Dipping Food: Parmesan Fish Sticks

My nephew was born two and one-half years ago. My husband and I received the call late one Friday night that he was finally here, and we rushed ourselves to the hospital as fast as we possibly could (stopping for some cigars and blue onsies along the way). After nine months of anticipation of his arrival (well, eight months for us), it was astonishing to finally meet him, and hold him in our arms when he was just a couple hours old.

We have had the privilege to be involved in his life over these past couple years, and to see him at least every two weeks. It has been a blessing to be able to be so close to him, and now to his little sister as well. He has become quite the talker lately, and has always been quite the eater!

My sister gave him homemade baby food from the start, and at such a young age, he has quite an impressive palate! (He has also since discovered chocolate, and I’ll blame his mother’s Nutella pregnancy cravings for his chocoholism!) Despite his sweet tooth, he enjoys healthy foods like vegetables and fruits. He also really enjoys dipping foods in sauces. He can be mesmerized for over an hour dipping his food into ketchup.

This first time I had Parmesan Fish Sticks was at my sister’s house. This was another fun food for my nephew to dip. I had seen Giada make these on Everyday Italian, but hadn’t tried them yet myself. My sister makes them rather frequently, and she just reminded me about them a couple weeks ago. I always have salmon fillets in my freezer, eggs and Parmigiano Reggiano in my refrigerator, and bread crumbs in my pantry – this is a no-brainer!

There is a little bit of prep involved, with slicing and coating the salmon, but baking the salmon gives it a healthy preparation while have the textural crunch of a fried fish. (And I actually sprayed the salmon with cooking spray instead of drizzling with olive oil, to make it even healthier.) Well this recipe not only impresses my little nephew, but also his “Unc” – my husband loved them too. I made the dipping sauce in the recipe, but I don’t think it was worth it. I actually enjoyed them plain, and also grabbed a little Hidden Valley Ranch dressing from my refrigerator, which I found to be a better pairing. Next time I may try pesto and/or marinara with them.

Parmesan Fish Sticks
(From Giada's Kitchen)
Ingredients
Fish Sticks:
* 1 (18-ounce) center-cut salmon fillet, about 9 by 4 inches, skinned
* 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 3 egg whites
* 1 cup grated Parmesan
* 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
* Olive oil, for drizzling

Dipping Sauce:
* 1/3 cup reduced fat mayonnaise
* 1/3 cup lowfat plain yogurt
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or chives

Directions
Preheat the oven to 450°F.

Rinse the salmon fillet and pat dry with paper towels. Cut the fish in half to make 2 fillets each about 4 by 4 ½ inches in size. Starting on the longest edge, slice the fillets into ½ inch pieces. Lay the widest pieces, from the center, cut side down, and slice in half lengthways so all the pieces are equally about ½ by 1/2 by 4 ½ inches in size.

Place the flour in a medium bowl and season with the salt and pepper. Place the egg whites in another bowl and beat until frothy, about 30 seconds. Combine the Parmesan and bread crumbs in a third bowl.

Coat the salmon pieces in the seasoned flour and pat to remove any excess flour. Dip the floured salmon in the egg whites and then into the Parmesan mixture, gently pressing the mixture into the fish. Place the breaded salmon pieces on a liberally oiled baking sheet. Drizzle lightly with the olive oil. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

For the Dipping Sauce:
Mix the mayonnaise, yogurt, Dijon mustard, and parsley (or chives, if using) in a small dipping bowl.

Arrange the fish sticks on a serving platter and serve with the dipping sauce.

Cook's Note: The fish sticks can also be dipped in ketchup, marinara sauce, pesto, ranch dressing or vinaigrette.

Everyday Salad: Kate's Fresh Herb Salad & Lemon Vinaigrette

For the first time in my life, I attempted to grow something this summer. This was a risky bet, as I do not have a green thumb. I have no children, pets, or plants, and therefore, no responsibility to tend to anything other than my husband (and well, if I forget to feed or water him, he’ll let me know!). I thought about growing my own herbs a couple summers ago. My mom informed me that I’d need to water them a couple times a day, so I quickly abandoned that idea. But this summer I decided to give it an attempt. I figured that even if I couldn’t keep them alive for long, I’d at least get my money’s worth in the beginning.

We purchased some basil, mint, chives, Italian parsley, and cilantro from the farmers’ market and planted them in a small planter at home. The total cost was under $10, so after just a couple uses, I had already surpassed what I could have purchased for that amount of money at the grocery store. I’m pleased to say that I’ve been good adequate at remembering to water them. My mint took a little while to get started, but it’s coming in nicely now (and from what others are telling me, it will never go away!). The cilantro has had it, but we had a good run. It has been so convenient and economical to be able to step outside, trim a few leaves, and add fresh homegrown herbs to my dishes.


One evening this summer I was throwing together a salad, and decided to use all of the herbs that I had. I actually just tossed the herbs with some arugula, added a little dressing, and that was it – a delicious, yet simple salad! I started making this salad every night. It is so simple and light. I have so many salad recipes that include lots of cheeses, beans, nuts, dried fruit, etc., which are all quite good, but on a warm summer day, this is refreshing and hits the spot.

In the recipe below, I’ve included pine nuts and Parmigiano-Reggiano to add some texture, but if you’re up for a simplified salad, feel free to omit them. This vinaigrette is my standard dressing that I use on almost all salads. I make a batch and keep it in a mason jar in the refrigerator to last throughout the week. I think the dressing tastes great with just the lemon and the olive oil, but my husband complained that he tasted “too much lemon”, and with the addition of a little honey and Dijon, he likes it very much now! This is a salad that you can get creative with and add your own favorite herbs, cheese, nuts, and/or dried fruits.

Kate's Fresh Herb Salad & Lemon Vinaigrette
Ingredients
For Lemon Vinaigrette:
* 1 lemon (juice and zest)
* ¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil
* ½ teaspoon honey
* ½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For Fresh Herb Salad:
* 8 cups loosely packed arugula
* ½ cup fresh herbs (such as basil, cilantro, chives, Italian parsley), coarsely chopped
* 2 green onions, chopped
* ¼ cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, grated
* ¼ pine nuts, toasted

Directions
Zest half of the lemon, and combine with juice from entire lemon, olive oil, mustard, honey, salt, and pepper. Either whisk ingredients together in a small bowl, or combine ingredients in a container with a sealable top (such as a mason jar) and shake until all ingredients are incorporated. (The vinaigrette will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.)

In a large bowl, toss arugula with green onions, fresh herbs, and a couple tablespoons of dressing, so lettuce is just barely coated. Arrange salad mixture on individual plates, and to garnish, sprinkle each salad with cheese, pine nuts, and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.