Sheepshead Amandine, Sauteed Zucchini and Squash, Irish Potato and Cabbage Soup, with a Side Salad

[indaswamp]

Well....last weekend was the Irish and Italian festival in New Orleans. My cousin's daughter went with a bunch of her friends to the annual parade. This parade-they throw fruits and veggies. They ended up with a truck bed load of stuff...literally. 50-60 cabbages, 2 50# sacks of potatoes and carrots. The also got zucchini, yellow squash, Bell peppers, onions, garlic, even some apples and bananas, oranges and lemons....a bunch of stuff! Cousin calls me to tell me they will be gone out of town so come by and grab whatever you want. I left with a lot of fresh veggies. Was looking around at recipes and found the Irish potato and cabbage soup. The ingredients looked interesting and I had everything on hand except the chicken stock and leeks, so I wanted to give it a go. WOW! What a great soup! I have never made this one before...and never would have figured that a little nutmeg would compliment the braised cabbage so well. I was shocked quite honestly.

Had made dinner plans for tonight. I was given some fresh sheepshead fillets so knew I wanted to cook them right away. Decided to do Amandine. Paired that with the stewed zucchini and squash. Oh man was that good!

The soup really complimented the dish very well. All around, excellent meal. Paired with a Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis dry Italian white wine. It was perfect.

 

[indaswamp]

Here is the Amandine recipe by Chef John Besh..
https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/recipes-cookbooks/a3640/trout-amandine-recipe/

He does not say in the recipe, but trust me - he does this....use a potato peeler and pull strips of lemon zest off the lemons and put in the pan with a little olive oil. Heat over medium low heat to pull the lemon oil out of the peel, then add butter and fry the fish fillets..really elevates the dish..fry just a few minutes. pull when the peels just start to start to brown slightly...

 

[Florida Chris]

That looks fantastic!!!

I don't know why I've never tried sheepshead. I've lived on a canal off the intracoastal for about 23 years now. I can sit on the back patio and watch the schools of sheepshead feed off the pilings of my dock. But I've just never targeted them.

I'll fish for snapper, snook, redfish, trout, tripletail, and even tried some shark from the canal. But I've never done the sheepshead. When I moved here a few people told me about parasites and difficulty filleting for a small amount of meat, so I just never bothered.

I need to change that!

 

[Gonna Smoke]

I was given some fresh sheepshead fillets

I love fishing for and eating Sheepshead. Very delicious...

Here is the Amandine recipe by Chef John Besh..
https://www.housebeautiful.com/lifestyle/recipes-cookbooks/a3640/trout-amandine-recipe/

He does not say in the recipe, but trust me - he does this....use a potato peeler and pull strips of lemon zest off the lemons and put in the pan with a little olive oil. Heat over medium low heat to pull the lemon oil out of the peel, then add butter and fry the fish fillets..really elevates the dish..fry just a few minutes. pull when the peels just start to start to brown slightly...
View attachment 692973

I have one pack of Red Snapper filets left that I've been holding onto for something special and I'm going to try this, thanks Keith...

 

[JLeonard]

As always a great looking meal!

Jim

 

[jcam222]

Great tip on the peels. Nutmeg is an underrated spice and can be used in moderation in ribs too. A favorite steak seasoning I buy I am sure has it. It's very faint and hard to ID but I'm sure it's in there. Funny enough in Lake Erie near me there is a crap fish called a sheep head but it's a totally different species.

 

[HalfSmoked]

Awesome meal indi.

Warren

 

[912smoker]

Now that's a beautiful plate and sounds like an awesome meal !

Kei

 

[indaswamp]

That looks fantastic!!!

I don't know why I've never tried sheepshead. I've lived on a canal off the intracoastal for about 23 years now. I can sit on the back patio and watch the schools of sheepshead feed off the pilings of my dock. But I've just never targeted them.

I'll fish for snapper, snook, redfish, trout, tripletail, and even tried some shark from the canal. But I've never done the sheepshead. When I moved here a few people told me about parasites and difficulty filleting for a small amount of meat, so I just never bothered.

I need to change that!

Thanks Fla.Chris! The sheepshead are spawning this time of year...easy pickings on structure.

I love fishing for and eating Sheepshead. Very delicious...

I have one pack of Red Snapper filets left that I've been holding onto for something special and I'm going to try this, thanks Keith...

Thanks GS! Only tip I'll offer is that if the fillets are thick, it would be best to butter fly in half. You want them no thicker than about 3/4"...

As always a great looking meal!

Jim

Thank you Jim!

Great tip on the peels. Nutmeg is an underrated spice and can be used in moderation in ribs too. A favorite steak seasoning I buy I am sure has it. It's very faint and hard to ID but I'm sure it's in there. Funny enough in Lake Erie near me there is a crap fish called a sheep head but it's a totally different species.

Thanks jcam! Yea, the nutmeg really threw me for a loop with the cabbage. Never considered it on a steak.....hmmm.....

Awesome meal indi.

Warren

Thank you Warren!

Now that's a beautiful plate and sounds like an awesome meal !

Kei

Thank you 912! It was delicious. I highly recommend cooking fish this way. Any firm white fish will do.

 

[indaswamp]

Monday, I added 2.5# of 90-120 count shrimp to the Potato and Cabbage soup with 1/2tsp. cayenne pepper....Wow-more layered flavors and the shrimp complimented the soup perfectly! Soooo Good!!!!