The Florida Keys

Extraordinary Recipes From Florida Keys & Key West Chef's Table

Last weekend I made a recipe from a cookbook we first saw at Keys Fisheries in Marathon, Florida. It's on our list of favorite spots. They have an upstairs bar right on the water with a fabulous view, and an unbelievable stone crab claw special during happy hour. I think they were $2.50 each and up north they are $6 or $7 each.  Our first time there they passed out shots to every one, and we drank them before we realized we were supposed to wait for the sunset.  We quickly made fake shots from our own drinks so we could toast the sunset with everyone else.  RJ found the cookbook called Extraordinary Recipes From Florida Keys & Key West Chef's Table online a few months later and gave it to me for Christmas.

Stone crab claws at Keys Fisheries

The upstairs bar at Keys Fisheries

The recipe I chose was from the Castaway Waterfront Restaurant and Bar, another place we like to visit.  It is also on the water, but more like on a marina.  I find there are several different types of "one the water" restaurants in the Keys.  I'm pretty sure if a restaurant was next to a hot tub it would call itself on the water, but who cares you are in the Keys.  Castaway is known for its honey buns.  They are little pillows of fluffy baked goodness, and you are given a pitcher of honey to pour inside them.  What's not to love?? RJ doesn't even like honey but somehow they all disappear.

I decided to make Castaway's Wreck Diver Style Lionfish.  A. I don't know what wreck diver style means.  I googled it and found lots of info about the dangers of wreck diving and how to plan an elegant wedding in six months or less wreck diving on your honeymoon, but nothing about "wreck diver style".  Maybe it means it looks like a wreck.   And B. You can't buy lionfish anywhere around here.  We first heard of lionfish two years ago on our snorkel trip to Looe Key.  Our captain said if we saw any to let her know and she would catch it with her spear gun.  It is invasive to the Atlantic, has no natural predators, and is apparently good eating.  The recipe said I could substitute a sweet white flaky fish, so I went with two giant pieces of cod. I also purchased capers which I have never used before. I bought the larger ones, and they were very  acidic.  After reading about them and tasting the recipe, I probably should have gone with the smaller ones which are not as strong.

The recipe was quick to put together, I think I actually spent more time at the grocery store than I did cooking.  First coat the fish in a mixture of flour and Old Bay, and cook it in melted butter for 2 to 3 minutes on each side.  Mix chopped tomatoes, capers, garlic, white wine and lemon juice, pour over the fish and cook another minute or so until the fish flakes.  Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil.  I skipped the parsley because it tastes like the back yard to me.

We both thought this was really fantastic, and the leftovers were even good the next day which is rare for fish. The fish was flaky and buttery, and the sauce was full of garlic and lemon. RJ does not like tomatoes, but just like the honey buns they all disappeared.  This one will definitely be a repeat.