Walnut and Parmesan Crusted Sole

It has taken me way too long to share this recipe with you all. Please forgive me. The road trip to Chicago ate all of my time. Amen.

This Walnut and Parmesan Crusted Sole was inspired by one of my friend's favorite meals at Macaroni Grill. Every time we go we order a huge jug of wine, lots of rosemary bread, and he starts salivating as he tells the server his plans to eat their Crusted Sole. When it arrives we don't hear a peep out of him until he has licked his plate clean. 
 
After a jug of wine it's amazing what you'll do in public.

The bliss that he achieves through this meal seemed like a great challenge. I set out to recreate that same mouthwatering-plate-licking-goodness. 
 

I poked around, played with a few recipes and then of course 'hot messed' things a bit and added some of my favorite ingredients: walnuts, artichoke hearts, wine, and capers. 

What we ended up with was nothing short of plate licking. There was nothing left and I made the beurre blanc sauce with such furry that I barely got a picture. Please forgive my feverishness, but let's see you try to stop and take photos when your guests are hovering like starving grizzly bears. It got pretty scary during the last moments.
 

But the result was nothing short of crisp buttery fish with a river of salty sweet smooth white sauce. We used crusty Italian bread to soak up any leftover sauce. 

We also served it with Pesto Pasta with Zucchini Ribbons. The pair was perfection. No one spoke during the whole meal. All I heard were the soft slirps of wine, scraping of forks, and the soft moaning of pleasure and hunger satisfied.

That's what makes me happy.

Special Note: If you are worried about the higher fat content, you can also bake this fish rather than frying it in butter and oil. This will save you about 70 calories and 8 grams of fat per serving. Just heat oven to 375 degrees and bake for 20-23 minutes flipping once after 10 minutes!


And believe it or not, this recipe saves 1,000 calories over the Macaroni Grill favorite and has also 20 less grams of fat than the restaurant inspiration! So dig in. Bake it and you save even more!

Now on with the crispy sweet flaky delicious recipe!

Walnut and Parmesan Crusted Sole

1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour 

1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder

1/2 tsp. Chili Powder

4 Sole Fillets - 4-6 Ounces Each

2 Eggs

1/4 Cup Fat Free Half and Half

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Black Pepper

1/2 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/2 Cup Walnuts

2 Tbsp. Milled Flax Seed

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Salted Butter

1 Cup Artichoke White Wine Beurre Blanc (See recipe below)

1. Special Note: If you are planning to bake the fish, preheat the oven to 375 now. Place three medium sized deep bowls on the counter. Combine the whole wheat flour, garlic, and chili powder. Stir together with a fork. In the next bowl, crack two eggs into one bowl and add the half and half. Whisk together with a fork and season with a pinch of salt and black pepper. 

 3. In a food processor blend the walnuts and place them in the last bowl with the Parmesan cheese and stir together with a fork.

4. Heat a large skillet with the butter and olive oil until the butter is melted and if you flick water into the pan the oil sizzles. Special Note: Or if baking place each fillet in a large baking dish and bake in the oven for 20-23 minutes flipping each fillet after 10 minutes.

5. Take the sole fillets and dredge the first sole in flour, then egg wash and finally in the Parmesan/walnut mix. Pat the Parmesan and walnut into the sole until the mix sticks to the fish.

6. In the large heated saute pan carefully place sole in the pan and shake the pan to make sure the fish doesn’t stick. When sole is golden brown (approx 3 minutes), flip over and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. When sole is done (120° F internally), transfer to plate and top with the Artichoke White Wine beurre blanc. Serve immediately!

Servings: 4

Nutritional Skinny (Just the sole without the sauce):

387 calories / 23 g fat / 9.5 g carbohydrates / 2.2 g fiber / 16.6 g protein

Artichoke White Wine Beurre Blanc

1 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 Tbsp. Salted Butter

1 Tbsp. Minced Shallot (or white onion will work too)

3 Cloves Garlic; Minced

1 Cup Dry White Wine (Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc work great)

1 Tbsp. Capers

4 Tbsp. Fat Free Half and Half

1 (14.5 Ounce) Can Artichoke Hearts; Diced

1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

1 tsp. Black Pepper

1. In a large sauce pan over medium high heat, add the olive oil and butter and melt the butter then add the shallot and garlic. 

2. Once the shallot has become caramel in color, approx 2-3 minutes add the wine and capers. Continue stirring until the wine has reduced almost half.  Add the half and half and continue to cook reducing by half. Turn the heat to low and add the artichoke hearts and season with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled over the Parmesan and Walnut Crusted Sole.

Servings: 4

Nutritional Skinny (1/2 cup of the beurre blanc):

91.5 calories / 4.4 g fat / 5.7 g carbohydrates / 1.3 g fiber / 1.4 g protein

Nutritional Skinny (For sole with beurre blanc):

478.5 calories / 27.4 g fat / 15.2 g carbohydrates / 3.5 g fiber / 18 g protein

Mental Health Tid Bit: This recipe is a bit of a splurge with over 400 calories and 27 g of fat. Here's the tid bit... if this is your favorite meal, or maybe your favorite is mac n' cheese, or meatloaf, or lobster dipped in melted butter. Whatever it is, every once and a while we have to let ourselves really enjoy and eat exactly what we want. Life is too short. Enjoy each mouthful and chew carefully savoring each flavor and leave the dishes for tomorrow. On a splurge night I think it's important to relax and really allow yourself the fullest enjoyment possible. Soak the dishes and sit around the table and talk to your guests or family. Make the splurge a sharing moment. You deserve it!

Salmon and other welcome house guests

We recently had a house full. I mean the house was literally bursting at the seems. Mornings looked like left overs from a raging college party... bodies every where. We are used to that here. Living on the lake, summertime brings all of our friends and family to us for a much deserved vacation on their part. We joke that we open a Bed and Breakfast every summer. Entertaining guests with a few days in between to clean, flip sheets, and prepare for the next round.

What I have come to understand is that with house guests comes work, chaos, laughter, and sometimes when we are really really lucky... special treats.  This last three weeks we have entertained my cousin Jim from Alaska. To say he is a handful is an understatement, but he always comes bearing gifts. This time he came with beautiful Alaskan Jade earrings (shaped like eagles no less), widdled Diamond willow, and a bountiful supply of fresh caught Alaskan salmon. 

We struck gold and we knew it. He knew it would guarantee that we wouldn't kick him out too. He is a smart man.. family after all. We have spent the last three weeks concocting all sorts of delicious treasures with this salmon. The recipes that follow are mouth-wateringly delicious if I don't say so myself. All of the recipes start with a simple recipe for Grilled Salmon and go from there. 

The Pesto Cream Sauce was the perfect marriage with the grilled salmon and the Lemon Dill Sauce my dad now wants to start putting on everything... including breakfast cereal. And I made an entire meal out of the Smoked Salmon Dip and a glass of wine. It was just that good.

Now I sit in a still house. Just me, my boyfriend, and Frankie (our one kitty circus). The weather has turned bringing a cold rain and fog that blanket us for day. I am still recovering from the house guests, but today is a good day with the quiet hum of the heater, the sounds of my cat wanting my attention, and Scott sipping his morning coffee. Life is Good.

Not to mention, I still have leftover salmon that my cousin thoughtfully left behind just for me... Ssshhhh. Don't tell anyone where I live! I am locking the door!

Alaskan Salmon Cream Cheese Dip

 1 cup low fat sour cream
8 ounces low fat cream cheese
1 tbsp. lemon grass (we use the Nature's Garden in the tube)
Juice of one lemon
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup fresh dill
1/4 cup fresh chives
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 cups smoked salmon (reserve 1/2 cup)

1. Combine the sour cream, cream cheese, lemon grass, lemon juice, garlic, dill, chives, salt, and 1 1/2 cup smoked salmon in the food processor. Process for 30 second pulses until smooth and ingredients incorporated.

2. Transfer to a large bowl and roughly chop the remaining half cup of the salmon and stir in. This will leave delicious chunks in the dip.

3. Serve with pita chips, fresh pea pods, and sliced cheese and pears for a delightful light lunch or snack before dinner. A little apertif!

Grilled Fresh Salmon

2 pounds fresh Alaskan salmon
1 lemon; sliced thinly
Handful of fresh dill sprigs
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. cracked pepper

1. Place the salmon fillets on a foil lined cookie sheet with the skin side down. Sprinkle with olive oil and salt and pepper. Place the fresh dill sprigs and lemon slices on the flesh of each fillet.

2. Heat the grill to 350 degrees. Once hot, place the foil on the grill and close the lid. Cook for 15-20 minutes depending on how thick the fillets are. You will know they are done with the skin begins to sweat white beads. This tells you that the fish is done!

3. Remove from the grill and serve alongside the Lemon Dill Sauce (recipe below)!

Cream Lemon Dill Sauce

 1 cup low fat sour cream

1/4 cup fresh dill

Juice of one lemon

3 cloves garlic

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1. Combine the sour cream, dill, lemon juice, garlic, salt, and pepper in a food processor and process until ingredients have been combined and are smooth.

2. Transfer to a bowl and serve alongside grilled salmon. 

Fresh From the Garden Pesto


1 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup walnuts (or pine nuts)
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

1. Combine the basil, walnuts, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and olive oil in a food processor. Process until smooth. That's it! It's really that easy and delicious.


Pesto Cream Sauce

1. Use the fresh from the garden pesto from recipe above. Place the pesto in a sauce pan and add 1/2 cup fat free half and half! Heat over medium heat for 10 minutes stirring with a whisk until it is hot and bubbly. That's IT!

Serve over the top of the salmon and add a few diced sun dried tomatoes (optional) for an added punch. You will be licking your plate.. well, I'm pretty sure anyway!

Alaskan Thai Chowder

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large white onion; diced

6 cloves garlic; minced

1 cup carrots; diced

1 cup zucchini; diced

1 can (12 ounces) sliced mushrooms

1 teaspoon red curry powder

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon fresh minced or dried ginger

1 tablespoon lemon grass (we use the bottle of Gourmet Gardens)

1 can (14 ounces) lite coconut milk

1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 can (16 ounces) sweet corn

l lb. cooked salmon; chunked (use the leftovers from the grilled recipe above)

2 cups fresh snow peas
3 tablespoons fresh Thai basil

1. In a large skillet drizzle 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Add the onions and garlic and saute for 3-5 minutes or until the onions begin to blonde and become translucent. Add the carrots, zucchini, and mushrooms. Continue cooking for another 2-3 minutes.

 2. Transfer the vegetables to a large soup or stock pot and continue cooking over high heat. Add the red curry powder, turmeric, cumin, ginger, lemon grass, coconut milk, chicken broth, and sweet corn to the pot. Continue cooking over low heat for 30 minutes. The flavors will fill the house with an intoxicating aroma!

3. After 30 minutes, add the fresh snow peas, salmon chunks, and Thai basil to the pot and continue cooking for 5-7 minutes just to heat the peas and salmon through. 

4. Serve in a low with organic grown Indian Basmati rice (we follow the directions on the package, but use low sodium chicken broth instead of water to enhance flavors). Top with fresh cilantro and serve with soft bread for dipping up the soup's delicious juices.

Mental Health Tip: Okay. Here is the skinny on dealing with crazy house guests and relatives. Love them no matter what and embrace their idiosyncrasies. Life is good, but only when there is diversity, new ideas, and people to laugh and share with. I don't care how crazy your family is.. love them because of this. I call it the good kind of crazy! And when all else fails,  get some salmon and start cooking. Good, healthy food cures everything! Even frazzled nerves!

Bringing you fresh fish, omega-3's and healthy back to school blessings!

~ "Too Lovely" Hot Messes in recovery!

Friendship and Fish

I find myself alone for two whole days. It has been a while since I have had the whole house to myself without a real agenda. Just my own agenda. It is quiet. Me, my one kitty circus, Frankie, my manuscript, and the water. It is peaceful and I feel like I can finally pony up to do some editing.

After finishing my manuscript over a month ago, I have toyed with the idea of editing. Done some reading, taken notes, scratched out pages, and wrestled with my manuscript at arms length. I kissed my parents good-bye as they set off on their camping trip and decided to dive in head first. There is no 'waiting' for the right moment or 'hoping' that the genius will come to me. Nope. I have to have the courage to begin and continue. And I do. I opened up the manuscript on the dock yesterday with Frankie nestled in the shade of  my lawn chair and began the process. I can do it, and in I went. To the kitchen that is.

I know that is yet another distraction, but I think detours, as I have said before, sometimes reveal everything. Taking a deep breath, looking around, and smelling the flowers sometimes is exactly what the doctor ordered. I used to call these 'mental health' days when I punched the corporate clock.

And thinking about punching the clock, I am thinking about one of my dear friends and the fun we had in Baltimore at a conference eating tons and tons of crab cakes. We spent time doing exactly what we should have been doing.. eating crab cakes like it was going out of style. So while thinking of her and listening to my idol, Michael Jackson, with my sun-kissed skin in my favorite summer dress from Italy, I am making these friendship, Flathead lake inspired Fish Cakes. 


What I found out during this 'kitchen detour' was that I was going about it all wrong. That what I was doing wasn't really me, and during those these two days of quiet, my solution came to me. A successful memoir author, Laura Munson, who lives close by has inspired me and through reading her outstanding memoir, This isn't the Story you think it is: A Season of Unlikely Happiness (a MUST read) I was able to move passed my blockage. Now I am successfully doing the re-writing and back in my hum.

Today is a good day. And after biting into a bite of our Rosemary Lemon Eclairs looking at the sun shine on the mountains.. I change my mind.. Today is a great day. And I've decided tomorrow will be even better.

Fish Cakes

3 cups fresh fish; baked (recipe below) and shredded with your fingers
1 tsp. minced dried onion
1/2 tsp. dried dill (fresh is great if you have it!)
1/2 tsp. seafood rub
1 egg
2 tsp. minced garlic
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. corn meal
1 tbsp. lemon grass minced
1 tsp. minced capers
1/2 tsp. fresh cracked peppers

~Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl using your hands. Form into 7 even sized medium patties.

~Heat a large skillet with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place each cake in the pan and cook each side for 3-4 minutes.

~Serve on a bed of lettuce and on top of a garlic crustini! Top with Yogurt Dill sauce (recipe below) and devour.



To bake the fish:

~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


~Place the fish fillet on a large sheet of aluminum foil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Place 4 lemon slices along the top of the fish. Sprinkle with dill if you like. Wrap the fish in the foil closing the foil to seal in the moisture.

~Bake for 15-20 minutes. Then remove and allow to cool before flaking to make the fish cakes.


Yogurt Dill Sauce

1/2 cup low fat Greek yogurt
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. dried dill
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
Pinch of salt and pepper each

~Mix together all ingredients together with a whisk and refrigerate until ready to serve.


Rosemary Lemon Eclairs 

For the pastries:


Servings: 6 pastry shells

1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons butter
1 pinch of salt
1/4 cup baking splenda
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 large eggs

~Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

~Combine the water, butter, and salt in a large sauce pan and bring to a rolling boil.

~Remove from heat and add the flour and sugar whisking vigorously until the ingredients are combined. The dough will be thick but glossy. It will want to stick together-- this is a good sign!

~Add the eggs one at a time; whisking the ingredients together. The dough will be glossy and smooth and thickened and should resemble a thick pancake batter.

~Pour into a plastic zip lock bag or a pastry bag and pipe onto a greased cookie sheet. Give each eclair enough room to spread out and grow. They will puff up in the oven. Use two cookie sheets if yours isn't large enough to accommodate and give them room to swell and grow.

~Place them in the middle rack of your oven for 20 minutes. The eclairs will puff up as they cook. Make sure to monitor. If they start getting brown in the first 10 minutes, reduce the heat in your oven to 350 and continue cooking.

~Once done, remove from the oven and move them to a cooling rack to cool immediately.

For lemon rosemary filling:

2 packages Lemon Mouse Sugar Free mix (or sugar free lemon pudding mix will work)
1 tbsp. dried minced rosemary
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/2 cup fat free half and half (regular milk will do too)
Juice of half a lemon

~Mix the sugar free mouse mix, with the rosemary, yogurt, milk, and lemon juice. Stir with a whisk until smooth and silky.

~Pour into a large plastic zip lock bag and snip the corner off.

~Slice the eclair pastries in half and pipe the pudding into the middle of each pastry shell.


~Top with Rosemary Vanilla sauce (recipe below)

Rosemary Vanilla Sauce
 
1 cup vanilla chips or white chocolate chips
1 tsp. smart balance butter
1/2 tsp. dried minced rosemary

~Combine the vanilla chips, butter, and rosemary. Microwave for 45 seconds. Stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Microwave for 20 more seconds if need be. Then splatter the vanilla over the eclairs for a delicious topping. The flavors on this merry perfectly! You won't regret eating these for a second!

Mental Health Tip: Like I have said before, detours are what we live when we are trying to do other things that don't really work out the way we planned. Follow me into this bliss-filled space and give yourself a little pat on the back and allow yourself a breath with me. We are alive, let's not miss a minute of this trying too hard. Life is too short... let's breathe... together...

Deep breaths from me to you.. one on one!

~One Hot Mess in solitude