Dad's Thanksgiving Caviar

One of the things I love about food is that it is the absolute root of all celebrations. Thanksgiving? Turkey. Easter? Brunch. 4th of July? BBQ!

As I have mentioned several times on here, my aunt's Thanksgiving is bomb. But this post isn't about one of her awesome recipes, it's actually about my dad's contribution for the day... house-cured salmon caviar with homemade bellinis.

Now, my dad has always been a stellar fisherman. I have countless stories about fishing with him while I was young. How many people you know got a fly rod for their college graduation? Enough said. Knowing this and LIVING this, I am somewhat disappointed in myself that when I asked him for "that fish appetizer [he does] on Thanksgiving" that I was surprised at how down-right hard core it was. Here I am thinking, "go to the store, grab some bagels, buy cream cheese, cured salmon..." I was way off.

Turns out my dad puts his waders on and heads to a stream (usually in Michigan) in September and targets female salmon. He can actually t-a-r-g-e-t fish. Sheesh. He then takes them (yes, that's plural) home and cures the eggs for over 30 days in his fridge and brings them to Thanksgiving with all the fixings. He also makes homemade bellinis which he freezes and serves thawed out on Thanksgiving day. To wash it down, he suggests Champagne or a chilled flute of vodka.

Sorry to miss the festivities this year everyone. I love you all!

Preparing Roe for Caviar
Joy of Cooking

Remove from roe from fish as soon as possible. Tear the egg masses into small pieces. Work them through a 1/4 inch or finer sieve to free the eggs from the membrane. Place them for 15-20 minutes in a cold brine of 1cup plus 2 tablespoons pickling salt per quart of cold water. There should be twice as much brine than roe. Remove from liquid and drain thoroughly in a strainer for about 1 hour. Keep refrigerated during this operation.

Place the strained roe in an airtight nonmetal container and store at 34 degrees for 1 to 2 months. Remove, repack, and store at 0 degrees until ready for use.

Dad's Thanksgiving Caviar

Grilled Salmon and Asparagus Salad

My best friend is rounding into her third trimester of her first pregnancy. She’s moving a little slower, requiring a lot more rest and has been told to eat better. That’s where I come in. See, my best friend is not a huge cook but, like most people, she appreciates a good meal. With maternity leave on the horizon and much more time at home, she has decided to take cooking head-on but on her own terms. People like her want something easy, healthy and delicious and I have been tasked to post recipes to help her on her journey.

I know a lot of my readers don’t just cook for themselves but for their friends, family and more. With the chaos that is life, simple and delicious recipes are a necessity. So, dear reader, here is an approachable recipe for cooks just like my friend that can be made with ease.

Grilled Salmon and Asparagus Salad

Maple-Dijon Dressing
1/3 cup maple-flavored syrup
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil

Salad
1 lb salmon fillet (1/2 inch thick)
1 lb fresh asparagus spears
4 cups baby salad greens
1 cup shredded carrots (about 1 1/2 medium)
1 hard-cooked egg, cut into 8 wedges

Heat gas or charcoal grill.

In small bowl, mix all Maple-Dijon Dressing ingredients with wire whisk.

Cut salmon crosswise into 4 pieces. Brush salmon with 1 tablespoon of the dressing. In large bowl, toss asparagus and 1 tablespoon of the dressing. Place asparagus in grill basket (grill “wok”).

When grill is heated, place asparagus and salmon, skin side down, on gas grill over medium heat or on charcoal grill over medium coals; cover grill. Cook asparagus 7 to 10 minutes and salmon 10 to 15 minutes, shaking grill basket or turning asparagus occasionally, until asparagus is crisp-tender and salmon flakes easily with fork.

Slide pancake turner between salmon and skin to remove each piece from skin. On 4 plates, divide salad greens, carrots and egg. Top with salmon and asparagus. Sprinkle with pepper. Serve with remaining dressing.

Grilled Salmon and Asparagus Salad

Grilled Halibut with Smashed Fingerlings and Tomato Butter

Tomato butter? I mean, that's genius. Tomatoes are my boyfriend's favorite things on the planet so kudos to Caroline Styne, co-owner of the tasty eatery AOC, for giving me the great idea. We all know that I am not a fish person and I know that this slimy creature is my biggest culinary hurdle but I can appreciate a great dish when I see one. As far as prep goes, this is an easy one. The fresh herbs make it so definitely do not used dried.

Grilled Halibut with Smashed Fingerlings and Tomato Butter

1. 1/2 cup chopped parsley
2. 1/4 cup chopped tarragon, plus 1/4 cup whole leaves
3. Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
4. Four 6- to 7-ounce skinless halibut fillets
5. 2 pounds fingerling potatoes
6. Salt
7. 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
8. 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
9. 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
10. Freshly ground pepper
11. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
12. 1 pint cherry tomatoes

1. In a medium bowl, toss the parsley with the chopped tarragon and lemon zest. Rub the herbs all over the halibut; cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. In a large saucepan, cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Salt generously and simmer over moderately high heat until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and let cool to room temperature.
3. Light a grill. In a large nonstick skillet, heat the 1/4 cup of olive oil. Add the garlic and shallots and cook over moderately high heat until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and cook over low heat, smashing them gently with a spatula, until they start to break apart. Continue cooking, stirring a few times, until the potatoes are browned and crisp, about 5 minutes total. Season with salt and pepper.
4. In a medium skillet, melt the butter. Add the whole tarragon leaves and cook over moderate heat until the tarragon is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes burst and the butter is browned, about 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Drizzle the halibut with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the fillets over moderately high heat until nicely charred and just cooked, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the fish to plates and spoon the tomato butter on top. Serve immediately with the smashed potatoes.

Grilled Halibut with Smashed Fingerlings and Tomato Butter

Seared Salmon with Linguine and Ramp Pesto

Spring's bounty is almost here which means ramps! Well, not just ramps but they are one of my favorites. Soon, your farmer's market and grocery stores will have fresh asparagus, peas, artichokes and more. Spring is such a great time of year to put on that apron and cook 'till you drop.

Ramps are wild leeks and can replace onions and garlic in most culinary cases. This spin on pesto from the recent edition of Bon Appetit looks like a great weeknight dish to make at home.

Seared Salmon with Linguine and Ramp Pesto

• 2 tablespoons plus 1/2 cup olive oil, divided
• 2/3 cup thinly sliced trimmed ramp bulbs and slender stems plus 3 cups thinly sliced green tops (from about 8 ounces ramps)
• 1 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese*
• 1/3 cup Marcona almonds
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 12 oz linguine
• 6 6-ounce salmon fillets

• *Available at some supermarkets and at specialty foods stores and Italian markets.

• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 2/3 cup ramp bulbs and stems to skillet and sauté just until soft but not browned, reducing heat if necessary to prevent browning, about 5 minutes. Transfer sautéed ramps to processor (do not clean skillet). Add green tops, cheese, almonds, and tarragon to processor; process until finely chopped. With machine running, gradually add 1/2 cup oil and puree until almost smooth. Transfer pesto to bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 day ahead; cover and chill.
• Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in same large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Add salmon to skillet and cook just until opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.
• Drain pasta, reserving 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid. Return pasta to pot; add all but 1/4 cup pesto and toss to coat, adding enough pasta cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls to moisten. Season with salt and pepper. Divide pasta among plates. Top with salmon. Spread remaining 1/4 cup pesto over fish and serve.

Seared Salmon with Linguine and Ramp Pesto

Mahi-Mahi with Blood Orange, Avocado and Red Onion Salsa

Sick of root vegetables? Lucky for you, two of my absolute favorite treats are in season. Allow me to introduce you to the blood orange and the avocado.

Don't get me wrong, I love winter's rustic bounty but something about blood oranges and avocados remind me of warmer, sunnier days. This dish looks like something I would eat on a cliff-side restaurant in Mexico. But you don't need to hop a plane to enjoy this recipe, you can make it at home in about 15- 20 minutes and with little effort at all.

Blood oranges are wonderful in salads and in desserts. Sometimes, I'll just peel a blood orange and serve it with pieces of dark chocolate for dessert. Very simple but very good. Also, they are wonderful in bellinis and the juice can be reduced into luxurious sauces for savory and sweet dishes.

Mahi-Mahi with Blood Orange, Avocado and Red Onion Salsa
* 1 blood orange, Cara Cara orange, or regular orange
* 1/2 cup 1/3-inch cubes avocado
* 1/3 cup chopped red onion
* 2 teaspoons minced red jalapeño
* 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice


* 2 teaspoons olive oil
* 2 6-ounce mahi-mahi fillets

Preparation

Using small sharp knife, cut peel and white pith from orange. Working over small bowl, cut between membranes to release segments. Add avocado, onion, jalapeño, and lime juice to oranges in bowl; stir gently to blend. Season salsa to taste with salt.

Heat oil in heavy medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Add fish to skillet and sauté until brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

Place 1 fillet on each of 2 plates. Spoon salsa atop fish and serve.

Mahi-Mahi with Blood Orange, Avocado and Red Onion Salsa

Grilled Tuna with Basil Butter and Fresh Tomato Sauce

Now we all know that I am not a fish person but look at this dish! Who doesn't love any kind of flavored or textured butters? Can't you just imagine all those roasted tomatoes topped with fresh basil butter on that great cut of mouth-watering tuna? I'm sorry, but I can begin to like fish with a recipe like this.

It's been several days since my last post and I am sorry Dear Reader. However, tomorrow we are finally en route to San Francisco where I will begin yet another culinary adventure! First stop? The store to pick up some tuna to cook this Cooking Light recipe for my sister, her husband and my fish-loving boyfriend. A treat for all!

Grilled Tuna with Basil Butter and Fresh Tomato Sauce
Ingredients

Basil Butter:
3/4 cup fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 garlic cloves, minced

Sauce:
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons capers
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Tuna:
4 (6-ounce) tuna steaks (about 1 inch thick)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Cooking spray
4 basil leaves (optional)

Prepare grill or broiler.

To prepare basil butter, combine first 5 ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides as needed. Set aside.

To prepare sauce, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and 2 garlic cloves; sauté 3 minutes. Add tomatoes; sauté 2 minutes. Stir in wine, capers, vinegar, and sugar; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in parsley. Set aside.

To prepare tuna, sprinkle tuna with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Place tuna on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Cook 5 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Serve with sauce and basil butter. Garnish with basil leaves, if desired.

Grilled Tuna with Basil Butter and Fresh Tomato Sauce

Noodle Nest with Tapenade

This recipe was published as an Olympic Lunch, hence the title. My husband, Kevin, loooves anchovies and olives so this was right up his alley.

NOODLE NEST

1/2 pound linguine

1 cup tapenade (recipe follows)

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1/2 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 pound Halibut steak or fillet, 1 inch thick

Boil: Cook noodles until just tender. Drain and toss with half the tapenade. Curl into a circle on a serving platter.

Grill: Mix olive oil and lemon juice in a shallow bowl. Dip in halibut, coating both sides. Grill over a hot fire until just cooked through, 4 minutes per side.

Serve: Let fish rest 2 minutes. Slice thinly. Arrange slices in the center of the noodle nest. Top with remaining tapenade. Enjoy warm or at room temperature.

TAPENADE

1 orange

3/4 cup oil cured black olives, pitted

1 can anchovy fillets, drained

3 cloves garlic

1 small bunch parsley

1 sprig rosemary

1'4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 Tablespoons capers, drained

Freshly ground black pepper

Zest and juice the orange. Chop the zest together with olives, anchoies, garlic, parsley leaves and rosemary needles. Scoop into a bowl. Stir in olive oil, capers and 2 Tablespoons orange juice. Season with black pepper.

Noodle Nest with Tapenade

Lucille & Justin's Ceviche Recipe

I've told you many times that my younger sister is a great cook so when my older sister had a birthday party for her husband last night she requested that Lucille make her famous recipe that she created with her new husband, Justin. When I asked her for the recipe, this is what she wrote:

"We learned how to make this ceviche when we were down in Mexico two hours north of Cabo San Lucas. We went fishing that day and caught a couple of big Mahi Mahi. We went home and decided to try to make ceviche since we had tried some at a restaurant in San Francisco called Fresca - a Peruvian place."

Lucille & Justin's Ceviche Recipe
1.5 lbs mahi mahi or halibut
1 white onion (purple onion or yellow onion is NOT as good)
2.5 limes - Mexican limes are even better if you can find them, but you need more like 3-4 limes since they are smaller
1/2 cup cilantro - no stems, leaves only
1-3 avacados - you can either use one avacado just as a garnish on top, or else you can mix in 3 avocados at the very end right before you serve the ceviche.

Cut the fish into 3/4" cubes. Squeeze the limes juice and add to the fish. Chop up the onion into 1/4-1/2 inch pieces. You don't want to cut the onions too small or you don't get the crunch that you need to add texture to the dish. Add the onions to the bowl and finally add the cilantro. Let this cure in the refrigerator for at least one hour. Be sure to taste the food as you go so you can learn what the right combination is. Sometimes you can add too much lime, sometimes you need to add more onion and cilantro. It's a real balance that just takes practice and we are still working on perfecting it!

You can make this same dish with shrimp, scallops, squid, but I like the mahi mahi or halibut the best.

Lucille & Justin's Ceviche Recipe

L.20 Meyer Lemon Salt & Codfish Over Sun Dried Fennel

Lettuce Entertain You's much anticipated L.20 is now taking reservations for its May 14th opening. Chef Laurent Gras has been blogging the play-by-play for months leading to the opening. Check out his blog for recipes, learn more about his gadgets and more.

Here are sample recipes from his blog:

Meyer Lemon Salt
Ingredients:

500 gr Meyer lemon
100 gr lemon juice
100 gr sea salt
10 gr sugar

Method: Squeeze the lemon juice and pass through a fine chinois. Combine the salt with the sugar.Wash the Meyer lemon and cut into quarters. Place into a jar with a lid that can be sealed air-tight. Pour the lemon juice and the sugar/salt over the quarters.Seal the jar and let set for 4 weeks in the refrigerator before using. It will keep for 6 months stored in a cool place.

Codfish Over Sun Dried Fennel
Serves 4

1 pound codfish filets, skinless
1 Meyer lemon, finely sliced
6 ounces fresh fennel, finely sliced
Juice from 1 lemon
Sea salt, to taste
3 ounces sun dried fennel stalks
1 ounce olive oil, plus to taste

Season the codfish with sea salt on both sides and lay the Meyer lemon slices on top to cover it.

Wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a bowl, season the sliced fresh fennel with salt and lemon juice to taste. Refrigerate.
In a baking pan, arrange the sun dried fennel in a single layer. Place the codfish on top and drizzle 1 ounce olive oil over the top.

Bake for 15 minutes for medium rare and 20 minutes for medium.

To serve, divide the fresh fennel amongst 4 plates. Place a piece of codfish on top of the fennel and drizzle with fresh olive oil to taste.

L.20 Meyer Lemon Salt & Codfish Over Sun Dried Fennel

Baby carrot confit with orange juice and cumin

My sister posted a halibut baked in parchment paper recipe (aka fish for people who don't like fish) and it has been one of the most popular recipes on the blog hands-down. We used this recipe as you can see in the picture above and it was very simple, light and flaky. Check out the recipe here. It's very easy to pull together and almost impossible to screw up.

For the side dish, I thought I'd try a recipe I found in this month's Bon Appetite that sounded like the perfect accompaniment. It took twice as long for them to cook so I would double the time and I doubled the cumin, too. Lastly, I drizzled honey on top just before serving.

Baby carrot confit with orange juice and cumin

4 bunches baby carrots with green tops attached, tops trimmed to 1 1/2 inches, carrots peeled (about 24)

1 1/4 cups fresh orange juice

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter

Honey

Preparation
Place carrots in pot large enough to hold carrots in double layer. Pour orange juice over; add cumin. Sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer until carrots are just tender, about 10 minutes. Transfer carrots to plate. Boil liquid in pot until slightly reduced and syrupy, about 2 minutes. Stir in butter. Return carrots to pot and simmer just until heated through, about 2 minutes. Season carrots to taste with salt and pepper.

Baby carrot confit with orange juice and cumin

Red Snapper Coach House

Several years ago, I had the pleasure of dining at the Coach House in Lexington, Kentucky with my classmate Labe Jackson and his wife, Carol. The Coach House is a wonderful supper club, and a favorite fine dining destination in the area. They also liked to serve the Shaw Gamay. The owner, Stanley Demos, was a wonderful host, and gave me a signed copy of his Coach House Recipe Book. I have enjoyed several of his recipes, but this recipe for the Coach House Red Snapper has always received great reviews.

4 Red Snapper filets, 7 ozs. each

1 1-lb. 4 oz. canned whole Tomatoes

1 golf ball sized chopped Onion

1 clove minced Garlic

1 tbls. chopped Parsley

2 tbls. Butter

Salt and Pepper to taste

SAUCE:

1 1/2 cups Mayonnaise

2 tbls. Dill Weed

1 tbls. chopped Parsley

Grated Parmesan Cheese

Pinch of Paprika

Directions: Salt the snappers and dust with flour. Pour some vegetable oil in a large skillet and saute fish until golden in color. When done, remove and keep warm.

Melt the butter in a saucepan and add the onion. Cook until transparent. Drain the tomatoes and add to the saucepan along with the minced garlic, parsley, salt and pepper and continue cooking for 10-minutes.

To prepare the sauce, mix the dill weed, parsley and mayonnaise at least an hour ahead of time and refrigerate.

To assemble the dish, place the snapper filets in a baking dish and spoon over each some of the tomato mixture until you use it all up. Cover same with the mayonnaise sauce and sprinkle each filet with some grated Parmesan cheese and dust with paprika.

Place under the broiler until sauce begins to bubble. Remove and serve hot. This will serve four.

I have had success using this recipe on stripped bass and other medium firm white meated fish too.

Red Snapper Coach House

Fish for people who don't like fish

We grew up with a mother who never cooked fish - ever - despite all of the men in our family being stellar fisherman, she just didn't go there. As a result, I am not a fish person and my sister Lizzie isn't either. I was shocked to find that there is a fish recipe I like, and maybe even love and so I feel that I have the duty to share this with any fellow fish-haters. It is from my absolute favorite cookbook, "I am Almost Always Hungry" by Laura Zarubin that has recipe names like "You buy Prada, I buy Truffles" and another menu titled "If I could only eat first courses in Italy, I would". Cooking fish in parchment paper is foolproof. We have since use this same recipe using dill and salmon and it was perfection. Highly recommend it!

Hallibut Fillet Baked in Parchment Paper

Ingredients:

12 3-inch springs of rosemary
6 halibut fillets - 1/2 lb each
olive oil


Preheat the oven to 360 degrees. Cut 4 sheets of parchment paper into 6, 12-inch squares on a work surface. Place two springs of rosemary in the center of each piece of parchment, then place a halibut fillet on top of the rosemary springs. Laura suggests having the fishmonger cut the halibut as fillets rather than as steaks. We had them cut as steaks and they were still delicious, but apparently they are flaky in a really fabulous way when you get them as fillets. Drizzle the halibut with olive oil. Bring the front and back of each piece of parchment together over the centers of each fillet. Gently fold together 3 times and then fold the end of the paper under the packets.

Place the packets in a heavy-duty baking pan and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the fish from the oven and let it rest for 5 minutes before serving.

To serve, unfold the parchment paper and gently slide a spatula under the fillets and plate them. The fish completely falls apart and is infused with the rosemary flavor. We made a lemon/Parmesan/Italian parsley pasta to go with this and it was well, really good - and remember, all words from a fish-hater here.

Fish for people who don't like fish

A Taste of a Rainbow

This appeared in the New York Times about fifteen years ago, and I have had good luck with it. This dish is like a trip to the Rocky Mountains.

"In downtown Boise, Idaho, at the restaurant inside the 97-year-old rock fortress of the Idanha Hotel, the local trout are served simply grilled with a light sauce."

Lemon Butter Sauce:

Time: 15 minutes

4 tablespoons minced shallots

1 1/2 cups good-quality white wine like Riesling or chardonnay

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

12 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, sliced very thin

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 clove garlic minced

2 teaspoons chopped parsley

1. In a small mixing bowl, combine the shallots, wine and lemon juice. Set aside within reach of the stove.

2. In a medium saute pan over low heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. Add flour, and stir vigorously with a whisk until well combined. Raise heat to medium-high, and continue to stir until flour is nut-brown but not burned, about 5 minutes. Add wine mixture, and whisk until smooth and thickened, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 2 minutes.

3. Remove pan from heat, and gradually whisk in chilled sliced butter, stirring constantly to keep fat from separating. Add salt and pepper. Keep warm, but do not boil. Add garlic and parsley just before serving. Serve hot over grilled or broiled trout.

2 cups, 6 to 8 servings.

Apple Tarragon Sauce

Time: 15 minutes

1/4 cup apple cider or juice

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 cup clam juice

1 tablespoon minced shallots

6 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, sliced very thin

4 tablespoons julienned Granny Smith apple

2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon

Salt and freshly

1. In a 1-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the apple cider, wine, clam juice and shallots. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer until reduced by two-thirds, 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Whisk in chilled butter slices. Add apple and tarragon, and salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot over grilled or broiled trout.

Yield: 13/4 cups, 4 to 6 servings.

Grilled or Broiled Idaho Trout

Time: 10 minutes

1 fresh Idaho trout, boned and butterflied.

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil spray.

Salt and pepper

1. Preheat grill or broiler until very hot. Brush both sides of trout with butter, or spray with oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2. Grill or broil fish with the flesh close to the source of heat until it is opaque, flaky and beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes. Do not overcook. Top fish with sauce of choice, and serve immediately.

Yield: 1 serving.

A Taste of a Rainbow

Recipe of the Week: Lemon and Herb Tilapia

If you have been reading this blog for a while, you've probably noticed that there are never any fish recipes. Well, there's a reason for that; I hate fish. Sorry to all you fish lovers. So, it goes with out saying that not only is a fish recipe overdue but it should be the recipe of the week. A nice field green salad with a vinaigrette would make this a great light entree.

Lemon and Herb Tilapia
From Diana Rattray,Your Guide to Southern Food.

Tilapia fillets are baked with a topping mixture made with lemon, butter, parsley, chopped green onions, and seasonings.

INGREDIENTS:
1 small lemon
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onions, with tops
4 tilapia fillets, about 6 ounces each, about 1 1/2 pounds total

PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 400°. Zest lemon and squeeze 1 tablespoon of juice. In a small bowl, combine the peel and juice with the softened butter, parsley, salt, pepper, and green onions.
Butter a 12x8-inch baking dish.

Place fillets in baking dish, folding thinner ends under as necessary. Top fillets with the butter mixture. Bake fillets for 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.Serves 4.

Recipe of the Week: Lemon and Herb Tilapia