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Pat Branning’s Carolina cooking: Enjoy fresh fish in no time at all

Pat Branning’s Carolina cooking: Enjoy fresh fish in no time at all

The abundant harvest of the sea has long been a basis for Lowcountry cooking since the days when the Indians harvested oysters, clams, shrimp and crabs.
No one visiting the coastal areas of South Carolina can resist the okra and seafood gumbo, oyster or crab stew, seafood au gratin and the succulent flavors of fish fresh from the ocean.
In Beaufort, we’re fortunate to have wonderful seafood markets, which not only carry fish fresh each day, but offer them beautifully, completely filleted

Fish are delicate creatures, and begin to deteriorate as soon as they’re brought out of water and into the boat. Obtaining the freshest fish possible makes all the difference. It should look as if it’s about to swim away with bright, shiny skin and close-fitting scales. Dry, dull flesh is a sign of age. Beautiful food doesn’t have to be complicated. If you use quality ingredients, you’ll create a quality product.

Local restaurants serve a bounty of succulent dishes from the sea, but for this article I set out to discover what hostesses serve their guests when they want to put their best foot forward. Here are just a few recipes from some of the finest home chefs who have lived and cooked in the Lowcountry for decades. With just a handful of ingredients they have created simple but healthy entrees.

Fish Casserole Au Gratin

2 pounds fish fillets, crab meat, scallops or shrimp (or use ¼ pound of each)
2 tablespoons chopped onions
2 tablespoons chopped celery
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup evaporated milk
½ cup grated cheddar cheese
½ cup plain bread crumbs

In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add onions, celery, salt, pepper, lemon juice and grated cheddar cheese. Add each ingredient while stirring constantly. Slowly add the milk. Combine thoroughly. In a deep casserole dish, place the seafood and pour mixture of ingredients over the top evenly. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes. Serve over rice for a fabulous entrée.

Yields: 4 servings.

Fripp Island Fish Fillets

Topping:
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons softened butter
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons finely chopped red or green bell pepper
4 tablespoons minced onion
¼ tsp. salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ pounds fish fillets such as grouper, snapper or mahi
Olive oil and fresh lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350. To make the topping, sauté the peppers and onion until soft. Combine cheese, butter, mayonnaise, sautéed peppers and onions, salt and pepper into a bowl. Mix well. Brush fillets with olive oil and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Bake until fish is flaky. The time will vary depending on the thickness of the fish. Finally, turn the oven to broil and spread the cheese topping over the entire surface of each fillet. Broil several minutes until the topping is lightly browned and bubbly. May squeeze additional lemon juice over the fish just before serving. Absolutely heavenly!

Garlic and Herb Oven Fried Halibut

1 cup Panko crumbs (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1 tablespoon fresh basil
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ teaspoon onion powder
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 (6 ounce) halibut fillets
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450. Combine the basil, parsley, onion powder, and minced garlic together in a small bowl. Gently stir in the Panko crumbs. Place egg white and egg in a shallow dish. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper. Dredge fish in flour. Dip in egg mixture, then dredge in Panko mixture.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add 3 fish fillets and cook 2½ minutes on each side or until browned. This creates a nice crispy outside. Remove fish from the skillet and place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Repeat procedure with remaining fish. Bake at 450 for 6 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness.

Yields: 6 servings.

Halibut is a wonderful fish to cook with little oil and no overpowering flavor of its own. Serve this delicious tartar sauce as the perfect complement!

Lowcountry Tartar Sauce

1 cup good mayonnaise
3 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1½ tablespoons fresh dill
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon capers, drained and finely chopped
2 teaspoons dry mustard
Juice of 1 fresh lemon

Combine all the ingredients and gently stir until completely combined. Cover and refrigerate overnight to allow the flavors to blend. Enjoy.

Pat Branning, the former women’s editor for WSB, Atlanta, is food editor for The Beaufort Tribune. She and her husband, Cloide, work together to help the underserved and uninsured in health care through a nonprofit organization called Wellness4America. Her new book of Lowcountry recipes, “Shrimp, Collards and Grits, recipes from the creeks and gardens of the South Carolina Lowcountry”, is available at bookstores in Beaufort and on Hilton Head.

Click here for more information about Pat Branning’s new cookbook.

Click here for all of Pat Branning’s recipes in your hometown local

Related posts:

1. Pat Branning’s Carolina cooking: Christmas party time hors d’oeuvres
2. Pat Branning’s Carolina cooking: Soup’s On!
3. Pat Branning’s Carolina cooking: Beaufort’s best barbecued ribs
4. Pat Branning’s Carolina cooking: Oysters for the holidays
5. Pat Branning’s Carolina cooking: Here’s what’s cookin’ for Super Bowl Sunday

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