Yield: Makes 4 servings
An accomplished chef for twenty-five years, Patricia Quintana is also a best-selling cookbook author who believes that the essence of Mexican cooking is as rich and provocative as the Mexican culture itself. The following is her recipe for Fish with Mexican Veracruz Sauce.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 large onion, pureed

One 28-ounce can Italian tomatoes and their juices, pureed

One 4-ounce can mild peeled green chilies, chopped and drained

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 teaspoon dried thyme

One 3-3/4-ounce jar green olives stuffed with pimentos, drained, finely chopped

1/4 cup drained capers

1 pound boneless red snapper fillets, skin on

DIRECTIONS

In a large sauté pan, heat 1/4 cup of the olive oil over high heat. Add the garlic and sauté until golden, approximately 1 minute. Add the onion, tomatoes, chilies, bay leaves, marjoram, and thyme. Reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Add the olives and capers to the sauce.

In a second sauté pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Sauté the fish for 4 to 5 minutes per side, skin side down first.

Place some of the sauce on each plate and top with the fish. Cover with more sauce and serve immediately.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

2 to 3 cups water

vegetable oil

1 1/2 pounds firm-fleshed fish fillets or shellfish, such as swordfish, haddock, tuna, snapper, scallops, or shrimp

1 bunch spinach, well washed, stems removed and dried

1 small cucumber, thickly sliced

8 asparagus spears, steamed

1/2 red onion, sliced into rings, rings separated

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

DIRECTIONS

Choose a saucepan with a top rim just large enough to hold a large dinner plate so that most of the bottom surface of the plate is suspended over the pan. Make sure the plate can withstand exposure to hot steam. Bring the water to a boil in the saucepan. Set the dinner plate on top and brush it lightly with oil. Arrange the fish on the plate and invert another dinner plate over the fish to cover the fish completely. Steam the fish for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, assemble the salad: In a large bowl, toss together the vegetables. In a jar, combine the garlic, mustard, salt and pepper to taste, and vinegar. Cover and shake well. Add the olive oil, cover, and shake until thoroughly mixed.

Dress the salad greens with some of the dressing and toss to coat. Divide the greens among 4 plates. Place a portion of the fish on each plate and spoon a bit of the remaining vinaigrette on top.

Yield: Serves 6

With a little imagination, you can introduce intriguing flavor notes to your salads by including herbs or aromatic vegetables and fruits in your basic oil and vinegar salad dressings. Here’s a suggestion that is especially good with grilled vegetables.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

1/2 cup good-quality olive oil

2 tablespoons wine vinegar

1 tablespoon rinsed and finely chopped anchovies

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients and shake well. Add black pepper to taste. Keeps for 1 week in the refrigerator

Yield: Serves 6-8

Most casual Italian dining spots offer a rendition of the ubiquitous tuna salad among their antipasti. Although it is common for Italian cooks to rely on canned tuna for these creations, here grilled fresh tuna is used. The salad is delicious eaten right away or marinated for up to 24 hours.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

2 large, firm yellow bell peppers

2/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of 2 lemons

1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano or 2 teaspoons dried oregano, crumbled

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt and freshly ground pepper

Ice water

1/4 lb small, tender green beans, ends trimmed

2 small, firm zucchini , cut in half crosswise, then cut lengthwise into thin strips

1/2 lb tuna fillet, cut into thin slices

olive oil for brushing

10 round or pear-shaped cherry tomatoes, halved

1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves

2 teaspoons capers, rinsed and drained

DIRECTIONS

Preheat a broiler or preheat an oven to 450 degrees F. Arrange the peppers on a baking sheet and place in the broiler or oven. Broil or bake, turning as necessary, until the skin is charred and blistered on all sides. Alternatively, one at a time, using tongs or a fork, hold the peppers over a gas flame until charred and blistered. Immediately place the peppers in a bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let steam until cool, about 15 minutes. Using your fingers, peel off the charred skin, then pull out and discard the stem and seeds. Cut in half lengthwise and trim away any seeds and tough white ribs. Cut each pepper lengthwise into thin strips.

Prepare a fire in a charcoal grill or preheat a ridged stove-top griddle until very hot.

In a small bowl, whisk together the 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, garlic and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Bring a saucepan three-fourths full of lightly salted water to a boil. Have ready a large bowl three-fourths full of ice water. Add the green beans to the boiling water, blanch for 1 minute, then drain and plunge them into the ice water to stop the cooking and preserve the color. Transfer to a colander to drain well. Set aside.

In a sauté pan over medium heat, warm the 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil. Add the zucchini and sauté, stirring occasionally and regulating the heat so that the strips do not burn, until tender and golden brown, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain briefly.

Lightly brush the tuna slices with olive oil and season to taste with salt and pepper. Place the tuna on the grill rack about 8 inches above the fire or on the griddle and cook, turning once, until firm and cooked through, 3-5 minutes total. Remove from the rack or griddle and, when cool enough to handle, gently break into large pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the bell peppers, green beans, zucchini, tomatoes, basil and capers. Whisk the dressing briefly, then drizzle over all. Toss gently to coat the vegetables evenly. Add the tuna and toss again gently to mix. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours.

Yield: Makes 4 servings

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
4 pieces parchment or wax paper, approximately 12 inches long
1 tablespoon margarine
8 large cabbage leaves, ribs removed and blanched in boiling water for 3 to 4 minutes, rinsed in cold water, and drained
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1-1/2 pounds salmon, cut into 8 thin slices
1 bunch chives, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 lemon, peeled and thinly sliced into 8 slices
3/4 cup clam juice

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

In a medium skillet, heat the oil. Add the onion and sauté until translucent, approximately 3 minutes. Set aside.

Fold each of the parchment or wax papers in two and rub the insides with the margarine. On the lower inside part of each paper, place two leaves of the cabbage and top with the chopped tomatoes and cooked onion. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste. Place 2 slices of salmon on each of these beds, sprinkle with chives and parsley, and top with 2 slices of lemon. Divide the clam juice evenly among the 4 packages.

Close the packages, folding the edges over, all around the envelopes. Place on a baking sheet. Bake for 6 to 7 minutes. The packets can be prepared 3 or 4 hours in advance, and placed in the refrigerator. If chilled, add 5 minutes to the cooking time.

Yield: Makes 3 servings

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

6-7 cups kosher or coarse seal salt
One (2-pound) sea bass or red snapper, gutted, gills removed, but scales intact
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon, quartered

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Pour a 1/2 inch deep bed of salt into a roasting pan or casserole. Lay the fish on top and bury the fish in the remaining salt. Cook in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer, poked into the thickest part of the fish, reaches 130-135 degrees F.

Remove the fish from the oven, crack the outer shell of salt, and remove the excess salt. Peel back the skin and gently lift off the top fillet to a serving dish. Carefully pull off the bones, head, and tail. Transfer the second fillet to the serving dish and serve with a light sprinkling of olive oil and lemon juice.

Yield: Serves 4

Acidic ingredients, like the grapefruit and lime juices in the marinade and dressing, complement oily bluefish. Broiling is an ideal method for this fish, but watch the red onion closely to make sure it doesn’t burn.
RECIPE INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons grapefruit juice
2 tablespoons lime juice
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives or scallion tops
2 pounds bluefish fillets, cut to make 4 pieces
1 small red onion, cut into thin slices
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, combine the oil, grapefruit juice, lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, and 1 tablespoon of the chives.

Put the fish, skin-side down, in a shallow glass dish or stainless-steel pan. Scatter the onion over the fish. Pour half of the citrus dressing over the top; let marinate for about 15 minutes.

Heat the broiler. Put the fish, skin-side down, on a broiler pan or baking sheet. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Top with the onion. Broil the fish, about 6 inches from the heat if possible, until just done, about 5 minutes for 3/4-inch-thick fillets.

Pour the remaining dressing over the hot fish and sprinkle with the remaining tablespoon of the chives.

Fish Alternatives

Any rich, full-flavored fish fillets would benefit from the acidity in the citrus dressing. Try mackerel, shad, kingfish, or porgy.

Yield: Makes 10 servings

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 strips bacon, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 cup onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup tomatoes and their juices, canned or fresh
Two 13 3/4-ounce cans chicken stock
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 pounds boneless skinless scrod, grouper, or other firm-fleshed fish
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS

In a large saucepan or stockpot, over medium heat, heat the oil until just shimmering. Add the bacon and cook for 5 minutes. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute. Add the celery and carrots and cook for 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the chicken stock, the water, and the bay leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and simmer for 1 hour. Add the fish and simmer for 30 minutes longer. Stir in the Worcestershire and parsley.

Ladle the soup into serving bowls and garnish

Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Baking salmon fillets, covered, with a little wine and some shallots produces moist, succulent results as long as you remember the two cardinal rules of fish cookery: choose only the freshest fish and don’t overcook it.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

1 pound salmon fillet, cut into 4 portions, skin removed, if desired

2 tablespoons dry white wine

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper to taste

2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot (1 medium)

Lemon wedges for garnish

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Coat a 9-inch glass pie pan or an 8-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray.

Place salmon, skin-side (or skinned-side) down, in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with wine. Season with salt and pepper, then sprinkle with shallots. Cover with foil and bake until opaque in the center and starting to flake, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on thickness.

When the salmon is ready, transfer to dinner plates. Spoon any liquid remaining in the pan over the salmon and serve with lemon wedges.

Recipe reprinted by permi

Yield: Serves 4
Few meals are quicker to put together than this—grilled fish steaks topped with a simple compound butter. For even faster preparation, make the butter ahead of time and store it in the freezer until ready to use. The anchovy flavor here is quite mild; add more anchovy paste to suit your taste.

RECIPE INGREDIENTS

4 tablespoons butter, at room temperature

1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

salt

Fresh-ground black pepper

4 tuna steaks, about 1 inch thick (about 2 pounds in all)

1 tablespoon cooking oil

DIRECTIONS

Light the grill or heat the broiler. In a small bowl, combine the butter, anchovy paste, lemon juice, parsley, and a pinch each of salt and pepper.

Coat the tuna with the oil. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Cook the tuna for 4 minutes. Turn and cook until done to your taste, 3 to 4 minutes longer for medium rare. Top the hot fish with the flavored butter.

Fish Alternatives

The lemon anchovy butter would also be very good with grilled halibut, swordfish, or salmon steaks.

VARIATION

Grilled Tuna with Sun-Dried-Tomato Basil Butter:
Mix 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil, 3 chopped oil-packed or reconstituted sun-dried tomatoes, and a pinch each of salt and pepper into 4 tablespoons room-temperature butter. Use this mixture in place of the lemon anchovy butter.