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Fish And Potato Recipes

FISH RECIPES

AS IN 'FISH'

I like fish. And, I have yet to find a bad one. Like Daddy always said about girls, "They're all good." And, most fish are edible. Carp are a delicacy in Europe and the Far East. Mudfish (Grindle to you Southern folks) have firm white flesh and, if the water they come from is not stagnant, a very good flavor. In Korea and Viet Nam, I saw some strange fish cooked in some strange ways. All I tried were surprisingly good. However, the best rule I found was, "If you have to ask what it is, you don't want it." Sort of like the sign at Scroungy Harry's Grill, "You can eat dirt cheap here." And, sometimes you did.

The best fish are those that bite my lure. The 'next best' are those done to a golden brown and served on a platter with a couple of lemon wedges on the side. Here are some of those 'next best'. There some other fish cooking recipes that follow that are done on the grill and on a smoker. They are particularly appropriate if fried foods are your 'no-no'.

YOUR BASIC SOUTHERN FISH FRY

• 2 cups yellow or white corn meal 1 tblsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp black pepper peanut oil, 2-3 inches deep
• 2 tblsp McCormick's Lemon Pepper Seasoning

Mix the meal and seasonings together in a large roasting pan or paper sack. Use whole fish that weight up to 3/4 pound, or less, when cleaned. Or, use fillets (which may be cut into fishstick-size pieces, if you like). Be sure the fish is reasonably dry by draining on a paper towel (or yesterday's sports section). Drop into the corn meal mixture and cover completely. Remove, shake off the excess meal and set on a piece of newspaper for 15 minutes (this helps the meal stick and not immediately come off in the cooking oil). Heat the oil to 375 degrees (F) in a cast iron cooker (I use a high-sided Dutch oven). Add the fish, but don't crowd the skillet. Cook only a few pieces of fish at a time to assure the grease stays hot and the fish don't absorb the grease. Cook, turning occasionally, until the fish starts to turn golden brown and float. Do not overcook. You want it to be firm and somewhat crisp, but not a burned 'crispy critter'. Remove and drain on a wire rack. Serve with fresh lemon wedges, hushpuppies, and a bunch of napkins (Fish are supposed to be eaten with the fingers; forks are SO uncivilized).

Robin's Potato Chip Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 6-8 oz. chicken breasts (use thighs, if desired, or breasts with the bone still attached)
• 1½ cups crushed potato chips
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 4 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450กใ F.

2. Melt butter in a small saucepan. Add minced garlic, and let cool slightly. Crumble potato chips in food processor by pulsing for 30 seconds, or place paper towel over chips and roll back and forth with a rolling pin until chips resemble crumbs. Mix in black pepper. You will have 1½ cups. Place crumbs on a large plate.

3. Cover a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. Dip one chicken cutlet into butter garlic mixture. Place cutlet on potato chip crumbs and press down slightly to insure crumbs stick. Turn cutlet over and repeat on other side. Place on prepared baking pan. Repeat procedure for remaining three cutlets.

4. Place in preheated oven and bake for 12 to 15 minutes (The cooking recipes time for breasts and thighs with bones is 30 to 40 minutes). Make sure cutlets are cooked through, still tender and that the topping is golden brown. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Please visit Jim Porter to get your more cooking recipes.

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