Red Snapper Stew

From Sunset (Lane Publishing's) Cooking for Two or Just For You.

 This is one of the first recipes I ever cooked for myself that I would qualify as being a true gourmet dish. I have made this dish for over 45 years now. 

 

16 ozs red snapper, boned and skinned
1 bell pepper, green, seeded and cubed
1 whole onion, quartered and quartered
15 oz. can tomatoes, whole or diced
12 ozs. tomato juice
¼ cup wine, white, dry
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp salt
½ tsp oregano leaves
3 tbs olive oil

Instructions
Batterie de Cuisine: 3-4 quart pot, knife, garlic grater, small bowls for holding ingredients.
Prepare the fish by drying it with paper towels. Cut into 3/4 inch cubes. Put in a bowl and reserve. Cut the bell pepper along the stem side, remove the top (lid) and pull out the seeds from inside the bell pepper. If desired, using a vegetable peeler, skin the pepper. Cut the stem away from the meat and cut the remaining into dice. Cut the pepper into sections, then into 3/4 inch cubes. Skin the onion and remove the stem and root end, slicing 1/8 inch from each end. Cut the onion in half, from top to bottom. Lay the sides flat, cut in half again, turn around and cut again, making the onion sliced into eights.
Reserved the pepper and onion in a bowl. Peel and grate the garlic and put in a condiment or small cup. Add the 3 tablespoons of olive oil over the garlic. It is important that the garlic go first, or it will flow out in the next step, which is not wanted.
 

Heat the pot over medium low heat. When hot, pour the olive oil from the condiment cup, leaving behind the garlic for the moment. Raise the heat to medium high, add the onion and pepper cubes (pieces). Stir to coat the cubes with the oil. When they are coated, using a spatula or your finger, add the garlic and any remaining oil. Stir to mix the garlic into the vegetables. Sauce the vegetables for up to 8 minutes over medium high heat. The onions are to soften. You can cover the pot for a minute at a time to get some stem to help with the softening.

Next add the tomatoes (if whole) and break them up with a spoon. If using diced tomatoes, add them. Next add all the remaining ingredients, except the snapper. Over medium-high heat, bring the pot to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the fish. Cover and simmer 8 minutes longer until the fish is flaky and can be prodded with a fork.
 

Serve with crusty French bread (a baguette) and a lettuce salad. 

While any leftover can be eaten the next day, it never tastes quite as good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Potato Salad with Dijon Mustard, Horseradish and Dill

I cannot put up a picture of this dish. It does not look nice. But . . . ooooh! the taste.

2 pounds waxy potatoes
3/4 cup or more Miracle Whip (or mayonnaise)
1 bunch scallions, white only, minced
1 bell pepper, seeded, peeled somewhat and diced
3/4 cup finely chopped dill
4 tbs. Dijon mustard
2 to 3 tbs. horseradish (extra hot or not, your choice)
1/4 cup malt vinegar
1 fl. oz. dill pickle juice from a jar.
2 tsp. salt for the salad
1 tbs. salt for the 'tater boiling water
1/2 tsp. white pepper
6 hardboiled eggs, well chilled

The malt vinegar gave the 'taters a brown-ish cast. Not at all appetizing looking.

Using a sharp pin (I use a push pin) make a pinprick in the top (wide side) of each egg. Bring a pot of water to a boil that covers the 6 eggs by 2 inches. Add the eggs with a slotted spoon. Return the pot of water to a boil. Watch carefully. The moment the water returns, remove from the heat, cover and set a count down timer for 18 minutes. When done, remove the eggs with a slotted spoon run the eggs under a cold water bath (at the sink) for 5 minutes. Return the pot of still hot water to a boil. After the eggs have chilled for the 5 minutes, put the eggs back in the boiling water for 90 seconds. Again remove them to the cold water bath for another 5 minutes, whence crack the eggs under running water, put in a bowl and refrigerate overnight, covered. Alternatively, if you have cooked the eggs on the day you are making the salad, put the eggs in the freezer, having previously dried them individually in a paper towel. They won't be completely dry, but the moisture won't cause them to stick and break the whites, either.

Mix the malt vinegar, dill pickle liquid and salt in a cup. Allow to stand, reserved, to give time for the salt to dissolve.

Bring the 'taters to a boil in salted water, lower the flame to a simmer and cook them 25 minutes. Remove the 'taters with a slotted spoon and drain them in a colander so the skins dry. That takes but a minute or two.

In a large bowl, put one of the hot potatoes. Mash it with a potato masher and add the vinegar liquid. Stir well to make a puree. Add the remaining potatoes and mash them and stir it well to incorporate the vinegar into the rest of the mashed 'taters. Next, add the mayonnaise and stir well to mix thoroughly, add the mustard and horseradish and stir thoroughly to incorporate. Add the dill and white pepper, mix in thoroughly then add the scallions and bell pepper. Mix. Slice the eggs and decorate the top of the salad with them. Allow the bowl to sit on the counter until the bottom is cool to the hand, about 1 hour. (This is a judgment call, I don't put warm food in the refrigerator.)  Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Serve.

Goes well with barbecued meats and hamburgers.