Sorry the picture is not staged nicely ... but, I was hungry. I got a late start getting Dinner underway, and didn't feel like prepping for a fancy picture.
This fish meal is delish! I used tilapia; but
trout, red snapper, halibut, or swordfish can be substituted.
The recipe comes from my old August 1985 Bon
Appetit cooking magazine.
The meal is pretty simple to make too,
despite all the fuss to pull it together.
FISH WITH CUMIN-GARLIC BUTTER ~ 4 servings
Cumin Garlic Butter: ¾ cup (1-1/2 sticks)
unsalted Butter, room temperature * 1 Tablespoon minced Garlic *
2 teaspoons ground Cumin * 1-1/2 teaspoons Hungarian Sweet Paprika *
1 teaspoons fresh Lemon Juice * pinch Cayenne Pepper * Sea Salt
& Black pepper to taste
FISH: 4 10- to 12-ounce fish, cleaned
and trimmed * 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil * 2 Tablespoons fresh
Lemon Juice * 2 teaspoons ground Cumin * 1 teaspoon minced Garlic
* Sea salt & Black Pepper to taste
ZUCCHINI & POTATO GARNISH: 2 Tablespoons (1/4 stick)
unsalted Butter * 2 Tablespoons Vegetable Oil * 1 pound boiling
Potatoes, cooked until tender – peeled and cut into 3/8-inch slices * ½ pound
Zucchini, cut into ¼-inch slices * Sea Salt & Black Pepper to taste
1.5 pound of potatoes = 1 medium potato
1.4 pound of zucchini = 3 small; I used green & yellow zucchini.
FOR BUTTER; Beat butter in medium bowl until smooth. Stir in garlic, cumin,
paprika, lemon juice, and cayenne. Season with salt & pepper. Let stand 1
hour at room temperature (Can be prepared 1 day ahead and refrigerated.
Bring to room temperature before serving).
Flavored Butter
FOR FISH; Arrange fish in shallow baking dish. Mix oil, lemon juice,
cumin, garlic, salt & pepper: pour marinade over fish, (rubbing inside
and out if using whole fish). Let stand 1 hour.
Fillets marinating
Preheat oven to 400-degrees. Spread 2
teaspoons of flavored butter inside each fish if using whole fish – (just spread
on fish if using fillets). Bake fish I marinade until opaque; basting twice,
for 12 minutes.
ZUCCHINI/POTATO GARNISH; Melt 1 Tablespoon butter with 1 Tablespoon oil in a heavy large
skillet over medium heat. Add half the potato slices in a single layer –
sprinkle with salt & pepper: cook 4 minutes, shaking pan occasionally. Turn
potatoes over; sprinkle with salt and pepper & cook until golden brown –
about 4 minutes more. Turn potatoes again; increase heat and cook 2 minutes.
Remove with slotted spatula. Add remaining potatoes and repeat process.
In another skillet, melt remaining butter
over medium heat. Add zucchini, sprinkle with salt & pepper; cook zucchini
until just tender – about 2 minutes on each side.
Using a small, sharp knife, scrape skin off
upper part of whole fish if using whole fish. Set fish on platter or plate, and
arrange zucchini slices down one side of fish – and potato slices down the
other side. Spread some of the flavored butter atop the fish. Pass remaining
butter separately.
