Celebrate Fish Days with a homemade meal

This weekend marks the return of Port Washington’s largest festival, Fish Days.

The festival has its roots in the fact the city’s location on Lake Michigan made it a natural place for fishing. In its early days, commercial fishermen plied the waters. Today, individuals cast their lines from the breakwater and shore and groups often charter boats for fishing excursions.

Among the most commonly caught fish are king, coho and chinook salmon and rainbow and lake trout.

To complement the festival fare, hold your own informal celebration.

Even if you aren’t up to frying fish in the middle of summer, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy fish. It can be pan fried, poached, grilled, smoked and so much more.

Just take care not to overcook fish.

When buying fish, use your nose. If it smells fishy, it’s not fresh.

The color of fresh fish fillets varies, but it should always be bright and uniform, never yellow at the edges. The flesh should be moist, firm and cleanly cut. It should never be partially thawed or covered with ice crystals, a sign of thawing and refreezing.

Refrigerate raw fish in the coldest part of the refrigerator. It’s best to use fresh fish within one to two days.

Fish can be prepared in many ways. The standard rule is to bake fish 10 minutes for each inch of thickness. Turn the fish halfway through cooking, unless it’s 1/2 inch or thinner. To ensure fillets cook evenly, tuck thin ends under.

And remember, fish is an important part of a balanced diet. It is one of nature’s power foods, an excellent source of protein that’s low in fat. A three-ounce cooked serving of most fish provides about 20 grams of protein, roughly one-third of the daily recommended amount. The protein in fish is of high quality, containing an abundance of essential amino acids.

Fish is also generally lower in fat and calories than beef, poultry or pork, and is loaded with minerals such as iron, zinc and calcium.

The American Heart Association recommends eating fish such as tuna and salmon that is rich in omega-3 fatty acids twice a week.

Following are fish recipes from www.themediterraneandish.com.

 

Baked Halibut With Lemon and Dill

Extra virgin olive oil

1-pound halibut fillet, cut into 4 pieces Kosher salt

Black pepper

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes

1 lemon

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

Sprinkle fish all over with 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper, Italian seasoning, garlic powder and Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes\. Arrange on a sheet pan that’s lightly coated with olive oil.

Drizzle fish with extra virgin olive oil. Cut half of the lemon into thin slices and arrange them on top of the fish. Bake in a 425-degree oven 10 to 15 minutes, until the thickest part of the fish flakes easily at the touch of a fork.

Squeeze remaining lemon all over the fish. Sprinkle with dill and serve immediately.

 

 

One Skillet Fish Provençal

1-1/4 pound cod fillets, cut in 4 portions

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, thinly sliced

1/2 bulb fennel, cored and thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 14.5-ounce can crushed tomatoes

1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved

1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

1 tablespoon chopped parsley leaves, plus more to garnish

Zest of 1 lemon

Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, fennel and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and cook, stirring, seven to nine minutes, until vegetables are softened. Add garlic, stir and cook one minute, just until fragrant.

Add crushed tomatoes, olives, thyme, parsley, lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Stir and cook two minutes, until mixture begins to thicken.

Pat cod dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Nestle fillets into the sauce, spooning a little over top. Bake in a 350-degree oven six to eight minutes, until fish is cooked through and flakes easily.

Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with more chopped parsley and serve.

 

Baked Cod With Lemon and Garlic

1-1/2 pounds cod fillet, cut into 4 to 6 pieces

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

For lemon sauce:

5 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons melted butter

5 garlic cloves, minced

For coating:

1/3 cup flour

1 teaspoon ground coriander

3/4 teaspoon sweet Spanish paprika

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Mix lemon juice, olive oil and melted butter in a shallow bowl. Set aside.

In another shallow bowl, mix flour, spices, salt and pepper. Set aside.

Pat fish dry. Dip fish in the lemon sauce, then dip in flour mixture. Shake off excess flour. Reserve the lemon sauce for later.

Heat two tablespoons olive oil in a cast iron skillet or oven-safe pan over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add fish and sear about two minutes on each side to give it some color but don’t fully cook. Remove skillet from heat.

To the remaining lemon sauce, add minced garlic and mix. Drizzle over the fish fillets. Bake in a 400-degree oven 10 minutes, until fish flakes easily with a fork. Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped parsley. Serve immediately.

 

 

Stuffed Salmon With Spinach, Capers And Greek Yogurt

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more

1 shallot, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

5 ounces baby spinach

2 fire-roasted red peppers, diced

2 tablespoons capers, drained and roughly chopped

1 small preserved lemon, pith, peel and flesh finely chopped

2 tablespoons Greek yogurt

1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper, plus more

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more

Freshly ground black pepper

1-1/2 pounds salmon filets, at least 1-inch thick, sliced into four equal portions

1 lemon, half sliced into wedges, half reserved for juice

Heat two teaspoons olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Add shallot and cook two to three minutes, stirring, until softened and translucent. Add garlic and spinach and cook three minutes, stirring occasionally, until wilted.

Scrape wilted spinach into a fine-mesh strainer set over a small bowl. Use a spoon to press the spinach against the strainer a few times to drain the excess water.

Transfer spinach mixture to a cutting board, roughly chop, then place in a medium bowl with roasted red peppers, capers, preserved lemon, Greek yogurt, Aleppo pepper, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper. Stir to combine.

Pat salmon dry, then use a sharp knife to cut a slit down the side of each filet without cutting through to the other side. Season salmon with salt and pepper, including inside the pockets.

Arrange the salmon, skin-side down, on a rimmed baking sheet that’s lightly coated with olive oil. Sprinkle filets with extra Aleppo pepper if desired and squeeze lemon juice on top. Spoon a quarter of the filling into each pocket.

Bake in a 400-degree oven 12 to 14 minutes, until fish is cooked through and flakes easily. Serve immediately.

 

Crispy Salmon Bites With Harissa-Yogurt Sauce

For salmon bites:

1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes or 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon sumac

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 pound salmon fillet, skin removed

Extra virgin olive oil

1 to 2 green onions, finely chopped

Lime wedges

For harissa-yogurt sauce:

1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons harissa paste

1 teaspoon honey

1 lime, juiced

Kosher salt

In a small bowl, combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, Aleppo pepper, cumin, sumac and a big pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper. Mix well.

Pat salmon dry with a paper towel and cut into one-inch pieces. Season well with seasoning mix. Toss to coat.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine Greek yogurt, harissa, honey, lime and a big pinch of kosher salt. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

In a large nonstick skillet, heat one tablespoon extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering. Arrange salmon in the pan in a single layer, reduce heat to medium and use a fish spatula to gently press the salmon down for a few seconds. Allow salmon to cook undisturbed four to five minutes, until bottom is crispy and the middle looks more cooked. Turn over and cook one to two minutes, until salmon flakes easily at the touch of a fork.

Transfer salmon to a serving plate or platter and squeeze fresh lime juice on top. Drizzle with harissa-yogurt sauce and the chopped green onions. Serve immediately with remaining harissa-yogurt sauce on the side.

 

Easy Fish En Papillote

1-1/4 pounds cod fish fillet, 1-inch thick, cut into 4 pieces

Kosher salt

Black pepper

1/2 tomato, thinly sliced into 4 rounds

1/2 green bell pepper, cored, thinly sliced into 4 rounds

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced into rings

Handful pitted green olives, optional

For sauce:

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 shallot, chopped

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Season fish with kosher salt and pepper on both sides.

Place olive oil, lemon juice, shallots, garlic and spices in a small mixing bowl  and whisk to combine.

Cut four large pieces of parchment paper that are 12 inches or so on each side. Fold each piece down the middle.

Place each fish fillet on the bottom half of a parchment piece. Spoon two tablespoons sauce over the fish. Add one lemon slice, one tomato slice and one bell pepper slice, then fold the top half of the parchment paper over the fish and vegetables, creating a well-wrapped pouch.

Place pouches on a large baking sheet in a 425-degree oven 12 to 15 minutes, until fish is fully cooked and flakes easily.

Transfer each pouch to a serving plate and serve.

 

 

20-Minute Fish Piccata

1 pound trout fillet, or other thin white fish fillet such as sole, halibut or grouper

Kosher salt

Black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon paprika

3/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup flour for dredging

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons unsalted butter or ghee

2 lemons

1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth

4 tablespoons capers, rinsed or drained

Fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Season fish on both sides with salt and pepper. Mix the oregano, paprika and garlic powder and season the flesh side of the fish with mixture.

Coat fish on both sides with flour. Gently shake off excess flour.

In a large cast iron skillet, heat olive oil and two tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Add fish and cook two to three minutes on each side, until fish is firm and flaky. Transfer to a tray lined with paper towel to drain excess oil.

To the same pan, add one tablespoon butter. Lower heat, add lemon juice, white wine and capers and cook briefly over medium heat.

Return fish to the pan and spoon sauce over the fish. Allow fish to warm for a few minutes, then garnish with parsley and red pepper flakes, if using. Serve immediately.

 

 

Crispy Homemade Fish Sticks

1-1/2 pounds firm fish fillet such as salmon, skin removed

Salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

1/2 cup flour

1 egg, beaten with 1 tablespoon water

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Extra virgin olive oil

Zest of 1 lemon

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Parsley for garnish

Tahini or Tzatziki sauce

Pat fish fillet dry and season with kosher salt on both sides. Cut fillet into pieces or sticks that are one to 1-1/2 inches thick and about three inches long.

In a small bowl, combine black pepper, dried oregano and paprika. Season fish sticks on both sides with spice mixture.

Place flour in a shallow dish. Place egg wash in a deeper dish. Combine bread crumbs, grated Parmesan and lemon zest in another bowl.

Dip a fish stick in flour to coat both sides. Shake excess flour off. Dip fish stick in egg wash, then in the bread crumb mixture. Pat to help the coating adhere to the fish stick. Repeat with remaining fish sticks.

Arrange coated fish sticks on an oiled baking sheet. Dab the tops with a little extra virgin olive oil.

  Bake in a 450-degree oven 12 to 15 minutes. If fish sticks need more color, very briefly.

Finish with lemon zest and fresh lemon juice. Garnish with parsley and serve with tahini or tzatziki sauce.

 

 

Easy Baked Fish With Garlic and Basil

2 pounds fish fillet, such as halibut or cod

Kosher salt

Black pepper

1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon sweet paprika

10 garlic cloves, minced

15 basil leaves, thinly sliced

6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 lemon, juiced

2 bell peppers, sliced

2 shallots, peeled and sliced

Pat fish dry and season with salt and pepper on both sides. Place in a large zipper-top bag, then add oregano, coriander, paprika, minced garlic, basil, olive oil and lemon juice. Close and massage to ensure fish is evenly coated. Marinate 30 minutes or as long as one hour in the refrigerator.

Arrange bell peppers and shallots in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Place the fish on top and pour the marinade over top. Bake in a 425-degree oven 15 minutes, until the fish flakes easily with a fork.