This is recipe that comes to us via Spain, once considered the mother country in Puerto Rico, when the Spaniards ran the show.  In Spain, Concha en Jerez, simply scallops in sherry, is normally served as part of a tapas ensemble. In my family, we served it as an entrée, usually over rice. We even made it into sandwiches for lunch. If you like scallops, this one is it.  Very easy to prepare. A famous Spanish dish with a hint of Nuyorican flavor.

CONCHA EN JEREZ
(Scallops in Sherry)

1 quart scallops, quartered
1 cup dry sherry
1/2 cup olive oil
1 yellow pepper (pimento), if desired, can substitute red or green pepper, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon capers, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons paprika
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt to taste

1. Preheat oven broiler to high.
2. Place scallops in a shallow baking pan or dish (I prefer cast-iron)
2. Combine remaining ingredients in a small bowl, and pour over scallops. Stir to mix, and let stand 10-15 minutes
3. Broil, stirring occasionally, until scallop are lightly browned, 6-8 minutes. Serve over rice.
Yield: 4-6 servings.

Breadcrumb crusted fish (or breaded fish) is a popular item these days. You can even find it in fast-food joints with such names as “Filet-O-Fish Sandwich” and “Fillet Fish Sandwich;” and sometimes a place may even own up by calling it a “Fried Fish Sandwich.” Usually served on a bun, these items are sheer killers in terms of health. They average from 350 to 480 calories, and 640 mg. of sodium or more. No matter how tasty, they are heart attacks on a plate.

Making this dish at home is much easier, healthier, and, yes, tastier. It’s an inexpensive way to satisfy your cravings while giving your arteries a break. In the recipe given you can use any firm fleshed fish fillet—cod, haddock, perch, turbot, etc. Wanna splurge, get some fillet of sole. You probably have all the ingredients already in your cupboard. In terms of breadcrumbs, want to be fancy about it—make your own, or use Japanese panko. Anyway, forget about the greasy spoon down the street. Stay home and cook something good.

The usual accompaniment to fish fillets is potatoes and/or greens. True to my Puerto Rican heritage, I serve them with tostones (deep fried plantains). For a good recipe on tostones check my post of 09/09/10. My website (www.oswaldrivera.com – 10/16/16) also offers both a recipe and video on how to prepare fried plantains. Making them ain’t that hard.

FISH FILLETS WITH BREADCRUMBS

1/2 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup light or low-fat mayonnaise
Juice of half a lemon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried
1 1/4-2 pounds fish fillets

Once in a while, as a break from broiled, backed, or fried fish, steamed fish is the go-to dish. Simple to prepare, and quite healthy. I’ve discovered that, with an Asian flair, it does the trick. A little soy sauce, a little fresh ginger and you’ve got yourself a marvelous meal. The recipe given below follows this trend. For a dish such as this, rice is the usual accompaniment. This time around I served it with soba (or buckwheat) noodles; but you can use whatever pasta, or grain, desired. The fancy-dan foodies called it fusion cooking.

Note that it’s best to cook the noodles while fish is steaming (and ginger sauce is being prepared) and combine everything at the end.

GINGER STEAMED FISH

4 cod, halibut, striped bass (or any flaky white fish) steaks or fillets, 4 to 6 oz.  each
1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1/4 cup sesame seeds
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 scallions, sliced, for garnish
12 ounces soba/buckwheat noodles, cooked according to package directions

1. Bring about 2 inches of water to a boil in a regular or bamboo steamer. If you don’t have a steamer, set four mugs upside down in a large pot, add water, and place a large heatproof dish on top. Place four portions of fish on plate or steamer, cover and bring water to a boil. Steam fish until tender (about 5-6 minutes per inch of fish).
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl combine ginger, garlic and sesame seeds. Heat oil in a medium skillet over high heat. Add ginger mixture and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add sesame oil and soy sauce and cook 1 minute more.
3. Place noodles on a serving platter. Add fish on top; and pour sauce over fish and noodles. Garnish with scallions and serve.
    Yield: 4 servings.  

Grilling season again. Temperatures rise and so does the need for al fresco cooking. In my circle I’m the oddball since I prefer grilling seafood. The usual burgers, hotdogs, chicken is alright, but to me, the height of ecstasy is a good grilled fish steak, or fillet. It’s amazing what one can do grilling-wise with something from the sea.

A great method of grilling fish is via seafood rubs. Simply rub the herbs and condiments into the fish, let the mixture stand 5-15 minutes, and cook. In every case, it’s always best to cut large steaks or fillets into meal-size portions so that they will be easy to turn when grilling. Brush the fish very lightly with olive oil before cooking; and always start grilling with the skin side up. Turn the fish once during cooking. It’s easiest to slide a metal spatula under the fish and turn. And most important, cook fish about 5-8 minutes per inch of thickness. Of course, if it’s a thin fillet, use less time. Cook until it’s sightly opaque in color. To be sure, jab the fish with a fork in the thickest part to check for doneness. Always remove from heat soon as it turns translucent.

For the grilling itself, common sense always applies. Seafood cooks best over a medium-hot fire. Also, make sure the grill is hot before cooking; and brush some vegetable oil on the grill prior to cooking.

Below are given four rubs for seafood. The seafood can be either 4 fish steaks (about 6 ounces each; fish fillets (about 1 1/2 pounds); or a whole fish, cleaned and scaled (2-3 pounds). If you need more condiments or herbs, adjust accordingly. Still, it’s up to you. Don’t go by what I say. If you’re adventurous, try to create your own blend. Almost every culture has a seafood rub. Experiment and enjoy.

Basic Caribbean Rub

Squeeze juice of half lemon over fish. Rub fish with 2 tablespoons fresh oregano (or 1 tablespoon dried) ; 3 cloves garlic, finely minced; salt and ground black pepper to taste. Brush with 2 tablespoons olive oil, and grill.

Indian Rub

Blend 1 tablespoon garam masala; 1 teaspoon brown sugar; 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon paprika; and salt to taste. Run onto fish; sprinkle with olive oil and cook.

Chipotle Rub (For those who like it hot)

Blend 1 tablespoon chipotle chilies (can use canned chilies, if desired, and remove seeds if you want reduced heat); 2 tablespoons brown sugar; 3 cloves minced garlic. Rub into fish. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons white vinegar, and grill.

Asian Rub

Combine 2 tablespoons honey; 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger; juice of half a lime; 2 teaspoons soy sauce; 1 clove finely minced garlic; and 1/2 cup sliced scallions. Rub into fish and grill.  
     

I cook with curry quite a bit. It’s one of my favorite methods. And, like most people, I use curry powder or curry paste when preparing a dish. But, before the powder and paste came along, cooks would make their own curries or a particular dish. The word “curry” originates from the Tamil word “kari” which means “spiced sauce.” And that’s all curry is: a sauce with a combination of ingredients, many of them dried spices ground and mixed mixed together to create a sauce.

The dish that follows is that vein. It’s simply fish fillets in its own curried sauce. The fish used can be any firm fleshed flesh such as pollock, haddock, turbot, bass, etc. I use cod fillets. They’re inexpensive, goods, and nutritious. The side dish is steamed white rice. In this instance, since the recipe has an Indian slant to it, I prefer basmati rice.

CURRIED FISH FILLETS

2 pounds fresh skinless, fish fillets
3 tablespoons peanut oil
1 cup mustard seeds
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced into thin rings
1 tablespoons ginger, sliced into thin strips
1 jalapeño chili, seeded, and sliced into thin strips
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 cup dry sherry or white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
Juice of 1/2 lime
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar

1.  Wash fish fillets under cold running water and wipe dry with paper towels. Then cut into serving portions. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet, heat the oil. Add mustard seeds, and when they start popping, add onion. Saute until they start to brown. Lower heat, add ginger, chili, coriander and turmeric, and cook for 2-3 minutes.
3. Add dry sherry or wine. Add fish, cover, and simmer 5 minutes.
4. Add chicken broth, cover and simmer 5 minutes more, or until fish is just cooked through. Transfer fish to a serving platter.
5. To skillet, add salt, pepper, lime juice and sugar. Stir to combine, adding a little water if needed.
Spoon sauce over fish and serve.
   Yield: 4 servings.