring, until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add tomato pureed and sugar and briskly simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes.
Pour sauce into a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Pat fish dry and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Arrange fillets in 1 layer on sauce, tucking each tail end under if necessary to fit, and bake until fish is just cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.
6. Prawn Curry
Prep: 20mins Servings: 2
INGREDIENTS:
400 gm – prawns
1 onion – finely chopped
3 tbsp mustard oil
1/2 tbsp whole cumin
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
2-3 green chillies
2 tsp cumin powder
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala
1 1/4 cup coconut milk
DIRECTIONS:
1.Blanch the prawns in turmeric water.
2.Heat mustard oil in a pan and add whole cumin. Add onion, fry a little and add ginger garlic paste, cumin powder, red chilli powder and turmeric powder and saute.
3.Now add the prawns, salt and slit green chillies and stir for few minutes. Add the coconut milk, cook for about 10 minutes. Upload Image
4.In the end sprinkle garam masala.
7. CRISPY TROUT WITH WILTED WATERCRESS
Prep: Ready in 30 minutes Servings: Makes 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp coarsely ground pepper
4 boneless trout fillet halves (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 bunch watercress, trimmed
Lemon wedges
DIRECTIONS
Combine first 4 ingredients in shallow dish. Moisten trout with cold water and dip in cornmeal mixture, turning to coat.
Melt butter with 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add trout, skin side down, and pan-fry until coating is brown, about 3 minutes. Turn trout over; pan-fry until opaque in center, about 2 minutes. Transfer trout to platter.
Add 1 tablespoon oil and lemon juice to skillet, stirring to scrape up browned bits. Add watercress and cook until barely wilted, tossing with pan drippings, about 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper. Top trout with watercress, garnish with lemon wedges, and serve.
8. Prep: Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 30 min Servings: Makes 6 main-course servings.
INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup tarragon or white-wine vinegar
1/3 cup finely chopped shallot
1 1/4 sticks (10 tbsp) cold unsalted butter, cut into tbsp pieces
1 lb jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over
3 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
3 tbsp chopped fresh chives
1/3 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 tsp finely grated fresh lemon zest
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lb dried egg fettuccine
DIRECTIONS
Boil wine, vinegar, and shallot in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until liquid is reduced to about 1 tablespoon, about 3 minutes. Add a few tablespoons butter, whisking constantly. Add remaining butter 1 piece at a time, whisking constantly and adding each new piece before previous one has completely melted, lifting pan from heat occasionally to cool mixture. Reduce heat to low, then add crabmeat and cook, stirring occasionally, until just heated through, about 2 minutes.
Remove pan from heat and stir in herbs, zest, lemon juice, and salt.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in a 6- to 8-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 3 tablespoons of pasta-cooking water, then drain pasta.
Toss pasta with crab sauce and reserved cooking water in a serving bowl. Season with salt and pepper.
9. SOY CITRUS MARINATED SCALLOPS
Prep: SOY CITRUS MARINATED SCALLOPS Active time: 15 min Start to finish: 25 min Servings: Makes 6 servings.
INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tbsp plus 1 tsp sugar
2 tsp finely grated peeled fresh ginger
2 tsp Asian sesame oil
2 lb large sea scallops (30), tough muscle removed from side of each if necessary
2 tsp vegetable oil
Garnish: 2 tsp sesame seeds (preferably black), toasted
Accompaniment: soba salad
DIRECTIONS
Whisk together soy sauce, lemon and lime juices, sugar, ginger, and sesame oil in a wide shallow nonreactive bowl. Add scallops and marinate, covered, at room temperature, 5 minutes on each side (do not marinate any longer, or scallops will become mushy once cooked). Transfer scallops to a plate and reserve marinade.
Heat 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sautee scallops, 6 to 8 at a time, until golden brown and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each of the 2 flat sides, transferring to a plate as cooked. Wipe out skillet and add 1/2 teaspoon oil between batches.
Wipe out skillet again, then add marinade and boil until reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 2 minutes. Drizzle scallops with sauce.
10. STEAMED SEA BASS CANTONESE STYLE
Prep: Prep: 10 minutes; Total: 20 minutes Servings: Makes 4 servings.
INGREDIENTS
1 1 1/2-lb. whole sea bass (or striped bass) with head and tail, cleaned, scaled, and gills removed
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp white wine
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped (approx. 2 tbsp)
4 tbsp chopped scallions, including greens
2 tbsp finely minced fresh ginger
2 tsp sugar
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tbsp soy sauce
DIRECTIONS
Rinse the fish inside and out with 1/4 cup of wine.
Select a round or oval platter that’s large enough to hold the fish but will fit inside the top of a steaming utensil. This could be a traditional Chinese bamboo or metal steamer, or a Western-style clam steamer.
Place the fish on the platter and set platter in the top of the steamer. Cover and steam over boiling water 10 to 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the sauce base by combining the 2 tablespoons of wine, garlic, scallions, ginger, and sugar in a small bowl.
Check fish for doneness. When cooked, the flesh will be white and pull easily from the bones. Remove the platter and pour off the liquid that has accumulated around the fish.
Heat the oil in a wok or saucepan, and when it is hot, add the sauce base. Cook, stirring until the sauce boils.
Pour soy sauce over the sea bass first, and then pour the boiled sauce over the fish. Serve immediately.