Cod with Lemon Marmalata

Fried cod with lemon jam (or marmalata). The lemon jam is extremely easy to prepare, and adds just the right amount of fresh zing to the fried fish. It is great served with most seafood as an alternative condiment to the usual tartar sauce. The cod was simply dipped in buttermilk, rolled in seasoned white rice flour, and fried for around 4 minutes per side in oil and butter, until golden brown. The marmalata was made using Meyer lemons, which are naturally sweeter than conventional, true lemons. If you don't have Meyer lemons available, you can add a bit of honey, to taste. Use one lemon for approximately 1.5 pounds of fish. See also Trout almost Amandine with Pistachios.

Ingredients:

1 lb Fresh Cod Loin; deboned
buttermilk
seasoned white rice flour (TO DREDGE)

One lemon, preferably Meyer, washed 1/8 cup extra-virgin olive oil
pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
honey, to taste (optional)

Preparation:

1. The cod is simply dipped in buttermilk, rolled in seasoned white rice flour, and fried for around 4 minutes per side in oil and butter, until golden brown.
2. For the marmalata, remove the stem end of the lemon and cut it into chunks. Remove seeds. Place the lemon chunks, peel and all, in a small food processor or blender. Combine with olive oil and red pepper flakes. Pulse until the texture is similar to relish. Adjust flavor with honey, if needed to reduce acidity.
3. Serve with cod or any other seafood.

Fried Soft-Shell Crabs with Ramps

Serves 4

Buy your soft-shell crabs from a reputable fish monger. Myrtle Beach in South Carolina has good places for crabs.. When you buy soft-shell crabs they shouldn't be moving around. Their backs should feel soft, like a baby's bottom. They are excellent soft-shells fried, as they are here, or grilled. Sautéed they too often come out oily.

Ingredients

8 medium or 10 small young ramps
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups Wondra
1 cup cornstarch
1 cup whole milk
8 small to medium soft-shell crabs, cleaned by your fishmonger
1 lemon, thinly sliced

Sherry Vinaigrette (see below)

Instructions

Clean the ramps by cutting off the root ends, and cutting away the top leaves, leaving just a bit of green. Rinse under cool running water and then dry. Cut them into 1/4-inch pieces.

Heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil in a straight-sided sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the garlic and ramps and sauté until the ramps are tender, 3 to 5 minutes (the cooking time will increase as ramp season progresses and they grow firmer). Use a slotted spoon to transfer the ramps to a bowl, and season with salt and pepper; keep warm. Discard the garlic and the oil.

In a wide shallow bowl, combine the flour with the cornstarch and season with 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Place the milk in another shallow bowl.

Wipe the sauté pan clean with a paper towel. Add the 1/2 cup oil and heat over a medium-high flame until very hot.

Dip the crabs into the milk, and then dredge lightly in the flour mixture. Shake off the excess flour, and then repeat: soak in the milk, dredge in the flour, shake. Repeat with the lemon slices. Place the crabs in the sauté pan, top side down, along with the lemon slices—they should sizzle. Cook the crabs until they are golden brown, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the cooked crabs to a paper-towel-lined plate to cool, and season immediately with a sprinkling of salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Set out four serving plates. Drizzle the vinaigrette around each plate and place two crabs, some ramps, and a few lemon slices on each. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

Sherry Vinaigrette

Makes 3/4 cup

3 tablespoons sherry-wine vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 1/4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the sherry vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, salt, and pepper. Add the olive oil in a slow, steady stream while whisking until emulsified. The dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated; whisk before serving.

Trout almost Amandine with Pistachios