Delicious, Broiled Flounder In 30 Minutes!

When I was growing up, this was one of my mother’s standard dinners.  It was healthy and delicious, and I loved it.  Even though I have some really good recipes for making flounder, this old standby is still my favorite recipe for flounder.  My kids like it too which is great, because it is really healthy.  This flounder has plenty of good flavor, without using any salt!  You can serve this with a baked potato, spinach, and a salad.  Another great side that goes with this is homemade macaroni and cheese casserole, or in a pinch, some Kraft Macaroni and Cheese.

Four 2 people:

• • 1 pound fresh flounder fillets
  • about 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • paprika
  • juice of 1 lemon or 1-2 tablespoons Minute Maid pure lemon juice from concentrate

For 4 people:   use 2 pounds of flounder fillets, 4 tablespoons of butter or margarine, lemon juice, and paprika.

Preheat your oven to broil, and place oven rack about 4-6 inches from the heating element or the flame.  Cover a half sheet pan with aluminum foil, or use a disposable aluminum pan.  Place flounder fillets on foil.  Sprinkle a little fresh lemon juice over the flounder fillets.  Then sprinkle the flounder with paprika; don’t be skimpy with the paprika!  Dot the flounder fillets with butter or margarine.  Broil for about 7-10 minutes until browned and cooked through.  Cooking time will depend upon the thickness of the flounder.

Serve with additional wedges of fresh lemon, some tartar sauce or cocktail sauce.

Warning:  Anytime you broil, be sure to keep an eye on the food to make sure nothing catches on fire.

This Salmon Is Tasty and Healthy!

It is obvious that most of my recipes are on the fattening side. I am trying to make some dishes that are healthier. Last night, I made salmon for my son Danny and me, and it was delicious. Besides being so tasty, it looks beautiful too. And the prep time and cooking time combined was 15 minutes!

For 2 people:

1 pound salmon fillets, cut into 2 pieces (Ask the seafood monger to take the skin off.)

1 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoons of soy sauce

For 4 people:

2 pounds of salmon fillet

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons soy sauce

Preheat the oven to broil, and put the rack in the oven as close as you can to the broiler element- about 6 inches below (It is essential for the salmon to cook close to the flame or heating element in order for the salmon to get a good glaze. Then cover a baking sheet with sides with aluminum foil.

Whisk the honey, and the soy sauce in a small bowl. Place salmon on prepared baking sheet. Brush with sauce on top of salmon. Broil until salmon is browned and glazed on top, about 5-10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the salmon. (I like the salmon when it no longer is rare in the center)

Warning:  Watch the salmon carefully while it is cooking, because any time you cook food close to the broiler element or the flame, your food could catch fire! 

About 25 years ago, I had eaten shrimp oreganata out, and I really loved it.  I decided it was time for me to come up with my own version.  This recipe is so easy to make, and it turns baked flounder, haddock, halibut, or scrod into a special dish.  I make this for holiday meals because my daughter Randi really likes it a lot.  It looks very impressive when you bring it to the table, and what’s so great is that it is so easy to prepare.

• 1 to 2 pounds fresh flounder or other mild fish fillets
• fresh lemon juice from 1 to 2 lemons or 1-2 tablespoons frozen Minute Maid lemon juice, defrosted
• garlic powder (just as good!) or fresh crushed garlic
• Kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper
• dried oregano
• fresh romano or parmesan cheese, shredded or grated (I prefer the shredded)
• plain dry bread crumbs or my favorite to use –  (Colonna brand Italian bread crumbs)
• extra virgin (healthier) or light olive oil

Preheat oven to broil- high setting.  Put your oven rack in the middle of the oven or slightly below the middle. Put fish fillets on a lightly oiled foil lined sheet pan.  Sprinkle fish with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Drizzle fish all over with lemon juice.  Next, sprinkle bread crumbs over fish so fish is nicely covered with crumbs.  Next, sprinkle garlic powder over crumbs, then oregano, then a little more kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.  Next, sprinkle shredded or grated cheese lightly on the bread crumbs . Finally, drizzle olive oil over the crumbs to dampen. (I sprinkle a little more garlic powder on at this point.)  Put sheet pan in oven (on middle rack) under the broiler.  Broil until lightly browned and bubbly about 8-15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fish.

Note:  Watch the fish carefully as it broils.  If the topping on the fish starts to burn, turn the oven off of broil, and finish cooking at about 400.

Serving suggestion:  Serve with a salad of fresh baby spinach with sliced fresh strawberries and walnuts with a lemony vinaigrette and  fresh corn on the cob for an amazing and healthy  summer meal! (See my recipe for the lemon vinaigrette.) 

This is a delicious shrimp scampi recipe, with tons of flavor.  The recipe below will serve about 3-4 people, and you can double it if you are serving more people.  It is tasty and delicious!

• • 1 pound large or extra large uncooked shrimp (easiest is using frozen peeled and deveined shrimp straight from the freezer)
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons chopped or crushed garlic (about 6-7 cloves) (chopped gives more flavor)
  • fresh ground pepper to taste (about 15 good grinds)
  • Kosher salt, about 2 teaspoons (reduce salt to 1 1/2  teaspoons if your butter is salted)
  • 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • about 1/4 cup of fresh parsley, or more if you likezest of 1 lemon, grated (zest is the yellow part only)
  • juice of 1 large lemon
  • 2/3 pound of spaghetti ( I like De Cecco the best because even if you cook it past al dente, it stays firm)

Peel and devein the shrimp.  You can do this a few hours in advance and then keep refrigerated until you are ready to cook the dish. But if you use the frozen peeled and deveined shrimp, you can take the bag of shrimp right out of the freezer and pour it right into the pan.  How easy that is!

Heat water in large pot.  Add salt to the  boiling water.  Cook your spaghetti according to the directions on the box (for al dente), and then drain.  Try to coordinate the cooking so that the pasta is done when the shrimp is done.

In a large saute pan (I did not use a non-stick pan for this, but you can if that’s what you have), melt the butter over low heat.  Add the olive oil.  Add the red pepper flakes and cook over  low to medium heat for 1 minute.  Then add the garlic.  Cook over low heat for 1  minute until the garlic is translucent- you do not want the garlic to become browned! If your garlic becomes burned, you really need to start over.  Add the shrimp,  the Kosher salt, and the pepper, and raise the temperature to medium.  Saute the shrimp, turning it so the shrimp gets cooked on all sides for 4-6 minutes just until the shrimp turn pink. Add a very light sprinkle of red pepper flakes, and 1 or 2 cracks of black pepper. Taste one shrimp to see if it is done.  Turn the heat off under the pan and add the lemon juice, the zest of the lemon, and the parsley.  Mix well.    Immediately add the cooked spaghetti to the pan and toss well to combine. If your spaghetti is totally cool when you add it to the pan, then put the flame on medium for a minute as you toss the spaghetti with the sauce, so that the pasta warms through.  Put on a large platter or in a large serving bowl and serve immediately.

Note:  You may substitute linguine for spaghetti.

Hints:  Room temperature lemons yield more juice than cold lemons.  If you are using lemons straight out of the fridge, then push down on them, one at a time, and roll them on the counter.  This helps to increase the amount of juice your lemon will yield.  Also, always keep Minute Maid frozen lemon juice on hand in your refrigerator just in case you need fresh lemon juice, and you don’t have fresh lemons.