Blackened Tilapia Sandwich with Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise

1/4 cup sweet paprika

2 tablespoons ground thyme

2 teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted

4 (10-ounce) tilapia fillets

4 Kaiser buns, split, buttered and toasted

Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise, recipe follows

Store-bought mango salsa

In a shallow dish, combine first 6 ingredients.

Pour melted butter into another shallow dish. Dip fish fillets in melted butter and coat with seasoning mixture.

Heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook prepared fish, in batches if necessary, 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Spread Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise evenly over toasted buns. Place blackened fish on bottom half of bun, top with mango salsa, and cover with top half of bun.

Cilantro Lime Mayonnaise:

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and chill.

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Alton Brown Smokes Like a true Macgyver

Smoked Salmon by a Macgyver esque Alton Brown. I say Macgyver esque because he smokes this fish in a cardboard box with a hot plate and a cast iron skillet with sawdust.

Don't believe me just watch and enjoy. Let me know what you think about it and if you are going to go try this!



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Grilled Swordfish With Melon Salsa

2 pounds fresh, boneless swordfish steak about 1 inch thick - cut into 4 pieces
1/2 cups cantaloupe, peeled and diced
1/2 cups honeydew, peeled and diced
1 1/2 cups mango, peeled and diced
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped fine
1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped fine
1/3 cup red onion, chopped fine
4 ounces green chilies, diced or 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or chopped fine
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice - squeezed from lime
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Cut whole steak into 4 pieces, approximately 1/2 pound each, or buy individual steaks.

If grilling in a pan, preheat pan for 2 minutes. If grilling on open grate, preheat the grill on medium heat for 3 or 4 minutes. Brush/coat pan or grill surface with cooking oil or cooking spray.

Place swordfish steaks on cooking surface and grill for approximately 4 to 7 minutes on each side or until steaks are firm to the touch, but still moist, tender, and slightly opaque on the inside at the thickest point.

Since temperatures vary for ovens and open grills, check the fish for doneness being careful not to overcook swordfish in order to achieve the best flavor.

Melon Salsa - 30 minute preparation--prepare ahead of time.
Slice the cantaloupe, honeydew and mango, removing the fruit so it can be diced into 1/4 inch cubes. Chop the green pepper, red pepper, and red onion into fine pieces. If chilies are not diced or seeded, remove the seeds and cut into fine pieces. Chop fresh cilantro and garlic into small pieces, or if desired, mince the garlic instead. Place those ingredients in a small mixing bowl and toss well.

In a separate bowl, squeeze 3 tablespoons from one lime and mix with vinegar, oil, and ground cumin. Pour contents into the fruit mixture, mixing all together.

Cover and refrigerate for several hours to allow flavors to combine.

Serve salsa on top of the grilled swordfish.

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Grilled Mahi-Mahi, Ceviche-Style

4 skinless mahi-mahi fillets, approximately 2 pounds
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 cup diced red onion
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tablespoon minced jalapeno
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup tequila
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves

Rub the fillets with kosher salt and set aside. In a non-reactive bowl, combine the onion, lime juice, orange juice, jalapeno, sugar and tequila. Mix to dissolve the sugar, and add the fillets to the bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, turning the fillets once after 1 hour. Remove the fillets from the marinade and set it aside. Pat the fillets dry with paper towels and lightly coat with the olive oil.
Heat a grill to high and place the fillets over direct heat until they are just cooked through - opaque at the center but still moist, approximately 3 to 4 minutes per side. While the fish is grilling, transfer the reserved marinade to a saucepan and heat until it is reduced to about 3/4 cup. Using tongs, remove the fillets to serving plates and divide sauce equally among them. Top with the cilantro.

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Tempura

Tempura was brought to Japan by the Potuguese. Today Tempura is a very popular Japanese food, and as well one of the best known outside of Japan.

Batter

3 egg yolks
2 cups very cold water
2 1/2 cups flour
oil (for frying)

Assorted seafood and vegetables (I like scallops, shrimp, small halibut pieces, mushrooms, fresh green snap peas, etc), use your favorite. Heat oil to 375.

• Combine yolks with water; mix well.
• Gradually stir in the flour; stir from the bottom of the bowl, gently.
• Do not overstir, this is the secret of a light batter.
• Some flour will still float on top of the batter.
• Pat seafood and veggies dry.
• Dip pieces in batter, let drain a little.
• Drop a few pieces at a time into hot oil; fry for only a minute or two, till golden.
• Drain on paper toweling.
• Serve with assorted sauces for dipping.

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