How am I Supposed to Cook this Fish?

If you live with an avid fisherman (or fisherwoman) chances are they've brought home a mystery fish at some time or another. Having lived with and cooked for a dedicated fisherman and diver for over twenty-two years, I've become a very capable fish chef with several reliable recipes. The fish that proved to be my Waterloo was this little guy on the right - the menpachi, or bigscale soldier fish. My son presented me with a gallon sized bag full of these, cleaned and ready to go. To go where, I didn't know. Luckily, I happened to have a friend whose family lived on menpachi when money was scarce, and she gave me the idea of plunging the fish, batter-coated, into a sizzling vat of oil full of salt, pepper, garlic, ginger,green onions and red chili pepper flakes. At first, it didn't seem like it would work - wouldn't the garlic and ginger scorch? Surprisingly, this recipe produced the most succulent little morsels, crisp and golden on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, with an explosion of delicious asian flavors. This recipe would be perfect for any small, bony fish, such as bream, perch, crappie, or small trout.

Asian Salt and Pepper Fish

6 small, whole fish

1 c. panko (japanese breadcrumbs)

1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 eggs mixed with 1 tbls. water

1 heaping tsp. Kosher salt (or other large grain salt, such as Hawaiian alae)

1 heaping tsp. cracked pepper

1 tbls. chopped, fresh garlic

1 tbls. peeled, chopped ginger

1/4 c. green onions, sliced

1 tsp. chili pepper flakes (optional, if you like it spicy)

Cooking oil

Heat enough oil in a wide frying pan to cover fish. Combine panko and flour in shallow dish. Combine eggs and water in bowl. While oil is heating, dip fish in egg mixture, then in panko to coat. When oil is hot (approximately 375 degrees) add salt, pepper, garlic, ginger, and green onions, and chili pepper flakes (if desired) followed immediately by the fish. Brown fish in hot oil (about two minutes per side). Remove fish from oil and allow to drain on paper towels. Strain garlic, ginger, onions, peppers, and salt from pan and sprinkle over fish, along with chopped cilantro. Eat while hot, but watch out for bones.

So, that's the solution for small, whole fish, but what about a big filet or fish steak? My never-fail standby is the easiest and most delicious fish preparation ever, and it only has three ingredients! This works well with tilapia, salmon, mahi mahi, wahoo, halibut, or even large shrimp.

Lemon Pepper Fish with Parmesan and Mayonnaise

6 fish filets or steaks

1 c. mayonnaise (I use the light version)

1. cup shredded parmesan (the kind in the green can works fine)

1 tsp. lemon pepper

Combine mayonnaise, parmesan, and lemon pepper in a bowl. Slather fish on both sides with mixture, and grill or broil until slightly undercooked, about five minutes per side (if it flakes, it's overdone). That's it. If you have any leftover mayonnaise mixture, combine it with artichoke hearts, green chiles, and spinach in a shallow baking dish and cook at 400 degrees until it bubbles to make a delicious hot dip to serve with crostini.

Finally, what can you do with leftover fish? Easy - "smoked" fish dip. You can use any fish for this dip (even canned albacore).

Smoked Fish Dip

8 oz. cream cheese (I use light)

3 to 5 oz. fish

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. liquid smoke seasoning

1/2 tsp. fresh, minced garlic

Salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until smooth and serve with soda crackers, capers, and chopped red onion.

So there you have it - three easy recipes to solve your fish dilemmas. So the next time your resident fisherman presents you with his catch, you can say, "I know just what to do with this fish!"