Went ice fishing a week and a half ago up north - ended up getting an assist on catching a nice 22" Laker so my buddy gave me one of the fillets. I was very appreciative since I hadn't ever eaten Lake Trout and wanted to try it. A lot of people say that it has a strong, sort of muddy, oily taste but I found this Male (maybe thats the key) to be nothing but delicious cooked this way. People say that grilling them is a must, but my propane tank is frozen to my porch and dead empty, so I had to find another way. A way that didn't make the house smell bad and that my wife might actually eat it. So I did.
Let the fillet rest for ~1 week before eating it. When you take it out, rinse it with COLD water and trim any grey or brown fat/meat away from the fillet. I think these two steps are the most important for a flavor and smell that isn't over whelming.
Cut the fillet into strips about the size of chicken tenders.
Mix one part Corn Starch, one part Corn Meal in a bag or on a plate
Season to taste, I used Thyme, Cajun Seasoning (basically salt and pepper with different kinds of peppers), Onion Powder, Garlic Salt, Parsley, Smoked Paprika, and Crushed Red Peppers
Crack one egg in a round bottom bowl or on a plate and scramble, I mix a little chipotle tobasco into the eggs for the flavor not the heat. (You can use Milk if you don't want to use eggs, takes some of the fishy taste out of stronger meat... didn't need it with the LT)
Dip strips in egg so they're lightly coated
Either dredge in the flower on the plate or "shake and bake" in a bag, paper bag prefered.
Heat up oil in a pan. I like Peanut oil, but whatever you've got works. Butter and Olive oil burn at a low temperature so cook the food longer and make sure not to over heat the oil if you use those.
Pan fry approximately 3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Less for the thin (tail) end, more for the thick end.
Serve with BBQ sauce of choice or don't. They're good dry too.
My wife, who's very picky about her fish (and HATES salmon) absolutely loved these LT strips. Enough that she said she wouldn't mind if I brought more home to eat. The house smelled EXACTLY like I had just pan fried some chicken so no bad smell and I didn't have to melt the ice off of my porch to get my propane tank out so I could get it filled. Sorry, no photos... we ate it too fast.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Just Plain Good
I'm a pretty proud husband. My wife just finished her pre-reqs so she can continue on to get her masters degree in Occupational Therapy. The last class she had to take - Anatomy and Physiology II - was taken in an abbreviated time frame but without abbreviating the material. What's that mean? She took a full A&P course, while working full time and taking her first OT course, that is supposed to last 4 months, in just under 6 weeks. Not only did she complete it, but she did very well. This was cause for celebration.
We're not partiers, so we went out to dinner. We're also not people that like to have to get dressed up to go out or have some fancy french food on the menu that costs a ridiculous amount for a plate with a tiny amount of food. I don't need 3 pounds of cheap beef to make me feel better but more than 2oz of food total for 25 bucks is all I ask. We decided to stop at a bar/grill that has moved several times in its tenure in the area but seems to have settled into a good location just south of Lake George, NY.
Now, I normally don't do restaurant reviews because they're highly visit-based but the food at this place was so good (nevermind that they're open late) I really just had to do it. They're also locally owned but I don't think they're very well known by the locals (there are several other well known, good locally owned restaurants in the area, like Davidson Brothers, Sweet Basil, and Gourmet Cafe to name a few) so that's another reason I wanted to highlight this place.
It's called the Olde Post Grill and its located on RT. 9 just south of the village of Lake George, NY. It was very quiet the night we were there but the whole town was surprisingly quiet, really. I was immediately impressed by a decent selection of draft (draught) microbrews and also their tendency toward Irish fair and attitude. They even import some Irish candy that you just don't otherwise find in the states.
I was disappointed at their lack of local brewers choices (we have several very local brewerys, none of which were on their list) but still happy to see quite a few semi-local and other Microbrews listed. I ended up going with a traditional Irish Ale to match my Fish and Crisps dinner (correct for Ireland, by the way. Its fish and chips in England.) Since I'm Irish by marriage I typically like to eat like it when I'm out. Pronounce the beer name correctly. Its not Smith-wicks. Its Smitticks. Say it after me. Smitt-icks. Now that you know, NEVER mispronounce it.
We started with Irish Quesadilla's, a folded tortilla filled with Goat Cheese, Cheddar, Chicken, and Onions. Whatever they did to it - it was fantastic. Enough that instead of eating it all there, we saved half of it so we could have it the next day for lunch. My Fish and Crisps were pretty real. You had a choice of French Fries, Potato Chips (Traditional), or Cottage Cheese. I went with the Potato Chips and was pretty happy to find that they were made on premise. The Fish was 3/4 of a pound of Haddock Fillet Battered in a Bass Ale based batter. To top it off, they serve it with Malt Vinegar and Tar Tar Sauce that is mixed on site. Really, its a simple meal but my god, they actually did it right. No frozen, pre-battered fish substance, no packaged french fries, just real, good, food.
My wife got the Vermonter Sandwich and unfortunately, I can't remember everything that was on it. I think it was Grilled Chicken topped with Vermont Cheddar Cheese, Granny Smith Apple Slices, and sautéed onions. Hers was served with Sweet Potato fries and their in-house made Melba (raspberry) sauce.
On top of all that, they actually poured the beer correctly and it was served with the head barely cresting the top of the correct Imperial Pint glass.
It wasn't fine dining. It wasn't some place to go on your first date. It wasn't super cheap. It was good, correctly priced, locally run, and exactly what we needed after 6 hard weeks of work.
Oh, that Fish and Crisps dinner. It was huge, and I was stuffed... but Fish and Crisps don't keep well and I wasn't about to waste it.
Sorry for the poor quality photos. Like I said, restaurant reviews aren't my thing so I had to rely on my cell phone to do the job a camera should do.
We're not partiers, so we went out to dinner. We're also not people that like to have to get dressed up to go out or have some fancy french food on the menu that costs a ridiculous amount for a plate with a tiny amount of food. I don't need 3 pounds of cheap beef to make me feel better but more than 2oz of food total for 25 bucks is all I ask. We decided to stop at a bar/grill that has moved several times in its tenure in the area but seems to have settled into a good location just south of Lake George, NY.
Now, I normally don't do restaurant reviews because they're highly visit-based but the food at this place was so good (nevermind that they're open late) I really just had to do it. They're also locally owned but I don't think they're very well known by the locals (there are several other well known, good locally owned restaurants in the area, like Davidson Brothers, Sweet Basil, and Gourmet Cafe to name a few) so that's another reason I wanted to highlight this place.
It's called the Olde Post Grill and its located on RT. 9 just south of the village of Lake George, NY. It was very quiet the night we were there but the whole town was surprisingly quiet, really. I was immediately impressed by a decent selection of draft (draught) microbrews and also their tendency toward Irish fair and attitude. They even import some Irish candy that you just don't otherwise find in the states.
I was disappointed at their lack of local brewers choices (we have several very local brewerys, none of which were on their list) but still happy to see quite a few semi-local and other Microbrews listed. I ended up going with a traditional Irish Ale to match my Fish and Crisps dinner (correct for Ireland, by the way. Its fish and chips in England.) Since I'm Irish by marriage I typically like to eat like it when I'm out. Pronounce the beer name correctly. Its not Smith-wicks. Its Smitticks. Say it after me. Smitt-icks. Now that you know, NEVER mispronounce it.
We started with Irish Quesadilla's, a folded tortilla filled with Goat Cheese, Cheddar, Chicken, and Onions. Whatever they did to it - it was fantastic. Enough that instead of eating it all there, we saved half of it so we could have it the next day for lunch. My Fish and Crisps were pretty real. You had a choice of French Fries, Potato Chips (Traditional), or Cottage Cheese. I went with the Potato Chips and was pretty happy to find that they were made on premise. The Fish was 3/4 of a pound of Haddock Fillet Battered in a Bass Ale based batter. To top it off, they serve it with Malt Vinegar and Tar Tar Sauce that is mixed on site. Really, its a simple meal but my god, they actually did it right. No frozen, pre-battered fish substance, no packaged french fries, just real, good, food.
My wife got the Vermonter Sandwich and unfortunately, I can't remember everything that was on it. I think it was Grilled Chicken topped with Vermont Cheddar Cheese, Granny Smith Apple Slices, and sautéed onions. Hers was served with Sweet Potato fries and their in-house made Melba (raspberry) sauce.On top of all that, they actually poured the beer correctly and it was served with the head barely cresting the top of the correct Imperial Pint glass.
It wasn't fine dining. It wasn't some place to go on your first date. It wasn't super cheap. It was good, correctly priced, locally run, and exactly what we needed after 6 hard weeks of work.
Oh, that Fish and Crisps dinner. It was huge, and I was stuffed... but Fish and Crisps don't keep well and I wasn't about to waste it.
Sorry for the poor quality photos. Like I said, restaurant reviews aren't my thing so I had to rely on my cell phone to do the job a camera should do.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Sweet Steak with Quinoa Noodles and Fresh Green Beans
Some of you know that I'm a foodie. That means I like to eat. I also love to cook - this is what I made tonight and it was a big hit. For those that don't know, Quinoa noodles are Gluten Free and delicious (albeit a bit expensive).
Preheat grill to high heat and be prepared to scrub your grill afterwards.
Ingredients
1 steak, this one was about 1/2lb for two of us. Your favorite cut will do but I suggest something slightly thicker cut.
4oz of Quinoa noodles (elbows, rotini, doesn't matter)
Fresh Green Beans
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Smoked Paprika
Basil
Oregano
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder (garlic cloves are fine, I just didn't feel like chopping them up)
Brown Sugar
Take the steak out of the fridge about 30 minutes prior to cooking.
Mix the brown sugar, paprika, smoked paprika, basil, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. I don't measure, but use about equal amounts of the spices (adjust to your taste) and double the amount of sugar.
Rub the spice rub onto the steak - be sure to get all 4 sides if you use a thicker piece and make sure that it is coated nicely.
Bring the steak out to the grill and place over the heat. DO NOT TOUCH for about 6 minutes (for a 1" thick steak medium rare). Go inside and cook some more...
Put the Quinoa noodles into a small pot of boiling water and let them boil for about 6 minutes (coincidence?)
Place your fresh green beans (snap them ahead of time... that means taking the stems off the ends) into another pot of boiling water... for about 6 minutes.
About this point should be time to go flip your steak. What you'll notice is that your rub has turned into more of a glaze from the sugar melting - thats ok, and also why you'll need to scrub your grill afterwards. Flip the steak over and leave it alone for another 6-8 minutes. Really. I mean it. Go back inside.
Once your noodles and green beans have finished cooking, drain them both. Immediately plate the noodles with a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking.
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan. Once the oil is beginning to wrinkle (but before it smokes) carefully place the green beans into the pan. Quickly stir them around to coat them in the oil and allow to char slightly. This should only take a few minutes - don't burn them or the oil.
Set them aside but leave them in the pan so they stay warm. Go get your steak!
Bring it inside and cover it with aluminum foil. Don't have aluminum foil? a large bowl will do. Don't carve it, poke it, prod it... just leave it alone for about 10 minutes, 15 if its a larger piece of meat.
That's the hardest part because at this point, it probably smells delicious. Go out and scrub your grill while its still hot though - that will keep the sugar from becoming too gummy and clogging up your brush. You do have a copper, brass, or steel brush, right?
Go cut up your steak. Some people like to get all fancy and cut it on the bias (slanting) but always cut against the grain. This makes the meat more tender. Also, NOT cutting on the bias also makes the meat more tender, but its a balance between presentation and tenderness. I almost always cut without a bias but to each their own.
Serve as you like - I prefer like above. Before plating the steak itself, put the beans over the noodles and drizzle them both with a small amount of olive oil. Lightly salt the whole mess and layer your steak on top. There should be some of your glaze on the plate or cutting board that you carved the steak on - pour that over the stack of food and enjoy. You shouldn't even need a knife for the steak.
Enjoy, and let me know if you tried it.
Preheat grill to high heat and be prepared to scrub your grill afterwards.
Ingredients
1 steak, this one was about 1/2lb for two of us. Your favorite cut will do but I suggest something slightly thicker cut.
4oz of Quinoa noodles (elbows, rotini, doesn't matter)
Fresh Green Beans
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Smoked Paprika
Basil
Oregano
Chili Powder
Garlic Powder (garlic cloves are fine, I just didn't feel like chopping them up)
Brown Sugar
Take the steak out of the fridge about 30 minutes prior to cooking.
Mix the brown sugar, paprika, smoked paprika, basil, oregano, chili powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. I don't measure, but use about equal amounts of the spices (adjust to your taste) and double the amount of sugar.
Rub the spice rub onto the steak - be sure to get all 4 sides if you use a thicker piece and make sure that it is coated nicely.
Bring the steak out to the grill and place over the heat. DO NOT TOUCH for about 6 minutes (for a 1" thick steak medium rare). Go inside and cook some more...
Put the Quinoa noodles into a small pot of boiling water and let them boil for about 6 minutes (coincidence?)
Place your fresh green beans (snap them ahead of time... that means taking the stems off the ends) into another pot of boiling water... for about 6 minutes.
About this point should be time to go flip your steak. What you'll notice is that your rub has turned into more of a glaze from the sugar melting - thats ok, and also why you'll need to scrub your grill afterwards. Flip the steak over and leave it alone for another 6-8 minutes. Really. I mean it. Go back inside.
Once your noodles and green beans have finished cooking, drain them both. Immediately plate the noodles with a small amount of olive oil to prevent sticking.
Heat a small amount of olive oil in a frying pan. Once the oil is beginning to wrinkle (but before it smokes) carefully place the green beans into the pan. Quickly stir them around to coat them in the oil and allow to char slightly. This should only take a few minutes - don't burn them or the oil.
Set them aside but leave them in the pan so they stay warm. Go get your steak!
Bring it inside and cover it with aluminum foil. Don't have aluminum foil? a large bowl will do. Don't carve it, poke it, prod it... just leave it alone for about 10 minutes, 15 if its a larger piece of meat.
That's the hardest part because at this point, it probably smells delicious. Go out and scrub your grill while its still hot though - that will keep the sugar from becoming too gummy and clogging up your brush. You do have a copper, brass, or steel brush, right?
Go cut up your steak. Some people like to get all fancy and cut it on the bias (slanting) but always cut against the grain. This makes the meat more tender. Also, NOT cutting on the bias also makes the meat more tender, but its a balance between presentation and tenderness. I almost always cut without a bias but to each their own.
Serve as you like - I prefer like above. Before plating the steak itself, put the beans over the noodles and drizzle them both with a small amount of olive oil. Lightly salt the whole mess and layer your steak on top. There should be some of your glaze on the plate or cutting board that you carved the steak on - pour that over the stack of food and enjoy. You shouldn't even need a knife for the steak.
Enjoy, and let me know if you tried it.
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