Valentine’s Romance with Bernie's Lobster Love Sauce

Friday, February 10th, 2012 | posted by mike

Valentine’s Day, to some, is just another Hallmark holiday. An awful lot of people though, make a really big deal of it. It’s the biggest day of the year for florists and the busiest restaurant day too. Corny or not, it is kind of nice to have any excuse to buy flowers, give a nice card or gift just to show that certain someone that you care. Taking your sweetie out for dinner is nice, but being the busiest restaurant night of the year, it can be a little hectic out there, maybe not too relaxing or romantic either.

What could be nicer than to stay home, put on some romantic music, light some candles and show some love straight from the heart- prepare a nice fish dinner! Now you don’t have to spend a lot of time and trouble to make a fantastic seafood meal. We have lots of easy recipes on this website, some of the fanciest are as easy as boiling water. Lobster, king crab legs and shrimp take minutes to prepare.

salmon en papillate with lobster sauceFor several years now we’ve been preparing a special Valentine’s oven ready salmon en papillote (wrapped in a parchment paper pouch) topped with our own Bernie Fritzsch’s creation- lobster love sauce! A decadent cream sauce with Maine lobster meat, red peppers, and shiitake mushrooms. It’s a sauce that you can make up the night before so on Valentine’s night you can have dinner on the table in less than 15 minutes (less cooking more romance)!

Here’s the recipe if you’d like to give it a go, or if you’d like to make things super simple, come down or call the market, we’ll be making papillotes to order all Valentine’s Day.

Posted in Blog | Comments Off
Tags: , , ,

Salmon en Papillote with Lobster Love Sauce

Friday, February 10th, 2012 | posted by mike

Serves 4

To make things really easy, let Monahan’s do all the work! We make these to order on Valentine’s Day!

4- 6 oz. center-cut salmon fillets

4 pieces of parchment paper approx. 12” x 16” (available at Monahan’s)

olive oil

For the Lobster Love Sauce

2 T butter

½ t minced garlic

1T minced shallot

½ C sliced shiitake mushrooms

1T sherry or white wine

½ C lobster stock or fish stock- available at Monahan’s

¼ C diced, roasted red pepper

½ C heavy cream

1T Reggiano Parmesan

1/3 lb. cooked lobster meat- fresh picked or thawed

salt + pepper to taste

chopped parsley- optional garnish

Melt butter in heavy saucepan, add garlic & shallots and sauté for 1 min. Add mushrooms & red pepper, sauté 5 min. then add sherry- cook for 2 min., add lobster or fish stock and cook until reduced by 1/3. Add heavy cream, cook another 5 min.- add lobster meat and parmesan, continue cooking for 2 min. Let rest for 5 minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste.

Fold parchment paper in half, then open on work surface. Lightly brush center of one side of parchment paper with olive oil. Place the salmon on top and spoon approximately 2 ounces of lobster love sauce over the top of salmon.

Follow these directions to fold the parchment.

Place the parchment-wrapped packet on baking sheet and bake in preheated 375º oven for 15 minutes. Place each packet on individual dinner plates and let your guests tear open the steaming parchment and breathe in the incredible aroma!

Your valentine will love you!

Posted in Recipes | 1 Comment »
Tags: , , ,

Cedar-Planked King Salmon

Thursday, May 26th, 2011 | posted by wendy

1 1/2–2 lbs. King Salmon fillet
untreated cedar plank (wide as the width of the salmon fillet
Irish Whiskey Maple Glaze

Soak plank by submerging in water for 2 hours. Preheat grill. Place salmon on the wet plank and baste with glaze. Cover with vented lid and baste occasionally for about 12-15 minutes until salmon is opaque in the center. No need to flip the fish. Serve salmon on the plank at the table.

Posted in Recipes | 2 Comments »
Tags: , , ,

Just Because You are Catholic Doesn't Mean You Have to Suffer During Lent

Friday, March 11th, 2011 | posted by mike

What does Lent mean to you?  To me, as a kid growing up as a good Congregationalist, all it meant was that I had to hear all my Catholic buddies complain about having to eat that nasty fish on Fridays.

Their moms would buy a nice (old ) piece of ocean perch (packed in Canada with some nice Tri-poly phosphates) or some week-old whitefish or maybe some delicious old Turbot from Greenland, shipped frozen and thawed for god knows how long. Getting ready to prepare dinner they would open that wrapper and Mom would say, “WHOA! that does smell a little “fishy” doesn’t it? I think thats normal but just in case I’ll make sure it’s cooked well done.”  This explains why a lot of Catholics hate fish, they grew up on less than fresh fish with the hell cooked out of it.

Consider this reminiscence from our friend, Detroiter Brian Cleary:

…my brothers and I lived in dread of Fridays generally but Lent was the time of really exquisite suffering. Catholics are encouraged during that season to “give something up,” the assumption being that that “something” be something one enjoyed. However when I suggested to my mother that I had chosen to give up her scrumptious salmon patties just liberated out of World War II surplus tins and cooked until they had achieved the consistency of Scottish shortbread, she nixed the idea out of hand. It seems she considered our family menu her personal baliwick and a thing not to be questioned. Render unto Jesus the things that are his to be decided, etc. So it was back, with regret, to one’s after-all somewhat short list of enjoyments.

Well into my thirties I remained deeply puzzled by reports I was receiving, with a frequency that increased apace with the growing success of Monahan’s Seafood, testifying to the fabulous excellence of salmon. People having reached the age of majority actually eat that stuff? I marvelled. We live and learn—thanks Mike, for leading us out of the desert and into the Promised Land…

Back in the early days at our fish market, in the 80′s, I remember that the Lenten season was supposed to be a time of huge fish sales. Supermarket fish, frozen fish sticks and Friday night fish frys were big, but our higher-end more expensive fish didn’t fly for most folks. I really think that for many Catholics, eating fish during lent was looked at as more of a “duty” than of something special that should truly be enjoyed. Thankfully over time, many of us—including Catholics—have learned to have  higher expectations of quality in their fresh fish. Now the healthfulness, flavor, seasonality, goodness and pleasure of a nice fish dinner is something to celebrate instead of dread. This week, we’re sharing an updated recipe for the dreaded salmon patty, we think even Brian will like this one!

Posted in Blog | 4 Comments »
Tags: ,

Updated Lenten Salmon Cakes (with Baby Green Salad)

Friday, March 11th, 2011 | posted by wendy

If you read Brian Cleary’s reminiscence of the Lent of his youth, you may appreciate this update on the old-school classic. This one is served over mixed greens with a mustard-dill mayo and serves 4.

  • 1 lb. Skinless boneless cooked salmon fillets
  • 2T purple onion finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 T capers
  • 1 cup panko crumbs (for coating cakes)
  • 2 t honey cup mustard
  • 1 t dijon mustard
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 2 T fresh dill finely chopped
  • 1t old bay seasoning
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1/4 cup panko crumbs (to mix into the salmon cakes)
  • 4 T olive oil for frying

For the mayo

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 t Dijon mustard
  • 2 t honey cup mustard
  • 2t lemon juice
  • 1 T fresh chopped dill

Vinaigrette for the greens

  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/8 cup rice vinegar
  • Juice of 1/2 a lemon
  • 1 T fresh chopped dill
  • 1 T coarse grainy mustard

Preheat oven to 375°. Put aside 1 egg beaten, 1 cup panko crumbs and oil for frying.

In mixing bowl flake salmon in 2-3 inch pieces gently with the rest of the ingredients. Make 8 cakes then dip them in the egg wash and coat with panko crumbs. Heat oven proof skillet over med-high, then add the oil. When oil is sizzling hot, add cakes and brown about 2 min. a side. Pop the pan in the oven for another 4 to 5 minutes to finish. Toss greens in vinaigrette, plate the salad and serve salmon cake on top of the greens with a dollop of mustard dill mayo on top.

Posted in Recipes | 1 Comment »
Tags: , ,

Grilling on "The Big Green Egg" at Downtown Home & Garden

Friday, July 16th, 2010 | posted by mike

Our joint grilling demo last Sunday at Downtown Home & Garden was fantastic! A beautiful day on the sidewalk on lovely Ashley Street in front of one of Ann Arbor’s coolest businesses, grilling some of our seafood favorites on The Big Green Egg. I was a bit nervous about doing a demo on a grill that I’ve never used before, but owner, Mark Hodesh assured me that there is nothing to it. And he was right!

This grill is amazing. It’s based on an ancient Asian clay oven kiln like a tandori…thick ceramic that holds in the heat and keeps a steady and easily adjusted temperature. A small amount of natural charcoal keeps heat for many hours because the grill is so thick and well-sealed. Mark started the grill at 9am and it kept a steady temp until 1:30.

Everything that we demonstrated and sampled came out great (and we cooked a big variety). Sardines with course salt & olive oil, barbequed oysters, squid satay with Thai peanut sauce, warm grilled octopus salad, mackerel teriyaki, cedar planked salmon with Irish whiskey maple glaze, swordfish with rosemary-orange marinade, and an herb-wrapped and stuffed whole black sea bass.

We were kickin’ em out and everyone really seemed to enjoy the flavors and learned how easy seafood on the grill can be. The Big Green Egg really impressed everyone too—it was a pleasure to use it and it achieved great results.

One recipe that really seemed to resonate with the crowd was the grilled mackerel. So many people expect the dark fatty little fillets to be too full-flavored or even “fishy.” While mackerel has a good amount of flavor, when it’s been filleted off the bone like we do here at the fishmarket, it’s a rich and buttery fish that holds up to flavorful sauces, rubs and marinade. It’s also inexpensive and sustainable and loaded with the miracle fats, Omega 3s. We used a teriyaki marinade, glazed the fish as it grilled with a teriyaki reduction, and garnished with some scallions and it was a hit! Mackerel is also fantastic with our Cajun rub and a kiwi-citrus glaze or a tomato-caper-balsamic relish…maybe even sweet Swedish mustard dill sauce and grilled new potatoes…the list goes on for this versatile fish, so ask us at the market if you want to try something new!

Big thanks to Mark Hodesh, Margaret Parker and the staff at Downtown Home & Garden for another fun event!

Posted in Blog | 2 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Grilled Sword Kabobs with Monahan's Teriyaki Marinade

Friday, July 9th, 2010 | posted by wendy

Whisk together and enjoy! This is great on everything from sword to salmon, kingfish, tuna, shrimp, bluefish…anything with a robust flavor. Simply grill the kabobs a few minutes per side on the grill after marinating in teriyaki. Baste while cooking!

1/2 c low-sodium (light) soy sauce
2 T sugar
3 T rice wine vinegar
1.5 t grated fresh ginger
2 cloves minced garlic
1 T sesame oil
1 t hoisin sauce

Posted in Recipes | 2 Comments »
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

The WHOLE Fish (and nothing but the fish)

Thursday, June 17th, 2010 | posted by Monahan's

Ever prepare a whole grilled bronzini or a whole steamed walleye or black sea bass with ginger garlic scallions and maybe some black bean sauce? How about a whole baked snapper Vera Cruz with the famous tomato, green chili sauce or grilled orata stuffed with fennel? Ever taste the sweet, succulence of a whole grilled sardine with coarse salt and a good olive oil, or laid out a whole poached salmon served at room temperature with a cucumber yogurt dill sauce? Would you like to mix up the flavor and textures of a grilled trout with lemons, herbs and wrapped in pancetta? Have you experienced the satisfaction of whacking a whole salt-encrusted roasted bluefish and savored the moist richness trapped inside?

VIDEO: How to Roast a WHOLE Bluefish in Salt.

Pablo Picasso photographed by David Douglas Duncan

Many of us have “bone phobia” and wouldn’t dream of attempting to prepare the whole fish at home, but a little practice with a butter knife or a spoon and soon you’ll see that the fish will almost fillet itself as you gently slide the meat off the bone. If you pull the fins off the small bones under the fins will follow. The rib bones can be a little tricky but just take your time and the meat between them will be worth the effort.

Here are just a few advantages of serving the whole fish:

Flavor. Ever notice the extra flavor of a whole chicken that comes with roasting along with the fat in the bones and skin? It’s the same for fish.

Value. There’s more to a fish than just the two fillets! The head with the cheeks and collar have lots of extra meat.

Health. The fat in fish is where all the good stuff is. The head and belly are the richest parts of the fish—containing the most goodness, flavor and healthful Omega 3 fats. The bones of small whole fish such as smelt, sardine and anchovies are full of calcium.

Beauty. There’s nothing more beautiful or aesthetically pleasing than a simply garnished and perfectly presented whole fish on a platter.

The Ritual. The process of serving and eating the whole fish is like a special celebration. It forces you to take your time and appreciate, enjoy and savor every part of the fish.

Variety of Flavor & Textures. In China, the lady of the house is often served the cheeks because it really is the best part—firm textured, almost like a scallop. All the meat around the head has lots of flavor and texture going on. There is a nice chunk of firm (often darker) meat under the pectoral fin. The belly is always rich and you can work you way back to the leaner tail section.

At Monahan’s we’re always offering our customers lots of whole fish with recipes and ideas for every cooking method. Whether you’ve been eating fish off the bone your whole life or you’re a novice who wants to enhance your quality of life, we’ve got a fish for you. Come in and we’ll make it easy. We’ll even cook up a whole fish out of the case and serve it on a platter for lunch.

See you at the market!

Posted in Blog | 1 Comment »
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Oh Yeah! Wild Pacific Salmon Season is HERE!

Friday, May 21st, 2010 | posted by mike

May is a great month if you’re a salmon lover! We’ve had King (Chinook) Salmon from the Columbia River in Washington and from Sitka Alaska for about a month now and they have been awesome! Super fresh with a great color and high fat content.

The world famous Alaskan Copper River Season opened on May 13 this year. These fish are some of the finest, richest, most delicious salmon in the world. Because of their long spawning run (up to 300 miles) these fish fatten up for the trip, giving them great flavor, succulent texture and lots of omega 3s.

The Copper River Sockeye salmon will be running also and we’ll expect to see them within the next couple of weeks. Sockeyes have the super red fillet and are prized by the Japanese. They’re probably the most flavorful of all the Pacific Salmon—leaner than the Kings but the Copper River run will be the richest Sockeye of the season. After the sockeye run we’ll see Cohos (Silvers) from Washington to Alaska. The Cohos are a bit milder than Kings or Sockeyes…kind of like a smaller and more delicate King.

There are two more commercial Pacific salmon—the Chum and the Pink Salmon. The Pinks are small with a soft and very perishable flesh. Super fresh Pinks are good eating but most of them go the the cannery and we rarely see them. Chums are also known as Dog Salmon (because they feed them to the mush dog) and are not as highly regarded as the other species of salmon. They are generally leaner and aren’t as bright in color as the other salmons. However, the last couple of years have brought us a new treat—rich, fat, flavorful Chums from the Yukon River. The Yukon had been closed for commercial fishing for the past 30 years to protect the fish stocks. It’s the longest river in Alaska (2,300 miles) and the Yukon Chums have a fat content on par with the Kings. They are delicious and a great value.

I know you’ve heard the word “fat” a lot in this post, but remember the fat we’re talking about is the GOOD fat—unsaturated, high omega fat with all its amazing health benefits. Omega-3s are not one single nutrient, but a collection of several, including eicosapentaenic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA). Both are found in greatest abundance in coldwater fish—and that, say experts, is one reason so many of us are deficient. So enjoy LOTS of wild salmon this summer. It’s hard to believe that something so rich and delicious is so good for you!

Posted in Blog | Comments Off
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Salmon Quesadillas

Tuesday, April 20th, 2010 | posted by wendy

•    4 flour tortillas
•    1/4 lb. goat cheese
•    1/4 c sour cream
•    1/2 c diced, seeded tomatoes
•    2 t capers (drained)
•    1 1/2 t snipped fresh chives
•    1 1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
•    freshly ground black pepper
•    1/4 lb. smoked salmon

Place two tortillas on a work surface and sprinkle them evenly with half of the cheese. Slather 1 T of the sour cream over each. Scatter the tomatoes, capers, chives, lemon zest and pepper evenly over each. Arrange the salmon over top. Cover with remaining cheese and sour cream. Place a second tortilla over each and press down with the palm of your hand.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Using a spatula, cook each side about 3-4 minutes, until cheese melts. Cut each quesadilla into quarters. Serve hot with a bowl of Pico De Gallo.

Posted in Recipes | Comments Off
Tags: , ,