by Lynn Greene
From there to here, From here to there, fun food is
everywhere
It’s Dr. Seuss’s birthday today,
March 2. His children’s books feature rhyming text —
“From there to here, From here to there, Funny things
are everywhere” — and outlandish creatures, like Yertle
the Turtle, shown here, that have endeared him to generations
of young readers.
Adults love Theodor (Seuss) Geisel too. Geisel, at the
time of his death in 1991 at age 87, had penned and illustrated
44 children’s books, including the above quoted “One Fish
Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish.” Other titles include my favorite
“Green Eggs and Ham” and the holiday favorite “How the
Grinch Stole Christmas.” His books have inspired television
specials, a Broadway musical and movies. He has been honored
with two Academy awards, two Emmy awards, a Peabody award
and the Pulitzer Prize. A good Dr. Seuss book will pop
you right out of whatever funk you happen to be in.
If you’re planning a vacation out East, be sure to visit
the Dr. Seuss National Memorial in Springfield, Mass.,
Geisel’s hometown. There’s a sculpture garden there featuring
many of Seuss’ favorite characters.
If you want to celebrate Seuss’ birthday, I suggest you
start with a bag of gummy fish embedded in a clear bowl
of blue jello. Make sure to include a redfish!
Redfish actually is a saltwater fish very popular with
fishing afficionados in Creole country. Go down to Louisiana
and you’ll find the Red Fish Grill, Red Fish Bistro, the
Redfish Brewhouse and plenty of other establishments capitalizing
on the popularity of this big and feisty fish. Cabela’s
even sponsors a redfish tour in St. Augustine, Fla.
Since it is still the Lenten season, fresh fish is readily
available, and most good fish counters will order special
items with advance notice.
Louisiana redfish
— Redfish also is known as the red drum fish. This recipe
is courtesy of the Red Fish Grill on Bourbon Street in
New Orleans.
Serves 2
1 cup shrimp stock
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, crushed
1 Tbsp. chopped shallots
2 bay leaves
2 tsp. Creole seasoning
2 lemons, sliced
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup butter, cubed
2 tsp. black pepper
Salt to taste
Seasoned flour
10 - 12 oz. fillet of redfish
6 jumbo shrimp, peeled leaving only tail on
In a heavy saucepan, combine shrimp stock, white wine,
Worcestershire sauce, thyme, shallots, bay leaves, creole
seasoning and lemons and bring to a boil. Reduce by 3/4
and add heavy cream and reduce by 1/2. Slowly stir in cold
cubes of butter over low heat, stirring constantly. Keep
warm.
Cut the red fish into two equal portions. Dredge fillets
in seasoned flour and saute for 3 minutes on each side.
Remove redfish and saute shrimp.
To serve, place sauce on bottom of plate, place redfish
in middle of plate and top with shrimp. Serve with citrus
seasoned rice and fresh vegetable, lightly steamed.
Baked bluefish
— High-quality bluefish is a favorite of sushi lovers.
But it is also good cooked.
Serves 2
1 3-pound bluefish, cleaned, leaving the head and tail
intact
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper,
1 large carrots, sliced thin
1 small onion, chopped
2 ribs of celery, sliced thin
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh dill
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh parsley leaves
4 Tbsps. butter, melted
3/4 cup white wine
Sprinkle the bluefish inside and out with the salt and
pepper.
In a large bowl, combine the carrots, onion, celery, dill,
basil, and parsley. Spoon 3/4 of this stuffing mix into
the fish, reshape the fish, pressing it closed, and place
the fish, cut side down, in a baking dish just large enough
to hold it.
Arrange the remaining stuffing around the fish and pour
the butter and the wine over the fish.
Bake the fish in the middle of a preheated 350 F oven
for 35 minutes or until they just flake. Transfer the fish
to a platter and spoon the stuffing around them.
Serve with a fresh salad and a crusty bread for dipping
into the sauce.
Green eggs and ham
— A nice dish for breakfast brunch although I’ve made it
for dinner, too.
Serves 6
6 English muffins
12 eggs, beaten
6 Tbsps. milk
2 Tbsps. butter
6 slices of ham
1 pound fresh spinach leaves
Sauce
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk
1 cup grated Swiss cheese
1/8 tsp. white pepper
salt to taste
1/2 tsp. hot sauce (optional)
Clean the spinach leaves, removing the tough stems. Chop
coarse and steam or microwave until just tender. Set aside.
To make the sauce, melt the butter or margarine in a heavy
saucepan. Add the flour while whisking to form a roux.
Cook for 1 minute to brown the flour slightly. Add milk
while whisking, to form a smooth sauce. Add grated cheese
and cook for five to ten minutes, until cheese is incorporated
and melted completely. Add pepper, salt, and hot sauce.
Drain the cooked spinach and add to the sauce. Keep sauce
warm.
Split and lightly toast English muffins. Mix the eggs
and 6 tablespoons of milk together and cook in frying pan
with 2 tablespoons butter, scrambling the eggs as they
cook.
Arrange the two halves of an English muffin on each plate
and spoon the eggs evenly over the muffins. Cover with
the spinach and cheese sauce. Serve with a side of ham.
Fingerlings
— I am sure Dr. Seuss would approve of these strangely
finger-shaped potatoes. They are low in starch and so they
cook very quickly. A good accompaniment to any of these
recipes.
Serves 2 - 4
1 lb. fingerlings, cleaned, not peeled, cut in half lengthwise
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 tsp. thyme, crushed
1 tsp. garlic salt
Arrange potatoes on a baking sheet and toss with remaining
ingredients. Bake in a 350 F oven for about 20 minutes
or until soft.
Lynn Greene is senior editor for Community Shoppers Inc., which publishes the Stateline News. Contact her at lgreene@communityshoppers.com. |
