Pan Fried Salmon with Shoyu and Mango

Why Pan Fried Salmon?

Pan Fried Salmon is Delicious. As long as you stick to the two minute rule, Two minutes per side, your Pan Fried Salmon will be succulent, moist and there won’t be any left, that is, if you follow any one of my recipes for it. I’ve developed two specific recipes for Salmon, and if you want to click HERE, you are more than welcome to take a look for your self to see which one you’d rather prepare.

This Pan Fried Salmon is the easiest and the fastest to make. You can literally be eating in just 10 minutes. The one thing I will say about seafood in general, and especially when it comes to fish, never EVER use frozen fish. Frozen fish becomes dense, dull and flavorless. Even the best Chefs in the world can’t prepare a dish using frozen fish and expect it to stand up to any food critic that is use to eating fresh fish. In fact, I can pretty much guarantee that if you or someone you know claims to not like seafood at all, you either had a frozen fish cooked for you, or you just had only one bad experience that tainted the decision making process and there for never tried any other seafood again. Am I right? The biggest problem is, anyone that has done this pretty much cheated themselves by labeling the entire ocean of sea animals disgusting, and it just isn’t realistic or fair. Look, I’ve had bad food before, even badly cooked steak, but if you think I’m never going to eat another steak again you’re insane. The point is, there are good cooks, and there are bad cooks, there are great recipes and there are terrible ones. There are also a few basic rules regarding any good recipe and any great Chef or Cook. And the golden rule is, ALWAYS USE FRESH FOOD!

Pan Fried Salmon and Soya Sauce Ingredients:

Cut Salmon filet portions
Olive Oil for Cooking
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 Mango Chopped
1 tsp Freshly Chopped Cilantro
Dash of Paprika

1 part Soy Sauce
1 1/2 part Brown Sugar
1 part water

Sauce is boiled with Green Onions and Ginger until Sugar dissolves.

The Original Shoyu Sauce for this Pan Fried Salmon can be found HERE.

Southern Fish Fry

My Fish Fry Recipe!

I know it seems like I recently posted about a fish fry recipe but the point was to illustrate that you can either purchase a simple fish fry from a box, or you can wait for my perfected Southern Fish Fry recipe. You see, it’s taken me almost 3 years to break down the truth and the simplicity of the succulent Cat Fish Fry recipes, cooked in the south. Places like Schooner’s, Bay Town or Chicken Express have the best southern fish fry batter that leaves the filet’s crispy yet moist, and very sweet and buttery. They’re fantastic. Apparently, however, all of the restaurants in the south have known the secret for years but they’re just not so hip on sharing it. To make matters worse, even the Chinese Buffets, in the south, know the secrets to frying great Cat Fish. I’ve heard everything from a pre-fry brine or overnight buttermilk soak (which actually pulls out the fishy taste) to Italian dressing and mustard marinades. It’s insane. The problem was, though those marinades provide a pretty decent taste for the fish, it still wasn’t what I was looking for, and I tried them all.

The Fish Fry Secret

Truthfully I about killed over when I figured out how easy this recipe really is. Nothing to it, AT ALL! The crazy thing is, I actually tried a version like this before but for some reason it didn’t turn out right. So I dismissed this recipe and moved on, wasting another year picking apart other ideas. Hilarious right? Well, not to me. Normally I can pick apart almost any recipe in seconds and tell you exactly what’s in it. Anyone that has been following my recipes can attest to that by now. I don’t read cook books unless I absolutely have to. But some secrets aren’t in print, and some printed recipes just list “secret” in the title just to get you to read their content, and usually they aren’t any where near the vicinity of the correct ingredients for that particular recipe. Anyway, short and sweet, I’ve GOT IT! I’m very pleased and proud to announce that I do. However, I’m embarrassed that it took me this long for this simple recipe. But who’s really going to deny the craving for catfish Po’Boy that looks like this…?

Southern Fish Fry Ingredients:

1 Fish Filet (medium 10 to 12 oz)
1 cup Yellow Corn Meal
1/4 cup Yellow Corn Flour or Masa
1/2 tsp Paprika
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 tbsp Black Pepper

EGG WASH
2 eggs
2 tbsp milk

Cut your filet into desired portions, then egg wash the fish and batter in the Corn Meal. Let it rest for 5 minutes, then fry the filet portions at 375 degrees until golden brown. Serve and enjoy this traditional Southern Fish Fry recipe today.

Poor Man’s LOBSTER

Making Poor Man’s Lobster!

Poor Man’s Lobster is a cost-effective alternative to traditional lobster, typically made by using white fish like cod, haddock, or pollock. The fish is cooked in a flavorful broth that mimics the richness and texture of lobster meat. While it doesn’t taste exactly like lobster, the preparation and seasoning give it a similar experience at a fraction of the cost. This dish has been popular for years as an affordable way to enjoy the “lobster” experience without breaking the bank, and it’s perfect for anyone who loves seafood but wants a more budget-friendly option.

Easy Poor Man's Lobster with simple ingredients. — Top view of Imitation Lobster or “Poor Man’s Lobster”, as it’s worldly known.

The cost of Lobster vs. Imitation

While the name “Poor Man’s Lobster” might sound like a playful twist here in the “Poor Man’s Gourmet Kitchen,” I assure you, it’s the real deal. This dish has a long history and is a legitimate, budget-friendly alternative to actual lobster. This recipe dates way back and it is a legitimate recipe and cheaper alternative to the real thing.

I can grab a healthy filet of cod for just $12, which can be broken down into over a dozen 5 oz pieces, perfect for mimicking lobster tails! You can also use haddock, mackerel, pollock, or halibut for this imitation lobster. However, if you’re going with halibut, you might as well just buy lobster, since the price is about the same. Either way, you’ll have a bit more cash in your pocket by choosing one of these fish and following this recipe, compared to shelling out for the real deal. A dozen 5 to 8 oz lobster tails can cost you at least $60, so stick with me, and I’ll show you a more affordable and healthy alternative!

How to make Poor Man’s Lobster video tutorial by PoorMansGourmet.

Poor Man’s Lobster Ingredients:

1 Cod filet, Haddock, Pollock or Halibut fish
1 pot of Water (approx. 1 qt.)
1/4 cup Salt, mimics seawater
1/4 cup Sugar, adds the sweet taste found in Lobster tail meat
2 tbsp Lemon Juice (or ½ squeezed lemon), adds acid
1/4 stick of Butter, adds a fatty lobster flavor
2 Bay Leaves (optional), adds an earthy tea flavor to the broth

Instructions
1. Cut the fillet: Using a sharp knife, cut across the width of the cod filet, leaving 1 ½ inches between each slice. This will give you pieces that are about the size of lobster tail meat.
2. Prepare the boil: In a pot, add water, salt, sugar, lemon juice, butter, and bay leaves.
3. Add the fish portions to the rolling boil and remove, with a slotted spoon, from the pot as soon as each piece floats to the top.
4. Serve with a dash of Paprika and some Melted Butter.

Follow the video tutorial to season the water and boil your “Poor Man’s Lobster” for the perfect flavor.