You Have What It Takes to Make Great Fish Cakes

Like a burger, only better in oh, so many ways; these fish cakes take minutes to make, yet provide a very professional finish. I served them for a weekend lunch, but they would make a light and fresh dinner too.

Darlene's Cod Fish Cakes

about a pound and a half of cod fillets,
1/4 of a small onion
1 tablespoon of chives, chopped
1 teaspoon of onion powder
1/3 cup of seasoned bread crumbs
salt and pepper to taste

1. Put all the ingredients into a food processor and pulse until combined, 6-8 pulses.
2. Form the fish into patties. I got five medium sized patties from this batch.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and cook the fish about five minutes per side. Just until there is a golden brown color on the outside. The inside is warm and moist.

Serve on mixed greens with slices of tomatoes and cucumber sauce.

Cucumber Sauce

1/2 medium sized cucumber
1/3 cup light sour cream
dash of salt

Put the ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour over the fish and greens. This is cool, light and easy with a touch of gourmet. Enjoy!



Even Though There Is Garlic In Here, No Need To Beware

This recipe comes from The Black Dog Summer On The Vinyard Cook Book and if you love garlic, you will want to try this easy, different and delicious taste of cod. And you just might be surprised that so polished a dish is so simple to prepare. I'm putting in the whole recipe, but I halved everything when I made this for two.

Garlic Crusted Codfish
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 egg, beaten
2 pounds bonless codfish fillets
4 lemon wedges

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Heat butter and oil in a small skillet on low heat and add the garlic for a minute to soften, not brown.

2. Remove pan from heat and add the bread crumbs, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix to moisten the crumbs and seasoning.

3. Dredge each fillet in the beaten egg first, then the crumb mixture, and place in an oiled roasting pan.

4. Bake fish in the preheated oven for about ten to twelve minutes. The crust should be golden brown. The fish inside will be moist and flaky.

5. Serve with lemon wedges.

This dinner was really delicious. I served it with roasted root vegetables fresh from the public market. Try it and enjoy!

To Answer Your Wish, Try Enza's Fish

Fresh and delicious, easy yet suitable for a company meal, Enza's fish is a great choice for either a busy weeknight or a relaxed weekend dinner. Enza is the woman responsible for Salon Enza  http://salonenza.com/ a true oasis of hair and body care. In addition to being an expert at making my hair look great, Enza cooks like a dream. This is her recipe, and I hope I remembered everything. The colors are beautiful and the fish light and fragrant.

Enza's Fish

1. Start with tilpaia, one fillet per person; I had three fillets. Salt and pepper each side of the fish and saute both sides in just a bit of olive oil in a deep skillet or braising pan; remove the fish when opaque and set aside, keeping warm.

2. In the same pan with medium heat, add a touch of oil and stir to release any bits of fish stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add in one small chopped onion and stir until onion starts to soften. Add about 1 tablespoon of capers, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, and a cup of white wine. Simmer for a few minutes.

3. Add a 14 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes. Because it is August, I picked a few plum tomatoes and put them in the food processor and used them instead. Cook until the sauce thickens a little; this takes just a few minutes.

4. Add about a cup of packed spinach leaves to the simmering sauce and stir until the leaves are wilted but still a bright green. Add the fillets back to the skillet until heated through. Serve and enjoy. And maybe you will want some bread to soak up that last bit of sauce.

Say It Once, Say It Louder, Summer's Bounty Calls For Chowder!

!



chow·der

noun

a thick soup or stew made of clams, fish, or vegetables, with potatoes, onions, and other ingredients and seasonings.

The scope and diversity of ingredients that can go into a chowder make each chowder a distinct artistic expression. The only ingredient that is a requirement in chowder is onion or some form of onion. Jasper White's cookbook 50  Chowders is filled with the history and structure of chowders and some really delicious recipes. For tonight's dinner I used some of Jasper's techniques to create my own chowder.

Fish and Vegetable Chowder

Heat a 4-6 quart heavy pot over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 chopped onion, and cook until the onion starts to soften. Add 2 cups of chopped zucchini and the kernels from four ears of corn, stirring every so often as vegetables soften and flavor. Add about a tablespoon of fresh thyme. Add four chopped potatoes (usually I slice potatoes for fish chowder, but I wanted them chunked this time). Add five cups of chicken broth, bring to a boil for about ten minutes and resist the urge to stir. To thicken the chowder, after its boiled for ten minutes and the potatoes are soft, smash a few against the side of the pot. Reduce the heat, add salt and pepper to taste. Add three cod fillets and cook for about 7 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for about five minutes; the cod should be done by then. Now gently stir in 1 1/2 cups of heavy cream.  Let the chowder sit for about 20 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle and tangle - it' worth the wait! Reheat gently. Enjoy this with bread and a salad, and maybe a soft moscato. This is a meal to usher in the dog days of summer!

What else could you add? Check your garden or your local public market, pick from vegetables at their peak, and design your own chowder. You will be glad you did!