Fine Cooking Fish

SAVORY SHRIMP FAJITAS

Seared Scallops & Fennel Spinach Salad

Cod-mushrooms-garlic-vermouth

Salmon and sushi rice

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INGREDIENTS

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon brown sugar

1⁄4 teaspoon oregano

1⁄4 cup olive oil, plus

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 1⁄2 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 large yellow onion, sliced into thin wedges

2 poblano peppers, seeded and thinly sliced (or bell peppers)

warm flour tortilla

1⁄4 cup fresh cilantro

1 lime, cut into wedges

sour cream, for garnish

• Combine all seasonings and mix well.
• Take out 1 tbsp for later use.
• Combine the seasoning blend with 1/4 cup olive oil, garlic and shrimp.
• Toss to mix well. Set aside.
• Heat the 2 tbsp of olive oil in skillet and saute onions until softened.
• Add peppers and continue to saute until tender.
• Sprinkle the reserved tablespoon of seasoning blend over vegetables and stir to mix well.
• Remove the vegetables from the skillet and set aside. Add shrimp to skillet and cook until shrimp are cooked through.
• This will only take about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the vegetables back into the skillet and toss to combine.
• Serve in warm tortillas with cilantro, juice of lime, and sour cream.

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3 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium bulb fennel (about 3/4 Ib.), trimmed, quartered, cored, and cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch slices

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

5 oz. fresh baby spinach (about 5 cups)

1 large navel orange

1 1/4 Ib. "dry" sea scallops, trimmed of their abductor muscles and dried well

1/2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

Set a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Add 11/2 Tbs. of the oil, swirl it in the skillet, and add the fennel. Season with 1/2 tsp. salt and a few grinds of pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel wilts and starts to brown, about 4 minutes. Add 1/4-cup water to the skillet, cover, reduce the heat to medium, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the fennel is just tender, about 4 minutes. Stir in the spinach and toss until it wilts, about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and keep warm.

While the fennel is cooking, slice the ends off the orange with a small, sharp knife. Stand the orange on one of its cut ends and slice off the skin in strips (try to get all the bitter white pith). Working over a small bowl, cut the orange segments free from the membrane, letting each segment fall into the bowl as you go. Squeeze the empty wheel of membranes over the bowl to release any remaining juice.

Set a large cast-iron pan or a heavy 12-inch skillet over high heat for 11/2 minutes. Season the scallops with 1/2 tsp. salt and a few generous grinds of pepper. Add the remaining 1 1/2 Tbs. oil to the skillet, swirl it in the pan, and add the scallops. Cook without moving for 3 minutes. Gently flip the scallops and cook until they're well browned and almost completely firm to the touch, 1 to 2 minutes.

Sprinkle the scallops with the thyme. Portion the fennel mixture onto four dinner plates, top with the scallops and orange segments, and drizzle with the orange juice. Serve immediately.

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• 4 Tbs. cold unsalted butter
• 10 oz. white or baby bella (cremini) mushrooms, wiped clean and sliced about 1/8 inch thick
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup dry vermouth
• 3-1/2 Tbs. chopped fresh parsley
• 1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt; more to taste
• 1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper; more to taste
• Four 6-oz. skinless cod fillets

In a heavy 12-inch skillet, melt 3 Tbs. of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring only occasionally, until well browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden and fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add the vermouth, 3 Tbs. of the parsley, the vinegar, salt, and pepper and boil until the liquid is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat, lightly season the cod with salt and pepper and add it to the pan (tuck under the tails if necessary to even out the thickness), nestling the fillets into the mushrooms and spooning some of the mushrooms on top.

Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, cover the pan, reduce to medium low, and simmer until just cooked through (use the tip of a paring knife to check), 7 to 12 minutes, depending on thickness. With a slotted spatula, transfer the fish to serving plates or a platter. Over low heat, whisk the remaining 1 Tbs. butter into the sauce. Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve sprinkled with the remaining 1/2 Tbs. parsley.

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• For the salmon
• 2 (6-oz.) skin-on salmon fillets
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 Tbs. fresh orange juice
• 1 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
• For the rice
• 1-1/2 cups sushi or short-grain rice
• 2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 3 Tbs. rice vinegar
• 2 Tbs. sugar
• 3 cups baby spinach (optional)
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• Mix salt, garlic, ginger, orange juice, vinegar, oil and soy sauce in a shallow dish and marinade fish for 15-20 minutes
• Wash rice until water is clear.
• Add rice, salt and water to the rice cooker. Gently stir to combine.
• Remove salmon from marinade and place in the ricer cooker steamer pan that fits above the rice.  Alternatively place it directly on the rice.  Turn rice cooker on.
• Once rice cooker is done, remove steamer pan with the salmon, cover to keep warm  
• Mix the vinegar and sugar and poor over the rice and fluff
• Add the spinach to the rice, cover and let stand for 10 mins
• Place rice in individual bolls, top with spinach then the salmon