18 days till Christmas...EAT THIS!! Parmesean Fish Sticks

  Holy COW!!!  18 days till Christmas!!!  Are we there yet??? Still no cards bought, no presents bought, no wrapping paper, no tree, no lights....am I stressed???  How much wine do we have??? (hopefully no on has noticed no post yesterday... my laptop needed a time out... so it froze... for HOURS...I was in high PANIC mode... but the tech gods looked down on me and took pity..it unfroze, I did a system restore...and other stuff I had no idea I was doing... and VOILA!!!  I'm back.......   

 

 

 

Salmon Fish Sticks

 

1 (18-ounce) center-cut salmon fillet, about 9 by 4 inches, skinned

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3 egg whites

1 cup grated Parmesan

1 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Olive Oil for drizzling

 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Rinse the salmon fillet and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the fish in half to make 2 fillets each about 4 by 4 1/2-inches in size. Starting on the longest edge, slice the fillets into 1/2-inch pieces. Lay the widest pieces, from the center, cut side down, and slice in half lengthways so all the pieces are equally about 1/2 by 1/2 by 4 1/2-inches in size.

Place the flour in a medium bowl and season with the salt and pepper. Place the egg whites in another bowl and beat until frothy, about 30 seconds. Combine the Parmesan and bread crumbs in a third bowl.

 

Coat the salmon pieces in the seasoned flour and pat to remove any excess flour. Dip the floured salmon in the egg whites and then into the Parmesan mixture, gently pressing the mixture into the fish. Place the breaded salmon pieces on a liberally oiled baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

Note: you can pan fry the fish in olive oil or vegetable oil, for about 1 minute per side. Also, you can substitute with Tilapia or Cod, for milder tasting fish.

 

Note: The fish sticks can be dipped in ketchup, marinara sauce, pesto, ranch dressing or vinaigrette .

 

serve with some nice risotto

 

While fish is cooking make Risotto

 

The Rules of Risotto

 

Arborio rice is traditionally used for risotto because of its high starch content, which produces the creamy texture of the dish. Regular short-grain and medium-grain rice may be substituted in a pinch, but for best results always look for imported Italian Arborio. (Check the rice aisle in your local supermarket; Arborio is often sold with other specialty rices.) Do not rinse risotto rice before cooking because you’ll wash off the starch.

 

 

Portobello-Spinach Risotto

 

1/2 cup finely chopped sweet onion

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 cup uncooked Arborio rice (short-grain)

2 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 to 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth

Salt and pepper to taste

1 (8-oz.) package sliced baby portobello mushrooms

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 cups firmly packed fresh spinach

 

1. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a medium-size microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH 3 minutes. Stir in rice, and microwave at HIGH 2 minutes.

 

2. Stir in 2 3/4 cups broth and 1/4 cup wine. Cover tightly with plastic wrap. (Do not vent). Microwave at HIGH 9 minutes. Carefully swirl bowl without uncovering (to incorporate the mixture), and microwave at HIGH 8 minutes. Carefully remove and discard plastic wrap. Stir in cheese and 1/4 cup chicken broth, stirring 30 seconds to 1 minute or until creamy. Add 1/4 cup additional broth, 1 Tbsp. at a time, if necessary, for desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Meanwhile, sauté portobello mushrooms in hot olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat 6 minutes or until tender. Stir in spinach, and cook 1 minute or until wilted. Stir mushroom mixture into prepared risotto. Serve immediately.
Note: For testing purposes only, we used Rice Select Risotto Italian-Style Rice, an 1,100-watt microwave oven, and a 2 1/2-liter glass bowl. We found that self-sealing plastic wraps, such as GLAD Press'n Seal, do not work in this application


or easier still...some store bought coleslaw!!!