Oven Roasted Mahi-Mahi

I bought some frozen mahi-mahi at Trader Joe's recently.  It was a package full of chunks of 'ends & pieces'.  The price was about 1/3 less than the regular fillets, and the chunks were really quite big, so I bought a package.  I followed the directions they provided, oven roasting the fish from the frozen state.  I also added a layer of sliced white onions to the bottom of the pan.  The fish came out firm, with a very mild taste.  I served it with some of my neighbor's homegrown green beans and yellow mini heirloom tomatoes, simply cooked with some yellow squash and a side of rice.

I really enjoyed it, but my guys were not as impressed as I was.  I'll make the mahi-mahi chunks again, but next time I think I'll create a flavorful marinate for the fish and will also up the flavor with some more herbs/spices.  Or, maybe I'll even try making them as fish kabobs.  Why not?  The time for summertime BBQ'ing isn't over yet and I've got a bag of briquettes just begging to be used!  :)

Cajun Perch ~ Fish Friday

Cajun Perch is an easy & tasty way to cook your fish for dinner on Fish Friday.   I made this by following the same steps as I do when I make my Italian Bread Crumb Cod recipe ~  but with this flavor I use plain bread crumbs & then season both sides of the perch with a Cajun spice blend.  I make the skillet a bit hotter to get a good, quick sear on the crust & then I take the heat down to finish it off.  I give it a good spray with ~ I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray ~ before I dish it up.  

This seasoning would work with just about any kind of fish.  I made it with perch because that's what fish happened to be on sale ~ I'm nothing if not thrifty.  :)

Pan Fried Italian Bread Crumb Cod ~ Fish Friday

Pan Fried Italian Bread Crumb Cod ~ a quick & flavorful way to cook fish.   Using Pam cooking spray & just a little oil help to keep it low fat.  

One of my favorite ways to cook fish is also one of the easiest.  I like to dredge fish in bread crumbs ~ Italian Spiced or Plain ~ (depending on my mood) and pan fry it in a little oil.  We always enjoy it & it's a quick meal to get on the table.  That's always a plus when you have hungry boys to feed!  While the fish is cooking, I'll steam some veggies & in about 20 minutes dinner is ready.  Almost quicker than takeout, too bad about the washing up though... heehee  :)

Pan Fried Italian Bread Crumb Cod

• nice sized cod fillets, about 6 oz. each ~ as many as needed to feed your hungry crew ~  try to get them of equal width/thickness so they will all be done at the same time
• 1/4 - 1/2 cup Italian Spiced bread crumbs ~ depends on how many fillets you are making, start will the smaller amount & add more bread crumbs if necessary (I hate to waste stuff :)
• 1/3 - 1/2 cup cup milk, or maybe a bit more, depends on how many fillets you are making  (for briefly soaking the cod in ~ optional)
• your favorite spices/herbs/blends, some I like to use ~ onion powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, sweet paprika, basil
• salt & pepper, to taste
• cooking oil & Pam cooking spray
• I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray ~ optional

Rinse cod & place fillets into a container & pour milk over the top.  Allow the fish to soak in the milk for about 10 minutes.  Discard any remaining milk after you are done soaking the fish in it. (if skipping the milk step, just rinse off the fish & get right to the next step)

When the fish is almost done soaking, heat up your skillet over a medium-hot heat.  Add Pam cooking spray & a little cooking oil just before adding the fish, you want the oil good & hot, but not so hot that it burns the coating on the fish.  I like to use both Pam & cooking oil, so that way I'm sure the fish won't stick.  Roll the oil around the pan before adding the fish, so you have good oil coverage.

Place the Italian Spiced bread crumbs in a flat bottomed container.  After 10 minutes, take the fish out of the milk & let some of the milk drip off & then dredge the fish in the bread crumbs, get both sides so it's completely covered in bread crumbs.  Sprinkle a little spice(s) on both sides ~ if desired.  (The beauty of using the Italian Spiced bread crumbs is that it's tasty enough to just use as is, no additional spices/salt are necessary.  It saves you from having to spice up the fish if you are  in a hurry or are just feeling a bit uninspired to play around with your spices :)

Add the bread crumb covered fish to the hot skillet & depending on the thickness of your fish, it usually takes about 5 minutes per side ~ or about 10 minutes total for both sides.  Shake the pan a little bit to help loosen the fish before flipping, that will help the coating to stick to the fish & not the pan.  :)

Fish will be opaque when done.  Depending on how hot your skillet is & how thick your fillet is, it may take more or less time.  If you are not familiar, with cooking fish, or want a refresher course ~ go here ~ to learn the basics.  :)

When fish is cooked all the way through, remove to a plate & spray with some I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Spray ~ optional.   Serve the cod with your favorite side dishes.  Enjoy!

Baked Cod with Summer Vegetables ~ Fish Friday

Baked Cod with Summer Vegetables ~ a tasty recipe from Whole Foods Market.

This is another quick & easy meal that was recently featured in our local paper.  The recipe for Baked Cod with Summer Vegetables is from Whole Foods Market.  It's full of robust Mediterranean flavors & makes a low carb, satisfying summer meal.  The recipe is quick & easy to throw together, then you just pop it into the oven.  I added some Old Bay Seasonings, as well as some onion powder ~ just to up the flavors a bit. 

The fish took a little longer to cook than the recipe called for, but it was worth the wait.  I served the fish with a spoon instead of a fork because the juices that were left in the pan really added to the overall enjoyment of the dish.  The fish & veggies turn out tender & moist and had me looking for more...  :)  If you are looking for unusual ways to prepare your fish, give this tasty recipe a try ~ I'm sure glad I did!

Serve it with a spoon, so you can get some of the flavorful broth with every bite.

Salmon ~ a perfectly healthy meal for Fish Friday

We eat fish at least once a week, usually salmon.  I buy the most awesome frozen salmon over at Trader Joe's ~ it's really flavorful, it's a great looking cut & the price for the quality is not bad at all.  They carry a HUGE array of frozen fish to choose from & I have enjoyed every type of fish I have ever purchased there.  If you are lucky enough to have a store near you, I highly recommend you go & check them out!

Most nights, I prepare our fish pretty simply.  Roy's favorite way to have his salmon is to have it sprinkled with a spice seasoning blend & then pan fried, in a little medium-hot oil.  That gives the salmon a crisp exterior crust & a meaty interior. Sometimes I'll drizzle a little maple syrup or teriyaki glaze over the salmon, just before it's done to give the fish a different flavor spin.  I also enjoy making a poached salmon, using a little white wine & some veggies for flavor.  I sometimes serve the salmon, either hot or cold, over a bed of crisp garden salad. 

Salmon really is a versatile fish & lends itself to just about any recipe presentation you can throw at it.  I've even used salmon in fish tacos to great success...

These are some of my current favorite spices to use when cooking my salmon.  The Smokehouse Maple is outstanding!!  We just love the sweet, 'bacony' flavor it gives the salmon...

Cooking fish is easy, about six minutes per inch (3 minutes per side) is all the time it takes to make a great meal.  You need to make sure of the thickens of the fish before you start cooking, that way you won't overcook it.  Sometimes a filet is thinner at one end, if so I will tuck under the thinner part of the filet to make sure it's all more uniform in size.

When I cook fish for dinner, I make sure all the side dishes & salad/soup are ready to go.  I also have the table set before I start cooking the fish.  That way I know I am just about six minutes away from eating a great meal when I put the fish on.  :)  I hope these photos inspire you to try making some salmon tonight!