Southern California Cooking from the Cottage (22 page)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon garlic

4 (8-ounce) salmon fillets

Olive oil

For the aioli, combine the red pepper,
cup of the hollandaise sauce, lemon juice, and garlic in a blender. Blend until smooth. Add the remaining ½ cup hollandaise and blend for 10 more seconds.

Preheat the grill to hot. Brush both sides of the salmon with the olive oil and grill until each side is brown and cooked through, about 4 to 6 minutes per side. Turn carefully; do not overcook. To serve, spoon the aioli over the grilled salmon fillets.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

PAN-SEARED SALMON WITH
LEMON-TARRAGON BUTTER

S
almon is a favorite among the locals at the Cottage. They eat it on top of salads, with eggs and bagels, and at dinner with a host of sauces, butters, and salsas. It is such a versatile fish. It can be poached, fried, grilled, and baked. The following butter can be made ahead of time and spread on when the fish comes off the grill.

Lemon-tarragon butter:

½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

2 teaspoons minced garlic

4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon lemon pepper

4 (8-ounce) salmon fillets

3 tablespoons olive oil

For the lemon-tarragon butter, combine the butter, parsley, tarragon, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and black pepper in a small bowl. Mix until well blended. Sprinkle the lemon pepper over the salmon. In a large sauté pan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Fry the salmon until cooked through, about 10 minutes, adding more olive oil to prevent sticking if needed. Place the salmon on a plate and spread 2 tablespoons of the butter mixture over each serving while hot. Melt the remaining butter and add to each plate for extra sauce.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Note:
Rice and fresh vegetables on the side make the dish complete.

SALMON WITH
LEMON-GINGER CRUST

I
have included this recipe in the book because of its unusual crust. If your crust is so thick you can't see the fish through it, then shake a little off. Remember, Southern California cuisine is light and fresh. The ginger and cilantro in this recipe give it the taste of summer.

Lemon-ginger crust:

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

cup fresh squeezed lemon juice

cup chopped fresh ginger

½ jalapeño, chopped

1 cup dried Italian breadcrumbs

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon dried ground ginger

¼ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

4 (8-ounce) salmon fillets

In a food processor combine the cilantro, lemon juice, fresh ginger, jalapeño, breadcrumbs, flour, ground ginger, salt, and pepper. Pulse until well combined. Pour onto a plate or shallow dish. Brush the olive oil on both sides of the salmon fillets. Dredge through the breadcrumb mixture. Heat a griddle or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Coat with nonstick cooking spray. Add the salmon and cook until done, 4 to 6 minutes per side, turning only once.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Note:
We like to top this with a spicy mango salsa and serve with white rice and grilled vegetables.

SOUTH BEACH FIRE-GRILLED
SWORDFISH

L
ike salmon and halibut, swordfish can be topped with a variety of sauces and salsas and can be prepared many different ways. Sometimes when opah is in season, we substitute that for swordfish.

Marinade:

¼ cup orange juice

¼ cup lime juice

2 tablespoons lemon juice

4 tablespoons chili powder

4 tablespoons paprika

teaspoon cayenne

teaspoon black pepper

teaspoon salt

¼ cup olive oil

4 (8-ounce) swordfish steaks

Salsa:

1 cup chopped fresh mango

¼ cup finely diced red onion

1½ teaspoons finely diced jalapeño

¼ cup fresh lime juice

Salt and pepper

For the marinade combine the orange juice, lime juice, lemon juice, chili powder, olive oil. Pour into a baking dish or pan and let it sit for 1 hour in the refrigerator for the paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and salt in a blender. While blending, slowly add the flavors to set. Preheat the grill to hot. When the flavors have set, place the swordfish in the pan and rub on both sides with the marinade. Let it sit for 5 minutes before grilling.

Meanwhile, make the salsa by combining the mango, onion, jalapeño, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Grill the swordfish until each side is brown and cooked to the desired degree of doneness, 4 to 6 minutes per side, turning once. Turn carefully; do not overcook. To serve, top the swordfish with the mango salsa.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

SANTA FE SHRIMP & ROASTED
GARLIC BROCHETTES

I
f you haven't started cooking with tomatillos, you should. They look like little green tomatoes and make a salsa that is different and delicious. When preparing Santa Fe Shrimp, remember to baste the shrimp often and add more butter once they are off the grill.

Wooden skewers

32 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 tablespoon minced garlic

3 tablespoons olive oil

32 roasted garlic cloves (see note)

Chipotle butter:

1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 canned chipotle pepper in adobo sauce

½ teaspoon minced garlic

1½ tablespoons chopped red onion

Salt and pepper

Tomatillo salsa:

5 tomatillos, husked and chopped

1½ red onions, finely chopped

½ jalapeño, chopped

1½ tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon honey

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and pepper

Soak the wooden skewers in water for 10 to 15 minutes. Combine the shrimp, minced garlic, and olive oil in a small bowl.

For the chipotle butter, in a blender combine the butter, chipotle pepper, garlic, onion, salt, and pepper. Blend until well combined.

For the tomatillo salsa, in a small bowl combine the tomatillos, onions, jalapeño, lime juice, olive oil, honey, and cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for 1 hour in the refrigerator for the flavors to marinate.

Heat the grill to medium high. Place 4 shrimp and roasted garlic on each skewer alternating each one. Brush with chipotle butter on both sides. Grill the shrimp and garlic, turning once and basting often with the chipotle butter. When the shrimp are opaque, spread more of the butter on them. Do not overcook. Place the tomatillo salsa in a ramekin on the plate with the shrimp. We like to serve this with sticky white rice and grilled vegetables.

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Note:
To roast the garlic, heat the oven to 375°F. Break the heads of a fresh garlic bulb apart, leaving the papery skin intact. Arrange on a baking sheet and drizzle with salt and olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes or until the garlic is soft. When ready to use, remove the skins.

CAJUN JAMBALAYA PASTA

C
ajun butter can be used in many ways. I suggest making a big batch of it to keep in the refrigerator for weeks. You can add it to chicken dishes or eggs. Here, we pair it with pasta and jambalaya.

1 pound linguini

cup plus 4 tablespoons Cajun Butter (page 137)