Pickerel Piccata, Oven Fries with Feta, Chicken burgers, and more.

Weekday meals that are actually relatively simple to prepare, if you have a few essentials on hand.  Winter pickerel, from Gimli Fish, is my favourite.  It is slightly pink and has a wonderful sweet taste. I will be referring to the fish as the local name, Pickerel, but it is also known as Walleye.

1. Lemony Pickerel Piccata

2-4 Pickerel Fillets, strip of bones cut out (Save for fish stock)
1/2 cup Panko crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
Salt, pepper, and thyme for the crumbs
1 egg beaten into 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk
olive oil or butter, for frying the fish

2 tbs butter
drizzle olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
2-3 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped
1/4 tsp dried thyme
juice of one lemon
1/2 cup cream
2 tbs cream with 1/2 tsp corn starch (to thicken the sauce and prevent splitting)
salt and pepper, to taste

For the Sauce; in a small saucepan, heat up butter and oil.  Add shallots and cook, until tender, on medium heat.  Add garlic, then creams.  Add lemon juice and seasonings.  Bring to a slow simmer and remove from heat until just prior to serving.

For the fish;  in one dish, beat an egg into the buttermilk. Place crumbs, Parmesan, and seasonings in another dish.  Soak the fish in the milk mixture and then coat with the crumbs.  Heat the butter in a pan and cook fish for a couple of minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the fish.

Serve immediately with sauce.  Enjoy!  Pictured here with Oven baked fries with feta, and Korean Zucchini.

2. Korean Zucchini (simple!!!)

1 zucchini, sliced
drizzle sesame oil
1/2 tsp fish sauce
sesame seeds

Sauté zucchini slices in sesame oil over medium high heat.  Near the end of cooking, add the fish sauce.  Serve with sesame seeds on top.

Enjoy!

3. Oven Fries with Feta (by Ottolenghi)

3-5 medium potatoes, cut as thick cut fries.
1/4 cup + crumbled feta cheese
3-5 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 cup olive oil
oil, to coat potatoes
1 tsp dried oregano
salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 450ºF.  Parboil potatoes for 7-8 minutes and let drain well for 5 minutes.  Coat potatoes with oil, a good sprinkle of salt, and spread out onto a parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake for 40 - 45 minutes.

5 minutes prior to finishing roasting the potatoes, cook garlic slices in olive oil until brown and drizzle over the potatoes.  Return potatoes to finish roasting  Toss with feta cheese and oregano.

Serve immediately.  Enjoy!

4. Duq'qah Chicken Burgers

1 pkg (~450 grams) ground chicken
1 egg
1 tbs + Duq'qah
1/2 tsp salt

Mix ingredients together and form into 4 patties.  I made oval shaped patties, to go with the flatbread.

In a hot pan with a bit of oil, cook chicken burgers on both sides, about 3-4 minutes each.  Remove from heat and let rest. 

I served these on flatbread made from my Turkish pizza dough, that I often have on hand, baked with asparagus spears, sautéed mushrooms and onions, and yoghurt tahini sauce.

Enjoy!

Easy entertaining. Pickerel Cheeks

This is really such a delighfully simple dish to make.  Great local ingredients that shine.  Pickerel cheeks (yes, Walleye, to my non-local language purists) are so sweet and getting a package from Gimli Fish is inexpensive.  You don't have to do the work!

Sautéed Pickerel Cheeks

1 pkg pickerel cheeks
1-2 tbs butter (Notre Dame Butter is lovely)
Favourite herb (I used chopped sorrel, but have made this with basil, thyme, tarragon, etc.)
salt and pepper, to taste
splash of Vermouth or Mirin, to deglaze

Heat pan and melt butter.  You can also have browned butter for this dish.  Add chopped herbs and pickerel cheeks.  Cook, turning once, for a couple of minutes per side at most.  Deglaze pan and serve immediately.

Serve as an appetizer with breads or on crackers (rice crackers for Gluten-Free), or increase amounts for an easy entrée.

Enjoy!

Pickerel Cheeks and Wild Rice with Saskatoons on CBC's Weekend Morning Show!

 This morning I presented the following recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry MacLeod.  The Pickerel cheeks, wild rice and saskatoons are all available at Gimli Fish.

Pickerel Cheeks (easy)
1 lb pickerel cheeks
2 tsp butter
1 bunch fresh sorrel (or other favourite fresh herbs)
salt and pepper, to taste
splash Mirin, to deglaze pan (can use Vermouth or for non-alcohol uses, apple or pear juice)

Sauté pickerel cheeks on both sides in melted butter with herbs over medium high heat. Deglaze and season with salt and pepper.
Serve immediately.

 Pickerel Cheeks (difficult)
Same as above but wrap each pickerel cheek as a package in the sorrel leaf and tie with a chive.

Enjoy!

Wild Rice with Saskatoons (serve hot or cold)

1 cup uncooked wild rice, rinsed
4 cups water

1 onion, thinly sliced or fine dice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup Saskatoons
1/4 cup toasted nuts (pine nuts, almonds, pecans, etc.) optional
Salt and pepper, to taste
2-3 tbs favourite spice blend (Ras el Hanout, Baharat, Cajun, Herbes d’Provence)  Today I’m making it with Herbes d’Provence

Cook rice by bringing to a boil and then simmering for 45 minutes or until most of the rice has curled.  In a pan, sauté onion in olive oil over medium heat.  Add in all ingredients.  Mix rice and seasoning together in a bowl.  Serve hot or cold.

Enjoy!

Spring will be Sprung. Pickerel and Spring on CBC's Weekend Morning Show

 Tomorrow morning after the 8:30AM news, I will be presenting the following dishes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with host Terry Macleod.

I chose these recipes for a few key reasons.  First, the Winter Pickerel season ends on March 31st so get them now!  These sweet, pink fillets are delicious and very versatile.  Second, these recipes are very simple to make at home and since the ingredients are so close to home, even easier.   Third, whether observing Lent or celebrating Spring and the Vernal Equinox, these recipes fit.

Enjoy!  Spring will come. (photos tomorrow).

(Prepping parchment paper fish, photo by Karen Peters)

Parchment Paper Fish
Per Fillet:
1 fillet Pickerel – now on sale at Gimli Fish
1/2 carrot, peeled and then peeled into strips
1-2 spears asparagus, in ribbons or sliced on a bias
pinch sea salt
pepper to taste
3-5 basil leaves, chiffonade (or pesto)
parchment paper
spray olive oil*

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place fish on top of very lightly oiled parchment paper. Place basil, carrot, asparagus and pinch of salt and pepper on top of fish. Lightly spray with olive oil. Seal paper and place in oven or on top of grill for up to 20 minutes in the oven, depending on thickness of fillet. If using a BBQ, place fish on upper level and not directly over the heat. The fish is so delicate. Paper will puff up. Remove and serve immediately.

Pickerel Fillet Fish Tacos
Serves 2

2 pickerel fillets
juice of 1-2 limes
1/4 - 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro
pinch sea salt
1 chopped jalepeno (I used dried chipotle chilies)

Marinade the fish in the juice and spices for at least 20 minutes.

1 thinly sliced red onion (I caramelized it)
sour cream
1-2 thinly sliced green onion (cut on the bias for thinner slices and nicer presentation)
Sour cream or crema
Warmed corn tortillas (toasted for a few minutes)

Prepare all of the dishes for the taco and then sauté the fish in a bit of olive or canola oil, 1 -2 minutes per side. Remove fish from heat and flake. Assemble tacos and enjoy!

This Saturday on the Weekend Morning Show - Tomato Saffron Poached Pickerel and Roasted Corn Black Bean Salsa

(Tomato Saffron Poached Pickerel)



(Roasted Corn Black Bean Salsa)


This morning I had the pleasure of presenting the following two recipes on CBC's Weekend Morning Show with Kerän Sanders. Everything is coming into season now for these great full flavours. These are very simple to prepare recipes as well.


Tomato Saffron Poached Pickerel

(Makes 4 servings)
1 shallot minced
1 tbs olive oil
1 chopped tomato
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon Saffron*
1/4 red pepper flakes
1/2teaspoon thyme
3 tablespoons tomato puree
1 cup dry white wine
¼ cup orange juice (makes a very fresh flavour)
4 fillets Pickerel
Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté shallot in olive oil and cook until translucent. Add tomato, Saffron, garlic, red pepper flakes, thyme, tomato puree and wine. Cook on medium heat until well incorporated. Add Pickerel Fillets on top of sauce. Cook on high for a minute (varies by thickness of fish) and turn fish pieces over. Continue cooking until fish begins to flake. Remove from heat and serve.

Enjoy!




Roasted Corn Black Bean Salsa

Remember to choose the freshest juiciest corn on the cob and roast.

4 roasting ears corn, freshest available

Juice from 2 limes

4 tomatoes, seeded and diced

2 red onions, finely chopped

1 cup dehydrated cooked black beans or 1 cup cooked whole beans
1 to 2 Jalapeños, finely chopped

4 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro

3 Tbs Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Roast the corn on the grill in the husk after soaking for 1 hour.

Let cool slightly, then peel back the husk and silks.

Using a large, heavy knife, slice down the cobs to remove the kernels.

Place the corn kernels in a bowl with the tomatoes, red onions, Jalapeños, Black Beans and cilantro. Note: The Jalapeños maybe omitted if you want a mild corn salsa. Add the chiles to taste.

Whisk together the olive oil and remaining lime juice.

Season to taste and pour over the salsa.

Toss well to mix.

One Bite Pickerel Cheeks on Potato Pancakes

Photo or video to come.

This party appetizer is simple once all the preparations are made. Pickerel Cheeks and Golden Caviar are available at Gimli Fish Market at 596 Dufferin Ave. and 625 Pembina Hwy. in Winnipeg.

Latkes (Potato Pancakes)

3 medium potatoes, peeled and shredded
1 onion, shredded
2 eggs
1/4 cup flour or maztah meal
salt and pepper
freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp paprika (optional)

Pickerel cheeks dredged in flour and vermouth or your favourite clear liquor.
Cremé Fraiche
Golden Caviar

Prepare latkes until golden brown and using cookie cutters, cut bite sized pieces from the pancake.
Sauté pickerel cheeks and deglaze with vermouth.

Top each latke bite with a pickerel cheek, cremé fraiche and golden caviar.

For my friends and family on the coasts and south of Winnipeg, try bits of sautéed Halibut cheeks, scallops and top with available caviar.

Enjoy!

Parchment Paper Pickerel

Per Fillet:

1 fillet Pickerel – now on sale at Gimli Fish (596 Dufferin Ave or 625 Pembina Hwy. in Winnipeg)
1/2 carrot, peeled and then peeled into strips
1/2 leek whites, julienned
pinch sea salt
pepper to taste
3-5 basil leaves, chiffonade
parchment paper
spray olive oil*

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place fish on top of very lightly oiled parchment paper. Place basil, carrot, leek and pinch of salt and pepper on top of fish. Lightly spray with olive oil. Seal paper and place in oven or on top of grill for up to 20 minutes in the oven, depending on thickness of fillet. If using a BBQ, place fish on upper level and not directly over the heat. The fish is so delicate. Paper will puff up. Remove and serve immediately.

*I love to use a truffle oil olive oil blend available at DeLuca's Specialty Foods - Cooking School & Restaurant at 950 Portage Ave. in Winnipeg. Try a drizzle of the truffle oil over scrambled eggs.

Enjoy!