thanksgiving is damn near tomorrow.

& here i go w/ the late macaroni and cheese post.

for the dairy eaters, for the wheat eaters, there's plenty. there are a million and one recipes. even some with, like, hot dogs in them.

but, the soy, dairy, and/ or gluten-free livers don't get a whole lot. of course, there's store bought mixes and frozen entrees. but what about thanksgiving and other major meals? what about the first major snow of the year, when you go buy all manner of crap so you can stay in and eat? that's what i'm getting into right now. a recipe, for those who are in deep need of mac & cheese that won't make them feel like the oddball out. or like they're destined to have tummy problems and/ or hives for indulging themselves.

karina of gluten-free goddess has a recipe for what she simply calls the best vegan mac & cheese. it looks amazing. i haven't tried it yet. cuz i'm lazy and would rather deal w/ the sinus headache of rice pasta drowned in regular ass cheese sauce.

also, heidi swanson has this spelt macaroni w/ cashew cheese that i've made before. with the right substitutions, this can be fully allergen free. the flavor is amazing.

happy cooking!

i made a meatloaf, and it didn't suck!

if you know anything about me, you know that i make my dishes up as i go. so, when i decided that i wanted to make meatloaf, i totally fucking winged it. here goes nothing. meatloaf with balsamic onion marmalade.

ingredients

meat loaf:
1 lb ground turkey (shadybrook farms' 85/15, not 93/7 or turkey breast)
1 small red onion, grated
sea salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 egg, whipped
4 white button mushrooms, sliced thin
olive oil
garlic powder, to taste
about 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
& the special ingredient!! about 1 cup cheerios (plain), crushed & smashed into smithereens.


onion marmalade:
butter (or earth balance or whatever buttery thing you use), abt 1 tbsp
2 medium sized red onions, diced
balsamic vinegar, abt 1/2 cup
a pinch of salt
a pinch of black pepper
a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
2 tbsps agave nectar or honey (it's all i had. other marmalade recipes call for sugar, of course)
a dash of garlic powder

instructions!

- preheat oven to 375 degrees
- saute the sliced mushrooms in olive oil, garlic & a pinch of salt. once the mushrooms are soft, set them aside to cool.
- while mushrooms cool, add the remaining meat loaf ingredients in a bowl. mix thoroughly -- set mixture aside.
- in a saucepan, add all marmalade ingredients EXCEPT the vinegar and agave.
- stir frequently, cooking on high heat.
- once the onions become translucent, add agave syrup.
- cook mixture for about 3 minutes on high heat or until the agave reduces to a thicker consistency.
- add balsamic vinegar; reduce heat.
- cook marmalade on medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, or until the onions are completely soft, stirring often.

- after the marmalade is done, comes the fun part: the meat loaf.
- mix the mushrooms into the turkey mixture.
- coat the inside of a large-enough roasting pan with olive oil.
- pour the turkey mixture into the roasting pan. shape the meat into a rectangle with rounded edges (that's loafy, right?).
- roast for approximately 40 minutes, covered with aluminum foil or a lid (if your roaster has a lid, awesome).
- remove from oven. cover the meat loaf in onion marmalade.
- return to oven and cook, uncovered for approximately 15 minutes more (or until the meat loaf is your desired firmness).

enjoy!

deliciousness unreal: black eyed pea salsa.

i think black eyed peas are awesome. after making & eating this salsa, you probably will, too.

ingredients:
1 big-ass can of black eyed peas (i use goya), drained & rinsed
1 bag frozen corn, thawed & drained
1 large green bell pepper, large dice
3 roma tomatoes, large dice
1 medium white onion, large dice
3 celery stalks, sliced horizontally (you can be fancy and dice if you want, i don't really care)
the juice of 1 lime
sea salt, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste
crushed garlic, to taste
black pepper, to taste
olive oil (about 3 tablespoons) (optional)

combine spices, lime juice, onion, & celery in a bowl. mix enough to thoroughly coat the onion & celery. set aside for about 10 minutes. (during this time, you can finish any chopping or do the rinsing/ draining of the corn and black eyed peas)
add all other ingredients; mix gingerly, as the peas will be kind of soft & you don't wanna turn them into mush. chill the salsa or serve at room temperature.

this salsa is also absolutely fucking delicious when served as a soup, in chicken or veggie stock. jesus.

chick peas!

because i have this bad habit of tweeting about what i eat & not posting it here, i've been chastised by some folk who simply wanna know how i do what i do in the kitchen. so, here it goes:

ingredients:
1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1 medium heirloom tomato, large dice (any tomato will do, this is just what i had on hand)
1 small white onion, large dice
1 tablespoon curry powder
1/2 cup water or vegetable broth
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
salt & pepper, to taste
olive oil (enough to coat the bottom of a small saucepan)

instructions:
coat a small saucepan with olive oil. add salt, pepper, onion, garlic, curry powder, & tomato.
when the onions begin to turn translucent, add the chick peas & water or broth. bring to a full boil for about 5 minutes.
lower the heat, cover the pot & cook for about 10 minutes or until the chick peas are the texture you like.
remove from heat -- serve over rice.

mashed potatoes.

(what? in august? YES.)

i saw this recipe from heidi "i am secretly the devil because i want you to cook and eat all the time" swanson and had to try it for myself.

holy crap. it's delicious. my variations:

no scallions, just fried shallots
veggie broth instead of milk
garlic powder in addition to fresh garlic
a sprinkle of cayenne
smart balance instead of butter (it was all i had available)
no parmesan

it's awesome. i wanna add some more potatoes to it. such goodness.

getting ready for fall . . .

fire roasted salsa.

tomato. shallot. green pepper. lime juice. salt. pepper. garlic.

4 roma tomatoes, rinsed
1 large green pepper, seeded and halved
1/2 shallot, diced
lime juice, to taste
salt, pepper, garlic (crushed or powder) to taste

roast the tomatoes, one at a time, on your stovetop. when the skin is blackened and almost peeling, remove. dice the tomatoes and set them aside in a bowl w/ salt, pepper, garlic and lime juice.
roast the green pepper and dice it.
add the shallot and pepper to tomatoes.

serve room temperature or chilled. enjoy with eggs, toast, as a side to some home fries, with a tofu scramble for breakfast. yesterday it served as a topping for a vegetable tamale, and WOW was it delicious. :D

quorn porn.

quorn stir-fry. sort of. i hate the taste of most fake meats by themselves so enter the brilliant idea that spawned from my evil mind, inspired by omi's un-chicken salad recipe.


ingredients:
1 box quorn naked chik'n cutlets
3/4 cups water or veggie broth (about enough to cover the cutlets in a bowl)
1/4 cup bragg's liquid aminos, shoyu, soy sauce, or mushroom broth
1 large green pepper, seeded and sliced in half lengthwise
1/2 shallot, sliced
onion powder, to taste
garlic powder, to taste
olive oil

instructions:
sit the frozen cutlets in the liquid mixture and seasonings; set aside to thaw for about 30 minutes or defrost in the microwave and set aside for about 15 minutes
lay the sliced pepper pieces across one gas stove burner. turn the flame on; blacken the pepper on both sides and set aside to cool (this process depends on how high your flame is; i recommend medium as your setting)
drain the liquid off of the cutlets (save it or trash it, it's up to you) and slice them widthwise into strips; place in a bowl
slice the roasted pepper into strips
add the olive oil to the trustiest skillet you own (mine is cast iron. act like you know!)
when the oil is hot, throw in the scallions, peppers, and sliced quorn
heat that mug to your desired brownness and/ or texture

** PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS IS WHERE I DECIDED TO THROW MY SKILLET INTO THE OVEN TO GIVE THE QUORN THE LEGITIMATELY CHICKENY TEXTURE THAT I LOVE. DON'T DO THAT WITH YOUR NON-STICK JAWN. IT'LL IMPLODE. OR SOMETHING**

after you finish cooking, serve with rice or rice noodles or whatever you want. i served mine on a bun with spinach and fire-roasted veggie salsa on it. please see below:










what's that, you say?
yes, it's a white bun. it's a white onion bun, fresh from teixeira bakery (they get delivered to "ethnic" aka puerto rock-friendly supermarkets in the philly area).
fire roasted veggie salsa? i'll post the recipe later.
i just had to get this one on the blog before i forgot how i made it.

un-chicken salad

1 package of fake chicken

(i used trader joe's "chickenless strips", but there are morningstar "starters", your fave TVP recipe, whatever...adjust for allergy considerations)

1-2 red bell peppers (you're going to roast them, so keep 'em whole)

1 lg. green pepper, finely chopped

2-3 scallions, finely chopped

2-3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or pressed

1-2 tomatoes, seeded & chopped OR sundried tomatoes, soaked in water for about 20-30 min

olive oil

(sea) salt / pepper to taste

basil

dill

mayo or nayonaise

celery seed

parsley

sage

pinch of thyme
braggs liquid aminos (optional...but great flavor enhancer)

*poultry seasoning also works well in place of the sage and/or thyme

• season the chicken strips with salt, pepper, sage/thyme or poultry seasoning. set aside.
• chop your green pepper, garlic, and scallions. season w/ salt, pepper, basil, dill and bragg's aminos to taste. set aside.
• roast your red peppers. you do NOT need any fancy equipment for this. cut the top off the pepper & remove the seeds. if you have a gas range, turn one of the metal things (what are those called??? lol) upside down and put the pepper directly on the burner. use a medium flame. let it blacken, then rotate. once it's blackened all around, take it off the heat.
• let cool until you can handle it. scrape off as much of the blackened skin as possible, then chop the peppers.
• chop your tomato(es) and add them to a bowl with the roasted red pepper. sprinkle liberally w/ celery seed. set aside.
• in a nice sized skillet, heat up just enough olive oil to coat the pan. when it's hot, toss in the scallions/green pepper/garlic. saute until softened, then add the chicken strips. cook until strips are heated through. adjust seasonings as necessary.
• remove the chicken & veggies from the heat and let cool to room temperature.
• add the roasted peppers and tomatoes to the cooled chicken/veggies. fold in mayo or nayo and taste/adjust again, if needed. chill before serving.

enjoy!!

chick pea & chard soup

with garlic and couscous.

this recipe was made up on the spot, inspired by the chick pea hot pot recipe at 101 cookbooks. i'm feeling a bit under the weather so i decided i needed some sort of soup; this is really the product of my need for comfort & a desire to use a bunch of random stuff from my cabinets.

here goes:

1 bunch swiss or rainbow chard, stems chopped off, cut to your desired width
4 cloves garlic, pressed
1/2 medium red onion, diced
16 oz vegetable broth (i used trader joe's, of course)
1/2 cup whole wheat couscous
1 can chick peas, undrained (trader joe's again)
a splash of olive oil
3 tbsps lemon juice
3 tbsps orange juice
cayenne pepper
sea salt
cracked black pepper
adobo
thyme
parsley
oregano
bay leaf

saute spices, onion & garlic in olive oil until the onions turn translucent.
add vegetable broth, orange juice & lemon juice; bring to a boil.
add chick peas and bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer. simmer for about 15 minutes. add chard and couscous. remove from heat. allow the soup to sit for 5 minutes.

enjoy!

black eyed peas with brown jasmine rice

(i meant to make this post days ago, but i've had a series of internet issues that have resulted in my becoming comcast's bitch as opposed to verizon's or earthlink's again)

if you're a person from the african diaspora or live in the southern united states, you probably know about the new year's day tradition of eating black eyed peas & collards to bring in a new year of wealth & prosperity.

so, here's my recipe. late as hell (i forgot to publish it after adding photos) . . .

ingredients:

one 1-lb bag of goya frijoles caritas (it says in english somewhere on the bag, black eyed peas), soaked & rinsed
one carton of trader joe's vegetable broth
diced bell peppers (assorted colors)
olive oil
1 small red onion
sofrito
garlic, crushed (to taste)
salt, pepper, adobo & whatever spices you like (to taste)
bragg's liquid aminos (for the smoky taste)

instructions:

1) saute veggies & sofrito in olive oil, in the same stock pot you're going to cook the peas in.
2) once the onions are translucent, add veggie stock, braggs & spices.
3) add peas. bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.
4) cook the peas to your desired consistency.
5) serve with the rice of your choice. enjoy!

note: i cooked my brown jasmine rice with bay leaf. YUM.

it's turkey day, kid!

or tofurkey day, or meat loaf day, or lasagna day . . . or maybe chicken pancit day?

anyhow, enjoy it!

i'll be back later w/ recipes.

crispy eggplant w/ curried tomato sauce

(courtesy of omi)

an improvisation with yummy results. one of those "i can't believe it's (almost) vegan!" type deals.
all spices are to taste--if you want a truly curried sauce, use more powder. if you just want to hint at curry, use less.

1 medium eggplant or 2 small eggplants, cut into 1/2" slices
3-4 whole tomatoes, diced (or 1 can whole tomatoes)
1 can tomato sauce (probably 1/2 can if using canned tomatoes)
1 can coconut milk
1 medium or small red onion
1 tbsp fresh ginger root, peeled & diced (use appropriate substitution for powdered)
2-3 cloves garlic
1.5 cups jasmine rice*
egg wash (1 egg, beaten with 1/2 cup water)**

olive oil
vegetable oil (optional--for frying i usually use a mix of soybean & olive oil)
kosher salt (optional)***
plain breadcrumbs
curry powder
sage
basil
thyme
bay leaves
salt & pepper
honey or vegan sweetening agent (approx. 1 tsp)


1. dice the onion, ginger, and garlic. season with curry powder, salt, pepper, sage, basil and thyme. set aside.
2. if using fresh tomatoes & tomato sauce, dice the tomatoes and set aside. if using canned tomatoes, you can open the can later.
3. cook rice according to package directions, adding a bay leaf. remove the leaf from the rice before serving.
4. time to fry the eggplant! heat about 1 cup olive and/or vegetable oil (enough to almost cover the eggplant slices) in a pan. the oil should be almost smoking before you add the eggplant.
5. pour the egg wash (or vegan version) into a dish. in a separate dish, pour out some breadcrumbs and stir in salt, pepper, and approx. 2 tsp curry powder. dip the eggplant slices in the wash, then the breadcrumbs. fry the eggplant until it's golden brown, about 3 min on each side. drain using paper towels and set aside.
6. reserve enough oil from eggplant frying to sautee your onion/ginger/garlic mixture (about 2 tbsp).
reheat the oil in the same pan (don't wash it! keep that flavor!) and sautee the mixture until onions are translucent.
7. reduce to medium heat and add tomatoes, tomato sauce, and a bay leaf. bring to a boil.
8. add coconut milk to taste, and adjust seasonings. if there is any bitterness, add honey SPARINGLY until it fades, stirring well after each addition.
reduce heat to simmer and cover. bring to a second boil (about 5-7min).
9. once sauce is boiling, taste again and adjust seasonings as needed. REMOVE THE BAY LEAF!
10. when you like the sauce, puree it in a blender or food processor until smooth.
11. make a bed of the jasmine rice, place several slices of eggplant on top, and pour the sauce over it all. enjoy!!

makes approx. 3-4 servings

*depends on how "indian" you want this to taste. you can probably use plain white or brown rice as well, but nothing tastes like jasmine rice cooked with bay leaves.
**or whatever vegan concoction makes breadcrumbs stick to food. :-)

***some ppl salt eggplant before using it. i find it doesn't matter, but you can try it.
after slicing the eggplant, put it in a colander with a plate underneath. layer the eggplant in the colander, sprinkling each layer with kosher salt. after about 30-60 minutes, the water will come out of the eggplant. pat dry with paper towels, brushing off any excess salt. cook as directed.

chicken croquettes.

these little meaty creations are typically something you find in the frozen food aisle in the market, or in some diner. & they usually look or taste really freaking weird. but, since my mom once taught me how to make salmon croquettes i decided to try my hand at the chicken jumpoffs (thanks, fish allergy!). i made this up as i went along, so the measurements are all kinds of odd. there's essentially no precision involved whatsoever. i think they turned out pretty okay. . .

1 can trader joe's white meat chicken in water (broth is okay, but i find it to be kinda salty)
whole wheat flour, enough to bind the chicken mixture
nasoya nayonaise (regular), enough to maintain the moisture of the chicken mixture
random seasonings, including old bay (for the fishy flavor), diced bell peppers (very little, maybe 2 tbsps), oregano, garlic (fresh, chopped, crushed, or powder), ground blk pepper, cayenne, onion powder, & turmeric
grapeseed, olive or canola oil -- enough to brown croquettes, depending on the size of the skillet being used

drain and rinse the chicken. mix it in a bowl with all seasonings, flour, & nayonaise.

heat the oil in the skillet to the proper temperature for frying (see the fish recipe for ideas if you aren't sure, & do the drop of flour test before adding anything substantial to the oil. turn it DOWN if you've had it turned up to high to heat it rapidly)

as the oil heats, fashion the chicken mixture into small balls, about 1/3 the size of your palm. flatten the balls a little, making them no thicker than 3/4 inches at their thickest point. place as many croquettes as will fit in your frying pan.

brown the croquettes on one side, and turn over for browning on the other side. ideally, the croquettes will cook up to a warm brown color & also be very firm when pressed upon with a fork or other utensil. when they are cooked to your desired brownness, remove the croquettes to a plate topped w/ layered paper towels. (don't act like you don't know how to drain a fried food, dammit)

you may have to change the oil, for stray bits of food that didn't hold together. that's fine. just make sure you turn the burner off & be extra certain to heat the oil slowly -- the skillet will likely still be hot.

serve with sauteed spinach, collard greens, string beans or other sexy vegetables & a nice starch like mac & cheese or some fancy schmancy rice pilaf thing.

this recipe would probably kick ass w/ some sort of meat substitute. i won't try it any time soon since i hate cooking lately, but i encourage you veggie/ vegan readers to try. xoxo

spicy mango fried rice.

i made the coconut forbidden rice about 2 weeks ago, & was looking for something to do w/ allllllll the leftover i had. so, i froze it & thought really hard about what would be suitable. it's tooooooo hot for soup, & i wasn't about to attempt much else (sweet sticky rice was out because of the ginger & garlic) beyond plain old coconut rice as a side dish. then i thought about it. i like mango & coconut outside of desserts.
so i came up w/ spicy mango fried rice! here goes nothing. all measurements are estimations, children...

2 cups coconut forbidden rice
1 cup trader joe's frozen mango chunks, thawed slightly and diced
2 small cloves (or one large clove) garlic, peeled & pressed
3/4 teaspoon pureed ginger
2 tbsps olive oil (or whichever oil you cook with -- butter or margarine would mess w/ the flavor)
ground ginger, to taste
cayenne pepper, to taste
onion powder (i didn't have a real onion), to taste
blk pepper, to taste
sea salt, to taste
chili powder, to taste

1) mix the diced mango & seasonings in a bowl; set aside. (i let mine sit for about 10 minutes or so before i started cooking, so the mango would get thoroughly spicy)
2) in a skillet or wok, heat the oil to its frying point.
3) add rice. stir-fry for about 3 minutes.
4) add fruit/ spice mixture. stir-fry for another 3 minutes or until the mango is tender.
5) remove from heat. serve.

i like my rice kinda crisp so i kinda overcooked it, then added the mango. i let the whole dish cool before tasting any of it. it was really good. i'm supposed to be sharing it w/ my homegirl but i genuinely don't see that happening. lol.

happy eating.

coconut forbidden rice.

this is my own variation on the recipe for purple jasmine coconut rice which i posted a few days ago, from 101 cookbooks. this was a complete stab in the dark, as i (a) didn't want cashews or shallots, & (b) had never cooked w/ forbidden rice ever in my life . . . i used heidi's measurements for the rice, coconut milk, water & salt.

2 cups forbidden (aka black) rice
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (i use the foco brand, which is hella cheap & thick as thick can be -- do NOT use lite. use regular, whichever brand. & please for the love of pete, don't use coconut creme.)
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 large clove of garlic, crushed (optional)

soak the rice in cold water for 45 minutes to an hour in the pot you'll be using to cook it. once the rice is finished soaking, drain & rinse it twice. add to the pot the water, sea salt & coconut milk. stir the mixture. place the pot over high heat, uncovered. bring rice to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent scorching. lower the flame to a low simmer. cook for about 20 minutes without stirring the rice or removing the lid. remove from heat. allow the rice to sit for 20 minutes (still covered). fluff the rice with a fork & serve with the garnish of your choice.

this was a really easy recipe.
i ended up adding about a half cup more coconut milk once i'd finished though; the taste wasn't quite right to me.

next time i'll try some shredded ginger . . .

recipe links!

so, i was snooping around/ drooling over heidi swanson's 101 cookbooks site (see the links) & discovered something that i think might change my life if i prepare it: purple jasmine coconut rice. yes, lord! i can't wait to find some rice & cook it. yay!

then i found a recipe for some meatless 'burgers' on starchefs.com, thanks to a random link on mighty foods (again, see the links).

thanks to the message boards on vegiac.com, there's an oatmeal cookie that i can eat without feeling all extra crazy. (i'm gonna get tested for celiac mid august so this site has been a BIG help as of late)

happy cooking!

hot!!! beans & rice

with a few modifications, this can evolve into a soup or chili.


ingredients:

1 cup of white or brown rice (i use trader joe's organic jasmine or brown rice, as boil in bag rice doesn't come out right)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 tablespoons sriracha rooster sauce (more or less per your taste)
1 tablespoon cilantro (totally optional. bill, i know you hate it)
1 clove of garlic, pressed
1/2 red or white onion, chopped finely
1/2 green or red bell pepper, diced
1 can of black beans, mostly drained (again, i use trader joe's but goya or la fe or whatever is fine if that's what you like)
1 teaspoon of olive or canola oil

follow cooking instructions for the rice.
add to the rice as it simmers the garlic, tomato paste, rooster sauce, cilantro, & any other seasonings you wish.
in a separate pan, saute the onions and peppers.
when the rice is finished cooking, add the beans & sauteed veggies.

serve as a side dish.

** you can also 'bake' the beans & rice to dry the dish out. about 20 or so minutes at 350 depending on how dry you like yours.

eat up!

fried fish

no mods or swipes. i type recipes i want to recall if dementia ever sets in, in little notepad files.
here's one i ran across searching for something to send you. this is just what i usually do, when i fry fish.
nothing fancy. nothing veggie. nothing especially healthy. but...it's good.
make it every once. you won't feel bad, unless you hate fish.

Fried Fish

Ingredients:
1. Whiting,Catfish, etc.
(Any firm white fish filet or whole small fish is fine, but they MUST be gutted and scaled. Preferrably, beheaded. What up, Porgies!)
2. Cooking Oil
3. Seasonings (see below)
4. Cornmeal/Flour Coating (see below)


Step 1:
Heat Oil
+ or - 1/2 cup cooking oil (your choice. peanut/veg. based oils are cool)
Enough for a shallow fry if u are cooking in a pan.
If you are cooking in a pot or fryer, you can use more oil, but make sure it is not excessive.
Oil should be boiling w/o much drop in temperature during cook time.


Step 2:
Check Fish
Have at least 3 - 6 pieces
Fish should be cleaned and deboned as much as possible.
Smell fish before cooking. If it smells, it is bad and should not be eaten.
Get new fish.
If it's good, rinse fish, cover, and set aside in the fridge.


Step 3:
Mix Coating

2 cups store bought fish fry mix

or

1 cup flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup breadcrumbs (optional. your choice. some people like panko. others like cracker crumbs. i don't care.)
2 tsp tony cachere's creole seasoning (or seasoning salt of your choice)
2 tsp old bay seasoning
1 tsp salt-free granulated garlic
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
1/8 tsp cayenne (optional. this is hot. don't be an ass and overdo it or even use it unless you know you can take it.)

Place all of these ingredients in a sturdy ziploc or paper bag. Close bag. Shake to mix, and set aside.
You will have more than enough coating for the frying you are doing.
Just label the bag and put it in the freezer till you need it again.


Step 4:
Mix seasoning for fish.
Fish should be seasoned to taste, so eyeball it.

garlic
pepper
salt (you can use a season salt if you want)
lemon juice

Season meat on all sides.
Be careful not to overseason, because there is seasoning in the coating.
The fish should not be caked with spices.


Step 5:
The Fry

Place pieces of fish in coating bag 1-2 at a time, close bag, shake well.
Remove fish, holding over bag to shake off excess.
Place fish into hot oil carefully, and manage with a pair of tongs or similar utensil.
If fish happens to break, it's no big deal.
Let it finish cooking. BUT PLEASE BE SURE TO WATCH THE STOVE!
You cannot fry and multi-task. You *really* can't, if you don't have fire insurance.

Once fish floats to top of oil, it is done in a large pot or deep fryer.
If you're cooking in a pan, you can usually tell it's ready once both sides are golden brown.
5-10 mins on both sides over a medium flame should do well.
Fish should flake when tested w/ a fork. Meat should not be translucent.
If it is, it is not done. Don't be an ass and give yourself food poisoning.
You can finish it off back in the oil, or in the oven. Either way, it'll stay crispy.
No more tears.

Place fish on flat paper bag covered with paper towels or other absorbent surface.
Towels, newspaper, pampers. whatever.
Fish should be allowed to cool and drain for at least 10 minutes.

Serve hot with any condiments and sides you enjoy.
Hello, hot sauce!


thanks, myrtle, for the recipe!