Bluefish with a Tomato Chutney with Mac and Cheese (#3) and Parsnip-Corn Cakes

It's Southern-style night! We'll proceed with the mac and cheese challenge (to lighten up the classic comfort food while maintaining it's incredible rich, creamy taste) but also take a twist on Southern food to feature some blue fish with a tomato chutney and parsnip-corn cakes. For some reason, blue fish gets the short shrift. They're often seen as a cheap fish and of lesser quality, but I personally find blue fish absolutely delicious. It's tender with a definite flavor, but it's not overly "fishy" which is what often turns off eaters. Apparently (for those who watch Top Chef) it does feature a dark bloodline that can ruin the taste, but when you buy nice fillets at Whole Foods you avoid that problem!

To round out the meal, I also made the parsnip-corn cakes. So okay, parsnips aren't Southern. And corn doesn't really belong to any one state, although it is definitely American. But who's keeping track? I felt (probably without any real reason) that vegetables in a cake form seemed rather Southern, and the flavors matched with the rest of the meal, so I went with it. What you need to know is that the cakes were great, but definitely unusual. Parsnips are naturally quite sweet, so when combined with sweet corn kernels lend a surprisingly sugar-y flavor to the cakes without any actual sugar. Amazing, huh?

Difficulty: medium-easy
Time: 1 hr 30 min
Cost: $17.52



Mac and Cheese
Time: 1 hr

Ingredients:
1 box whole wheat macaroni pasta
4 tbsp butter (or fake butter)
4 tbsp flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 c 1% milk
1 c fat free half and half
1/2 tsp dijon mustard
2 c low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c bread crumbs

Get your oven pre-heating to 400 degrees. Also cook the macaroni according to the directions on the package, then drain and set aside.

As your macaroni is boiling, get started on the cheese part! (aka the good part....)

Heat a pot over medium heat. Add the butter and let that melt, stirring to coat the pot. Add the flour, salt, and pepper. Use a whisk and stir constantly until the dry ingredients are fully absorbed and mixed into the butter.

Slowly add the milk and half and half, stirring the entire time. It should take a good 5 minutes or more to add them. Stir until combined and then bring to a boil. While bringing to to a boil stir as much as possible, but you might have to stop briefly to let the mixture boil.

Boil for 2 minutes, stirring the entire time. Then, turn down the heat to a simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring nearly the entire time. The sauce should be slightly thick from the flour, but not very thick.

Add the dijon mustard and stir it in. Add the cheddar cheese, a little at a time, stirring the entire time. Simmer for another 5-6 minutes or until all of the cheese is melted and you have a uniform, thick, cheesy mixture.

Combine the noodles and cheese in a greased baking dish. Mix well to coat the noodles evenly and then spread out evenly. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the top.

Bake for 20 minutes and then enjoy!

Bluefish with a Tomato Chutney
Time: 1 hr 15 min

Ingredients:
1 c tomato, diced
1.5 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, diced
2 tsp shallots, diced
1.5 tsp olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb bluefish fillets
1 tsp lemon rind, grated
1/2 tsp black pepper

First, simply place your tomatoes in a colander in a sink. Let them sit and drain for 30 minutes.

Transfer the tomatoes to a bowl. Add the red wine vinegar, cilantro, shallots, olive oil, and garlic. Toss well to combine and then set the bowl to the side. Let it sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature to incorporate all of the flavors.

Finally, turn to the fish! Get your broiler pre-heating. Coat a broiling pan with cooking spray and put the bluefish on it, skin side down. Sprinkle the tops of the fillets evenly with the lemon rind and black pepper. Broil for 8-10 minutes or until fully cooked. Serve with the chutney over the top.

Parsnip-Corn Cakes
Time: 45 min

Ingredients:
1 c parsnips, chopped
1 can corn kernels, drained
1/3 c flour
1/4 c skim milk
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 c egg substitute (equivalent to two eggs)
1 tbsp chives, diced
1 tbsp olive oil

(this recipe is based upon a similar one from Cooking Light)

Bring some water to a boil and add the parsnips. Boil for 15 minutes. At the end they should be quite tender. Drain the parsnips and set them aside for now.

Meanwhile, put the drained corn into a food processor and pulse a few times so that the kernels get slightly chopped up. Then, add the parsnips, flour, skim milk, sugar, black pepper, red pepper, and egg substitute. Process until combined and even. Add the chives and hand stir to incorporate them.

Heat a pan over medium high heat. Add a tsp of olive oil and heat, swirling to coat. When the oil is hot, dollop out your parsnip batter as you would a pancake, using an overflowing tablespoon per patty. Cook for 3-4 minutes and then flip with a spatula, being careful not to let it fall apart. Cook another 3 minutes and then remove and place the patties on a plate.

Heat another tsp of olive oil and repeat the process, then do this one last time or until all of your batter is cooked. Serve the cakes right away.