When I was a kid my family regularly visited my grandparents in Fall River, Massachusetts — a city known for not only textile manufacturing, but also, a unique culinary history. It all started in the late 1800s, when the Fall River and New Bedford areas attracted Portuguese folks from the Azores seeking work in the…
Seafood
Mangrove Snapper with Peach Peppadew Salsa
My love affair with sweet piquante peppers (branded as “Peppadews”) started five years ago. I bought a package because they looked interesting and I thought they’d be a nice addition to an olive/cheese platter I was making for a party. How could I have known how much I would love these sweet, mildly spicy little…
Asian Grouper with Red Pepper & Scallion Slaw
In our neck of the woods, Grouper is a fish we regularly see on menus. It’s popular because it’s deliciously mild, flaky and meaty. And in our house, we’re lucky to catch it regularly (or have friends who like to share), so I’m always thinking of interesting ways to prepare it. Every time I make…
Porgy with Roasted Corn, Tomato & Buttermilk Salad
Porgy may not have the glamour or “pedigree” of an American Red Snapper or Black Grouper but, in my fishing circle, we know a quality fish when we get one! It’s not the prettiest fish you’ve ever seen, but it’s definitely delicious when cooked — mild, white and flaky. Porgy is another species sometimes referred…
Buttery Tilefish
Tilefish is a tasty fish found in Atlantic and Gulf waters. I was surprised to learn it was “discovered” in 1879 off Nantucket Island (my old ‘hood), making it especially wonderful in my book! It’s a bottom dweller that eats lots of shellfish, giving it a sweet flavor when cooked, similar to that of lobster or…
Grilled Shrimp & Basil Lime Watermelon Salad
April thru July is watermelon season in Florida, so we’ve been enjoying it at our house. To me, crisp, juicy watermelon screams Summer. It’s also packed with vitamins C and A, as well as, potassium, which keeps your blood pressure down and hydrates you after a workout. That’s all great stuff but, today, I’m focusing…
Seared Hogfish with Ginger Lime Butter
Hogfish! It’s a reef fish that likes rocky bottoms throughout Florida’s coast, and it’s in the Wrasse family (which means it’s delicious). It’s unusual-looking in that it has a long, hog-like snout that allows it to feed on bottom-dwelling crustaceans, but its crimson color is amazing. This fish is hard to catch on hook &…
Grilled Swordfish with Roasted Tomatillo Salsa
By now you may have noticed that most of the fish I cook is caught by someone in our household. Not only do we catch a lot of fish inshore, but we also have wonderful friends who have bigger boats to get us offshore pretty fast. Here’s what you typically need to catch great fish, way…
Coconut Snapper with Lime Cilantro Butter
I’ll just say it. I LOVE Snapper! And I especially love the Queen Snapper my hubby brought home from a recent Gulf of Mexico offshore trip. Aside from being especially delicious, Queen Snapper is a gorgeous fish — bright red (almost candy apple), with a deep forked tail and huge eyes. It’s a deep water…
Yellowtail Snapper with Orange & Pineapple Salsa
Recently some friends went offshore and brought back enough beautiful Yellowtail Snapper to share with those of us who couldn’t fish that day. When I get access to Yellowtail Snapper, I like to prepare it very simply, in order to savor the delicious, light and delicate texture. My go-to preparation is a saute with a light…
Crunchy Scamp with Basil Cream Sauce
Scamp is like the best Grouper you’ve ever had. It is beautiful, white, light and flaky. It’s also versatile, in that you can prepare it in a variety of ways. Its flavor profile is mild – similar to that of Halibut or Snapper. My hubby and I recently fished offshore with friends Jim and Wendy…
African Pompano in Parchment
What do you do when your husband calls from the boat and says “We caught African Pompano today! Can you come up with an interesting way of cooking it tonight?!?” Hmmm. . .lately we’ve been sauteing our fish a lot and, like he said, he wanted something “interesting.” I decided to go with the “en…