This past week I took some of the chopped spinach that was left from making a Spanakopita filling and reserved it for dinner. Dinner was going to be flounder fillets stuffed and roll with spinach. Frozen spinach is a wonderful convenience product, it’s affordable, comes in small packages and easy to handle: thaw, squeeze excess water and chop (if necessary). I sweated some scallions and added some chopped fresh fennel fronds – this mild anise flavour goes well with fish.

The braised lentils were an inspiration from Chef Emily Watkins who served seared duck breast with them. I’ve done braised lentils before and mine are a little different but Watkins did give me the nudge. Fish and spinach with herbs, baked and served on a bed of braised lentils? Healthy, healthy, delicious, delicious!

Spinach-Stuffed Flounder on Braised Lentils

(serves 4)

4 flounder fillets (or other white fish)

1 lb. pkge. of frozen chopped spinach, thawed

3-4 scallions, sliced

2-3 Tbsp. of chopped fennel fronds (or tarragon)

extra-virgin olive oil

zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp. sweet paprika

fine sea salt & fresh ground pepper

Garnish

chopped fresh parsley, lemon zest and wedges of lemon

Pre-heated 400F oven

Braised Lentils

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup of dried green lentils, well rinsed

1/4 cup finely diced red onion

1/4 cup finely diced carrot

1/4 cup finely diced celery

2 bay leaves

5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

approx. 2-3 cups of vegetable or chicken stock

red wine vinegar to taste

1. Place a medium pot on your stove-top over medium heat and add the olive oil, onions, carrots, celery, bay and thyme and sweat while occasionally stirring for about 5 minutes. Now add the lentils, some salt and pepper and stir for a couple of minutes or until the liquid has been absorbed. Now add enough stock to just cover the lentils and simmer uncovered and stir occasionally. Add more stock as needed and continue to simmer while stirring until the lentils are just soft. Remove from the heat, adjust seasoning with salt and pepper and add red wine vinegar to taste (remove thyme sprigs and bay).
2. Pre-heat your oven to 400F, middle rack. In a small skillet, add some olive oil and the scallions and sweat for about 3-4 minutes then take off the heat and allow to cool. Mix the scallions with your thawed chopped spinach and add the chopped fennel fronds and salt and pepper to taste.
3. Rinse your fillets and pat-dry. Drizzle both sides of the fillets with olive oil and sprinkle lemon zest on both sides of the fish, season with salt and pepper and sprinkle the sweet paprika. To ensure your fish fillets do not unravel when baking, you’re going to place the stuffing on top part of the fillet (the side where the skin would have been, its smooth). Place the spinach on each fillet and roll up starting from the widest end and your roll will end-up at the tail. Use a toothpick to secure each roll and place in a baking tray.
4. Drizzle with some olive oil and place in your pre-heated oven  for 15-20 minutes. Carefully remove from the oven and place a ladle of lentils on to each plate and using a spatula, carefully lift and place a fish portion on top. Mix the lemon zest and chopped parsley and sprinkle on top of each fish, spoon some pan juices along with some drops of olive oil and a wedge of lemon. Serve with a Domaine Tselepos Mantinia, 100% Moschofilero.

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Ryba po Grecku, is usually pan-fried (with our without) breading then reserved until a sauce of onions, carrots, celery, parsley (sometimes parsnip) and lemon and some bay or another herb of choice may be added to finish the sauce. As a Greek, I immediately thought of Psari (fish) Plaki where whole fish is traditionally baked on a bed of onions, peppers, tomatoes and another similar dish of Psari ala Spetsiota (Spetses style) with onions, tomatoes, wine, parsley and lemon.

I knew the Polish had to been inspired by these two dishes but my curiosity heightened when I found out that Ryba po Grecku is also served as part of a buffet for special occasion dinners, that the Polish also celebrate namedays (like Greeks) and again this Greek-inspired dish would be offered on such days.

AN old friend of Polish descent, Konrad Ejbich adds that on Christmas Eve the Polish do not eat meat and that there should be a total of thirteen courses and one should sample each of the offerings to truly welcome the New Year with promise. My question still remained…how is it that Polish would offer foreign dishes on special occasions like Christmas? Adds Konrad, “there was a time when Poland ruled a great part of Europe (Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth) with one of it it’s hallmarks being religious and cultural tolerance.

Food was obviously included in the Poles’ tolerance of other cultures and now that I think of it…those cookbooks I bought included a Moussaka and Baklava recipe! Ryba po Grecka is a Greek-inspired dish, made through the filter of the Polish palate and using ingredients at hand. I’ve only considered how Greeks in the Diaspora will cook traditional Greek dishes using the ingredients available or on-hand in the particular part of the world where they live. Climate, geography and the availability of Greek ingredients are all factors.

It’s comforting to know and see how much Greek cuisine is so widely loved and appreciated! Ryba po Grecku is a dish served most commonly cold/room temperature but I prefer to eat this warm.

Ryba po Grecku (Fish ala Greque)

(serves 4)

1 lb. sole fillets

cornmeal

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 cups of ripe tomato purée (or processed canned tomatoes)

3-4 cloves of garlic

1 large onion, peeled & thinly sliced

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup of shredded carrots (use your box grater)

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley stems

1 tsp. sweet paprika

1 shot of dry white wine

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh dill

lemon wedges for garnish

salt and pepper to taste

1. If using frozen fillets, thaw overnight in your fridge, otherwise rinse and pat-dry then brush olive oil on both sides of fish and season with salt and pepper. Place back in your fridge while you’re making the sauce.
2. Place a large skillet on your stove over medium-high heat and add the olive oil, onions, garlic, celery, carrot and parsley stems and sweat the veggies for about 5-6 minutes. Now add the wine, paprika and tomato purée, salt and pepper and bring back to a boil then simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the sauce is thick. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, stir in parsley and dill and reserve.
3. Take your fish out of the fridge and allow to come back to room temperature. Heat a large non-stick skillet on your stove-top over medium-high heat. Place about 1 1/2 cups of cornmeal in a plate and dredge both sides of the fish then drizzle some oil in your pan and place your fish in the skillet (fry in batches) and fry for about 2-3 minutes a side or until slightly golden. Remove the fillets and reserve on paper-lined plate.
4. Ryba po Grecka is served family style: spoon some sauce on a platter and then cut the fillets into three pieces and set on the sauce in a domino fashion and then pour remaining sauce over the fish. The polish eat this dish cold so it can be prepared a day in advance but I had it warm with a side of rice pilaf. I drank a Glinavos Primus white (from Epirus) with this.

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I still like a good deal when I dine – looking for value, good quality food with wholesome and seasonal ingredients and it’s always fun to try new and may an ethnic dish here in multicultural Toronto. There’s a great new web site called DiningDateNight where you can 30% off your bill from Toronto’s top restaurants and eateries. Click here to see how it works.

One of my favourite dishes was the Pan-fried Cajun Rainbow Trout. Canada boasts of having lots of rainbow trout. I love trout for its flaky texture, it has a pink, almost salmon colour and it’s a versatile fish as it’s great grilled, broiled or in this case, pan-fried. Below is my Cajun spice blend good for chicken or fish. Mix the ingredients in a jar and shake well. I’ve omitted the salt so that you may control seasoning and the batch is good for a few recipes before you have to mix another batch.

The pan-fried trout is easy to make and I love it paired with this simple mushroom pasta-ideal with linguine or you could used fettucine. Here, you can easily multi-task and start on the pasta sauce then finish the meal off with pan-frying the trout. This makes for a satisfying weeknight meal giving you that restaurant feel right in your own kitchen.

Pan-Fried Cajun Rainbow Trout

(serves 4)

4 boned rainbow trout fillets, skin on

olive oil

fine sea salt

all-purpose flour for dredging

oil for frying

Cajun seasoning

2 Tbsp. of garlic powder

2 Tbsp. of onion powder

1 tsp. ground white pepper

2 Tbsp. ground black pepper

2 tsp. cayenne pepper

4 tsp. of dried thyme

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 Tbsp. cornmeal

Mushroom Linguine

(serves 4)

500 gr. package of linguine

1/4 cup olive oil

1 medium onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups of sliced Cremini mushrooms

1 shot of dry white wine

1 cup heavy cream

salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp. of thyme leaves

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

lots of freshly grated Romano cheese

1. Place a large pot of water on your stovetop and once aboil, add good amount of salt and the pasta and cook according to package instructions. In the meantime, add your olive oil and mushrooms in a skillet with some salt and pepper and cook the mushrooms until just browned. Now add the onions, garlic, thyme and stir in and allow to sweat for five minutes. Add the wine and reduce for a couple of minutes and then add the cream. Simmer for another 5-6 minutes or until thick. Add some grated cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Divide and serve with your pan-fried Cajun trout.
2. In a jar, add your Cajun seasoning ingredients, seal and shake in a jar. Brush your fillets with olive oil and season with fine sea salt then sprinkle a good amount of Cajun seasoning on both sides of the fish then dredge them in all-purpose flour.
3. In a large cast iron pan or non-stick skillet add a couple of turns of olive oil over medium-high heat. Place your fillets in the pan skin-side down for about 4 minutes or until you see the flesh of fish turn opaque halfway up the side view of the fillets. Carefully flip the fish and fry on the other side for another 2-3 minutes or until a deep golden colour and crisp (add more oil while frying if needed)
4. Serve with a squeeze of lime juice and a side of rice or try a linguine with a mushroom-cream sauce…just like at the Whistling Oyster used to!

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I found recent articles in The Atlantic and investigative reports from the Boston Globe covering the topic of “bait & switch” when it comes to restaurants and fish mongers advertising one fish when in fact through genetic tests conducted (in Guelph, Ontario) to be unsettling in the least. Beth Daley and Jenn Abelson of the Boston Globe found that many fish at were mislabeled at many local restaurants, including some high-end ones!

Fish mongers faired  slightly better with distributors labeling less desirable species and passing it off as something else (presumingly a fish of higher demand). Some distributors mislabel unknowingly and others to intentionally deceive and they continue to get away with it as the industry is not as regulated as the meat industry.

So here we are, trying to eat better – less meat and more vegetable dishes in our diet and incorporate more fish and seafood instead of red meat. This new problem compounds the average consumer’s trepidation when it comes to buying fish: finding a reputable fish monger, knowing how to pick a fresh fish and buying a fish that’s not endangered and eating a sustainable fish. So, now one has to find out if the fish you’re buying is actually the one advertised/labeled? Sadly, yes.

One of the most commonly mislabeled fish has to be the red snapper…practically any fish with red skin seems to be labeled a red snapper. One friend complained of a tough, dense red snapper when in fact she was sold a parrot fish (in the grouper family). Here in Toronto I see sardines on restuarant menus when in fact the species of fish are larger than the sardines I know from the Mediterranean and they are related more to the herring than sardine.

Sea bass is another fish that falls into the grey area of labeling. There are so many types of sea bass…European (lavraki or branzino), the Porgy or sea bream has been labled as sea bass and the striped bass is another! Oh, there’s the poor endangered Chillean Sea Bass which I still see sold in many fish shops.

red mullet

Another issue is many fish stores will sell very little by way of whole fish and for me as a consumer – that’s a big problem. One – I can’t tell for sure what fish I am actually buying nor will I be able to inspect the fish’s eyes, gills or smell the fish, looking for that fresh smell of the sea. Many people still are squeamish about seeing the fish’s head still on their plate but I ask you: don’t you want the freshest fish and don’t you want to know you’re not being ripped-off and being sold an inferior fish or one that is endangered? i don’t.

Last week I cooked some red mullet – a small red to orange fish that’s a delight to eat with it’s firm, moist white flesh  – wonderful fried. I posted pics of the dinner and a reader of the blog opined that they thought red mullet had too many bones and I replied that they likely were sold/ate a goat fish (looks like red mullet but with many more thin bones inside).  Yet another reader gave me the ‘OH YUM’ comment and proclaimed my “mullets” looked delicious. Mullets are an entirely different fish that’s blue-black, longer and much more readily available in fish shops.

There’s no easy way to quickly get up to speed on fish and seafood but I can recommend two books that will help you make educated choices when buying fish and seafood: the Field Guide to Seafood. It’s compact but thick with lots of info and most of the more popular fish having photos. The other book is titled Mediterranean Seafood with drawings for each species. Both of these books also provides the names of this fish in many languages, different sub-species from different waters, when the fish is in season, how to choose a fresh one and even some suggested cooking ideas!

grey mullet

I’ve been to Greece over twenty times and this invaluable experience has helped me to choose fresh fish at a good price and avoid a bad fish or one in season or endangered. I’ll continue to write about fish and share whatever wisdom I’ve picked-up along the way. I urge you to eat more fish and seafood – you’ll improve your diet, learn more about fish and seafood and gain confidence in choosing with each meal.

Today’ fish is the mullet, found at fish mongers here in Toronto and they are in season in North America November-December. This fish was likely caught in the southern Us (Florida) and when fresh, it’s hard to beat. That being said, there’s a lot of mullet out there that doesn’t look that tempting so be patient. When you see one with clear eyes, pink gills, firm body and it smells of the sea – grab some and get your grill ready.

Mullet roes being packed in Porto Lagos, Xanthi

I first saw mullet in a big way when I visited the area of Messolonghi on the western side of Greece. Messolonghi is situated on a vast lagoon known for producing sea salt and fishing – mainly eel, sea bream, mullet and the highly valued mullet roe which goes towards making “avgotaraho”…or better known as bottarga (Italian). The roe of the mullet are removed then heavily salted then dried in the sun and finally preserved in bee’s wax before being sold in the markets.

This past summer I visited the city of Xanthi in the northeastern province of Thrace where I  visited another vast lagoon called Porto Lagos. There, I saw fishermen pulling out blue crab, lots of mullet and preparing the roe for transport. The local fishermen told me the two major producers of Agvotaraho buy up the mullet roe of Porto Lagos.

Porto Lagos, Xanthi

My friend chef Stella Spanou and her husband treated us to some fresh-caught mullet that probably had no more than 6 hours between being caught and being grilled outdoors at her summer home. As per usual, fish should be prepared with the simply with just salt and pepper as seasoning, grilled and dressed with a oil/lemon dressing that us Greeks call “ladolemono” or oil/lemon.

I do love crispy skin on fish but many will find the skin of the mullet to be a little tough. Simply peel off the skin and cut the head off, remove the upper fillet then remove the spine and any remaining pinbones in each fillet. Pour the lush sauce made of the very best Greek olive oil and fresh lemon juice. I always like to add an herb – dried Greek oregano is wonderful here.

Grilled Grey Mullet

(serves 4)

4 whole mullet fish, scaled and gutted

coarse sea salt and fresh ground pepper

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

salt to taste

2 tsp. dried Greek oregano

1. Pre-heat your gas or charcoal grill to high heat and brush the surface to remove any grill residue (the cleaner your grill, the less chance of your fish sticking). Drizzle your fish with olive oil and season both sides and the cavity with salt and pepper.
2. As soon as your grill is ready, take some paper towel and dunk it in some vegetable oil and wipe your grill surface (to lubricate it). Now place your mullet on the grill and cook for about 6-7 minutes/side. You know your fish has been cooked when you’re able to pull-out the dorsal fin from the fish.
3. While your fish is grilling, Add the olive oil, lemon juice and some salt to taste and place in a jar, close and shake well. Adjust flavourings, add the dried Greek oregano and shake again.
4. When the fish is cooked, carefully remove from the grill and place on each plate/platter. With mullet, you may remove the skin then pull away the spiny bones that run along the top and bottom part of the fish, Make an incision just behind the head and lop off then make an incision with a knife along the top part of the fish then along the bottom part of the fish. Now now should be able to freely lift and flip-over the top fillet of the fish. Now you can pull out the spine of the fish and discard and hence have two fish fillets. Inspect the fillets for any remaining pin bones (near the front and around the belly) and pulls those out with your fingers.
5. Shake the Latholemono in the jar and pour over your fillets. Serve with rice pilaf or potato salad, some boiled Vlita and serve with a chilled Gerovassliou White.

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Today, the Nea Egnatia highway exists and spans northern Greece from Igoumenitsa and all the way east to the Greek/Turkish border. Today, one can drive from Thessaloniki to Igoumentisa in three hours…now there’s some good news to come out of Greece! When the ferry boat approaches Corfu town one can’t help but think that maybe the captain made a mistake and steered the boat all the way to Italy but nope – you’ve arrived in Corfu (or as the Greeks call it , Kerkyra). Today, much of Corfu’s tourists arrive by air with many charters and regular direct flights to Corfu from throughout all of Europe’s major hubs.

Corfu belongs to the string of islands along the Ionian coast called the Seven Islands. These islands were under Roman rule, then fell under Byzantine rule but protecting these islands all the way east from Constantinople was a challenge so the then powerful Venice was given trading privileges in return for protection from would-be invaders

Eventually Venice ruled the Seven Islands but the island also endured attacks by the Turks, sieges and marauding but the Ottoman Tide that almost reached Budapest could not permanently rule the island. The French also occupied Corfu until Napolean was defeated and…are you ready? Corfu then became a British protectorate until 1864 when Queen Victoria signed the islands over to Greece.

With so many people passing through history to rule this island, one can no doubt also see and taste the varying influences (mostly western) in the Corfiot (and Ionian) cuisine. Many of the Corfiot dishes (and Seven Islands) have Latin names or names derived from Latin or Italian dishes. There’s Pastitsio, Bourdeto, Sofrito, Polpetes, Pastitsada and today’s dish, Bianko.

Here I am in Corfu, 1988

Bianko’s name simply recognizes the dish as being white – with no tomatoes as is the usual with many saucy dishes of Italy and Greece. Salted cod, whiting (or hake) would be more traditional choices for fish and fresh grey mullet is another wonderful fish to use in this dish. This is a simple, rustic dish relying on few ingredients to drive home the dish. There are lots of onions, selino ( a European celery), some sliced carrots, the very best Greek olive oil, fish, some water and potatoes.

The potato entered Greek cuisine after the rest of Europe was introduced to it (from the New World) via the French but Greeks ignored it. It took a Greek (of Corfiot descent) to re-introduce the potato to the Greeks: Ioannis Kapodistrias ordered-in some sacks of potatoes and have them protected by armed guards by the Port of Nafplio (Greece’s then capital). Greeks can be suspicious and very curious….sacks of potatoes were stolen overnight (Kapodistrias already instructed the guards to turn a blind eye to the thieves) and off the Greeks went with what they thought were a valuable commodity. Greek dishes that contain spuds are too numerous to count but for today, we’ll cook-up some Bianko and raise a glass to Kapodistrias!

Bianko (Μπιανκο) From Corfu

(serves 4)

4 white fish fillets (salt cod, sole, grouper, basa)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil + 1/4 cup for finishing

2 large onions, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

1 cup of chopped selino (a European celery), or finely diced celery

9-10 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

4 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 /2 inch medallions

hot water

1/4 chopped fresh parsley

Juice of 1-2 lemons (to taste)

sea salt and lots of fresh ground pepper

1. In a heavy-bottomed pot, add 1/4 cup olive oil, onions, carrots and celery and bring up to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Reduce and simmer for 6-7 minutes or until the onions are translucent, add some salt and pepper. When you’re peeling the potatoes, take a box grater and grate the ends of the potatoes until they are no longer pointed (your potato now almost rectangular). Add the grated the potato into the pot and stir (this will help thicken the sauce).
2. In a bowl, add the potatoes along with some salt and pepper and toss to coat then add into the pot. Add enough water to just cover the potatoes and simmer covered for (slighty ajar) 12 minutes over medium-low heat (do not stir). Now place your fish fillets over the potatoes along with the remaining olive oil, cover again and simmer over medium-low heat for another 12-15 minutes or until the fish is opaque and flaky.
3. Uncover and squeeze in the lemon juice and shake the pot back & forth to allow the lemon juice to penetrate all the layers (do not stir as you will break up the fish and potatoes). Adjust seasoning, (lots of fresh ground pepper), add the chopped fresh parsley and empty into large platter for family-style serving or carefully serve portions with a slotted spoon.
4. Serve with good crusty bread and try a chilled bottle of Lefkaditiki Gi white, made with a local “vardea” varietal.

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© 2011, Peter Minakis. All rights reserved. If you are not reading this post in a feed reader or at http://kalofagas.ca then the site you are reading is illegally publishing copyrighted material. Contact me at truenorth67 AT gmail DOT COM. All recipes, text and photographs in this post are the original creations & property of the author.