Fried Red Snapper, Ling, and Mahi Mahi with all the trimmings

Mmmm, where to start?

What a fantastic fishing trip!!  My sister Claire and I we able to go fishing with our very special friend Danny (yes, this is my second trip with him this summer, oh it's good to be me!).  Danny arranged a trip for us so we drove to Point Comfort, TX and stayed the night in a beautiful home owned by his son-in-law Nathan's family.  I brought dinner for us, Baked Shrimp Scampi, a breakfast casserole and Janet's Appetizers. The next morning (before dawn) we got up and headed to Port O'Connor to put the boat in and head out.  It was a beautiful day on the Gulf of Mexico (no oil around here).  The breeze was delightful and the seas were calm.  We fished all day and came home with our limits of Red Snapper, Ling aka Cobia, Pompano, Trigger.  We also caught a couple of Kings and a pretty big and very upset shark that Claire hooked! 

Captain Danny

This is our first fish fry from that trip.  On the menu:

Fried Red Snapper

Fried Mahi Mahi (from my previous fishing trip)

Fried Ling

Remoulade Sauce, recipe adapted from Antoine's Restaurant in New Orleans

Red Sauce

Tartar Sauce, Bon Appetit January 1999

Fried Crab Balls from Groomer Seafood in San Antonio

Spicy Coleslaw

Pinto Beans

Blackberry Gelato

Peach with Grand Marnier

First the fish batter.  Now this is a recipe our family has used since I was a very small child.  It came from a very special woman, Mama Norris from Louisiana.  My mom has used this recipe for as long as I can remember.  I've changed a couple of things over the years by making it with beer instead of water and dipping it in Panko Bread Crumbs.  Now Mama Norris never made biscuits that weren't made with beer, so I'm willing to bet this recipe at one time or another was made with beer too. The batter alone, without the Panko, is very similar to a tempura batter and it never tastes greasy.  I've done the Wesson Oil challenge over the years while disposing of the oil only to find out that I get almost all of my oil back with only a fraction missing.  I try to cut all the fish in uniform sizes to make the frying easier.

Batter for Frying Fish (or shrimp, oysters, veggies, etc.) for 2 lbs

1 C all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp sugar

1 slightly beaten egg

1 cup ice cold beer

2 T oil

Panko for dredging(seasoned with Tony's Cajun Season & Pepper to taste)

Oil or shortening for frying

Mix in above order minus the Panko.  Refrigerate the batter for at least an  hour.  When your cooking oil has reached approx 350 degrees, dip pieces of fish in batter, toss in Panko and fry until golden brown.  Drain on rack or on paper sacks.

No place I'd rather be....

The crab balls I purchased from Groomer Seafood and they are fantastic!  To go along with them I made a Remoulade Sauce recipe from Antoine's in New Orleans.  EVERYTHING they serve is fabulous.  It is a little different than your traditional Remoulade and in my opinion blows all others away!

Crab Balls with Remoulade Sauce

Remoulade Sauce

2/3 C ketchup

1/2 tsp powdered mustard

2 T horseradish

1 T worchestershire sauce

1/2 tsp Tabasco sauce

1 T minced green onions

1 T minced celery

1 T minced parsley

Combine all ingredients.

Makes 1 cup (it's not enough, I will double this next time)

Claire with just one of the many Red Snapper

The Red Sauce, well I never measure, so I will try my best to "guestimate" for you.  Warning, we like ours hot, you can adjust to your tolerance.  Most of my family goes for red sauce, I'm a tartar sauce kind of girl, though this is perfect for boiled shrimp!

Beaubien Red Sauce

1 - 82 oz bottle of ketchup

1 jar Boar's Head Horseradish Sauce, yes the whole jar

juice of 2 lemons

1-1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

6-10 dashed Tabasco sauce

Mix all ingredients and chill.

Nathan in his happy place!

Now Tartar Sauce is my favorite and I've been on a lifelong hunt for the best recipe.  THIS IS IT!  It is fabulous and I will never change recipes again!  I may have converted a couple of red sauce folks with this one.  We were even dipping our bread in it.  Perfect for a seafood poorboy too.

Tartar Sauce, adapted from Bon Appetit, January 1999

1 C mayonnaise (I prefer Hellman's)

1/4 C finely chopped dill pickle

3 T chopped green onion

1 T drained capers (remember to rinse them)

1 T chopped fresh parsley

2 tsp fresh lemon juice

1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp dried tarragon

1/2 tsp tsp Worchestershire sauce

1/4 tsp Tabasco

1-1/2 T chopped fresh dill (my addition)

Whisk all ingredients in medium bowl to blend.  Season with salt and pepper. Cover; chill at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.

And Nathan in his not so happy place

Next was the coleslaw.  I cheat and use a couple of the bags from the produce section and a jar of Marzetti's slaw dressing, then I start doctoring it up.  Usually no one eats that much coleslaw, this time I got it right on the money and it disappeared.

Spicy Cole Slaw

2 - 14 oz bags of coleslaw

1 - 15 oz bottle Marzetti Slaw Dressing (gluten free, btw)

1/2 C. celery diced

1/2 tsp cayenne

2 serrano peppers, finely diced

1 T freshly ground pepper

1/4 C white wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients well, cover and chill for at least an hour.  It's really better if it can be done a day ahead.

So the last time my husband made his amazing ribs, he decided we should keep the juices that he poured off of them when he took them out of the foil before they go on the smoker.  There had to be something we could use it for.  I mean it has all the delicious seasonings and we scooped all the pieces of rib meat off the board when he was slicing the ribs before we served them and tossed it in the juices too.  So I pulled the container I have been saving in the freezer of all this delicious yumminess, so pinto beans it was!

Holy Pinto Bean Batman!!

Jess's Rib Juice Pinto Beans

1 pound bag of dried pinto beans

2 C of heavenly rib juice

Sort through beans for small rocks and debris, rinse and put in Pressure Cooker, you know the one with all the warnings on it.  Be brave and be careful!!  To the beans, add just enough water to cover completely.  Bring to a boil (without the lid on).  Boil for 2 minutes on high then remove from heat and allow to sit for an hour.  After an hour, drain and rinse beans and return to the pot.  Pour fabulous rib juice in pot to cover beans.  Lock down lid on pressure cooker.  Bring to boil (you will know when the lid thingy is rocking rapidly and steady).  Reduce heat to good simmer, you still want the lid thingy to rock,  just a little slower and steadier.  Allow to simmer for approx. 45 minutes.  Carefully remove entire pot from the heat WITH LID ON.  Allow to cool until there is no more pressure on lid. Be patient.  CAREFULLY remove lid, stir and serve.

Dessert was much later since we ate until we couldn't move.  Happily miserable.

Blackberry Gelato

Peach with Grand Marnier

So my heartfelt thanks and love to Danny for taking "the girls" fishing.  We love you very much!

Feels like I hooked the bottom, whoooohoooo!

 

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Guest Blog~The Amazing Danny and Susan Hollingsworth, Part 1

Marinated Manchego with Roasted Red Peppers

We have just returned home from three really fantastic days eating and fishing and having a blast!!  For our wedding anniversary, my husband surprised me with an overnight fishing trip.  He and my daddy put their sneaky heads together and came up with the perfect trip.  The plan was to go to our friends, Danny and Susan Hollingsworth's gorgeous home on Lake Conroe, have dinner, get a good night's rest and head off to the Gulf Coast the next morning, fish all day, spend the night offshore, fish all day again, then head back to Danny and Susan's 

The evening we arrived, Susan had this delicious appetizer of Marinated Manchego with Roasted Red Peppers waiting for us.  The colors are beautiful and the taste is fantastic.  It was a great challenge to not spoil our dinner by eating too much.  The flavors are wonderful together and it's a nice change from the standard mozzarella you usually find in a dish similar to this.  Best of all, you make it ahead!! 

Marinated Manchego with Roasted Red Peppers adapted from  Viking Cooking School class

1/2 C Spanish extra-virgin olive oil

2 T sherry vinegar

1 green onion, green top only, very thinly sliced

1/2 small shallot, minced

1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds, lightly toasted*

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 bay leaf (preferably Turkish)

8 (3 X 1 X 1/4-inch) slices manchego cheese (about 1/2 pound)

8 (3 X 1-inch) slices roasted red peppers (about 1 medium pepper)**

1. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, green onions, shallots and cumin seeds; season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add the garlic and bay leaf; set aside until needed.

2.  Arrange the cheese slices in an attractive, non-reactive serving dish, then place one roasted red pepper strip over each piece of cheese.  Pour the marinade over the pepper strips, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

3.  Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour before serving.  (Note:  Remove the garlic cloves and bay leaf before serving.)

Tips and Techniques:

* Heat a small saute' pan over med-high heat; add the cumin seeds and cook, stirring constantly, until aroma is released and the seeds just begin to brown.

**To roast peppers:  Char the pepper over a gas flame on the stove or under the broiler, turning to ensure the skin blisters evenly.  Place the blistered pepper in a covered container (or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap) and cool.  When cool enough to handle, peel off the dark skins and remove the stem and seeds.

Make It Ahead:  Marinate the cheese up to four days before serving.

Hot Tip:  This recipe doubles beautifully.

Serve with toasted baguette slices.

I know, I know, fishing for your anniversary present sounds a little strange, but it was perfect for me!!  Thankfully my husband knows me so well.  This was a trip we have been trying to take since the beginning of May(our anniversary was May 1st).  As it turned out, my husband's son Brice, made it home from his Air Force base in Germany in time to go with us. Daddy has been watching the buoy reports for wind and seas for weeks, coordinating every one's schedules, timing was critical to a good trip. Probably at the top of the list of 'Musts" was the availability of Nathan, Danny and Susan's son in law.  Boy, now I understand, Nathan presence was critical.  Nathan is unbelievable, he's a machine!  He can set up tackle, set out outriggers, cut bait, gaff your catch, keep the boat "ship-shape" and make a mean ceviche while offshore!   Thanks again Nathan, we had a blast, and you're awesome!! 

Last night, after we got back in, we all went out to dinner and it occurred to me that I have been fishing with my dad since he was about 15 years younger than I am right now.  That's a long time.  I love it!  We've know Danny and Susan since probably the late 70's, when they used to live right down the street from us and refer to my sister as "Our Claire".  We love their family very much and our family is infinitely blessed to have them in our lives.

Keep an eye out for Part 2, Paella!!

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