Cooking with Game

 Baked Sturgeon   4 to 6 servings

About Sturgeon: it is a boneless, mild, white meated fish. It doesn’t flake well.
If over-cooked it is VERY tough. It can be rather bland, so spices and flavorings are important. Following is an easy, tasty way to prepare it.

foil
Sturgeon filet – 2 pounds, about 2 inches thick
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) butter – melted – brush on fish
sprinkle on onion powder and garlic powder – 1/2 tsp each or to taste
1/2 large onion (whole small onion) finely minced – pack on top of fish
1/2 lemon (cut up other half to squeeze on after baking) – squeeze over onion
salt and pepper to taste over onions
top with dried dill – about 1/2 tsp.
1/4 cup water (outside foil)

Take a double layer of foil (or 1 layer heavy duty) about 6 to 8 inches longer than the piece of fish and lay in a shallow baking dish. Place the fish on the foil and fold the ends and sides up to make a “pan” a few inches all around larger than the piece of fish. Melt the butter and brush on the fish. Sprinkle with onion and garlic powders. Pat as much of the minced onions on top as you can. Sprinkle with the lemon juice then salt and pepper and dill.
Pour the water outside the foil “pan” into the baking pan. (Helps keep it moist)
At this point you can let it sit for up to 30 minutes to let it come to room temperature

Bake at 375 degrees for 22- 26 minutes – DO NOT OVERCOOK. How cold the fish is when it goes into the oven helps determine how long to cook it. I use a quick register thermometer to check for doneness. If it registers 130 degrees it’s done enough. Remove from oven, cover with a piece of foil and let sit 5 minutes. It will continue to cook a bit more.

When you serve it up, spoon some of the butter and onions that ended up in the bottom of the foil, over the fish.

Citrus Salsa Salmon

4    4 to 5 oz salmon fillets – 3/4 to 1 inch thick (skin on or off)
    salt and black pepper
1/3    cup red jalapeno jelly
3    medium oranges, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1    medium grapefruit sections, chopped
1    cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved (or regular tomatoes chopped)

1.    In medium bowl combine chopped fruit and halved tomatoes.
2.    In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the jelly. You can add a tablespoon         of water to help it melt.
3.    Heat broiler. Place the salmon on unheated rack of a broiler pan.  Lightly         sprinkle salmon with the salt and pepper. Brush 2 tablespoons of the melted     jelly on the salmon, add the rest of the jelly to the salsa mix with a little salt     and pepper.
4.    Broil 4 inches from heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until salmon flakes when         tested with a fork. (When in doubt I cook for shortest time since fish             continues cooking after removed from heat). Be carefully jelly doesn’t burn     too much.
5.    Remove from the oven and let sit with foil over top for about 5 minutes.

Serve with the salsa on top.

Serves 4   

From Better Homes and Garden – March 2009