December 3rd, 2010

FITZ’s FISH STEW

Ingredients

  • 1/3 lb                       Fish per Person – eg Ahi, Mahi, Ono, snapper (choose 3)
  • 1                                Onion
  • 1                                clove of garlic per piece of fish
  • 1                                sliced tomato
  • red and green bell peppers
  • clam juice
  • cucumber
  • parsley, chopped
  • thyme
  • cayenne (just a little)
  • parsley or cilantro to garnish
  • salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Rub fish with grated onion and garlic. Layer fish in a stew pot with sliced tomatoes, cucumber and red and green bell peppers. Let this stand for a few hours. Pour on bottled clam juice and sprinkle on chopped parsley. Cook until the fish is done. This an be done a day ahead. Re-heat carefully and do not overcook.

Serve in a shallow bowl and cooked brown rice that has grated carrot cooked in it. A chunk of boiled sweet potato on the side, garnish with fresh cilantro or parsley and offer hot sauce on the side.

NOTES : Well, this recipe has a lot of history. It came from a dear friend of ours on the island of Montserrat in the British West Indies. His name is Fitzroy and I don’t know what in the world has become of him. He prepared this fish stew for us, our family and friends many times. He even visited us in Michigan and prepared it for about 50 of our friends. It was a wonderful evening full of Caribbean spirit and what else?? Rum !!!

Recipe By :  Fitzroy

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SCALLOPED TOMATOES

Serves :   8

Ingredients

  • 12  - 16                            medium Tomatoes
  • 3                                      onions, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon                  fresh basil OR 1 teaspoon dried basil
  • butter
  • buttered bread crumbs
  • salt and pepper to taste

Peel tomatoes and cut out the cores. Then cut them in quarters. Peel and slice the onions and saute them in  3 tablespoons butter until transparent but not brown.

Butter the casserole dish, and put a layer of tomato quarters on the bottom. Top with part of the sliced onions, dot liberally with butter and sprinkle with salt and freshly ground pepper and some of the basil.

Repeat the layers until all the vegetables have been used. Top with a layer of bread crumbs that have been browned in plenty of butter.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 30 minutes or until the tomatoes and onions are thoroughly tender.

NOTES : This casserole can be prepared up to the baking part on the day before the brunch.

Recipe By :  Linda McBride

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SAUSAGE RING

Serves :     8-10                                         Preparation Time :

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 – 2 lbs                           bulk sausage pork
  • 3/4 cup                                   uncooked oats
  • 2/3 cup                                   peeled apple, chopped
  • 3/4 teaspoon                         salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon                          sage, crushed
  • 1/2 teaspoon                          basil, crushed
  • 1                                               egg
  • 2/3 cup                                   milk
  • 1 can                                        peach halves, drained
Combine all ingredients, not the peaches! Mix thoroughly. Place peach halves, cavity up in the bottom of an un-greased 6 cup ring mold. (I spray some Pam on the mold). Spoon sausage mixture over and between peaches, packing firmly.
Bake for one hour at 350 degrees, longer if necessary. Invert the mold on a shallow pan lined with paper towels. Do not unmold. Let stand until grease drains off. Turn sausage ring (still in mold) right side up and then invert and remove from mold onto serving dish. See notes!

NOTES : I have my own way of serving this recipe. First of all I never use the peach halves. Tried it and the ring looked icky. Ann uses the peaches and cooks this recipe in a Bundt pan, it turns out just fine. I always prepare this recipe the day before.

Follow all the above directions and then invert the ring onto an oven proof dish and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, melt a little peach or apricot preserve with a little juice and brush over the sausage ring. Reheat and serve. Fill the center of the ring with sauteed cherry tomatoes or scrambled eggs. (not necessary but looks nice). This dish freezes well. I prepare it for Jack often and cut the ring serving size pieces, wrap each piece in Saran wrap and fill a zip lock full of the individual servings and freeze. Whenever you want to, just microwave as many servings as you need.

Suggested Wine : Mimosas

Recipe By :  Linda McBride

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MUESLI

Ingredients

  • 2 cups                                  Steel cut oats
  • 3 cups                                  boiling water
  • 1 cup                                    total of raisins, dried cherries and dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup                                toasted almonds or toasted pecan pieces
  • 2 tablespoons                     light brown sugar
  • milk
  • yogurt
  • fresh fruit, like berries, peaches or what ever you like

In a heat proof bowl, mix oats with boiling water and let stand, covered for one hour. Stir in dried fruit and refrigerate overnight or up to a week. Stir in nuts and brown sugar.

To serve, pour 1/2 cup of milk in a bowl, put 1/2 cup of muesli over the milk and top with a little yogurt and fruit.

NOTES : This muesli grows on you as you eat it. It has the ‘crunch factor’ which comes from not cooking the oats. I served it as a side dish at a brunch. Piled in a glass bowl and I drizzled about a tablespoon of warmed honey on the top to give it some life.

Each gues may customize their own bowl of muesli, by providing bowls of fruit, additional toasted almonds, yogurt and a pitcher of milk near the big bowl of muesli.

The first time I served this dish, I also served bagels and lox. I presented the lox on a bed of butter lettuce, on a platter with sliced tomatoes, red onion and capers. Don’t forget the cream cheese and butter. Oh, Jack wanted eggs, so I prepared a herb frittata. Too much food for 6 people, but there was something for everyone. What I did not do was serve a pastry of coffee cake and next time, I would bake my mothers apple cake. Probably no one would want to eat it except Jack, but it makes the house smell great!

Recipe By : adapted from Food and Wine

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