Wednesday, September 9, 2015

Family Fish Recipe

During my down time, I've been working on a series set in Maine. Those of you who know me well, know I love the time I spend there, so this series is just fun to work on.




One of the characters in this series owns a diner, so this summer while we were in Maine, I took advantage of research to eat several meals at a favorite diner.

There's some history here. Last Thanksgiving, we rented a house in Ogunquit and headed up to spend the holiday with our daughter (who lives up that way). The plan was to pick her up after work, and then pick up dinner at the diner.  My mouth was watering in anticipation of their famed lobster pie.

Problem was, there was this rather unexpectedly strong snowstorm!

The morning after!


Driving was so bad, we had to get off the interstate and hope for better luck on the back roads. I'd called ahead to make sure the diner was going to be open, but when we got there, we couldn't even find it. I've never seen such total darkness. We gave up looking and headed to the deli counter at the supermarket. (Where we were just about the only people in the store!)

It turned out, a car had taken out a pole and caused a blackout in the area. That was why we couldn't find the diner. No lobster pie for me.

Fast forward to this summer and I was determined to get my lobster pie.

Except it turned out not to be at all what I was expecting.

I had anticipated something along the lines of of chicken pot pie but with lobster.

Not.

After my first bite, I turned to my husband and said, "This tastes like Sam's fish."

Sam was an elderly man who cooked for my husband's even more elderly mother and aunt back when we were first married. They lived on a gorgeous estate on Cape Cod - 2 sisters and Sam and his wife.

My husband LOVED Sam's fish, so with my newlywed enthusiasm, I tried everything I could think of to replicate it. I bought every type of bread crumbs I could find, but the response was always, "Good, but not like Sam's."

Finally, in desperation, I told Sam my sad tale. He laughed and took me into the pantry where he shared his secret crust - Ritz crackers and butter. Yup. That was all. He'd smash the crackers, mix with melted butter, and layer onto the fish. So simple, but SO tasty. My marriage was safe!


So when I took that first bite of lobster pie this summer, and it tasted like lobster with Sam's crust, I was highly suspicious that I knew the special family recipe. In the name of research, I went into the gift shop and bought a cookbook of diner recipes which included the lobster pie. Sure enough - Ritz crackers and butter!


It was very good. Yum.

I haven't made Sam's fish in many years (in the name of low cholesterol and all that jazz), but after we returned home, I decided to give it a try for old times sake (and to post here). So without further ado - the 4 step fish recipe.

1. Smash the Ritz crackers. I do it in a baggie with an ice cream scoop.
2. Melt butter in microwave and mix in the cracker crumbs.
3. Spread on the fish (I used haddock. Sam always used sole.)
4. Bake. You can broil briefly at the end if you feel the need to brown the crumbs, but be careful!




Enjoy!

I'm curious. Have any of you ever made this?


20 comments:

  1. Hi Cate, I've never been to Maine, but it's on my bucket list. I've not made this particular dish, but I've definitely made a ritz butter crust topping. I've used it with a tablespoon of poppyseeds on chicken (in cream of chicken soup/sour cream) Decadent, as you say, but yummy.

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    1. That sounds really interesting to add poppyseeds, Tracey. My husband's a purist so I dare not mess with it, but I may try that on my own.

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  2. Nope -- never even had a Ritz cracker. LOL, I know -- I've shocked you but there it is.

    I've been fascinated by Maine since I was a kid a read a mystery book set in Maine. Totally want to visit --- maybe even live there -- and I've never been. The power of a good book. I'll look forward to your Maine settings.

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    1. Kav, never had a Ritz because they're not sold by you or just never had the urge?

      I hadn't had one in years before I tasted them again on the lobster pie.

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    2. So I grew up in a pretty frugal Irish immigrant family -- so no money for frills and my mum refused to buy anything 'Americanish'. So I just never got in the habit. Once I was out on my own and had a roommate, she introduced me to soup and crackers -- only they were saltines -- do you have those? Way too salty for me and then I found out they were made with lard so I never bought them again. I stuck with the tried but true (and boring) slice of bread or cheese with my soup. LOL Boring, I know.

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    3. Ooo, Ritz crackers are the best! You should really try them!

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  3. Your series in Maine sounds great.

    And no, never made that but have used Ritz crackers on other things. Always good to learn new recipes.

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    1. Thanks, Sandra. I love working on it. Almost a mini-vacation in itself.

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  4. I first visited Maine in 1968 and fell in LOVE with the state - especially the coastline. Three days camping in Acadia National Park sealed the deal. I've always wanted to go back, but it seems that since I've been married, every move has taken us farther away :( (Not that I'm complaining about where we live now!)

    Like Sandra, I've used Ritz crackers on other things, but never fish. It sounds scrumptious!

    And I love your cracker-smasher! That's how I use my ice cream scoop all the time!

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    1. Jan, I sometimes wonder if I could live in a land-locked state. I've always lived within a short drive of the Atlantic. The farthest I've ever lived from it was Philadelphia, which isn't very far at all. I must have mermaid blood. ;)

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    2. We're 9 hours from the coast... and we live in a "coastal state". LOL. Whenever we think about moving closer, we think about the 6 months of rain they get over on that side. I'd love to live a few hours from the coast, but have the climate we do.

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  5. I'm dying to go to Maine. It's on my bucket list, and I've used Ritz on lots of things, but never fish.... but I bet it would be great topping on my crabmeat casserole! I must try this, because I think those buttery, delish, crushed crackers would make it to die for.... Thank you for this great idea, Cate!!!!

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    1. I agree, Ruthy. The crackers won awards for the diner for their lobster pie (which was essentially a casserole) so I think it would make a delicious crab topping.

      You'll have to come visit me in Maine, when I (fingers crossed) move there.

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  6. Sorry to be late getting back to everyone. Today was our first day back to school with the students so I had no chance earlier to check in. Crazy busy first day.

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    1. I hope your day went well! Our local kids have been in school since August 3rd!

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    2. We're on the same schedule. I never get here until late at night and everyone has gone home. :(

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    3. I came back and found you, Virginia!

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  7. Sounds delicious!! I'm used to having Ritz crackers with melted butter on top of casseroles. So this make perfect sense! Now, I need to know what goes under the cracker crumbs and butter. :)

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    1. I don't think I've ever had Ritz crackers with anything except soup. Now I want to make some fish or try a casserole with them as a topping...

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