Rockfish with Tomatoes, Capers, Lemon, Artichokes, and Fennel

Materials

• 3 large globe artichokes
• 1/2 lemon, juiced, plus 2 lemons, zested and juiced
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon
• 2 bulbs fennel, finely sliced lengthwise
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 6 (6-ounce) rockfish or halibut fillets
• 6 cloves garlic, peeled and blanched in 3 changes water, then sliced
• 4 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and large diced
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup fish or chicken stock, optional
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 1 tablespoon chiffonaded basil leaves

Methods

1. Trim the artichoke leaves and stems and blanch in salted, boiling water with a little of the lemon juice. Use only enough water to cover. When tender remove from the water, cool, and clean. Save the leaves for another use. Discard the hairy choke and save the hearts and stem for the dish. Slice into 1/8-inch slices.
2. In a saute pan over high heat, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and saute the fennel in it until tender. Add salt and pepper, to taste, remove and keep warm.
3. Wipe out the saute pan and add in the peanut oil and bring to medium high heat. Salt and pepper the fillets and brown on 1 side about 5 minutes. Turn and saute 2 more minutes and remove from the pan. Add the sliced garlic and 1/2 of the remaining olive oil and cook 2 minutes. Add the sliced artichokes and saute until starting to brown. Add the tomatoes, white wine, stock, lemon zest and juice, and remaining olive oil and reduce the liquid by 1/4.
4. Return the fish to the mixture, add the capers and basil, and check salt and pepper. Cook 2 more minutes until fish is just flaky and check salt and pepper. Divide the fennel among 6 warm dinner plates and top with the fillets. Sauce with the vegetable mixture and serve.

References

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/rockfish-with-tomatoes-capers-lemon-artichokes-and-fennel-recipe/index.html

Salmon Burgers with Lemon Aioli

Materials:

Salmon cakes

• 2 c. cooked salmon (canned or fresh cooked salmon)
• 1/2 c. dry bread crumbs
• 2-3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 celery rub, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or to taste)
• 1 tsp. fresh dill
• 2. tsp. fresh thyme
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• salt or seasoning salt (to taste)
• fresh ground pepper (to taste)
• 4 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. oil

Lemon Aioli

• 1/2 c. mayonaise
• 2 Tbsp. whipping cream, unwhipped
• 1 lemon, juice and zest of
• 1 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
• 1-2 minced fresh garlic cloves (or to taste)
• 1/2-1 tsp. dried thyme

To serve

• Buns
• Lettuce (boston is great)
• Tomatoes

Methods

1. In a bowl, combine the salmon, dry breadcrumbs, green onions, celery, mayo, cayenne, dill, thyme, Worcestershire sauce and egg; mix well to combined.
2. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Shape into cakes.
4. Melt the butter with the oil in a heavy skillet.
5. Brown salmon cakes on both sides (about 5 minutes per side).
6. To make aioli, mix all ingredients together and adjust to taste.
7. Serve salmon cakes on bulkie rolls, with leon aioli and lettuce and tomato.
8. Delicious!

Cornbread Crab Cakes (y'know, when you had extra crab lying around?)

Materials:

Crab cakes:

• 1 package prepared cornbread (or buy a pan of the pre-made stuff)
  
• 4 - 6 oz cans crabmeat, drained
  
• 2 eggs, beaten
  
• 12 green onions, chopped
  
• 1/2 medium white onion
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2 Tbsp mayonnaise
  
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
  
• 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
  
• 3/4 tsp salt
  
• 1/4 tsp pepper
  
• 1/2 tsp cayenne
  
• Oil & Butter (for frying)
  

Aioli:

• 3/4 c. mayo
  
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 2-1/2 Tbsp lemon joice
  
• 3/4 tsp salt
  
• 1/2 tsp pepper
  

Methods:

1. Crumble up 2/3 of the cornmeal onto a pan and place in oven at ~250-300oF. Keep turning over cornbread while preparing remaining ingredients until lightly toasted.
   
2. Heat 2 Tbsp of oil in a skillet and saute green & white onions & garlic until translucent. Let cool. 
3. Combine crabmeat, eggs, mayonnaise, Worcestershire, cayenne, salt, pepper, Old Bay and cooled onion mix. Add in enough cooled cornbread crumbs to soak up most of liquid (about 1/2 or 4-6oz).
4. Make cornbread into balls, coat in remaining corn bread crumbs and make into 1/2 inch patties. Place on pan. Put pan in fridge for >15min to allow to cool.
5. Heat vegetable oil and/or butter in a pan and fry patties ~3min per side until golden brown. 
6. Serve with aioli and salad!

Salmon with Tomatoes and Green Onions (can't screw-it-up salmon that looks awful impressive for how easy it is)

Materials:

• Salmon fillets (also good with trout and white fish), rinsed and patted dry
• Tomatoes (I like on-the-vine or plum), roughly seeded and chopped
• Green Onions, chopped
• Olive Oil
• Salt
• Pepper

Methods:

1. Heat oven to 350. 
2. Lightly oil the bottom of a glass baking dish.
   
3. Cut the fillets into roughly portion-sized pieces (you can do the fillet whole, but it cooks more even this way)
4. Completely cover fillets with tomatoes.
5. Sprinkle green onions over tomatoes.
6. Drizzle olive oil overtop of fillets.
7. Lightly sprinkle salt and pepper overtop.
8. Bake ~20min or until salmon flakes with a fork.
9. Serve with jasmine rice and steamed asparagus for a healthy quick dinner.