Big Bend Florida Sportsman Guide

Sauces & Dips

 Favorite fish sauce--HOT!!

Author: Capt Ken

This makes enough for 5 or 6 folks.

3/4 cup Mayonaise

3/4 cup sour cream

1 heaping Tablespoon finely chopped fresh Dill

1 heaping Tablespoon Hot prepared Horseradish

1/2 cup finely chopped Spanish Onion.

Mix well.  Good on fish or as a veggie or chip dip. If you like it really HOT you can add more hot Horseradish

 Conch Fritter Dippin'  Sauce

Author Brent

My family and I were out for dinner, eating a fried onion, wondering about the recipe of their "tiger sauce". What I ended up with may or may not be close to the pros, but we like it instead of the typical cocktail sauce on many seafoods especially conch fritters. The ingredients are Mayo, cocktail sauce, horseradish (the "hotter" or "stronger" the better) and a little lousiana hot sauce. For a large gathering I start with the better part of a quart of mayo, saving a good cup or so, then add the the better part, once again saving some, of a couple cups of cocktail sauce. Here comes the reason for saving some, mix up the mayo & cocktail sauce, I look at the color and taste this, Too much of either flavor is offset by the held back ingredients. Now add horse radish to taste, I use one of those small bottles by inglehoffer extra hot. You need to let this sit for a few hours in the fridge, but you can get an idea of the flavor, if you think it is to stong; i.e., did your eyes water? you can cut the strength with your held back mayo and cocktail sauce. Now stir in a few shakes of louisiana hot sauce let chill 'til the food is served serve in small dip bowls. That, my freinds is my dippin' sauce. For smaller ratios try a few ounces of mayo, a few tablespoons cocktail sauce, a teaspoon or two of horseradish, and a shake or so hot sauce. This keeps well in the fridge for a long time.

Smoked Fish Dip

Author Capt Ken

 Smoked Fish Dip. (the way I make it) I've had better but mine is mighty good. 

1 cup smoked Fish. I like Cobia Throats and belly meat for smoking because it has enough fat to smoke well. Sailfish is better as is Tuna.  1 cup low fat Sour Cream 1/2 cup Mayo.  2 tablespoons Onion dip (optional) Can use a TSP of Onion Soup mix (sometimes I use minced fresh onion rather than Onion Dip or mix).  I always add a little fresh Dill to mine but you can use Dill relish 

If it is too thick, you can add a little milk or more Sour Cream.

Greg's BQ Sauce for Kingfish.

Ingredients: 1/4 cup chopped onion

                  4 Tbsp. sugar

                  1/8 tsp pepper

                  1/4 cup catsup

                   1 Tbsp. vinegar

                   1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce

Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a saucepan & simmer for five minutes. You may want to double or triple this recipe. Pour most of the sauce over kingfish fillets or steaks. Serve the rest at the table. Bake the fish at 325* until done...time varies according to thickness. This sauce actually makes kingfish edible. 

Homemade Salsa

Author ceo65

 If I remember correctly, I saw this on Emeril Live, can't remember for sure. It was on Food Network though, and looked good. I made this for my parent's 40th anniversary party, and it disappeared pretty fast, so I guess it turned out good. This can be made as hot or as mild as you want, you decide.

Fresh tomatoes, diced black beans (canned is fine, please cook them first if you start with dried beans!), Fresh corn, white or yellow your choice: cilantro, red onion, fresh jalapeno peppers, kosher salt, fresh ground black pepper. 

All quantities are to your taste. Fresh cilantro is strong, so go a little easy on it at first. You can always add more, but you can't take it out once it's in!  Peel and dice the tomatoes, remove the seeds if you wish. Sprinkle the diced tomatoes with kosher salt (no iodine) and fresh black pepper. Set them aside in a bowl while you prep the rest of the ingredients. Roast the corn on the cob on your grill till done. This removes some of the moisture, and adds great flavor. Chop the red      onion into a small dice. Finely chop the cilantro and jalapeno peppers. If you want a milder salsa, remove the seeds and white webbing from the peppers. For a hotter salsa, leave them in. Drain the black beans. After the corn has cooled, cut it off the cob. Combine all ingredients with the tomatoes and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, overnight is better. Serve with good-quality tortilla chips. If you want a slightly different flavor, add in a chipotle pepper (smoked jalapeno). Rehydrate the chipotle in cool water for an hour or so before chopping it. Enjoy!

Snakeman's Smoked Fish Dip

 I don't brine my fish when I smoke 'em, & I use a cheap cooker with a water pan. Instead of water, though, I use vinegar.

 One of the best fish to use for dip is the blue runner. It is oily enough to smoke without drying out. Most fish will work, just don't dry it out too much.

 For the dip, I chop a bunch of scallions & a bunch of garlic. Mix the fish & veggies with about half sour cream & half cream cheese. Add generous amounts of Tony Chachere (I spilled it in the batch I made that Ken loved, & thought I'd messed up.) Some garlic powder & Lime juice won't hurt a bit.

 Spicey Fish Sauce

Author: Miker2

 This is the recipe that caught my eye on the oneill outside tv show. SOUTH OF THE BORDER FILETS 

        ½ cup Salsa

        2 tablespoons mayonnaise

        2 tablespoons lime juice

        ½ cup shredded Monterey pepper jack or Mexican  blend cheese

         1 ½ pounds Hybrids 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix mayonnaise; lime juice and salsa together. Spread mixture over the fillets. Sprinkle cheese on top and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.  I haven't had a chance to try it yet,but it's got me salivating just by writing about it.

Tangy fish sauce recipe. Good with stronger fish

 One cup Picante sauce(I like it hot) and 1 cup Ranch Dressing. That is all there is to it.  Spread it over fish for broiling or baking. 

I can eat Wahoo and Spanish Mackerel this way just fine but the only other way I like these two is smoked.. I can't eat Kingfish any way but smoked.

 Tom Keels' World Famous Salsa

Author Tom Keels

 This is for a medium spice salsa. I do not make a mild version because life’s too short.

 Non pepper ingredients--

1 large white onion (diced)

2 ears of roasted yellow sweet corn. Roast on the cob, and then cut off the cob.

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1 large can (20 oz I think) diced tomatoes drained

1 small can Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Chiles drained

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil 

These are the flavor balancers. They are the fine tuning elements of it-- Kosher Salt to taste. Usually about 1 teaspoon I would guess.  About ½ cup of lime juice. I say about because it may need more or less depending on the sweetness/bitterness of the peppers. Start with ¼ cup and taste it after you add everything.  1 teaspoon of sugar. Same as the lime juice, it may need more or less.

 Peppers -- 

Can be more or less of different kinds, as long as you use like heat types. Use the freshest you can find. All the peppers need to be roasted in the oven or on the grill until there skin turns black and blisters. When they are done, place them in an airtight container for about 10 minutes. The steam will cause the skins to loosen up and be easier to remove. You can remove them under running water, but try to get as much as you can without it so you don’t wash away all the flavor. You don’t have to get all the skin off, just the majority. Remove all the seed pods and membranes from the peppers. Pepper seeds are not digestible and can really throw off the recipe with their heat, as can the membranes. Dice all the peppers after they are prepared. 

1 large or 2 medium green bell

1 large 2 medium red bell

1 large or 2 small pablanos (these look like dark green flat bell peppers)

2 sweet bananas

1 hot banana. (can substitute another hot pepper)

2-3 medium jalapenos

And if you like it hot ½ to a whole habenero.

BTW there were no habeneros in the BBB batch. The hot banana did the trick. 

This stuff gets better the longer it sits. I always make it at least a day in advance to let the flavors mingle. You need to test and stir a few minutes before you serve it. It may need one or more of the flavor balancers listed above.

I am not sure how long it keeps because it never lasts more than 2 days.

A Basic White Sauce

by Clint
 

A basic white sauce: 1 tablespoon butter, melted, one tablespoon flour whisked into the butter..slightly cooked like a rue...then add one

cup of tapwater cold water...you can always doll this up with a little wine and herbs.

Pineapple Chutney

Author Clint

 I've got two of the three pigs for the Carrabelle bash. They'll be roasted, not smoked. Here's a recipe for the chutney I'm going to make. I twisted up some yesterday, tweeked it a bit and it turned out pretty good. I got the recipe off foodtv.com.            

1 large spanish onion diced

4 chunks garlic crushes

3 tbl spoons fresh ginger crushed

6 habaneros crushed

1 tbl spoon cumin, toasted and crushed

3/4 cup dark rum

1 lrg pineapple finely diced

1/2 cup fresh lime juice or the stuff in a bottle

1/2 cup raw sugar

1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

salt/pepper if you want it. 

Saucepan, medium heat, saute onions, garlic, ginger, chilis and cumin in a shot of olly oil for about 5 minutes. Add the rum, turn up the heat for ~ 3 minutes. Add pinapple, lime juice and sugar and bring to a simmer. Shut off the heat and cover...toss in the cilantro and mix it in. 

I want to slice up some starfruit and kiwi to set it off. Depending on the expected guests, this will probably be 3X

Crab Dip

Author Clint 

I got this off Emerl's site. I've made it several times and it's very good!

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup chopped pickled jalapenos
1/4 pound Monterey Jack cheese with jalapenos, grated
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 ounces Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, grated
1 recipe Toasted Croutons, recipe follows

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the crabmeat, garlic, jalapenos, Monterey Jack, Worcestershire, hot sauce, salt, and mayonnaise in a medium-size mixing bowl. Toss gently to mix. Spoon the mixture into a medium-size mixing bowl. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese evenly on the top of the crabmeat mixture. Bake until golden brown and bubbly, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and let sit for about 5 minutes before serving with the croutons.

TOASTED CROUTONS:
1 loaf French bread (about 8 inches in diameter and 15 inches long), ends trimmed and cut crosswise into 1/4-inch thick slices
5 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the bread slices on the baking sheet and brush them with half of the olive oil, then sprinkle them with 1/8 teaspoon of the salt and 1/8 teaspoon of the black pepper. Turn the slices over, and brush them with the remaining oil, and sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper. Bake for about 6 minutes, then turn the baking sheet around in the oven to ensure even browning. Bake until the croutons are lightly browned, about 6 more minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before serving.
Yield: about 32 croutons

CAPTAIN ED’S FABULOUS SMOKED FISH SPREAD

Author EddieJoe

About a 1-2 pounds of smoked fish (4-5 fillets mullet, or whatever you have that makes that much: I especially like amberjack or cobia), flaked

(2) 8 oz. Packages of cream cheese, softened
one-half cup each of chopped onion, green pepper, and celery
one-quarter to one-half cup mayo
(1) T (or to taste) horseradish
Everglades Heat Seasoning (or any favorite seasoning mix with some hot pepper in it) to taste - you may use a lot of pepper because the cheese dulls the heat

Mix all but the fish to smooth, add horseradish to taste. Add fish and mix well. Spread on crackers or serve with favorite veggie.

(note: You can use non-fat cream cheese and mayo and you won’t be able to tell the difference - it really cuts the fat!)

This stuff is so good it won't last long at any gathering.

Enjoy!

EJ

Dad's Horseradish Sauce

Author Capt Ken 

1 Tsp pure ground Horsradish.
1 Cup Hellman's Real Mayonaise.
Stir & serve. Sometimes he'd add a little Celery Salt or Garlic Salt but never raw Garlic.

The real good stuff is made with Dad's home canned Horsradish or fresh garden Horsradish, freshly ground.

For me, the hotter the Horseradish the better. If it doesn't make your eyes water and nose run, it isn't hot enough. Kinda funny that I can't handle hop pepper, though.

Addition by Chef-Johnny

try to put a little worthierster in it and it works great over brocoli to