What To Serve As The Main Course For Your Dinner Party

Choosing the best meal to serve as the main course for a dinner party is often a dilemma. Hosts and hostesses want to make sure that they do not serve foods to which the guests may have an allergic reaction and when dealing with different cultures, they want to make sure the food is not offensive. For example, you would not serve pork at a meal where some of your guests practiced the Muslim religion. You would not serve roast beef or chicken if you know that some of your guests are vegetarian.

Fish is a dish that always goes over well at dinner parties. Try a fish dish that is not common, such as halibut. The dinner party that earned me the best compliments was one at which I served a recipe called Snappy Halibut Skillet. Along with being easy to prepare, it is quite tasty. There are many variations of this recipe, but the one that my family and guests prefer is as follows. You will have to increase the recipe for the required number of guests. This one is based on a dinner party for 10 people.

Ingredients

1 1/2 tsp. Thyme

2 1/2 lb halibut (allowing 1/2 lb. per serving)

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

1 onion chopped in small pieces

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

1 can stewed tomatoes

1/2 cup green onions

Sprinkle thyme on both sides of each halibut fillet and cook over medium heat in hot oil. Test the fish to see if it flakes easily with a fork. This will tell you that it is fried. Remove the fish to a warming plate.

Using the same skillet, cook the garlic and onion until they are tender. Stir the cornstarch into the stewed tomatoes and then pour the mixture into the skillet. Cook until thickened. Return the fish to the skillet and let it heat through with the sauce.

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6 Seafood Grilling Tips

Grilling season is here. You’ve got your grill full of gas, you’ve stocked up on hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks, and you’re ready to go. But those hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks are getting old fast. You’d like to try something else for a change. If you’re looking to change up your usual grilling menu, why not try seafood? Fish makes a healthy meal, and grills up quite easily. Seafood does present some grilling challenges, however. These tips should help you on your way to grilling great seafood.

1) Make sure your grill is clean and oiled. Fish sticks to the grill very easily, so proper lubrication is essential. If you don’t oil your grill, the fish will stick, and break apart when you try to remove it. Grab a wad of paper towels, or a rolled up kitchen towel in a pair of tongs. Dip the paper towels or kitchen towel into some vegetable oil, and rub the oil onto the grill. You can also spray the grill with cooking spray, just be sure the grill is off when you do this, or the spray could ignite, injuring you.

2) Use fresh fish if possible, since it is easier to work with than frozen fish. Each serving should be about 6-8 ounces for fillets or steaks, and 8-12 ounces for whole fish.

3) You can place fish directly on the grill, but if you do this, you should use a firm fleshed fish, like grouper, tuna, swordfish, or salmon. You can also buy grill baskets made for grilling seafood. These will help small pieces of fish from falling through the grill, and will help in grilling delicate fillets.

4) Cook the fish over medium-hot to hot heat. If your grill doesn’t have a thermometer, then hold your hand about 5 inches above the heat. If you can hold your hand there for 2 seconds, the temperature is hot. If you can hold your hand 5 inches from the heat for 3-4 seconds, it is medium hot. If you’re cooking whole fish, you’ll need to have the temperature a bit lower, so the fish won’t burn. You should plan on cooking the fish for about 10 minutes for every inch of thickness. The fish is done cooking when it is opaque, and begins to flake. It is better to undercook the fish a bit than overcooking it. You can always cook it some more if it is undercooked, but you can’t uncook it if it is overcooked.

5) Marinades are a good way to add flavor and moisture to the fish before cooking. You only need to marinate fish for 30-60 minutes. If you marinate the fish for too long, the acids in the marinade will start to cook and break down the flesh. Lean fish should also be basted during cooking to keep the fish from drying out. Fattier fish, like tuna and salmon don’t need basting, but you can baste them to add more flavor.

6) Shrimp, Scallops, and chunks of firm fleshed fish work well on skewers. Alternate chunks of seafood with chunks of vegetables on a skewer for great seafood kebobs. If you’re using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them for 30 minutes before grilling to prevent them from burning on the grill.

It isn’t hard to grill seafood, but it does take some practice. Follow these tips for grilling seafood, and expand your grilling repertoire. It’s a great break from hamburgers, hot dogs, and steaks.

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Cooking Fish Recipes in a Slow Cooker

Even if you routinely use your slow cooker to make beef, pork or chicken recipes, you could have totally overlooked fish dishes. Fish is identified for its ability to cook fast so maybe you believed sluggish cooking was not an choice for it. Really employing a crockpot to make your fish and seafood recipes assists to preserve the subtle fish flavor intact due to the fact no moisture is misplaced throughout the sluggish cooking process and the warmth is stored low.

You can use fish in casserole, stew, soup and pasta recipes. You can also poach or steam it in the crockpot. To poach fish, you just want to add it to the crock pot, cover it with h2o, stock or wine and add your chosen herbs or spices. Parsley and bay leaves are specially good for fish dishes. Poaching could only take forty 5 minutes, depending on the form of fish you use and its thickness, so keep an eye on it. If you are using flat fish you can braise it. Roll it up prior to adding it to hold it in one particular piece and hold the taste locked in.

How to Cook Shellfish in a Crockpot

Shellfish does not merge properly with extended cooking occasions, so if you want to add some to a stew or soup recipe, add it close to the finish of the cooking time so it can warm by means of. Shrimp can be extra to crockpot chowders, soups or stews. You can possibly add them in their shells or de-shelled. Gumbo and jambalaya are sluggish cooker recipes and you can add some tasty shrimp to these, no matter whether you make them on the stove or slow cook them. Clams and mussels are excellent for generating stews, especially when you use a tomato or white wine primarily based sauce.For a lot more information about “rice cooker”, you need to pay a visit to: rice cooker

Slow Cooking Instances for Fish

Some meat dishes, specially when you are working with difficult cuts, can take up to 10 hours to tenderize in a crock pot but fish cooks quicker, which is why sluggish cooker recipes for fish generally only will need three or 4 hours. Leaving the fish in the crockpot when it has completed cooking can dry it out so this is not anything to depart in there all day while you are out. You will will need to serve the fish as soon as it is all set.

You can cook steaks from large fish like mackerel, salmon, haddock and cod. You would not be in a position to fit a complete a single of these fish into the slow cooker but the steaks cook nicely. If you have a entire fish and it is extremely massive, you can chop your very own steaks from it or get a fishmonger to do it for you. Flat fish have a tendency to be smaller sized in normal than these bigger species, so you can cook a complete plaice or sole. The flesh of these fish is not muscular given that they are not really lively. This suggests the flesh will be delicate and soft when it is cooked.Cooking Fish Recipes in a Sluggish Cooker

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How to cook seafood quick and easy

The world loves seafood because it tastes good and there are so many varieties and cooking possibilities for it. It’s quite nutritious if you make it correctly. For those who wish to begin preparing shellfish, here are a few hints: Seafood takes less time to cook. One of the joys of a recipe with seafood is that it is easy to cook. Once the cleaning and washing are finished, preparing seafood is a snap!

No matter how you cook them, fish usually take close to ten minutes per inch of thickness. Remember to turn the fish halfway through and slice the fish as thin as possible. If you are a beginner I suggest you start with a recipe with shrimps because these are the simpllest among seafood recipes. Fat-filled fish, such as salmon and tuna are excellent for most cooking methods. Certain fish, like grouper or tilapia, require added moisture or basting if you bake or broil them.

Fish only needs to be cooked for about 18 to 20 minutes if it’s been frozen. If you are cooking different kinds of seafood simultaneously, cook the ones with a similar cooking time together. For preparing fish, place it skin side down in the pan. For preparing an entire fish, it is preferable to use a thermometer. Insert this device into the part of the fish where it is thickest and make sure the temperature has reached 60C or 140F.

Marinating your seafood before cooking Seafood is one of the simplest foods to cook and may be seasoned during and after cooking. But, if you desire a strong flavor, marinate it. Hold onto a little marinade to pour on for basting before adding the raw seafood. By keeping the soaked seafood inside the refrigerator, we can reduce the risk of bacteria. When you are finished, get rid of the marinade. Uncooked liquid from the seafood usually has bacteria, which causes the marinade to be unsanitary to use again. Cooking seafood Most seafood, such as fish, oysters, clams and scallops, turn opaque when cooked.

When cooking seafood remember that overdone equals terrible taste. 3 to 5 minutes of cooking on this step is plenty. If you’re baking or broiling, don’t forget to baste your seafood, lest you want your company to stain your rug spitting out pieces of burnt, dry lobster.

 

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How to Cook Fish in Foil

If you’re grilling or baking fish, consider wrapping it in aluminum foil. Not only does this method make clean-up a snap, it also helps seal in the fish’s flavor.
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Healthful Ways to Cook Fish

More delicate than meat, fish can dry out easily. To keep moisture in, cook fish quickly over high heat (grilling, broiling, or sautéing) or gently poached in liquid.

Grilled Fish
When you’re grilling fish, keep a close watch. It only takes a few minutes per side before they’re done. If the filets are an even thickness, sometimes they don’t even require flipping–they can be cooked through by grilling it on one side only.

* Brush the fish lightly with oil or spray with nonstick cooking spray.
* Place fish near the edge of the grill, away from the hottest part of the fire. (Don’t try to lift up the fish right away; it will be stuck to the grill).
* Start checking for color and doneness after a few minutes, once the fish starts to release some of its juices.
* Flip it over when you see light grill marks forming.

Poaching Fish
This gentle cooking method is perfect for seafood. Poaching keeps fish moist and won’t mask the delicate flavor of the fish. Traditionally, fish is poached in a court-bouillon–broth made from simmering aromatic vegetables and herbs in water, together with peppercorns and something acidic such as lemon juice, vinegar, or white wine. To poach fish, make your own court-bouillon or simply use vegetable or chicken stock.

* Use a pan big enough to lay each piece of fish down flat.
* Pour in enough liquid to just barely cover the fish.
* Bring the liquid to a simmer, and keep it there.
* If you see any bubbles coming up from the bottom of the pan, it’s too hot–the liquid should “shimmer” rather than bubble. The ideal poaching temperature is between 165 and 180 degrees F (74 to 82 degrees C).

Steamed Fish
Steaming is another gentle cooking method popular in Asian cuisines. It produces a mild-tasting fish that is often paired with a flavorful sauce.

* Rub the fish with spices, chopped herbs, ginger, garlic, and chile peppers to infuse flavor while it cooks.
* Use a bamboo steamer or a folding steamer basket with enough room for each piece of fish to lie flat.
* Pour about 1½ inches of water into the pan.
* Place the steamer over the water, cover the pot, and bring the water to a boil.
* Begin checking the fish for doneness after 10 minutes.

Broiled Fish
When the weather’s not right for grilling, try broiling instead. Broiling is great when you want a fast, simple, hassle-free preparation with delicious results. It gives fish a nicely browned exterior with the convenience of a temperature-controlled heat source. For easy cleanup, line the broiler pan with a piece of foil.
Baked Fish

Baking fish allows you to get the satisfying crunch of fried fish without all the fat. Just because it’s baked, though, doesn’t mean it’s healthy: watch the amount of butter, oil, mayonnaise, or cheese called for in the recipe.

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