This is the time of the year when many of the Sportfishing tournaments are held. Sportfishing boats of all sizes are stern-to at the docks. Bait and drinks are being loaded for the day of fishing. Captains and crew are anxious to have their guests on board and head for the open sea. Being at sea all day, is not only exhilarating, but exhausting. The catch, the tag, the release, the record!
Returning to the dock in evening is when the festivities really begin. The talk, and the eating.
MENU
Mushroom Nachos
Cheese Puffs
Golden Grouper
Marinated Dolphin
Tuna Glazed with Ginger and Lime
Buttered Shrimp and Pineapple
Long Grain and Wild Rice
Mixed Baby Green Salad with an Orange Shallot Dressing
Easy Cherry Tarts
MUSHROOM NACHOS
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Serves: 8
24 medium/large mushrooms, cleaned well
4-6 tblsp butter
2 oz. pepperoni, halved lengthwise, thinly sliced
2 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
3 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese or sharp cheddar
1 small red pepper, roasted, or 2 pimentos
1/4 cup minced green onions
Line baking sheet with foil. Remove mushroom stems. (Reserve for other use.) Brush mushroom caps with melted butter. Arrange on sheet, rounded side down. Preheat broiler. Sit one piece of pepperoni in each cap. Sprinkle with jalapenos, then cheese. Top with red peppers or pimentos. Broil 6” from heat source, till cheese melts (can bake also). Transfer to heated platter, sprinkle with minced onions and serve.
Note: Zucchini slices, 1/3” thick can be substituted for the mushrooms.
CHEESE PUFFS
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 8
5 different kinds of cheese, grated (2 cups)
1 egg
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/2 tsp. Pepper
Filo dough (Greek pastry)
1/2 stick butter, melted
Garnish: chopped lettuce and sliced pimentos
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix any five cheeses together and add egg, parsley, and pepper. Cut 2” wide strips of Filo dough. Brush with melted butter. Add 1Tablespoon of cheese mixture to each strip of dough and roll up like a flag. Butter top and bake for 15 minutes. Serve on bed of chopped lettuce with sliced pimentos scattered for color.
GOLDEN GROUPER
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 8
8 grouper fillets
Spicy Mustard Sauce:
4 oz butter
1 large onion, chopped
Juice of 2 lemons
3 Tblsp. spicy mustard or spicy brown
Salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Wash and pat dry fillets; set aside.
Spicy Mustard Sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan. Add onions and sauté until soft. Add lemon juice, mustard, salt and pepper.
Place fillets in shallow baking dish. Spoon mixture over fillets and bake until fish is flaky, about 15 minutes.
Note: Fillets may be done over the grill, turning them frequently while brushing liberally with sauce. Fish is done when the inner most area is white and flaky.
Hint: To get more juice out of the lemons, put in microwave for a few seconds or roll vigorously on the counter.
MARINATED DOPHIN
Preparation time: 1 hour
Chilling time: 30 minutes
Serves: 6
2-1/2 to 3 lbs of Mahi Mahi, boneless
20 limes
4 brown coconuts
3 tomatoes, chopped
2 green bell peppers, seeded and chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 pieces of garlic, crushed
1 Tblsp chopped fresh parsley or 2 tsp dried
1 tsp. dried tarragon
Salt and pepper
Cut fish into 1-inch pieces, soak as fast as cut, in a bowl of sea water or salt water. Strain water. Cover fish with lime juice for 15 to 20 minutes (meat should be white outside, pink inside). Break coconuts in half. Keep water of one and grind meat fine and squeeze it in a cheese cloth to extract milk. Strain the lime juice off fish. In a salad bowl, mix fish, vegetables, garlic, parsley, salt, pepper and tarragon. Cover with coconut milk (if not enough milk use half of coconut water). Refrigerate 15 minutes, no more than 30.
Note: Fish are not sticky in sea water. Use fingers to mix and eat. Coconut milk will freeze or separate if chilled too long. Do not add oil, lime or vinegar to milk.
BUTTERED SHRIMP AND PINEAPPLE
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves: 8
1 stick butter
1 large green pepper
3 lbs uncooked medium shrimp
2 large cans pineapple slices
Salt and pepper to taste
1-1/2 Tblsp. chili powder
Garnish: lime and lemon wedges
Seed and slice green pepper in 1/4 inch strips. Melt butter over medium heat in large skillet. Add green pepper and saute for a few minutes, add shrimp and pineapple. Season with salt, pepper and chili powder. Saute until shrimp turns pink. Serve immediately over rice.
TUNA GLAZED WITH GINGER AND LIME
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 7 minutes
Chilling time: 1 hour
Serves: 8
8 1-inch thick tuna steaks (about 6 oz each)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 Tblsp. soy sauce
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 Tblsp. grated fresh ginger
1-1/2 Tblsp. oriental sesame oil, or olive oil
2 tsp. minced jalapeno, or pinch of dried red pepper flakes
2 tsp. Sugar
Arrange fish in shallow glass baking dish. Whisk remaining ingredients together in small bowl. Pour marinade over fish and turn to coat. Cover with plastic and let marinate 1 hour in refrigerator, turning fish once or twice.
Preheat broiler. Broil 4 inches from heat source until glazed and golden, basting twice with marinade, cook about 3 minutes. Carefully turn fish over and spoon remaining marinade over. Broil until glazed, about 3 minutes and just cooked through, basting once with marinade in pan; do not overcook. Transfer to warm plates. Spoon pan juices over and serve.
MIXED BABY GREENS SALAD WITH AN ORANGE, TARRAGON DRESSING
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Serves: 8
20 cups mixed baby greens (about 10 oz.)
2 cans mandarin orange segments, drained
4 oz toasted almonds
Dressing:
2 Tblsp. Dijon mustard
4 Tblsp. seasoned rice vinegar
5 Tblsp. fresh orange juice
3 Tblsp. olive oil
3 Tblsp. chopped fresh tarragon or 3 tsp. Dried
2 large shallots, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
Place mustard in bowl. Whisk in vinegar and orange juice. Gradually whisk in oil. Add tarragon and shallots. Season. Toss with baby greens, mandarin segments and toasted almonds. Serve.
EASY CHERRY TARTS
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 15-20 minutes
Serves: 8
2 cans cherry pie filling
8-10 tart shells
1 pint whipping cream or canned cream
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Fill tart shells with cherry filling. Place on cookie sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cherry fillings are heated through. Add cream just before serving.
Editor’s Note: Capt. Jan Robinson is author of the Ship to Shore Cookbook Collection. She holds certificates from the Culinary Institute of America, The Ritz Cooking School, and the Cordon Bleu.
Available at your local marine or bookstore or website www.shiptoshoreINC.com or email CapJan@aol.com or call 1-800-338-6072. Mention All At Sea to receive your special discount.