Cod with Chile Lime Butter

Randal will very rarely eat fish that is not deep fried and served with tarter sauce, so I knew I had to make this cod with the chile butter at home when he tasted a version of this at a grocery store and loved it. 

We both enjoyed this entire meal, the fish with the chile lime butter and the succotash which was also a new dish for me, but one that we will be making again!

4 cod filets
salt and pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Chile lime butter:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp shallot, finely chopped
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp lime zest
1 tsp serrano chile, minced
1/2 tsp salt

To make the chile butter,  stir together the butter, shallot, chile, lime juice and zest and salt.  Place the butter mixture on cling film and roll into a log.  Refrigerate until ready to use.

Pat dry the cod, season with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil in a large pan, add the fish and cook for 2 or 3 minutes per side until golden.  Finish cooking the fish in a 375 degree oven for 6-8 minutes.  Serve with the chile lime butter.

Fish and Chips

Last Saturday was the first new doctor who episode of the year, so I thought a nice English dinner of fish and chips would be perfect. I looked around at lots of different recipes for the batter and they were all quite similar, however the garlic parsley chips from notions of a novice cook looked amazing, certainly nothing you would find in an English chippy though.  We had minted mushy peas with our fish and chips but curry sauce would have been equally as amazing and authentic, just don't forget the malt vinegar!

4 cod fillets
6 ounces plain flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 (8 fluid ounce) bottle british beer

juice of 1/2 a lemon

salt & pepper
extra flour

Garlic Parsley Chips

4 large potatoes

2 cloves garlic

fresh parsley

salt

Make the batter for the fish by putting the flour, baking soda, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Slowly stir in the beer and whisk until it is smooth.  Add in the lemon juice.

Dredge the fish in flour then coat in the batter and drop straight into a deep fat fryer heated to 375.  Fry for 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

To make the chips, peel and chip the potatoes.  Cook them in a deep fat fryer at 320 for 3 or 4 minutes, long enough to soften the chips but not brown them.  Remove from the fryer, raise heat to 375.

While waiting for the fryer, finely chop the garlic and parsley and set aside.

Drop the chips back into the fryer and cook for another 3 or 4 minutes, until golden brown.  When the chips are cooked, toss with the garlic and parsley and season with salt.

Cod With Parsley Sauce

I have been really craving my mum's incredible fish pie, but knowing that the husband wouldn't touch it, I decided on cod with parsley sauce, which my mum used to make often when I was a child, it's so good!



For the cod
•1¾oz flour

•salt and freshly ground black pepper

•4 x 6oz cod fillets

•1-2 tbsp vegetable oil

•3oz butter

•1 lemon, juice only


For the parsley sauce
•300ml milk

•½ onion, peeled, finely sliced

•pinch freshly grated nutmeg

•1 fresh bay leaf

•4 whole white peppercorns

•1½oz butter

•1oz flour

•3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

•salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.For the parsley sauce, slowly bring the milk, onion, nutmeg, bay leaf and white peppercorns to a simmer in a pan. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool for 8-10 minutes.

2.Meanwhile, 1oz of the butter in a heavy-based pan. Whisk in the flour to create a smooth paste, then cook, whisking continuously, for one minute, or until the paste has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat.

3.Strain the milk mixture into the roux mixture, then whisk well until completely incorporated.

4.Return the pan to the heat and gradually bring the mixture to the boil, whisking continuously, until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of the spoon.

5.Stir in the remaining ½oz of butter until the sauce is glossy, then simmer for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the parsley and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

6.For the cod, sprinkle the flour onto a plate and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dredge the cod fillets in the seasoned flour until completely coated.

7.Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the coated cod fillets and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until crisp and golden-brown on both sides and cooked through.

8.When the cod is almost cooked through, dot the cod fillets with the butter, then squeeze over the lemon. When the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat.

See other recipes at The Grocery Cart Challenge, Mom's Crazy Cooking

Salmon Burger

I saw this recipe in the food network magazine and I've been waiting for a chance to make it, and it was worth the wait! unfortunately the hubby did not agree and he ended up eating a regular hamburger.


1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 cucumber, peeled and sliced
1 pound salmon fillet
3 large eggs, 2 hardboiled and sliced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
4 rolls, split and toasted

1. In a small bowl combine the yogurt and mint, season with salt

2. Slice the salmon lengthwise into 1/4 inch wide strips, cut in half crosswise, then cut into 1/4 inch pieces. Beat the raw egg with 1/2 tsp salt and add to the salmon

3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat, add the salmon mixture in 4 mounds, gently press to form 4 patties. Cook, turning once for 6 minutes

4. Place a salmon patty on each roll bottom, top with 2 tablespoons of the yogurt-mint sauce, some cucumber and hard boiled egg slices

See other recipes at The Grocery Cart Challenge, Eat At Home