rockfish Archives - Taste With The Eyes

Baked Yelloweye Rockfish with Artichoke Hearts

Baked Yelloweye Rockfish
🐟 🐟 🐟
Artichoke Hearts, Tomatoes, Olives
Served with Polenta

With its orange-red coloring and distinctive golden eyes, yelloweye rockfish is striking before it ever reaches the kitchen. Its appeal at the table is equally clear: mild, subtly sweet white flesh with a firm texture that yields tender flakes when cooked. Those qualities make it well suited to baking, whether simply seasoned or paired with a flavorful vegetable mixture.

Here, yelloweye rockfish bakes over artichoke hearts, cherry tomatoes, and Kalamata olives, with lemon and parsley to finish. The artichokes bring an earthy, gently nutty character, the tomatoes contribute sweetness and acidity, and the olives add a briny accent. The fish’s mild sweetness balances those savory ingredients, while its firm flesh holds together above the vegetables and their juices.

Served in a small bowl alongside the fish, the polenta is made with corn grits, a little cream, and Parmesan, then finished with a pat of butter, flaky salt, and freshly ground black pepper. Its soft texture and savory corn-and-cheese flavor offer a pleasing contrast between bites of fish and vegetables.

Yelloweye Rockfish

Baked Yelloweye Rockfish Recipe

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Hungarian Fish Soup with Rockfish (Halászlé-Inspired)

Hungarian Fish Soup with Rockfish
🇭🇺 🐟 🇭🇺

A while back, I shared Hungarian Chicken Soup with Farina Dumplings, called Grízgaluska. Now, another Hungarian-inspired soup joins the repertoire: a simple fish soup with a generous dose of paprika.

Halászlé, or Hungarian fisherman’s soup, has its roots along the Danube and Tisza rivers, where fishermen prepared it with freshwater fish such as carp and catfish. Onion, fish, and paprika form the foundation, with regional variations shaping the broth and preparation. This version takes a shortcut with prepared fish stock and uses yelloweye rockfish in place of the traditional river fish.

The paprika has a personal connection: my brother brought it back as a gift from a visit to Hungary. (Thanks, Don!) Packed in a little cloth bag decorated with red peppers, it is labeled csípős, the Hungarian word for hot. Here, equal amounts of sweet and hot Hungarian paprika give the broth its deep red color, full pepper flavor, and a welcome touch of heat. Paprika fans will find plenty to love.

Yelloweye rockfish has mild, firm white flesh that becomes tender and flaky when cooked. Gently simmered in the paprika broth, the cubes make a lovely centerpiece for this small batch of soup.

Partially blending the softened onion gives the broth body without cream or flour. The fish cooks in just a few minutes, and a splash of white wine vinegar balances the soup.

Rather than serving bread on the side, I top the soup with homemade Old Bay croutons. The classic seafood seasoning makes them a natural match for the fish, while the toasted bread adds crunch. With prepared stock on hand, the whole dish comes together in about 35 minutes.

Hungarian Fish Soup with Rockfish (Halászlé-Inspired)

Hungarian Fish Soup Recipe

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Blackened Rockfish, California Risotto

I have been a supporter of the James Beard Fellows Program which assists in the training and professional development for talented emerging chefs.

Each Fellow has a ten-week residency at the James Beard House in New York City where they receive hard skills training along with the opportunity to develop a meal kit that is available across the country.

This month, Philly native Chef Tonii Hicks developed a delicious-sounding menu of Sweet Potato Croquettes with Green Curry Sauce, Blackened Cod with Lima Bean Risotto, and Apple Butter Sticky Buns.

The meal kit can be ordered here now through September 13, 2022. The monthly Beard Box meal kit for two is shipped overnight. This month’s box will arrive on September 28, 2022. The portions are generous, and it is a delight to experience the emerging chefs’ creativity while supporting the James Beard Foundation.

Unfortunately, due to timing, I won’t be able to purchase the Beard Box this month. But that Blackened Cod with Lima Bean Risotto sounded just too awesome. So… I had to try my version of it right away with my Rockfish on hand. And it was fabulous. It was a harmony of beautiful colors, various textures, bold bright flavors. Thank you and brava, Chef Tonii! I am sure your Beard Box will be a huge success!

Blackened Rockfish, California Risotto Recipes

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Rockfish Tostadas (fresh, local, sustainable fish)

Rockfish Tostadas

Panko Crusted Pacific Rockfish Tostadas
with
Corn Tortillas, Avocado, Shredded Cabbage, Chile, Radish
Mexican Onion, Cilantro, Baja White Sauce, Lime

Rockfish are a wonderful clean-tasting fish with a firm texture and nice flakes when cooked. This fish stands up to many methods of cooking, but it is especially great when coated with panko breadcrumbs and sautéed to get that golden brown crispy crust with a steaming hot inside that is mild and flaky and muy delicioso.

Over 70 members of the rockfish family populate the Pacific Ocean from Alaska to Mexico with many species caught right here off the coast of California.

Pacific rockfish are sustainable and affordable at around $10 per pound compared to halibut at over $25 per pound!

Rockfish Tostadas Recipe

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Baked Yelloweye Rockfish 🐟 🐟 🐟 Artichoke Hearts, Tomatoes, Olives Served with Polenta