Baked Salmon

My baked salmon is an easy weeknight dinner that your whole house will love! My family and friends love this recipe and devour it in an instant! If you love salmon and want to try something new, then this recipe is right up your alley! :)

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds of salmon (whole)

light mayo (enough to cover fish)

2 pinches of salt

black pepper to taste

garlic powder to taste

onion powder to taste

1 cup of crushed fried onion

extra virgin olive oil

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Wash and pat your salmon dry. Put some foil on top of a large baking sheet and place your salmon on top. Lightly drizzle some olive oil all over your salmon and massage it in. Evenly coat your whole fish with some light mayo. Season with salt, black pepper, garlic, and onion powder. Bake for about 25 minutes or until salmon is cooked through. Check for doneness at the thickest part of your salmon (if it flakes off easily then it's done!). Remove your salmon from the oven and sprinkle your crushed, fried onion on top. Place your salmon back into the oven and continue to back for another 2-3 minutes, or until the top is slightly browned.

Pan Fried Tilapia with Ginger and Soy Sauce Glaze

This recipe is a MUST try for all FISH LOVERS!! And talk about a fancy looking way to dress up an inexpensive fish! Every time I serve this, I get rave reviews before anyone even takes a bite! The presentation alone, is enough to want to make you want to dig in, HEAD FIRST.

The soy sauce glaze that goes on top of this fish is SO FINGER LICKIN' GOOD!! The addition of ginger and carrot slices, cooked in brown sugar, shallots, and garlic, make this sauce OUT OF THIS WORLD!


You will need:

1 whole tilapia(cleaned and patted dry)
salt and pepper
Wondra flour(or you may use corn starch or rice flour)
peanut oil

For the glaze:

1.5 ounce of ginger sliced into thin 2 inch strips(julienne).
1 small carrot cut into 2 inch strips.(I just used a julienne vegetable peeler to make the strips).
2 cloves of chopped garlic
2 T of finely chopped onion or shallot
1/2 cup water
1 T of soy sauce
1 T of hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp of salt
2 T of brown sugar
1/8 tsp of black pepper
some cornstarch mixed with a little bit of water
peanut oil

Garnishes:

thinly sliced onion
green onion
cilantro or parsley

Chop up your garlic and onion and set aside. Next, slice your ginger and carrots into thin 2 inch strips. I have an awesome stainless steel julienne peeler that I purchased through Amazon that I used.

Clean your fish thoroughly and pat dry. Make three diagonal slashes on each side of the fish. Season lightly with salt and pepper and then coat your fish in wondra flour. If you don't have any wondra flour you may use cornstarch instead.

Heat a large skillet/wok on medium-medium high heat and put enough oil to submerge half of the fish. Fry until crispy/golden brown about 6-7 minutes depending on how large your fish is. Flip your fish and continue to fry for another 5 minutes or so. Remove and place fish on platter.

In a small bowl mix together your water, soy sauce, salt, brown sugar, hoisin, and black pepper. Mix to combine and set aside.

On medium high heat add some oil into a saucepan and add in your chopped onion. Cook until translucent. Add in your ginger, carrots, and garlic. Cook until fragrant and until everything has softened.

Add in your soy sauce mixture and cook on medium high heat for about 2-3 minutes tops. Take some cornstarch(about 1 tsp)and mix it with a bit of water. Add the cornstarch mixture to the saucepan and stir to combine. Turn off heat and your glaze is ready!! You may up the cornstarch mixture if you prefer a thicker glaze.

Pour your glaze over your fish while it's still warm and serve immediately!! Garnish with thinly sliced onions, scallions, parsley, or cilantro!

Watch how to make it here.

Pan Seared Ahi Tuna

You will need:

2 ahi tuna steaks, cleaned and patted dry with paper towels(preferably sushi grade)
3 T. of sesame oil
3 T. of the marinade(ingredients listed below)
Black and white sesame seeds

For the marinade and glaze:

1/2 cup water
some freshly grated ginger(more or less depending on your preference)
1 T of soy sauce
1 T of hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp of salt
2 T of brown sugar
1/8 tsp of black pepper
1 tsp. of cornstarch mixed with a bit of water
*Note: I recommend doubling ingredients for extra sauce

Simple salad

your choice of salad(I like spring mix)
pine nuts(for garnish)
wasabi paste(for garnish)

For the dressing:

1/2 cup of extra virgin olive oil
1 T. of apple cider vinegar
the juice from one lemon
1 T. of orange juice
1 1/2 tsp of sesame oil
1 T. of Chinese style hot mustard(optional)
salt and pepper to taste

First, make your marinade using ingredients stated above. Then, take your ahi tuna steaks and toss them in some sesame oil, along with 3 T. of the marinade. Next, gently roll all sides of the ahi tuna steaks in some black and white, toasted sesame seeds. Reserve the rest of the marinade to make the glaze.

While the ahi is resting, place the remainder of the marinade in a saucepan, and bring to a quick rolling boil. When it boils, quickly stir in your cornstarch and water mixture. When sauce starts to thicken(about 15 seconds or so), turn off and remove from heat. Set aside.

Place your cast iron skillet on medium high heat and wait for it to slightly smoke. Carefully add in your tuna steaks and cook on first side for one minute. Flip it over gently using your hand and flat spatula, and cook on the other side for 45 more seconds. Flip again and do the sides as well(I do 20 seconds or so on the smaller sides). When the ahi is done, remove from heat, place in wrapped foil, and put it in the freezer for 20-25 minutes to stop it from cooking(it also makes slicing easier).

While the ahi is in the freezer, prepare your salad and salad dressing. Remove ahi from freezer and slice to preferred thickness. Plate your salad and tuna and take your thickened sauce from earlier and place in disposable bag(or ziplock baggie). Snip the tip of the disposable bag and drizzle the sauce directly on the ahi. Decorate the plate with more glaze, wasabi paste, and some pine nuts. ENJOY!! :)

Vietnamese sour soup(canh chua)

You will need:

7(14.5 ounces)cans of low sodium chicken broth--makes about 3 quarts
1 pound of cleaned cat fish fillets(you may use chicken)
1/2 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 cups chopped fresh pineapple
4 large tomatoes cut into medium sized chunks
about 1 pound of okra
1/2 pound of baha(elephant ear stems)or fuzzy squash
8 ounces of cleaned bean sprouts
a handful of cleaned rice herb patty
a handful of mexican or saw tooth coriander
1/2 tsp of salt
2 T of fish sauce
2 T of sugar
3 T of tamarind

Garnishes:

chopped fresh herb patty
sliced fresh chili peppers

Chop up your pineapple and set aside. Wash your tomatoes and okra, chop those up then set aside. Take your elephant ear stems, peel off the skin, and slice them at a diagonal about 1/4-1/2 inch thick and set aside as well.

Bring your chopped pineapple and chicken broth to a rolling boil then add in your fish sauce, salt, and sugar. Give it a stir then add in your cleaned catfish fillets and let them simmer for about 5 minutes. If using chicken, please make sure chicken is cooked through before adding in your veggies.

Next add in your okra and elephant ear stems. Stir and let that cook for 5-7 more minutes. Stir in your tamarind powder then skim off any foam or scum that has floated to the surface. Taste for seasoning and add more fish sauce, salt, sugar, or tamarind powder if needed.

Turn off the stove at this point and add in your cleaned bean sprouts. Stir to combine then top it off with your chopped rice herb patty and mexican coriander. Pour into bowl and serve warm. Top it off with more chopped fresh herb patty and slices of fresh chili peppers! DELICIOUS!

Notes: This makes quite a bit of soup so feel free to cut recipe in half!

Fish in sweet tomato sauce with Fresh Mango Salad

You will need:

2 pds of Mackerel fillets(skin on)
2 T. of chopped shallot
3 garlic cloves minced
3 cups of rough chopped tomato
1/2 cup of pineapple juice
1/2 cup of young coconut juice or soda(no pulp and NO COCONUT MILK)
1 T. of good oyster sauce
1 tsp of sweet soy sauce
1 T of sugar
2 tsp of fish sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp of black pepper(or 2-3 fresh or dried whole chili if you like it spicy)
olive oil for pan
1/2 T of cornstarch plus 1/2 T of water(Don't add this in until the last 10 min. of cooking time)

If you are a fish lover, then you absolutely have to try this dish! This is one of my mother in laws  fav fish dish to eat. What makes this one so different from others, is the fact that I let it cook in a tomato sauce that is simmered in a slightly sweet and slightly tangy pineapple and coconut juice concoction.  My family loves to eat it along side my fresh and spicy mango salad. It's also good when eaten with Asian pickled mustard greens(which I also have a recipe for if you scroll down). I make this dish more in the summer time then in  any other time of the year because of it's simplicity and let's face it, even SUPER MOMS have lazy days too. :)

1. Clean your fish fillets by soaking them in some water, vinegar, and salt to help reduce some of the smell that fish gives while cooking. I usually get in there and start rubbing and massaging it like I love it. :) Let the fish sit in the vinegar water for a quick minute, remove, and pat completely dry.
2. On medium high heat, add a little oil into your skillet. Add in your chopped shallots and then chopped garlic. Once your garlic starts to slightly brown, throw in your chopped tomatoes. Let the tomatoes cook down for a minute or two then proceed to add the salt, black pepper, sugar, sweet soy sauce, oyster sauce, and fish sauce. Stir to combine.
3. Add in your pineapple juice and coconut juice, stir, then add in your fish fillets. Continue to cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, and carefully turn the fish a few times to make sure all that yummy sauce gets soaked up by the fish.
4. After 15 minutes, turn heat up to medium high heat to quickly reduce some of the sauce. Add in the cornstarch and water mixture and continue to cook until sauce has reduced to your liking. I like more sauce in mine because my kids love it on rice.
5. Remove from heat and serve with a side of mango salad. Yum!!! 

Notes: This dish tastes best with a tad bit of heat to it, so if you are using fresh or dried whole chili peppers, then add those in after you add in your fish fillets to the pan. While the fish is simmering, it's also best to use a spoon to coat some of the sauce mixture onto the fish fillets to get an optimum boost of flavor. This technique is good if you are afraid of the fish coming apart while flipping over one too many times.