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Perfect Baked Fish Fillets

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Sometimes you just want perfect baked fish fillets… here’s how to do it.

Perfect Baked Fish Fillets

Since we moved into our new apartment I haven’t been cooking much fish. This is a hardship for me because I truly love seafood. But the first time I made fish here, the smell lingered for days. It was so bad that I couldn’t imagine how to fix this, so I ignored the issue and just didn’t cook it here again.

This week I decided, enough is enough… I really want my fish! Not only did I make this recipe once, but I made a version of it 3 times. Not only didn’t it smell bad, but I was able to perfect the recipe.

I learned a few things about myself: One is that sometimes I can be not too bright — it turns out the reason the seafood smelled so badly the first time was that it was Thanksgiving, and I cooked a huge platter of many different kinds of seafoods for a ton of people. Any person using her brain would have realized you can’t cook 10 pounds of seafood in a small apartment without some lingering smell! The second thing I learned is that I really do like my fish cooked simply. Simple flavors and simple cooking methods. I made this fish first with lots of awesome aromatics and spices… it seemed like it was going to be great… but, all I could taste were the spices, not the fish. By the time I finished perfecting this perfect baked fish fillets recipe, it was cooked so simply that the freshness of the delicious fish was able to shine and I was able to top it with some awesome fresh garnishes that really made it look and taste great.

Sometimes it takes a few mistakes to get things right. And, these were some happy (OK, maybe not happy, but not so bad) mistakes.

This fish is ever so slightly crusted with a mixture that keeps the inside moist and tasty and gives a great texture to the outside of the fillets. It is so easy to make that it’s perfect for a weeknight meal, and it’s versatile enough that you can garnish it with whatever makes you smile.

By the way, here’s the recipe that made my house smell: Seafood Salad With Garlic Oil.  I’m giving it to you because it’s so delicious, and I promise that if you are not making as much as I had to make for Thanksgiving, it won’t linger in your house!

Perfect Baked Fish Fillets

Perfect Baked Fish Fillets

Why is this so good for you… let me count the ways:

Fish is great to eat if you feel like you need more energy. It’s also helps with diarrhea and hemorrhoids. I used cod for this recipe, but almost any fish would be delicious with this preparation and creamy mustard sauce. Red Snapper, like many fish varieties, is good for the cardiovascular system; it helps protect against heart attacks and strokes and can help regulate blood pressure.  It’s also very low in calories… so have a nice big piece!

Turmeric is actually a Chinese herb (Jiang Huang). It is great for reducing inflammation throughout the body. If you suffer from aches and pains in your joints, try turmeric. It can help relieve menstrual pain and some other abdominal pains but, if you are pregnant, ask your doctor before you eat too much turmeric.

Tapioca is a starch that comes from the cassava plant. It’s not really a flour in the traditional sense; it’s grain and gluten free. It’s good for your circulation and your digestion. Oftentimes I will make recipes with tapioca flour — it seems to crisp things up well — it certainly works well on this fish.

Perfect Baked Fish Fillets

Perfect Baked Fish Fillets
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Recipe type: seafood, fish
Cuisine: American, Asian
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 2
These really are the perfect baked fish fillets. They are very slightly crusted giving them a great texture and juiciness. They are simple enough to make for a weeknight dinner and they are so healthy!
Ingredients
  • ¾ lb red snapper fillets (or whatever white-fleshed fish you like), cut into 4 pieces
  • ¼ cup tapioca flour
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • ½ tsp chili powder
  • ½ tsp turmeric
  • 1 hot red pepper, sliced for garnish
  • 2 scallions, sliced, for garnish
  • lemon slices, for garnish
Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F convection setting, or 425°F regular bake setting.
  2. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Place a rack on top of the sheet.
  3. Season the fish with salt and pepper.
  4. Place the tapioca flour in a shallow dish or pie plate. Season the flour generously with salt and pepper. Stir in the chili powder and turmeric.
  5. Coat each piece of fish in the flour mixture, shaking off the excess.
  6. Place each coated fillet on the rack that's on top of your baking sheet.
  7. Place in the oven and bake for about 22 minutes, or until cooked through.
  8. (Note: mine took 22 minutes on the convections setting. All ovens cook differently, so check yours often; if you are using the regular bake setting it may take a little longer, depending on the thickness of your fish.)

 

Perfect Baked Fish Fillets

Seafood Salad With Garlic And Oil

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I make a huge platter of this seafood salad with garlic and oil for every holiday!

Seafood Salad With Garlic Oil-9738

Ok, so it’s that time of the year when I always feel full. There’s just soooooooo much food everywhere! I’m not complaining; it’s one of the things I love best about the holiday season, BUT I’m like an addict and I. Can’t. Stop. Eating.

This simple seafood salad with garlic and oil is my antidote to all of that heavy food.

It’s so light and clean and satisfying and it feels just a little bit fancy…

Ok, I’m going to fess up here… I actually made a HUGE platter of this and served it at Thanksgiving alongside the turkey and sides. It may not be traditional, but it was goooooood. And, everyone ate it… even the doubters who thought this was too much of a break from tradition… and, because it’s a cold salad, it made for the best leftovers — which was my master plan all along. Having leftovers that are not heavy is a great thing.

One of the greatest things to do with leftover seafood, is to make a lettuce or cabbage wrap with them. These Smoky Shrimp Cabbage Leaf Wraps are awesome and will take you only a few minutes to prepare!

I make this dish a lot. It’s great for a dinner party. Or brunch. Or… just because. And, it’s adaptable to whatever seafood looks freshest when you are at the fish market.

This time, I used a ton of shrimp and squid. I was happy to be able to buy the shrimp already deveined and the squid was already cleaned so all I had to do was slice it…

Seafood Salad With Garlic And Oil
Seafood Salad With Garlic And Oil

Not only is this seafood salad delicious and refreshing, but it is really good for you:

Clams, aside from being a favorite of mine, are one of the most nutritious foods around. Anytime you steam clams, make sure you also use the steaming liquid in a sauce of some kind because the water soaks up the benefits of the clam shells. These shells are a Chinese herb (Ge Ke) that’s used to clear phlegm and neutralize stomach acid. They are the “tums” of Chinese herbs and are also good for some coughs and wheezing.

In Chinese medicine, scallops are considered to have some great health benefits. They are great for people who find that they are urinating too often at night and they are also great for the digestion; they are especially good at relieving bloating, constipation, and excessive belching.

Some people used to stay away from shrimp because they were afraid that eating them raised cholesterol levels. Now, research shows that shrimp actually can lower triglycerides because they are rich in Omega-3s. And, they are high in protein and low in calories, so really, they are a pretty good thing. Squid contains lots of great vitamins and minerals, so add that to the shrimp and you are on your way to a healthy meal.

Also, whenever I cook anything in boiling water, I like to add some Chinese herbs for whatever conditions I feel need help at the time. One of my favorites is Huang Qi (Astragalus). It is great for an over-all strengthening of the body and it’s energy. So, when I’m cooking all of this seafood, I keep removing each item as it’s done with a slotted spoon and I keep the water for the next item. The herbs infuse their healing power into each seafood, so it’s a great thing.

Celery actually helps stop bleeding — so if you or anyone you know has just had surgery, start adding celery to your dishes! Celery is also great to help lower blood pressure and it’s been known to help with insomnia.

Garlic is amazing in its antiviral and antibacterial capabilities. Garlic is actually a Chinese herb (Da Suan). It’s used to kill toxins and parasites and also to reduce swelling in the body. It’s what I call a great “A” herb: anesthetic, antibacterial, anti fungal, antioxidant, antiviral, etc….

Seafood Salad With Garlic And Oil

 

Seafood Salad With Garlic And Oil
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Recipe type: seafood, salad
Author:
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
This is a perfect dish for entertaining, but it's easy enough to make anytime. It's clean, fresh, and delicious, and it will keep you healthy!
Ingredients
  • 1 Tbs white vinegar
  • sea salt
  • 2 sticks of Huang Qi (Astragalus), if using
  • 2 lb large shrimp, deveined, but tails left on
  • 1-1/2 lb squid, cleaned and bodies sliced into rings (cut up tentacles if you like them)
  • 1 lb sea scallops, halved if very large
  • 2 dozen little neck clams, scrubbed well
  • 8 ribs of celery, chopped
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 whole head of garlic, cloves minced
  • dried hot red pepper flakes, to taste (optional)
Instructions
  1. Fill a big pot with water. Add vinegar and a handful of salt and Huang Qi (optional) and bring to a boil.
  2. Add the shrimp and cook just until done, about 3 minutes. Transfer the cooked shrimp to a bowl using a slotted spoon.
  3. Bring the water back to a boil and add the squid. Cook until done, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with a slotted spoon.
  4. Bring the water back to a boil and add the scallops. Cook until done, about 5 minutes. Transfer these in the same manner.
  5. Pour most of the water out of the pot, leaving about 2 inches of water in the pot. Add the clams gently, trying to keep them in a single layer. Cover the pot and let the clams cook until the shells are opened, about 10 minutes. Discard any clams that do not open. Drain and transfer to the bowl with the rest of the seafood.
  6. Add the celery and onion to the seafood.
  7. The seafood can now be covered and stored in the refrigerator if you are not planning on serving it right away (I often make this the day before).
  8. Heat the oil in a small pot. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and simmer, stirring occasionally, just until the garlic starts to brown, being careful not to let it burn.
  9. When you are ready to serve the seafood, drizzle the oil all over the top. Enjoy!