The Family Table By Lorie Thompson
A
s I turn the calendar each month, I note the upcoming holidays. Groundhog Day and Presidents’ Day may go unnoticed at my house, but Valentine’s Day will bring a special meal for my husband. We have a running joke that every time I ask him what food he would like for a celebration meal, his stock answer is, “Speckled Trout and Fried Taters.” Since Speckled Trout are hard to come by, I have learned to improvise. Fish, prepared any way, is a favorite meal for Mountain Man. I have several different ways I make it. Let me tell you about Fish in Garlic Butter. It is a winner! Use a mild fish like flounder or cod. You will need to adjust your cooking time based on fresh versus frozen and the thickness of your filet, but any fish will do — Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In an oven-proof skillet over low heat, melt 4T of butter. Add 4T of olive oil, 2-3 cloves of finely minced garlic, 1-2 tsp of salt, and 1 tsp of crushed red pepper. Allow the garlic to “bloom” in the oil for 1-2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the fish filets. Cook for 2-3 minutes and turn over. On top of each filet sprinkle a layer of seasoned bread crumbs, a sprinkle of grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese, a sprinkle of dill and parsley. Place the fish into a hot oven and turn to Broil. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until fish will flake with a fork. This rich and decadent fish goes great with simple sides. I learned a great cooking lesson from my son Joe. He loves to cook full meals on his grill. He served me meat, bread, and roasted vegetables, including potatoes (yes! grilled potatoes!), and it was marvelous! For convenience sake, he often
50 - February 2020
