I love a good dinner theme. At my house, we do Meatless Monday and Taco Tuesday. Some weeks I like to do Fish Friday. Baked or fried, fish is a favorite of mine. With Lent a couple of weeks away, I thought people may be looking for fish recipes and wanted to spotlight five fantastic Blue Ribbon ones.
An extremely light and simple recipe is Cindy Rice’s (Springfield, VT) Grilled C.A.T. Sandwich. CAT stands for cheese, avocado, and tuna. I had never thought to mix the three together and I loved the combination.
“I wanted tuna fish for lunch but also wanted some avocado; I am trying to eat healthier and lose weight; I also wanted a grilled cheese sandwich,” explains Cindy. “So after thinking about it, I came up with this.”
The avocado was a creamy and delicious way to replace mayo in the tuna salad. I love the idea of using coconut oil to grill the bread. It becomes nice and toasted. This has become a lunchtime favorite.
“This is the sloppiest most amazing sandwich ever,” thinks Robin Lieneke (Chamois, MO). “Dripping from the elbows good.”
There is nothing ordinary about Robin’s Salmon Club Sandwich With Dill Caper Aioli. The salmon is lightly seasoned and cooked perfectly. A cool and tangy caper dill aioli is smeared onto a toasted bun. Tomato, lettuce, and bacon top off this amazingly delicious dish.
“I’ve had rave reviews for this dish, even from fish haters,” says Marvin Beachler (Cathedral City, CA) of his Tilapia in Mustard Cream Sauce. “I usually serve this over a bed of freshly cooked spinach; The combination is great.”
Marvin’s recipe was a delightful surprise when I tasted it. The wine reduction sauce is full of flavor and a great complement to this mild fish. Mustard and Italian dressing give it a zesty and tangy flavor, but the cream balances it out. His sauce is also very rich so a little bit goes a long way. Even though this looks fancy, it’s pretty easy to create and guaranteed to impress.
Travel anywhere in the South and you’ll see fried catfish on the menu. While Pami Toll’s Catfish Ain’t Got Nuthin’ on Me may not be a true southern style catfish, it’s mighty tasty!
The catfish comes out nice and crisp. I loved the sweet and spicy flavor thanks to honey and assortment of seasonings like cumin and cayenne pepper. These little guys were gobbled up quickly in the Test Kitchen.
Cyndi Holman’s (Montrose, CO) Parmesan-Red Pepper Fish is spicy, crispy, flaky, and will be a hit on the dinner table.
For testing, I used tilapia. But, as Cyndi suggests, any white fish fillets will work well (mahi-mahi would be delicious). Serve alongside steamed broccoli and over a bed of rice or quinoa, and it’s the perfect meal.
If fish is a must-make in your house too, definitely try these recipes. You’ll never hear your family complain about Fish Friday again. They are all easy to make and full of flavor. Happy Pinching!