Seafood and Fish – Page 2 – The Pajama Chef

I was inspired to try my hand at salmon after a long absence of fish at our house [try September. Seriously! Why??] when two important menu forces collided. First, fresh salmon was on sale for $3.99/pound at my local grocery store, which seems like a great deal to me. Secondly, when picking herbs at a CSA pickup, I tried a bite of fresh French Tarragon and loved it. It had a tiny kick that emerged despite the bittersweet, fresh taste that had hints of mint and licorice. It was like nothing I’ve ever had before–or actually, nothing I’ve ever prepared before, because as I’ve learned from Google, it’s a staple in many French foods I ate on study abroad in Cameroon and while traveling in Europe. But back to the collision.

I couldn’t let such coincidences escape from my grasp, particularly during this mid-summer freedom. So I promptly did some internet research after doing my shopping and CSA-gathering, put on my apron, and gave it a whirl… and emerged victorious, queen of the salmon. Wait, that’s Sheba, the kitty who may or may not have weaseled her way into a delectable bite of freshly flaked salmon. But you didn’t hear it from me…

The results were so easy, so flavorful, so fresh, and so filling that now I’m just craving it all. the. time. The salmon was crispy on the outside and flaky on the inside, the perfect vehicle for the tangy sauce. Composed of the familiar–tart lemon and complex garlic; and the new–gourmet, hearty Dijon mustard and spicy fresh tarragon, a sauce that initially sounds complicated is really quite simple and refreshing. A little goes a long way, though, and it’s a good thing too, because that means more for next time!

What types of food do you always intend to make but rarely do?

Salmon with Lemon, Tarragon, and Garlic Sauce

Servings: 4
Time: 15 minutes
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[technique by Peanut Butter Fingers, recipe from Allrecipes.com]

Ingredients:

4, 4-ounce, salmon fillets
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil + more for salmon
4 cloves garlic, minced
juice of half a lemon
zest of half a lemon
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
freshly ground lemon pepper
cooking spray

Directions:

Set oven to broil. Cover a large baking sheet with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray. Place salmon on foil and lightly brush with olive oil. Season with freshly ground lemon pepper. Broil for about 10 minutes, or until salmon flakes with a fork.

Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, 2 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and zest, tarragon, and a hearty amount of freshly ground lemon pepper. Set aside.

When fish is ready, top each piece with prepared sauce and enjoy!

This is a guest post from my husband, Ben. Periodically, he has agreed to share some of his favorite recipes with you in a guest post column entitled One Tablespoon Testosterone, or OTT for short. Enjoy!

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Bonjour and bienvenue! This is my latest Monday night meal. With Sarah being on campus until 6, I take control of the kitchen on these days this semester. Well, since my lovely wife was ill the previous week, I wanted to make a “real” dinner this past Monday. So, in a brash display of something far shy of wisdom, I decided to make up my own recipe. I really like fish. I also really like citrus flavors, and my experience tells me that these two things fit together nicely. So I came up with the following.

Citrus Tilapia

Time: 15 minutes
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Ingredients:

tilapia filets (as many as needed to feed your family)
lime juice (roughly 1 T per filet)
lemon pepper (we have one that you grind, but approximately 1/2 t per filet for the marinade, and more to taste sprinkled on top)
orange zest (roughly 1/2 t per filet)
dried cilantro

Directions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line baking dish with foil and cover lightly with cooking spray (you don’t have to use foil, but if you don’t definitely use cooking spray or grease the pan in some way). Place filets in baking dish. In small bowl combine lime juice, lemon pepper, and orange zest to make marinade. Brush the marinade onto the filets, coating evenly. I used the entirety of my marinade, but as long as they’re all well covered that’s what matters. Sprinkle lemon pepper and dried cilantro to taste on top of filets. Bake in oven for 9-11 minutes or until fish flakes easily. Serve with your choice of sides. I made a tasty salad and homemade fries! Eat until full, take a break, come back, and eat some more. Yum.

Salad to serve with Citrus Tilapia | thepajamachef.com — This is my salad (obviously). It’s made with romaine lettuce, red cabbage, carrots, dried blueberries, craisins, dried papaya and topped with two slices of orange, homemade croutons and poppyseed dressing.

Fries to serve with Citrus Tilapia | thepajamachef.com — These fries were baked in the oven for about ten minutes longer than the fish at the same temperature. They’re made from red potatoes coated in olive oil and sprinkled with lemon pepper and kosher salt. Excellent.

In lieu of a related question, I will ask what has been running around in my mind recently.

What would you do for a Klondike bar?

Personally, I would root for Michigan and the Patriots in the same weekend. Oh, the horrors! (As long as OSU isn’t playing Michigan. That’s pushing it. No food is worth that!)