Maple Salmon and Sugared Asparagus

Oh yay, it's Fish Friday again already!!

Since I'm not a fish person, I played it safe and made a recipe that had a ton of great reviews on Allrecipes.  My husband was excited we were going to have salmon since he loves it.  He declared the recipe a keeper and my two oldest boys went back for seconds and thirds.  I ate it, but I didn't love it like the fish tacos from last week.  This having fish once a week thing is going to be harder than I thought.....

Maple Salmon

Recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients:

1/4 cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 pound salmon

Directions:

In a small bowl, mix the maple syrup, soy sauce, garlic, garlic salt, and pepper.

Place salmon in a shallow glass baking dish, and coat with the maple syrup mixture. Cover the dish, and marinate salmon in the refrigerator 30 minutes, turning once.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the baking dish in the preheated oven, and bake salmon uncovered 20 minutes, or until easily flaked with a fork.

*  I followed some of the review suggestions and baked it for 15 minutes in foil, then opened the foil and broiled it for the last 5 minutes.

Sugared Asaparagus

Recipe from Allrecipes

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2 inch pieces

1 cup chicken broth

Directions:

In a skillet over medium-high, heat butter and brown sugar until sugar is dissolved. Add asparagus; saute for 2 minutes. Stir in chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8-10 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Remove asparagus to a serving dish and keep warm. Cook sauce, uncovered, until reduced by half. Pour over asparagus and serve immediately

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Fish Tacos

Another one of my food goals for this year is to serve more fish to our family.  I'll confess -   I hate fish.  No, that doesn't explain it right.  I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, hate, HATE fish.  That's better.  But, my husband loves it, a couple of my kids love it, and I know that it is good for you.  So, although I have only made it twice before in my entire cooking career, I have decided that from now on (or until I can't handle it anymore) we will have Fish Fridays in our home.

Tonight I made fish tacos.  Before I had one, my husband and two fish lovin' boys helped themselves.  They inhaled them and went for seconds.  My husband told me if I didn't like this, there was no hope for me and fish to ever develop a relationship.  I felt the pressure and was nervous.  Mom's have to be a good example, and I was determined to at least try it.  So I made myself a taco and took a big bite.  Hmmmm...... what's this?  This was actually, uh, I don't think I can say it.  Okay, okay.  It was good!  No, it was delicious!!!  I loved it.  I don't believe it myself.  This is a first people.    So, if you're a fish hater like myself, oh, excuse me, like I USED to be, then I say give this a try.  You might be surprised too!!


Fish Tacos
Recipe courtesy of Allrecipes


1 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
1 cup water (the original recipe called for beer)

1 quart oil for frying

1 pound cod fillets, cut into 2 to 3 ounce portions
1 (12 oz.) pkg. corn tortillas
1/2 med. head cabbage, finely shredded


Directions:

In a large bowl combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.  Blend egg and water (beer), then quickly stir into the flour mixture (don't worry about a few lumps).

Heat oil in deep fryer or deep pan to 375 degrees.

Dust fish pieces lightly with flour.  Dip into batter, and fry until crisp and golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.  Lightly fry tortillas; not too crisp.  (I just heated mine over the flame on the gas stove).  To serve, place fried fish in a tortilla and top with shredded cabbage and white sauce.  The original recipe included the white sauce, but I just took some ranch dressing that I had made earlier in the day, added cumin, mexican oregano and some Chalula (hot sauce) and it was perfect!!  I served it with some black beans and loved every bite.