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Showing posts with label balsamic. Show all posts

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Pan Seared Walleye with Balsamic Glazed Roasted Cherry Tomatoes

Out of all the fish Ive had in Nebraska, I think walleye is my favorite. Its just a pleasant, light and clean tasting fish thats easy to cook and enjoy. And the most awesome thing is that I even caught this myself! It was my first time going walleye fishing, and I had an absolute blast. So far, most of the fish on our blog has been given to us. But now that I live in Nebraska where fishing is cheap and more accessible, Im excited to be able to catch more of what I eat. Its a rewarding and satisfying feeling.

On that day, a friend from work and I went out to Calamus Reservoir on a cloudy, misty afternoon. After only a few minutes of trolling on the water, our lines started zipping left and right. It was insane! We didnt even have to employ the fish call... ha-ha. We werent out there for long, but my arm was getting plenty sore from all that reeling.
We threw back more than we kept. At the end of the day, I came back with a nice stringer of walleye and white bass, more than enough for one person to eat. Now that I have all this fish in my freezer, along with all the fish Ricks cousins like to give me when I go to visit them, its often a challenge to think of new ways to cook it. I dont know why, but Im not as creative with fish as I am with red meat.

Deep frying fish is very popular in Nebraska. In fact, its the only way Ive ever seen people cook it here... And its no wonder, because its super good and you cant go wrong with it. But living on my own, I dont want to go through the hassle of using all that oil for just a small serving of fish. I do like to coat it with Louisiana Fish fry and pan fry it with just a little oil, but that can get old.

So here is a quick, but different way to cook walleye. The roasted cherry tomatoes add a sweet and refreshing element to the dish, while pan searing the fish in butter gives it a beautiful golden color. I hope you give this a try. Enjoy!

Servings: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cooking Time: 20-30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 4 walleye fillets
- salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
- 2-3 tbs. of butter
- 1 package of cherry tomatoes, halved
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 1 tbs. of olive oil
- splash of balsamic vinegar
- 2 tbs. of brown sugar, packed
- pinch of dried thyme (fresh is better if you have it... same goes for basil)
- pinch of dried basil
- red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
- lemon wedges, for garnish

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a baking dish or rimmed cookie sheet, combine tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, thyme, basil, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste. Bake in a 375 degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until tomatoes start to caramelize.

2. Check walleye fillets for bones. Rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Over medium-high heat, heat a skillet until it sizzles when you sprinkle water in it. Then add butter and wait until its melted and just turning a golden, hazelnut color. Add fish and sear on both sides for 1-2 minutes or until fully cooked and flaky.

Do not overcrowd pan.

Serve fish with your favorite side dishes and garnish with lemon wedges. Spoon roasted tomatoes and its juices over the fish. Serve immediately.

Monday, March 3, 2014

SANDRAS GRILLED RACK of LAMB with a HONEY BALSAMIC SAUCE

I love to serve these lamb chops
with garlicy smashed potatoes
and salad drizzled with light vinaigrette...

Serves: (4 = 2 chops ea.)
Prep: 6 mins. |
Grill: 20 to 24 mins.

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 rack of lamb (with 8 chops intact), I have the butcher French the bone ends
2 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)

METHOD

Place a grill pan over medium-high heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill, and oil the grates.

In a food processor, combine the balsamic vinegar, garlic, honey, and parsley. Pulse until blended. With the processor running, slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil until the mixture emulsifies. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and set aside; dividing sauce equally into two small bowls.

Brush the rack of lamb with olive oil, and sprinkle with kosher salt, ground pepper, and rosemary. Lightly cover the exposed bones with tin foil to prevent burning while grilling. Cook, covered, for 10 to 12 minutes fat side up on grill, and turn with tongs, and continue cooking, covered, for another 10 to 12 minutes, or until meat registers 135 to 140 degrees for medium. Remove rack of lamb and tent with foil, and let the meat stand for 5 minutes before cutting into individual chops.

Cut the rack of lamb into chops, and arrange decoratively on a platter. Spoon half of the reserved sauce over top of chops; plus serve extra sauce on the side for dipping. Enjoy!

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Tip: For roasting in oven, preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare and season racks of lamb as directed. Place on foil-lined baking sheet fat side up. Roast for 20 to 24 minutes, just until meat registers 135 to 140 degrees for medium. Transfer the rack of lamb to a cutting board, and tent with foil and let stand 5 minutes before cutting.