The Best Pacific NW Style Fried Fish

I created this recipe to deal with an over abundance of fish caught by friends when I lived in Seattle and Kona.  The key is to use buttermilk to take away the overly "fishy" flavor that can accompany some less expensive kinds of fish. Or even if you're not sure what kind of fish it is!  Follow the steps closely, and you will get fried fish that will disappear soon after you take it out of the pan.  Make french fries, or "chips" as you wish, from the store, in the air fryer or oven, or just skip them and add a salad to make it healthy.

Use a firm white fish for this recipe; sustainable cod, halibut,  pollock or even tilapia are fine.   The fillets are dipped in a flour batter that includes both dark beer and sparkling water, and the carbonation ensures a light, crispy fried fish. 

Prep:  20 mins  Rest time for batter:  30 min  Cook:  6 minutes a batch 

Servings:  6 servings

Ingredient List

2 cups of buttermilk.  (Or substitute 2 cups of milk mixed with 1/4 cup of white vinegar)

3/4 cup/110 grams all-purpose flour, divided

3/4 cup/110 grams cornstarch  (you can substitute 10 tablespoons flour and 2 tablespoons psyllium husk depending on what is in your pantry)

1/4 cup flour set aside for dredging fish later

2 teaspoon baking powder

Sea salt, to taste

1 pinch black pepper, to taste

2/3 cup dark beer, cold

2/3 cup sparkling water, cold

12 (4-ounce) fish fillets (cut 3/4 inch thick, and the size of a deck of cards lengthwise.  If the pieces are too big it will take longer to cook, and you run the risk of having too dark batter on undercooked fish)

1.5 liters vegetable oil (depending on the size pan you use)

How to do it!

Cut your fish into pieces about 3/4 - 1 inch by 4 - 5 inches.  Not too big.  Depending on where you got the fish, check carefully for bones.  Prepare the butter milk in a medium sized bowl and add the fish.  Work the fish around gently so it is all covered by the buttermilk and let it sit while you get everything else ready.  

Set aside 1/4 cup of flour for later. In a large, roomy bowl, mix the remaining flour with the cornstarch and baking powder (and psyllium husk if used.) Season with salt and pepper.

Using a fork to whisk continuously, add the beer and the sparkling water to the flour mixture and continue mixing until you have a thick, smooth batter. Place the batter in the fridge to rest for between 30 minutes and 1 hour.  Prepare the tarter sauce, vinegar or lemon you want to use with your fish.  This is a great time to put your fries in the over and make your salad.  

About 10 minutes before you are ready to cook, remove the fish from the buttermilk, rinse it well and then pat it dry.  Lay the fish fillets on a paper towel and pat gently to soak up all the moisture. Replace the paper towels and do this one more time.  It is VERY important that the fish is completely dry or the frying process won't work as the batter may not stick and the fish may get soggy.   Season the fish with sea salt.  

Next, pour the oil you will use to fry the fish in a large, deep saucepan (or deep fryer if you have one)  and make sure the oil is at least 5 inches deep depending on the pan you use.  If the oil is too shallow the fish will stick to the bottom.   Heat the oil to 350 F in a Use a thermometer to check the temperature.  Prepare your frying station, with the flour for dredging on a plate, a small bowl for the fryer crumbs, your bowl of batter and a slotted spoon and spatula.  You may want to put a towel down under everything for easy clean up.

Put your french fries and salad onto the counter or table where you will eat, with dishes, silverware and your tarter sauce and condiments.  Its action time!

Put the 1/4 cup of flour reserved from earlier onto the dredging plate. Toss a piece of fish fillet in the flour and shake off any excess. Then immediately dip into the batter, coating the entire fillet.  Then gently drop the piece of fish into the hot oil.  I use my hands for this as it can be a bit messy between flour, batter and oil.  Of course be careful of the oil splatters.  If your fish is properly dry the splatters should be minimal.

 Immediately after putting the fish in the oil use spoon or spatula to make sure the fish is floating, not sticking to the bottom. If it is sticking some of the batter will pull off later when you take the fish from the oil. Add additional pieces until they are all floating and frying freely.    Fry for approximately 6 minutes, or until the batter is crisp and golden, turning the fillets from time to time with a large slotted spoon.  You can cook 6-8 pieces at at time in a medium size pot. 

Avoid overcrowding in the pot- it will reduce the temperature of the oil too quickly.    You can take one piece out after 5 minutes or so to check if it is done. The inside should be flaky and firm.  It is a good idea to test the fish at this point because - yum! And as the chef you deserve the first piece.

Remove the cooked  fish to a  paper towel lined plate. Apply salt and pepper.  Serve to all as the first batch.  Back at the stove, remove all the floating batter crumbles from the oil onto the small bowl you prepared.  The oil will have cooled a bit.  Wait for it to quickly come back to 350 drgrees and then start over again.  And again, until you are out of fish to cook.  This recipe usually makes 4 - 5 batches. 

Join the group and listen to the praises for your homemade fried fish!

Grandma Marilyn's Chicken Soup with Dumplings

Here's my mom Marilyn. Miss her.......

This is the mild soup you want to eat when you are sick, or your roommate is sick, or you have nothing in the house but some broth or frozen chicken and veggies in the bin that are a bit wilted but still good.  Or you want a filling meal for guests on a winter night when you are at the end of your budget for the month.  Think winter, think cold, think comfort, think Marilyn.  This was her soup. The dumplings are the best part.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts with fat and bones.
Lots of veggies, like carrots, celery, turnip, mushrooms, etc
Boullion or chicken broth
2-3 cups flour
2 eggs
1 cup milk
salt, pepper and spices you may like


First, make sure you have a large pot with a lid.

Gather Veggies - Carrot, Celery, Mushrooms, Root Vegggies like rutebega, turnip or pumpkin if wanted. Chop small, into 1 inch pieces.  I usually don't use potatoes but you can. Dont throw out ends, but put in with raw chicken when boiling for extra flavor.  

Now, if you have broth from a boiled chicken or turkey carcas use this, say after Thanksgiving.  Skip to "after broth is complete." If not-

Make the broth:
Buy  two chicken breasts with fat and bones.  Thighs also work but are a little fattier.  Boil softly with tops of celery, garlic pieces and veggie end pieces for 20 minutes or until not pink inside.  

While boiling  mix together two cup of milk and two eggs. Set aside.

Remove chicken breasts. Save 4 cups of water of water from pot. Throw the rest away - yes that means the odds and ends veggies you boiled the chicken with. You are building flavor.

Now add chicken water back to pot with 6 more cups or so of cold water and enough boullion to flavor, but not too salty at this point. Bring to a boil. 

While waiting to boil remove fat and bones from chicken and shred chicken. You can cut and shred if its too hot or just shred. It depends on your timeline. 

After broth is complete (from the carcas) or heated, 
Add veggies and cook about 20 minutes or until you can pierce carrots or root veggies with a fork.
Add salt and pepper to taste - also rosemary, thyme and any other spice you like.

When veggies are done, turn off heat and add the chicken. Heat is off so we don't over cook the chicken. Taste to see if it needs more salt and pepper. There needs to be at least 4 inches of space at the top of the pot for the dumplings to expand. They shrink back down later.  If not remove a few cups of broth and save to add back when dumplings are cooked.

Now back to the milk and eggs. (This was mentioned earlier in the recipe - not a game changer - just add 2 eggs and a cup of milk in a medium sized bowl)  Add salt and pepper. Add two- three cups of flour and mix together until its a gloopy mess. Not runny, not firm.  Bring soup to a boil again (You can make everything to this point and then wait until right before you eat to make the dumplings);  Get a large serving size spoon hot by dipping it in the hot broth.  Using hot spoon get a big glob of the dumpling mix and drop in in the broth. Keep going until it is used up. Put the lid on.  Then boil for 5 minutes or until it may boil over.   Watch - don't let it boil over.  Then turn the broth off.  Wait for 15 minutes.  Don't open the lid!

Depending on your timeline, this soup can be really fast - 40 minutes; or slower, an hour and a half. Or you can cook slowly step by step on a Sunday afternoon.

Variation, you can add al-dente pasta or cooked rice at the end instead of dumplings.

Enjoy!  

All ready to eat!

Thanksgiving Dinner at The Holdcrofts

In advance - prepare sweet potatoes, extra gravy, cranberry sauce, green bean casserole, and cranberry whipped cream salad.  Recipes to follow.

Prepare the Turkey

Buy an 18 pound turkey. Thaw if frozen - which can take a few days.  Remove all inner parts and pat dry.  Place in clean dry sink.

Make the Stuffing

1/2 cube butter

1/4 c olive oil

3 c celery

2 c onions

1 lb pork sausage country style bulk

2 tart apples chopped in small chunks

2 cups chopped hazelnuts

2 cups dried pitted cherries

1 cut port wine (or more for drinking while  you cook)

6 cups breadcrumbs

1 tsp ground thyme

1 tsp sage

salt to taste

pepper to taste

chicken broth to moisten

Saute diced onions and celery in melted butter and olive oil in  large pan.

When soft add cooked sausage, hazelnuts, cherries, apples and spices.  Heat until warm.

Get out really large pan or mixing bowl, the biggest you have.

Mix together all ingredients above and add chicken broth to moisten.  Try a spoonful to see if it tastes like stuffing. If not add more thyme, sage and or salt.

Stuff the cavity loosely with about 7 cups of stuffing. Stuff the neck area with about 3 cups of stuffing. Secure the neck skin underneath the turkey. Put any remaining stuffing in an oven-proof covered dish and bake in oven. 

Cook the Bird!  

While the turkey is cooking, peel 5 pounds of potatoes...

8 large ribs celery -- halved crosswise

2 large onions -- quartered

1 large carrot -- peeled and quartered

3 1/2 cups water

1 stick butter -- (8 tablespoons)

3/4 cup port and extra for drinking while you cook

1/4 cup flour

Preheat oven to 325. Arrange a bed of the celery, onion, and carrot pieces in a large roasting pan. Gently place the turkey on the vegetables.   Pour 3 cups of water into the roasting pan. 

Roast the turkey for 4 hours, brushing it well with melted butter, once an hour. 

After it has cooked for four hours, pour or brush 1/4 cup of port over the turkey. Bake 15 minutes. 

Start boiling the potatoes 45 minutes before the turkey comes out of the oven.

Repeat basting with port and baking three more times, until the turkey has cooked a total of 5 hours. 

Transfer the turkey to a platter, cover it loosely and let it rest 15 minutes.  Use a meat thermometer to make sure you are not overcooking the bird.

While the turkey is resting, strain the juices from the pan into a saucepan. You should have 4 cups (add more water or chicken broth to make 4 cups).  Stir the flour and the remaining 1/2 cup water together in a small bowl until smooth. Make sure you have no lumps. Whisk this into the pan juices and heat to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a gravy dish and serve with turkey.  Have a friend start mashing the potatoes when you start the gravy.

When you serve the meal, be sure to go around the table and have everyone say what they are thankful for - and remember it is ever too late to create your own traditions.

Enjoy!

One Bowl No Fail Banana Bread

Ok, So I think everyone needs to know how to make good banana bread - when those bananas on your counter are looking really brown and getting gooey - and you know you should make the bread or throw them in the freezer for smoothies, which is easier..... but you really want the hot moist goodness of the bread. Well now you can whip it together with baking time under 60 minutes.  While it bakes you can workout so you don't feel bad about the whole healthy smoothie issue.

Cream together with a spoon or mixer if you want to go to the trouble. (Creaming together with a spoon means about 100 stirs with a wooden spoon.)

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter

Add

2 beaten eggs
2 cups flour 

before you mix the flour in put on top of it

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

After the above is mixed add

2 large mashed bananas - at least (I have used up to 4 large ones)
1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix it all up so it is smooth.  If you are using a mixer, don't over-mix or it won't rise.  The bananas should still be slimy chunks.

Make sure you get any dry ingredients hanging around the bottom of the bowl.

Put it in a greased loaf pan with a rubber scraper so you get all the batter.  I usually have to eat a spoon or so.....  mmm good.

Bake for 45-50 minutes at 350 or until it tests done with a toothpick coming out clean.

Eat!  This is really delicious as toast in the morning - if there is any left the next morning.

Love, Mom

Cheese and Pepper Pasta (Cacio e Pepe)

Ok kids - Summer is here - how about an easy pasta you can cook up with just the items in your pantry - except for the cheese.....  well, I hope you have these items in your pantry......  by the way, you will need your handy kitchen tongs for this one.  Read the recipe first to get your ingredients.  They are underlined.

 

 

Cheese and Pepper Pasta (Cacio e Pepe)

Serves 6 hungry people

 

Boil pasta in water with lots of salt in a large pot.  About 2 minutes before it is al dente (you should know this word) - REMOVE half of the pasta water and put in a separate container.  This is key.

 

Strain pasta like usual.

 

Melt 1/4 cube butter in a skillet over medium/low heat.  Never scorch the butter!  If you do, start over - so pay attention here.

 

Add 3 tablespoons freshly cracked pepper to the butter.  Swirl around until pepper is toasted in butter.

 

Add 1/2 of your remaining pasta water to the butter and pepper.  Bring to a simmer. Add pasta and another 1/4 cube of butter.  OK - this is not a low-cal recipe.  Reduce heat to low and add 2 cups grated parmesan  cheese.  (Not the kind in the can. )  Stir and toss with your tongs until melted.  Remove pan from heat.  Add 1 cup grated pecorino cheese.  Stir and toss until cheese melts and sauce coats the pasta.  Add more pasta water if sauce seems dry.

 

Eat!  I think it is best with a buttery chardonnay.  Oh, never mind, I think everything is better with a buttery chardonnay.

 

The key is not to over cook your pasta in water, since you are going to re cook it at the end with the cheese.

 

You can also add frozen peas, mushrooms, cut ham, etc to this recipe to add variety.  Add these and heat before you start adding cheese.

 

Don't the tongs work great with this!  Remember to make a salad so you get your veggies.

 

Love Mom

Thai Style Curry

This recipe is always requested at least once when Lauren and Katie are home.  I have served this when I knew a group of hungry high-schoolers were coming over and needed food!   You can make it as spicy as you want - just experiment with different kids of curry paste.   Here is  a photo of some of my favorite curry eaters!  Miss you guys.

 

 

AUNTY CHERYL'S THAI STYLE CURRY

American restaurant style using everyday ingredients

 

1 onion chopped

 4 cloves garlic put through a press

1 (13.5 oz.) can unsweetened coconut milk

1 (13 oz) can chicken broth

5rounded tbsp. red curry paste

 

2 rounded tbsp. green curry paste

4 tbsp. fish sauce

1 tbsp. sugar

Generous sprinkle of chili flakes to taste.  I like about 1 tsp.

½ package bean sprouts

¼ cabbage, thinly sliced

1 lb. chicken, boiled and shredded (Cut up leftover chicken is fine. Also shredded pork, or thinly sliced beef, or raw shrimp, which will cook in the liquid when you add them.)

½ fresh green beans cut into 1 inch pieces (frozen are fine)

1/2 c. fresh sweet basil

 

Brown ½ onion (save rest of onion for later) and garlic in large deep sauté pan.  Put onion in first, then garlic. Do not burn garlic.  Remove from pan to separate bowl.  Pour half can of coconut milk into same pan.  Add curry paste; mash together well. Using high heat, bring to a boil. Keep watching to make sure it doesn’t burn. Lower heat to medium and continue cooking until coconut milk becomes oily, about 15 minutes. Do not rush this step or your curry will be weak.   

Add rest of coconut milk and continue to cook 10 minutes stirring frequently.  Add chicken broth and ½ raw onion. Continue cooking for 10 minutes.   Stir in fish sauce, sugar and chili flakes. You can add chili flakes at the end if you don't want it too spicy.  Add onions and garlic mixture.  Turn heat to high; add cabbage, bean sprouts. Cook 10 minutes or until they have released liquid and become part of the sauce.  Add chicken; stir until all the meat pieces are separate and saturated with the sauce.  Add green beans.  Continue cooking 10 to 15 minutes or until beans are cooked. Add basil and stir. Turn off heat. Serve with cooked rice. Can be made in advance and reheated. Serves 6 hungry people.