Flounder Francese with Toasted Almonds, Lemon and Capers

By Rachael Ray

Serves 4

• 2 ounces (1/4 cup) sliced almonds -- I forgot these
• 4 flounder fillets, 6 to 8 ounces each -- I used tilapia
• Salt and pepper
• 3 large eggs -- I only used 2
• A splash heavy cream -- I used skim milk
• 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided -- I only used 1 T
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided -- I only used 1.5 T
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, eyeball it - a couple of glugs
• Handful flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped-- I used dried
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 3 tablespoons capers
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 pound triple washed spinach, tough stems removed, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 teaspoon grated or ground nutmeg, eyeball it
• I added cream cheese to the spinach
• I added 1/2 C flour

Toast almonds over moderate heat and reserve.

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium to medium high heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Beat eggs with cream. Add 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil to the skillet, 2 turns of the pan then add 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces. I dredged fish into flour. Dip the fish into the eggs and cook on both sides until just golden, 5 to 6 minutes total. Transfer fish to a plate and cover with loose a foil tent to retain heat.

Add wine to the pan and reduce by half, 1 minute, then add 1 tablespoon butter and a handful of parsley to the pan. Stir in the lemon juice and zest and the capers. Turn off heat. Pour sauce over fish and top with sliced almonds.

Return skillet to heat. Add remaining 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 more turns of the pan. Add chopped garlic and let it speak by coming to a sizzle. Wilt in spinach, turning to coat in extra-virgin olive oil and season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. I added light cream cheese. Serve spinach alongside flounder.

My Review: I served the fish and spinach with mashed potatoes and chardonnay. All I can say is God bless Rachael Ray. This meal was phenomenal. It's guest-worthy. In fact, Simon said this might be the best thing I've ever cooked. (And I've cooked him a lot of meals...)

There's absolutely nothing I would do differently. It was perfect!

Cod With Artichokes and Basil

from South Beach Diet's Quick Cooking

Serves 4

• 1 1/2 pounds cod fillet - I substituted pollock
• 1 tablespoon plus 1 1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 10 ounces marinated artichoke hearts (about 12 pieces), plus 1 tablespoon liquid from jar

Heat oven to 450°F.Place cod in an ovenproof baking dish, brush with oil, sprinkle with basil, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange artichoke hearts around fish and drizzle with artichoke liquid.Bake until fish is opaque and just flakes with a fork, 12 to 14 minutes. Remove from oven and serve hot.

My Review: I think I would like this better with tilapia or flounder or cod. I didn't really like the pollock - it was a little too fishy for me and I like fish. The artichokes were delicious.

Spicy Tuna Cakes

from Recipezaar

Made about 13 patties (2 or 3 patties per serving)

• 3 (6-ounce) cans chunk light tuna in water (drained)
• 1 1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs (I used regular)
• 2 eggs (slightly beaten)
• 4 tablespoons Miracle Whip (I used light mayo)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
• 1/2 cup onion (finely diced)
• 1/4 cup bell pepper (finely diced)
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon red curry powder
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 teaspoon roasted garlic
• 1 teaspoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Coat patties in this mixture before frying/baking:

• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup flour
• 2 teaspoons salt

Mix all ingredients like you would if you were making a meatloaf. Shape into patties. Dredge patties in the cornmeal mixture and fry until crunchy. Serve with a sauce of your choice or eat them like a sandwich on a toasted bun.

(I sprayed these with cooking spray and baked them at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, turning them over halfway through.)

Spicy Mayo (I served this as the dipping sauce.)

• 1/3 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• Hot sauce, to taste

Mix well.

The Review: These were DELICIOUS! Very flavorful - the perfect blend of spices! They are very spicy, however, so if you're not a hot food lover, you may want to cut back or omit the spicier ingredients. I think a tartar sauce or a cucumber-based dipping sauce would work well.

Hot and Spicy Tuna Melt Panini

adapted from the Mise En Place website

2 cans solid white tuna, drained

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1 celery stalk, diced (I used way more than this)

1/4 red onion, finely diced (I used regular onions)

1 teaspoon minced jalapeno pepper (I used way more than this)

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

2 teaspoons lime juice (I used lemon juice)

4 panini buns, halved (I used light whole wheat bread)

4 slices Monterey Jack cheese with hot peppers (I used light cheddar)

Mix tuna, mayonnaise, celery, onion, jalapeno, chili powder and lime juice in a bowl. Spread about a quarter of the mixture over each panini bottom, top with cheese and close the sandwich. Cook in a panini press on medium until buns are toasted and cheese is melted, about 6 minutes. Note: if you do not have a panini press, you can use a skillet. Just press to flatten. (I used my sandwich maker.)

My Review: This was an interesting twist on tuna salad. I'm a big fan of flaming hot spice, so I enjoyed a spicier version of tuna. I even served the tuna mixture over lettuce for lunch the next day. This was a quick easy meal - and may be my new favorite way to make tuna. I did screw up one thing - the celery chunks were way too big. Next time, I'll dice them smaller.