Many men and women enjoy fishing and this time of year go to
resorts, their summer cabins and elsewhere to spend hours quietly
trying to outsmart the finny creatures. “Best Recipes of Alaska’s
Fishing Lodges,” by Adela Batin, provides some different ways of
cooking the catch, if the catch is salmon or halibut.
Sour cream halibut
1/3 cup butter
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4-5 pounds filleted halibut or other white fish, cut into 8 oz. serving-size pieces
2 cups sour cream
1/2 cup yogurt
3/4 cup real mayonnaise
1 cup saltine crackers, crushed
Lemon pepper
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Melt the butter in the bottom of a
9x13” baking dish. Add lemon juice. Arrange the fish pieces in the pan
and sprinkle with lemon pepper to taste. Mix together the sour cream,
yogurt and mayonnaise. Spread this mixture on top of the fillets and
bake for 20 minutes. Top with the crushed crackers and bake an
additional 15-20 minutes or until the fish is done and the crumbs are
golden brown. Serves eight to 10.
Cooked inlet salmon
2 large salmon fillets, about 4 pounds total
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup soy sauce
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the two salmon fillets, side by
side, skin side down, in a 9x13” baking dish. Melt the butter in the
microwave, in a small bowl and add the brown sugar. Stir to dissolve.
Blend in the soy sauce and pour this mixture over the salmon. Bake
uncovered for 20-30 minutes, basting occasionally with the sauce in the
bottom of the dish. The salmon should be moist, not overcooked
and dry. Serves eight.
Halibut Cove Florentine
1 tablespoon butter for the baking dish
2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed slightly
1/2 cup white wine
4 halibut fillets (or other firm white fish)
1 can condensed cream of shrimp soup
1/2 stick butter
Parmesan cheese, paprika, salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Butter the bottom of an 8x8” baking
dish. Spread the thawed and separated spinach in the baking dish. Pour
in the white wine and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Place the
fish fillets over the spinach and pour the undiluted soup over the
fish. Dot with butter and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and paprika.
Bake 20 minutes, uncovered. Serves four.
Alaska is a world unto itself with some of the most beautiful
scenery anywhere. I spent 10 days there a few years ago and would love
to return to enjoy more of their outstanding fresh fish and friendly
people.
And….that’s all she wrote.
Editor’s Note: The writer is the former Sandy Snyder, whose parents owned the Pine Grove Hotel on Canadarago Lake.
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