Added on Thursday, July 16, 2009  Fish Post

Oven-Baked Fish with Summer Chop Salad

This recipe is designed to utilize what is ripe and ready in our local gardens right now. I know we all have our preferences when it comes to fresh vegetables, so feel free to substitute any of my ingredients with your personal favorites. 

This flexibility goes for the fish as well. You can employ your fresh catch, or you can use whatever looks good at the fish house. Again, feel free to improvise.

To begin you will need:

olive oil

1/2 stick of butter

1 large lemon

2 romaine hearts (sliced horizontal 1/4 in width)

1 yellow squash (julienne into strips about 3 inches long)

1 large carrot (julienne into strips)

1 cucumber (julienne into strips)

1 tomato diced into bite size chunks (you may use any type of tomato)

crispy chow mein noodles or croutons

salad dressing of your choice (I usually use 1/2 ranch and 1/2 blue cheese, but sometimes I may use a vinaigrette)

Once you have all your vegetables prepared, toss just your vegetables and put them back into fridge. Remember, don’t add the dressing yet. Do this right before you serve it.

For the fish, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. The fish needs to be cut into large (9 oz.) or medium (6 oz.) portions.  For seasoning, I use a sprinkle of granulated garlic, dry thyme, and salt and pepper. 

After the fish is seasoned, gently roll it in olive oil. Then set the fish in a lightly oiled broiling pan (pyrex pans work great). At 400 degrees, the fish generally takes 15 minutes (more time for larger pieces). You’ll know when the fish is done because it will flake when ready. 

Once the fish is done, pull it from the pan. Then add the 1/2 stick of butter and lemon juice to the pan. This mixture will create a sauce to drizzle over your fish. 

Now toss the salad with the dressing of your choice. Add croutons or chow mein noodles. Finally, plate with the fish. 

Eat local and buy local,

Chef Danny H.

Danny Hieronymus was born and raised in Wrightsville Beach into a commercial fishing family and has been catching fish throughout NC all his life.  He has also been cooking with his mother since he was 8 years old in the family restaurant. He can be reached at capefearcookin@yahoo.com.