February 2020 – Fish

Fish with Pecans

Nancy C. Young, Gordonville

  • 1 lb. flounder
  • 4 scallions, sliced
  • ½ cup fresh bread crumbs
  • 1/3 cup chopped pecans
  • 4 tablespoons butter
  • pinch cayenne pepper

Heat oven to 375°F.

Butter sheet pan. Lay flounder on. Melt butter and set aside.

Put all other ingredients in a food processor. Spread on top of fish. Drizzle melted butter on top of fish.

Bake for approximately 15 to 18 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.


Kung Pao Cod

Shirley Cox, Ephrata

  • 6 fillets of cod or other firm fish (about 2 lbs.)
  • 1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons sesame oil
  • 8 oz. white mushrooms, sliced
  • ¾ cup sliced red pepper
  • ½ cup unsalted peanuts, shelled
  • ½ cup chopped green onion

Sauce:

  • ½ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 2/3 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ to ½ teaspoon (to taste) red pepper flakes

Heat a large nonstick pan on medium-high heat. Drizzle the tablespoon of soy sauce over both sides of fish and gently pat away the excess with a paper towel. Sprinkle the cornstarch over both sides of fish. Place vegetable oil in pan and cook the cod until golden brown and cooked through, turning once, about 4 minutes per side.

Whisk all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. Remove fish from heat and set aside on a warm plate.

Add the sesame oil, mushrooms and sliced peppers to the pan and cook a minute or two until vegetables begin to soften. Add the peanuts and half of the green onions and cook another minute.

Pour sauce ingredients into the pan. It will thicken immediately. Stir and remove from heat. Spoon the Kung Pao sauce over the fish to serve.


Fish Stew

Pat Roth, Ephrata

  • 1 lb. fish fillets, fresh or frozen (if frozen, thaw first)
  • 1 cup chopped onion
  • 1/3 cup Crisco oil or Mazzola oil
  • 28 oz. can diced tomatoes
  • 2 cups potatoes, cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup water
  • ¼ cup catsup
  • ½ teaspoon salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 lb. can mixed vegetables

Cut the fish fillets into small pieces, about 1” square.

In a large skillet, fry the onion in oil until cooked. Add the tomatoes, potatoes, water, catsup, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Add the fish, mixed vegetables and the vegetable liquid. Cover and simmer about 15 minutes longer, or until the potatoes are cooked.


Tomato Baked Haddock

Pat Roth, Ephrata

  • 1 medium green pepper, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon flour
  • 14½ oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1 lb. fresh or frozen haddock, thawed
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • dash pepper
  • ½ cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

In a nonstick skillet, sauté the pepper and onion until tender. Stir in the flour until blended. Add the tomatoes; cook and stir until thickened, about 3 minutes.

Place the fish, skin side down, in an 11”x7”x2” baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with the tomato mixture.

Bake, uncovered, at 350°F for 20 to 25 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with a fork.

Sprinkle with the cheese and bake 2 minutes more or until the cheese is melted.

Makes 4 servings.


Tuna Melt Quesadilla

Gloria Dougherty, Akron

  • 2.6 oz. pouch StarKist® Chunk Light or Albacore Tuna in Water
  • ¼ cup diced celery
  • 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
  • 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
  • ½ teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 soft 6” tortillas
  • ¼ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

In a medium bowl, combine tuna, celery, relish, mayonnaise and lemon juice and mix well.

Spray small frying pan with non-stick cooking spray. Heat over medium low heat. Place tortilla in pan. Place half of tuna mixture on one half of each tortilla and top with ¼ cup cheddar cheese, then top with second tortilla.

Cook for 1 to 2 minutes until tortilla begins to brown; flip tortilla and cook on second side until browned and cheese begins to bubble (approximately 1 to 2 minutes).

Remove from pan, cut into wedges and serve.


Grilled Salmon with Creamy Pesto Sauce

Deborah Bucher, Ephrata

  • 4 salmon fillets (1 lb.)
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 4 oz. (½ of 8 oz. package) Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, cubed
  • 2 tablespoons pesto
  • 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley

Heat grill to medium heat.

Brush both sides of fish with oil; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill, skin-sides down, 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.

Meanwhile, cook reduced-fat cream cheese and milk in saucepan on medium heat 2 to 3 minutes or until cream cheese is completely melted and sauce is well blended, stirring constantly. Stir in pesto.

Serve fish topped with sauce and parsley.


Parmesan-Baked Salmon

Deborah Bucher, Ephrata

  • ¼ cup Kraft Mayo Real Mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Kraft 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
  • 4 salmon fillets (1 lb.), skin removed
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 10 Ritz crackers, crushed (about ½ cup crumbs)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix mayo, cheese and pepper until well blended; set aside.

Place salmon on foil-lined shallow baking pan. Drizzle evenly with lemon juice. Top with cheese mixture; spread to evenly cover salmon. Sprinkle with cracker crumbs.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with fork.

Makes 4 servings.