It’s hard to improve on buttery, creamy mashed potatoes, but I think this recipe does just that. Like with pasta carbonara, you add pork, egg yolks, and Parmesan cheese to take this to another level.
The classic pasta carbonara uses guanciale, which is cured pork cheeks. Many recipes call for pancetta instead (which is the cured but unsmoked belly of the pig.) But since I cure my own guanciale, this was a no-brainer.
Egg yolks are stirred into the warm pasta in carbonara, and are cooked simply from the heat from the pasta. Here, I stir the egg yolks into the mashed potatoes, but then they go back in the oven to cook more.
And all too often, the phrase “Parmesan cheese” is used in recipes. That opens the floodgates to some truly horrendous cheeses, including the non-refrigerated stuff on the supermarket shelf that is 50% sawdust! There is only one King of Cheeses: Parmigiano Reggianio. Look for it, ask for it, pay the price. It’s worth every penny.
Parmigiano Reggiano
3 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped into large chunks 6 oz. guanciale, finely chopped 3/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, brought to room temperature, separated Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 large egg 2 large egg yolks
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Place the potatoes in a large pot and cover them with cold water. Bring them to a boil, and then cook them until they’re fork-tender. Drain the potatoes in a colander and let them dry out a little, about 10 minutes. Then place the potatoes back in the pot.
Cook the guanciale in a non-stick pan over medium heat, stirring often, until the bits are golden brown and crispy. Transfer the cooked guanicale bits to paper towels to absorb the excess fat.
To the pot with the potatoes, add the cheese, the cream, the nutmeg (I always have whole nutmeg around to grate into my rum drinks!), 6 tablespoons of the butter, and some salt and pepper. Get out the old potato masher and mash away until the potatoes are smooth.
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the whole egg and the 2 egg yolks, then add them to the pot with the potatoes, and stir until they are well combined.
Add in all but about 1 tablespoon of the guanciale, mixing well.
Grab your favorite baking dish, and pour in the mashed potatoes, smoothing them out to make them look nice. (We originally tried piping some of the potatoes with a pastry bag, but it kept getting clogged with the guanciale and we gave up!)
Didn’t work so well….…but delicious anyway!
Sprinkle the remaining guanciale on top of the potatoes and place the baking dish in the oven.
Bake until the potatoes are golden around the edges, about 30 minutes.
Chop up the remaining 2 oz. of butter and scatter it over the top of the potatoes, letting the butter melt in while the potatoes cool.
One of our favorite restaurants, The Back Eddy in Westport, Massachusetts, is open for the 2025 season!
On the waterfront on the Westport River, they’ve been serving fantastic fresh seafood for years.
Smoked salmon appetizer.
When the weather gets warmer, they open top their outdoor seating area, which includes a long dock with extra seating, a grill, and an outdoor bar. It’s the place to be in the summertime.
Fried smelts. Fish candy!
We’ve been friends with the staff of the Back Eddy for many years. We even brought our daughter, Ava, to the Back Eddy and sat her baby basket at the bar when she was only 11 days old! She’s been a regular ever since.
Caesar salad.
You know a place is great when the staff returns year after year, and though this place gets incredibly busy in the summer months, it’s clear that the staff are friends, and they treat their customers as friends as well. We were there recently for opening weekend, and it was as if long lost friends saw each other for the first time…hugs all around.
Don’t like seafood? The ribeye with The Back Eddy’s signature honky fries will make you very happy!
The menu offers variety with weekly specials, and I’ve probably had everything on the menu at least three times over the years. Nothing disappoints.
A most excellent burger.
If you’re in the neighborhood of Horseneck Beach in Westport, Massachusetts this summer, you owe it to yourself to stop at The Back Eddy for for, cocktails, and fun in the sun!
Starting in the mid 1700’s, sailors in the British Navy were given a daily ration of rum. They called it a “tot,” and the practice of daily “tot” distribution lasted for almost 200 years, until July 31, 1970. When it ended, not only were there many sad British sailors, but there was also a vast amount of leftover rum. Much of it was sold off at high prices because the taste was excellent and the methods of its distillation were no longer used.
It made sense. In the old days, when liquids were stored in wooden barrels aboard ship, water, beer, and wine would go bad very quickly. Only something with a much higher alcohol content wouldn’t spoil. Rum was the answer. And getting the sailors drunk every day kept them from deserting…it was good for morale!
But while the sailors drank rum, Royal Navy officers drank gin. The use of exotic spices in gin was made possible by imports from Africa and Asia. Gin’s prevalence around the world is largely due to the fact that sailors set foot in many new cities on new continents.
And though the British Navy stopped the practice of issuing alcohol to its sailors in 1970, the Royal New Zealand Navy abolished the practice as late as 1990!
Until a recent trip to New Zealand, I was not a huge fan of gin. Don’t get me wrong: I liked it. A gin and tonic was a nice refreshing drink on a hot summer’s day. And my fascination with the Vesper martini, a combination of gin and vodka, made me appreciate gin even more.
But it wasn’t until I went to New Zealand, and tasted their magnificent gins, in combination with delicious tonics only available in that country, did I really start to appreciate the subtle differences between them.
The first thing that caught my eye when I was served a sample of Roots gin, distilled in Marlborough, was the label: “Navy strength dry gin.” I asked what that meant. Well, for one thing, it had more alcohol. And the reason for that was surprising. Since gin, like rum, was stored in wooden barrels on ships, very often next to barrels of gunpowder, the gin had to contain enough alcohol so that if it spilled onto the gunpowder, the gunpowder would still ignite! Not enough alcohol in the gin would waterlog the gunpowder and make it useless. So tests were actually done by pouring gin on gunpowder to see what the minimum percentage of alcohol was required to keep the gunpowder burning. The answer was about 57%. Anything below that and the gunpowder would not burn. They coined the term “Navy strength.”
(Although the bottle of Roots gin above weighs in at 54.5%, it’s properly called “Navy strength.” In 1866, to keep sailors from getting completely hammered, the British Royal Navy reduced the alcohol content of the rum they were distributing to 54.5%. Hence, a new “Navy strength.”)
I was allowed to take only 1 bottle home from New Zealand, but, as you can see, it was not Navy strength. Still delicious!
The other advantage to a Navy strength gin is taste. If you’re not diluting it with water, not only are you getting more alcohol, but you’re also getting more of the herbaceous flavor you want in a gin.
Up until my trip to New Zealand, my experience with gin was limited to the usual list of suspects: Tanqueray,Bombay Sapphire, and Hendrick’s. I also more recently discovered Ford’s, a very nice London dry gin I sometimes use in my Vesper martinis.
But in New Zealand, many of the gins were floral and herb-forward, and I found that I like that. I like that a lot. For example, Victor, another Marlborough gin, was like “Hendrick’s on steroids.” I said that to my bartender at the Urban Eatery and Oyster Bar in Nelson, NZ, and she agreed. Delicious.
Although gins may vary in alcohol content, rules about serving liquor in New Zealand are very strict, certainly by US standards. For example, a “double” in New Zealand is 30ml. That’s 1 ounce! And that’s a standard pour for a cocktail. You can, I found out, ask for a “double-double.” And in that case, they would serve you a 1-ounce shot on the side with your drink, and you would have to pour it in yourself.
When I told the bartenders in New Zealand that we have 4-ounce martinis at any decent steakhouse in the US, and they realized that was 120 mls, their jaws pretty much dropped and hit the bar. One bartender gasped: “That’s irresponsible!” I told her that two of those drinks is widely considered the “businessman’s lunch” here in the states. She just shook her head.
Much to choose from at Kismet, my favorite bar in Nelson, NZ.
The phrase “proof” also has a very different meaning.
In the states, it’s pretty simple: it’s double the percentage of alcohol. So a bottle that’s 40% alcohol is 80 proof.
But the phrase “proof” comes from there British Royal Navy’s “proof” test. They would take the gin, pour it onto gunpowder, and if it ignited, that would prove there is sufficient alcohol in the gin. They would say that the gin was “gunpowder proof,” and it would be allowed onboard the ship.
So in the UK, a spirit with 57.15% is 100 degrees proof. A spirit with 40% alcohol is 70 degrees proof.
For me, it’s easier to simply remember to check the percentage of alcohol, and go from there.
One of the reasons I fell in love with New Zealand gin was because it was often served with East Imperial tonic, a New Zealand product that was not available in the United States for some time. But when I returned from my trip, I googled it and found that it was now being distributed in the US! When the amount of alcohol you’re allowed in your glass is limited (by our standards, anyway), what fills the rest of it up becomes incredibly important. East Imperial was the best line of tonics I’ve ever tried. (I’m saying was now, because, sadly, the company went under last year, and I managed to purchase a couple of 12-packs of the last of the available inventory. Once it’s gone, it’s back to Fever Tree.)
It stands to reason that a great cocktail is the sum total of its parts: great gin, great tonic, great ice.
I was enjoying a few Roots and tonics at the Bamboo Tiger, a bar inside the D’Urville Hotel in Blenheim, NZ, when we felt earthquake tremors. (My first!) It only lasted a few seconds, and when the chandeliers stopped moving, everyone pretty much went right back to business!
I spent about 10 days last summer in Scotland and Ireland, and though they’re known for their whiskey, it was their gins that really impressed me. But I’ll save that for another blog.
I really love the flavors of this recipe, and the great thing is that you can use it as a marinade and a dipping sauce–not just for beef–but a dipping sauce for grilled chicken, dumplings, anything. It’s that good.
Make more than you think you’ll need because you can keep it in the fridge for future dipping.
If you use gluten-free soy sauce, this recipe is GF. Chili garlic sauce can be found in the Asian foods section of most supermarkets.
A little side salad with blue cheese and home-cured and smoked bacon doesn’t hurt, either!
1/4 cup soy sauce 1/8 cup sesame oil 2 tablespoons freshly grated ginger 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro 2 tablespoons chopped salted pistachio nuts 2 scallions, minced 1 tablespoon light brown sugar 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice 1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix them together well.
Whatever cut of beef you’re using, make sure it isn’t too thick, or the marinade won’t penetrate the meat.
I like to use beef flap or flank steak, because it’s full of flavor, and I slice it crosswise to make cuts of meat that are about 1/2″ thick.
I place the beef in a bowl, and pour just a little marinade in at a time. I don’t want the meat swimming in the marinade…just enough so that it makes contact with all the surfaces of the meat.
Place the unused marinade in a sealed container in the fridge.
If you’re cooking soon, let the beef marinate at room temperature. But ideally, you want the beef to marinate in the fridge overnight–the longer the better–to really soak up the flavors of the marinade.
Before cooking, take the beef out of the fridge and let it come back to room temperature. Discard the marinade that was in the bowl with the beef.
If your beef flap is thin enough, tossing it onto a very hot cast iron skillet to sear it on both sides will bring the beef to a perfect medium-rare. Otherwise, you can sear it in a regular pan and then finish it in the oven–or–fire up the grill!
Use the remaining marinade for dipping.
Thighs finishing on the grill.
Whether you use chicken breast or chicken thighs — I used both here— the flavor is outstanding, especially if you can finish it on the grill!
Here’s great hack for fresh ginger that I learned from Liz, the owner of Wishing Stone Farm, an organic farm in Little Compton, RI, where they grow their own ginger roots. Place your ginger root in a Ziploc bag and keep it in the freezer. Whenever a recipe calls for freshly grated ginger, simply pull the frozen root out of the freezer and grate it, skin and all, while it’s frozen. Then simply place the root back in the Ziploc and back in the freezer until next time. No waste!
Yesterday, my daughter and I had the chance to check out a brand new food court before it opens this Tuesday in Providence, RI. It’s called Track 15, and it’s located in the 1898 Central terminal Building where the old Historic Providence Union train station was located many years ago.
More recently, this space in downtown Providence was occupied by other restaurants, including Bar Louie, Raphael Bar Risto, and it was the original location of the very first Capital Grille. (The Capital Grille is now located across the street, with prime real estate on the Providence River and Waterplace Park, a destination every year for WaterFire.)
Track 15 features extensions of 7 restaurants in the area, offering a variety of cuisines: Mexican, Indian, Italian, American, Seafood, and Middle Eastern. The only thing that was obviously missing, unfortunately, was any sort of Asian food.
Of course, there’s also a huge bar (what good food court wouldn’t have one?) and, at least for our evening, they offered discounted parking with validation, a bonus in downtown Providence where parking can get expensive.
When you’re in Providence to see a show or just to hang out, and you’ve got a group of friends that just can’t decide on what to eat, Track 15 gives everybody a choice. Check it out the next time you’re in town.
On the lower east side of Manhattan, you walk into what looks like a pawn shop. And it is, in fact, a real shop where you can buy what’s on display. But go through the back door, and it opens up into an exciting dining experience created by Food Network chef Chris Santos, who grew up in our little state of Rhode Island.
Enter through the door in the back!
Beauty and Essex is hip and dark, with music loud enough for a fun vibe, but not so loud that you can’t have a conversation while dining.
A sip at the bar while our table was prepared. It was not a long wait.
Our server’s name was Crewe, and the dude had the skills. We were there to celebrate my birthday, and we wanted to take it slow and have a good time. Not once did we feel rushed, nor did the plates come out of the kitchen too quickly. Nor did it take too long for the next drink to arrive. Crewe knew.
The food was fun. Mostly small plates meant to be shared. And the main courses were beautifully executed as well.
Grilled cheese, smoked bacon and tomato soup dumplings. Close your eyes, and it takes you back.Little French dips: super tender prime sirloin with Gruyere, horseradish-garlic aioli, and house-made au jus.Cauliflower tacos with apple miso marinade, gochujang, and charred scallion salsa.The house salad.Grilled tofu with black garlic risotto, gochujang slaw and ginger aioli.A most excellent burger.Perfectly prepared whole branzino.House-made doughnuts with 3 sauces.A wildly creative and delicious black forest dessert.
There are two other “Beauty and Essex” locations: one at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas and the newest one at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut. Both apparently have the same pawn shop entrance. But there’s something very special about it being literally on a street in New York City, with traffic buzzing by and graffiti on the walls, that makes this place the destination.
A classic French beef dish, Steak au Poivre is the perfect example of delicious simplicity. If you love pepper, you can make this wonderful dish with just a few ingredients. My personal twist was to use black peppercorns instead of the green peppercorns that are often used, and I also added porcini mushrooms to the sauce, because…well…why not?
The classic Steak au Poivre uses a tender, lean cut of beef like filet. But I had a couple of grass-fed sirloins in the fridge, and they worked out just fine.
2 sirloin steaks, about 6 oz. each Kosher salt 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns 2 tablespoons butter, divided 1 teaspoon olive oil 1/3 cup Cognac, plus 1 teaspoon 1 cup heavy cream dried porcini mushrooms (optional)
If you’re using the porcinis, place them in a sauce pan, and add water to cover them. Bring the water to a boil, set the pan aside, and let the porcinis rehydrate. Once they’ve rehydrated, remove them from the pan (save the liquid) and chop them up finely. Set them aside.
Rehydrating the porcinis.
Remove the steaks from the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking, so they are at room temperature. Season them on all sides with the salt.
Coarsely crush the peppercorns. (I have a pepper mill that makes coarsely crushed pepper, so I used that.) Spread the peppercorns evenly on a plate, and press the sirloins, on both sides, into the pepper so that it coats the surface of the meat. Set them aside.
In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter and the olive oil. As soon as the butter and oil start to smoke, place the steaks in the pan. Cook them for about 4 minutes on each side. Once they’re done, remove the steaks, place them on a plate, and cover them with foil to keep them warm.
Pour off the excess fat from the pan, but don’t wipe the pan clean!
Back to the porcinis: in a separate skillet, add 1 tablespoon of butter and the chopped porcinis, sautéing them for a few minutes over medium heat. Slowly pour in the mushroom liquid from the sauce pan, making sure any sediment at the bottom gets left behind. Cook this liquid down with the mushrooms until it has reduced almost completely.
Back to the steak pan: off the heat, add 1/3 cup of Cognac to the pan and carefully ignite the alcohol with a long match or lighter.
Gently shake the pan until the flames die. Return the pan to the medium heat and add the cream. Bring the mixture to a boil and whisk it until the sauce coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes or so. Add the teaspoon of Cognac. (If you’re using the mushrooms, add them to the sauce at this point, stirring them in.)
Add the steaks back to the pan, spooning the sauce over the meat.
Those who say that cheese and fish don’t go together, haven’t tried shrimp scampi, a tuna melt, or even a McDonald’s filet-o-fish sandwich! Hearty and satisfying, this dish is all comfort.
As I researched this recipe, I found versions that had potatoes or pasta. I wanted a lower calorie and lower carb option, so I went with just cauliflower and broccoli. But feel free to substitute as you like. Potatoes don’t need to be pre-cooked, as long as you cut them into small cubes. Pasta needs to be cooked to the almost al dente stage—very firm—and then added to the pan.
I originally came up with this recipe when I found some tuna and salmon in my freezer, and I wanted to use them up. But this recipe works even better with any white fish, like cod or halibut.
If you use gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs (easy enough to do), this dish is gluten-free.
6 oz. cod, fresh or thawed if frozen 8 oz. mixed broccoli and cauliflower, cut into smaller pieces (you can use fresh or frozen) 1/2 small onion, finely chopped 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 1/2 cup milk 2 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, grated, separated 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic Salt and pepper 1 tablespoon breadcrumbs
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the fish into large chunks, removing any skin, and place it in a bowl.
Pour the broccoli and cauliflower into the bowl.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, and add the onion, sautéing it until it’s soft but not brown. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute or two. Slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly. Season with salt, pepper, and the granulated garlic. Add all the cheddar cheese except a tablespoon, mixing well and making sure it all melts.
Pour the sauce into the bowl with the veggies and the fish, and mix everything gently, trying not to break the fish pieces up too much.
Pour the contents of the bowl into a baking dish just big enough to hold it all. You don’t want it spread out…you want it to have some depth so it doesn’t dry out.
Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and the breadcrumbs.
Bake for about 30 minutes, until it’s golden and bubbly.
This recipe could serve 2, but I devoured it on my own!
Now’s the time to start prepping your brisket for corned beef on St. Patrick’s Day!
Before every St. Patty’s Day, supermarkets are full of packages of processed corned beef in preparation for the big celebration. But, interestingly, corned beef isn’t really an authentic Irish dish.
The phrase “corned beef” was coined by the British, and although the Irish were known for their corned beef throughout Europe in the 17th century, beef was far too expensive for the Irish themselves to eat and all of it was exported to other countries. Owning a cow in Ireland was a sign of wealth, and the Irish used theirs for dairy products, not beef.
The Irish ate pork, and a lot of it, because it was cheap to raise pigs, and they traditionally prepared something like Canadian bacon to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day in Ireland.
In the 1900’s, when the Irish came to America, both beef and salt were more affordable, and the Irish, who lived in poor, tight-knit communities, often next to Jewish communities, bought much of their beef from Kosher butchers. And so many of the Irish learned how to corn their beef using Jewish techniques, but adding cabbage and potatoes to the mix. That’s what we have today.
It takes about 3 weeks to make corned beef. Doing it yourself is not difficult. It just takes time.
Corned beef has nothing to do with corn. ‘Corning’ is a technique for preserving raw meats for long periods by soaking it in a salt brine. This method was used in England before the days of commercial refrigeration. Back then, the large salt kernels used in the brine were called “corns.”
Brining is a time-honored way of preserving meat and it prevents bacteria from growing. Both pastrami and corned beef are made by this method. Both start with a brisket of beef. Corned beef is then cooked–usually boiled–and served. Pastrami is made when the brined meat is rubbed with more spices and then smoked to add extra flavor. So corned beef and pastrami are the same meat, just treated differently.
Saltpeter is an ingredient that has been used in brining beef for years. It adds the traditional pink coloring to the corned beef and pastrami meat, a bit more appetizing than the gray color it tends to have if you don’t use it.
Saltpeter can also contain carcinogens, so there’s always talk of avoiding it. It’s found in pink curing salt, which is used in small amounts during the curing process. (Not to be confused with Himalayan pink salt, which is just plain salt.) Since I only make my corned beef once a year, I’m OK with it either way. The general rule of thumb is only 1 teaspoon pink curing salt per 5 pounds of meat.
I get grass-fed brisket in 10-pound slabs, but use whatever size you find comfortable. Just don’t go too small, or the brine will make that tiny piece of meat extremely salty.
Brining the beef brisket
Step one: corned beef…
beef brisket (about 8-10 pounds)
2 teaspoons paprika
1/4 cup warm water
3 cloves of minced garlic
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon mixed pickling spices
3/4 cup salt
1 teaspoon pink curing salt (optional)
2 quarts water
Place the brisket in a large container made of non-reactive material, like glass or plastic.
In the 1/4 cup of warm water, dissolve the sugar, minced cloves, paprika and pickling spices.
Dissolve the 3/4 cup of salt (and optional teaspoon of pink curing salt) in the 2 quarts of water. Pour in the sugar/garlic/paprika/pickling spices mix and stir everything together. Pour the mixture over the meat in the container. Make sure the meat is totally beneath the surface of the liquid. (You may need to weigh it down to do this. I place a couple of plates on top, which pushes the meat down into the brine.) If there’s just not enough liquid, double the recipe, leaving out the pink salt the second time. Cover the container.
Refrigerate the container and its contents for 3 weeks, turning the meat once or twice per week. At the end of the third week, remove the container from the refrigerator and take out the meat. Soak the meat in several changes of fresh cold water over a period of 12 hours to remove the excess salt. I add ice to the water to keep the meat cold.
At this point, if you want corned beef, most people boil it.
I prefer to lay some aluminum foil down on a sheet pan. Then I coarsely chop carrots, onions, and celery, placing them in a single layer on the foil. Then I lay my brisket on top of the veggies, and wrap the meat tightly in the foil. I place the baking pan in a pre-heated 350 degree oven and cook for about 3 1/2 hours. (That’s for an 8-pound slab of meat. The cooking time will be less for a smaller cut.)
If you want to make pastrami, there are more steps to take…
Step two: making Pastrami…
Brined and rinsed corned beef brisket from above recipe, patted dry with paper towels
1/4 cup Kosher salt
1/4 cup paprika
3 tablespoons coriander seeds
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
2 tablespoons yellow mustard seeds
1 tablespoon white peppercorns
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
Combine the coriander seeds, black and white peppercorns and mustard seeds in a spice grinder and grind them coarsely. Place them in a bowl. Add the salt, paprika, brown sugar and granulated garlic. Mix well.
Rub the mix into the corned beef well, covering all sides.
Heat your smoker to 225 degrees and smoke the meat for several hours. (My wood of choice is always hickory.) When the internal temperature of the meat has reached 165 degrees, it’s done. It isn’t necessary to smoke pastrami as long as you would a regular brisket because the long brining time makes the meat more tender, and you’ll be steaming it next.
It is very important that absolutely everything that comes in contact with the meat is very clean. (This includes your hands.) Also, make very sure that every inch of the meat reaches the 165 degrees before it is removed from the smoker. The corned beef is now pastrami.
Delis that serve pastrami go one step further: they steam the meat so that it becomes incredibly tender and easy to slice. I place a baking pan with boiling water in the center of a 350° oven. I put a grate on top of it, placing the pastrami on top of the grate. Then I invert a bowl over the pastrami to keep the steam in. I will cook it this way for at least an hour to steam the meat before slicing and serving.
It’s always a challenge when you’re watching your calories. Fish is a great source of protein, and I love it sautéed in a little butter and olive oil with Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic seasoning on it. But let’s face it, that gets old after a while, and we all know there’s nothing tastier than fried fish.
Rather than using a heavy beer batter like I used to do, I came up with a very light gluten-free-flour-based seasoning that gave the fresh-caught local fish I bought incredible flavor and crunch without a carb overload and without gluten. (I’m not on a gluten-free diet, but most GF flour is made from rice, and rice flour that gives you a lighter, crispy texture.)
There are many gluten-free flours out there now. My favorites are King Arthur and Cup 4 Cup, but use whatever GF flour you prefer. (Just make sure that rice flour is a key ingredient in it.)
1 cup flour (all-purpose or gluten-free)
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
2 eggs
fresh locally caught fish fillets of your choice (I used fluke and ocean perch)
avocado oil for frying
In a flat bowl you will use to dredge the fish fillets, combine the flour, parsley, salt, oregano, onion, paprika, pepper and garlic.
In a separate flat bowl, scramble the 2 eggs.
Pour about 1/2″ of the oil in a pan and heat to medium-high heat, about 325° measured with a thermometer.
Dip the fish fillets first in the eggs, coating well. Then dredge them in the flour mixture, pressing down on both sides, so the flour mixture really sticks to the fish. Then shake the fillets lightly to remove the excess flour and gently lay the them in the hot oil. Fry them until they’re golden. (Fresh fish doesn’t take a long time.)
I made a quick and delicious tartare sauce using Hellman’s mayonnaise, dill pickle relish and Maille sauterne mustard.
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