Category: Recipes

Lemon Pepper Salmon or Rockfish Sticks

By Capt. Andy Martin – Surprisingly easy to prepare, delicious for even the most picky eater, and great with salmon or rockfish, Lemon Pepper Salmon Sticks and Lemon Pepper Rockfish Sticks are a tasty way to enjoy the bounty of the Oregon Coast, and sure to become a favorite way to serve up the catch of the day from our charter boats.

Served with a delicious Old Bay Blue Cheese sauce, these homemade fish sticks taste great with fresh rockfish or salmon, or fillets from the freezer. I first made these Lemon Pepper Salmon Sticks when the grandkids were visiting. Insisting they didn’t like fish, the grandkids couldn’t get enough of the homemade salmon fish sticks once we served up a platter for them. Also excellent with rockfish, these fish sticks cook up quickly, and are a great alternative to traditional deep fried fish.

Lemon Pepper Rockfish Sticks served with Old Bay Blue Cheese sauce.

By slicing the fillets into smaller strips, the fish cooks quickly without a soggy, oily mess sometimes associated with fried fish. Just enough oil to cover the bottom of a skillet is needed.

The Old Bay Blue Cheese sauce is a tasty alternative to tarter sauce, and may become your go-to topping for fried or baked fish. The sauce is a simple combination of crumbled blue cheese, mayonnaise, lemon juice and black pepper.

Cutting salmon into thin strips allows it to quickly fry without an oily, soggy mess.

The fish sticks are coated with a simple mixture of flour, lemon pepper and salt, similar to the traditional fried whole trout that was a staple for our grandparents. Egg wash is used to bind the lemon pepper flour to the fish.

Rockfish can flake apart easily when cut into smaller pieces, so it’s key to slice the fillets lengthwise, along the natural part that divides the side of a rockfish into four distinct portions.

Rockfish have a natural part lengthwise along their fillet. Use that as a template for slicing the fish sticks. If the fillets are cut from top to bottom instead of lengthwise, they can flake apart while frying.
The fish are coated with a simple mixture of flour, lemon pepper and salt
Old Bay seasoning, crumbled blue cheese, mayonnaise and lemon juice combine to make a delicious sauce for fried or baked fish.

Lemon Pepper Fish Sticks

1 lb. salmon or rockfish fillets, bones and skin removed

1 cup all purpose flour

2 Tbs lemon pepper seasoning

1 tsp salt

2-3 eggs, beaten

Peanut, cottonseed or canola oil

Old Bay Blue Cheese sauce

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese

1 Tbs lemon juice

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

1/4 tsp black pepper

Frying the fish

Cut the salmon or rockfish fillets into long, thin strips, similar to fish sticks.

Heat oil to medium high. Use enough oil to cover the bottom of the skillet, but not more than an inch high.

In a large bowl or shallow baking dish, combine the lemon pepper, flour and salt.

Dip the rockfish strips or salmon strips, one at a time, into the beaten eggs, making sure all sides are coated.

Once the fish has been dipped in the egg wash, roll each stick in the lemon pepper and flour mixture.

Fry the fish sticks, in batches, for 2 minutes and then carefully flip and fry to 2 more minutes.

Allow the fish sticks to drain on a plate covered with a paper towel.

For the sauce, combine the mayonnaise, blue cheese, pepper and lemon juice. Add a little more Old Bay and blue cheese if you prefer a bolder sauce.

Salmon Sticks cooked to perfection and served with homemade coleslaw.
Lemon Pepper Rockfish Sticks are delicious and easy to make.
The fillets from just are couple of rockfish are all that’s needed to prepare a delicious meal of Lemon Pepper Rockfish Sticks.

To catch a limit or rockfish or an ocean-bright king or coho salmon to enjoy this recipe, contact Brookings Fishing Charters at (541) 813-1082 or visit www.brookingsfishing.com.

Charter boat captain publishes Oregon Coast seafood recipe book

BROOKINGS, Ore, (Feb. 16, 2024) – Drawing from two decades experience as a full-time ocean charter boat captain and river guide, Capt. Andy Martin has published a recipe book featuring his favorite ways to prepare Oregon Coast seafood.

Order Online Now! $12.50 includes free shipping.

Captain’s Choice: Recipes from Brookings Fishing Charters is now available for purchase online or at Brookings Bait and Tackle at the Port of Brookings.

Captain’s Choice: Recipes From Brookings Fishing Charters is now available for purchase online and at the Brookings Fishing Charters office at the port of Brookings. The spiral-bound, full color recipe book features two dozen of Capt. Andy’s favorite seafood dishes, including Rockfish Chowder, Parmesan Rockfish, Rockfish Puttanesca, Teriyaki Grilled Albacore, Creamy Lingcod and Shrimp Pasta, Brown Sugar Cured Smoked Salmon, Salmon Chowder and Beer Battered Lingcod.

Capt. Andy Martin, owner of Brookings Fishing Charters, is the author of the new Oregon Coast seafood recipe book.

Almost daily on his fishing charters, customers would ask Capt. Andy about the best way to prepare their catch of the day. He’d email recipes from the Brookings Fishing Charters web site, or jot down basic chowder and fish taco recipes. The cookbook is a collection of several of his favorite rockfish, lingcod, salmon and halibut recipes.

The recipe book is spiral bound and includes nearly two dozen Oregon Coast seafood recipes.
Each recipe includes color photos, ingredients, and cooking instructions.

Early in his Alaska river guide career, Capt. Andy would use the first salmon of the day to prepare salmon chowder with a propane stove on the bow of his boat. He and other charter boat captains often spent evenings after trips creating dishes with halibut or salmon. Capt. Andy also spent the early part of his career working at world-class fishing lodges in Alaska, and had the chance to sample some of the best seafood dishes, and add his own twist to them.

Each recipe includes color photos, ingredients, cooking instructions, and description of the recipe. Most recipes can be made with the fillets of just a couple of rockfish, or a single lingcod fillet. With tighter catch limits in Alaska, Oregon and California, the recipe book allows anglers to make several meals from a daily limit of rockfish, lingcod or halibut. All of the recipes can be cooked up using fresh or frozen fish fillets.

The contents of Captain’s Choice: Recipes from Brookings Fishing Charters.

To order a recipe book online, visit Home | Brookings Fishing Charters LLC (square.site). The cost includes free shipping. Recipes books can also be purchased at the Brookings Fishing Charters and Brookings Bait and Tackle office at 16399 Lower Harbor Road at the Port of Brookings.

The Brookings Fishing Charters crew is working on a second recipe book, featuring favorite smoked fish recipes from each captain, and favorite wild game jerky recipes.

Poke delicious way to enjoy albacore tuna

By Capt. Andy Martin – Bursting with flavor, healthy, and easy to make, poke bowls are a delicious and refreshing way to enjoy albacore tuna. Poke has endless possibilities – there are countless ways to marinate the fish, and there are just as many options for toppings.

Poke originated in Hawaii, where it is often simply served as an appetizer. Served in a bowl of rice, poke becomes a full meal.

Capt. Andy holds an albacore tuna caught aboard the Nauti-Lady.

One of captains I used to work with in Alaska, Capt. Mark, spent years working at a lodge owned by a family from Hawaii. They made a simple marinade with Mama Kay’s Hawaiian Seasoning, a little sesame oil, and thinly sliced green onions.

On the Mainland, marinades often include a few more ingredients, with plenty of options for toppings. Served with sushi-style rice, poke bowls are a delicious, and filling meal. Red chili paste, or wasabi can be added to add heat and spice.

While poke can be made with freshly caught albacore tuna, or ahi tuna, frozen fish is easier to work with. Partially thawed tuna is firmer, and holds together while it is thinly sliced. While raw tuna, or salmon, is most popular, seared tuna also can be used in poke.

A poke bowl is a flavorful way to enjoy albacore tuna.

Toppings for poke include avocado, carrots, green or sweet white onions, mango, pineapple, cilantro, radishes, macadamia nuts, mandarin oranges, shallots, pickled ginger, cabbage, edamame, and fried wonton strips.

Quality rice is a vital part of poke bowls. Don’t just use steamed white rice. Sushi rice is more flavorful, and perfectly complements poke. A spicy mayonnaise and rice seasoning complete the meal. Nori Komi Furikake Rice Seasoning, which includes sesame seeds and dried seaweed, is the perfect poke bowl seasoning.

Sushi rice is a vital ingredient for a poke bowl. It is easy to make delicious sushi rice.

Sushi Rice

1 cup sushi rice or jasmine rice

1 1/4 cup water

1 tbs sugar

1/4 cup rice vinegar

Rinse the rice several times, until the water runs clear as it is drained.

Bring rice and water to a boil, cover, and simmer 20 minutes.

Remove from heat, and allow to sit, covered, for 10 minutes.

In a small pot, heat rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, constantly stirring, to dissolve sugar.

Fluff the rice with a fork, and slowly stir in the vinegar, sugar and salt mixture. Allow the rice to cool for 20 minutes.

Partially thawed tuna can easily be sliced into thin pieces.
Albacore tuna in a simple poke marinade.

Poke marinade

1 lb. albacore tuna loin, or ahi tuna

2 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs rice vinegar

1 tbs sesame oil

1 tsp honey

Cut the tuna into small pieces with sharp knife on a cutting board.

In a large bowl, combine tuna, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar and honey. Gently stir, and allow to marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Dressing

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 tsp sriracha

salt and pepper to taste

Mix the mayonnaise and sriracha in a bowl, and salt and pepper to taste. Place the dressing in a zipper bag, and cut the corner to drizzle over the poke bowl before serving.

Toppings

1 cup sliced cucmber

1/4 cup sliced mango

1/2 cup sliced radish

1/4 cup finley chopped green onion, or sweet white onion

2 large avocado, peeled and sliced

Place a serving of albacore in each bowl of rice, then add toppings and drizzle with spicy mayonnaise.

Making the Poke Bowls

Divide the rice into three or four bowls

Add a scoop of marinated tuna to each bowl, and add toppings.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and dried seaweed, or Nori Komi Furikake Rice Seasoning. (There are many alternatives available at larger grocery stores).

Drizzle with the spicy mayonnaise

A finished poke bowl.
Some of the albacore tuna caught last summer on the Miss Brooke.
Tuna caught aboard the Nauti-Lady in 2023.

To learn more about albacore tuna charters, visit www.brookingsfishing.com.

How to make Rockfish Jerky

Several years ago, a frequent customer on the Miss Brooke pulled out a bag of jerky and started handing out pieces to everyone on the charter boat. Delicious. Dried to perfection, nice salty and smoky taste, a texture almost identical to beef jerky. The rockfish jerky was a hit, and has become a favorite way to enjoy rockfish long after a fishing trip.

Ralph Trigo, on the right, shared his Rock Cod Jerky recipe with us. Ralph has been a frequent customer of Brookings Fishing Charters.

Ralph Trigo, a longtime member of the Middle Rogue Steelheaders in Grants Pass, Oregon, shared his tasty rockfish jerky recipe with us. It can be made from fresh or frozen rockfish. While a Little Chief or Big Chief electric smoker with wood chips is ideal for making rockfish jerky, it also can be made in a food dehydrator with a few teaspoons of liquid smoke added to the brine.

One of the keys to perfect rockfish jerky is making the long, horizontal slices of the fillets. Each fillet should yield four to eight strips, depending how thin you are able to slice them. The brine is simple and similar to other meat brines. For best results, smoke with just a couple of full pans of chips, and then leave in smoker for several more hours without additional smoke.

Rockfish Jerky

4 to 8 rockfish fillets, cut into thin strips

1 1/2 cups soy sauce

1 1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup salt

pinch of garlic powder

(for added flavor, add paprika, red pepper flake, onion powder to taste)

Cut the rockfish into long, thin strips and place in a large bowl.

Add brine, place in refrigerator for 12 hours, stirring occasionally.

Rinse lightly, pat dry with paper towels.

Smoke for 8 hours, using two pan fulls of chips and then continue drying in smoker for remaining 8 hours. Check often.

Rockfish Jerky can be made from fresh or frozen rockfish fillets.
Cut rockfish fillets into thin, long strips.
After brining for 12 hours, rinse lightly and pat dry.
Smoke for up to 8 hours.
The rockfish jerky midway through the smoking process.
The finished product – smoky, salty and delicious.

To catch a limit of rockfish to make delicious rockfish jerky, visit www.brookingsfishing.com or call our charter boat office, (541) 813-1082.

Coleslaw, tarter sauce and cocktail sauce: Fish and chips essentials

While quality fish fillets and fresh potatoes are the key ingredients to “fish and chips,” a good side of coleslaw and generous amounts of homemade tarter and cocktail sauce are essential to completing a fish dinner.

Coleslaw, a popular dish with early American settlers in New England, is a staple at fish and chip restaurants. There are two common recipes for coleslaw when served with fish, and both are delicious.

Coleslaw, cocktail sauce and tarter sauce are fish and chips essentials.

Capt. Mike Brouillette, who owns and operates the Papa B, has a tasty vinegar and oil-based coleslaw he perfected when he ran a barbecue catering business before he jumped full-time into the charter boat industry. Mike combines shredded cabbage with red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic salt, oregano and black pepper. Delicious with fish and chips, Mike’s recipe also goes great with barbecued chicken and tri-tip.

Capt. Mike Brouillette’s coleslaw recipe is simple and delicious.

Capt. Mike’s Coleslaw

2 1/2 cups shredded cabbage

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon garlic salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Simply mix the ingredients and serve immediately. While some coleslaw recipes taste even better when prepared well in advance, the vinegar-based recipe is best served within minutes after it is prepared.

Capt. Mike’s Coleslaw goes as well with fish and chips as it does with chicken or tri-tip.

Another popular coleslaw recipe includes a combination of cabbage, carrots, onion, mayonnaise and buttermilk. The favorite coleslaw recipe of Capt. Andy’s wife, Sarah, tastes best when prepared several hours before dinner so it has time to soak up the flavors of its numerous ingredients.

Sarah Martin’s favorite coleslaw recipe pairs perfectly with fish and chips.

Traditional Coleslaw

4 cups finely chopped cabbage

2 tablespoons finely chopped carrot

1 tablespoon finely chopped yellow onion

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons milk

2 tablespoons buttermilk

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon salt

ground pepper, to taste

Mix the ingredients in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 6 hours. Tastes even better when refrigerated overnight. Stir a few times, if possible.

Traditional creamy coleslaw is a staple with fish and chips.
Homemade tarter and cocktail sauce are much better than any store-bought sauces.

Capt. Andy’s homemade tarter sauce is much more delicious than any store-bought sauce, and is quick and easy to make.

Tarter Sauce

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/2 cup finely chopped dill pickle, or dill pickle relish

1/4 cup finely chopped white or yellow onion

2 teaspoons chopped capers

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Combine the ingredients in a bowl and stir well.

The simple ingredients for delicious homemade tarter sauce.

Cocktail Sauce

Mix 1/2 cup ketchup with 1 teaspoon extra hot horseradish (ground horseradish, not creamy horseradish sauce). Add salt, pepper and several squeezes of lemon juice. Mix well. For hotter cocktail sauce, add a little more horseradish.

To catch a limit of rockfish, lingcod or halibut to go with these great coleslaw and tarter and cocktail sauce recipes, visit www.brookingsfishing.com for fishing charter information.

Salmon chowder easy and delicious

By Capt. Andy Martin – The thrill of catching hard-fighting king and coho salmon is a top draw to the Oregon Coast. Salmon also are highly prized because they are so delicious to eat. Whether grilled, baked or smoked, salmon are one of the most popular fish to eat. They also make great chowder.

Salmon chowder is one of my favorite ways to enjoy salmon, and was one of my daughter’s favorite seafood dishes as she was growing up. This chowder recipe was perfected by fishing guides in remote Alaska, who would prepare the tasty dish for their clients on the banks of the river after they caught their first fish of the day. The guide would cook the chowder for lunch while clients continued to fish. This chowder is a great way to enjoy salmon year round, as it can be made from fresh or frozen salmon. Canned or smoked salmon can also be substituted.

When I made this one the banks of the river in Alaska, where some fresh ingredients were not readily available, I used cans of evaporated milk, which work fine, but half and half (or even heavy cream) is better. Ingredients listed here are a good starting point, but you may want a little more salt and pepper, and vary amounts of potatoes, celery and onion (I never carried a measuring cup or measuring spoons in my gear bag during guided fishing trips!)

Alaska Guider Chowder

5-6 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled, grease reserved

2 tablespoons butter or olive oil

1 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced onion

2 cups cubed potatoes

1 cup water (or chicken broth)

Pinch of flour

2 tablespoons dried dill

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic power

1-2 pounds salmon, bones and skin removed, cut into smaller chunks

2 cups half and half, or heavy cream

1 can corn, drained,   or 1 1/2 cup frozen corn

Bacon is a key ingredient in salmon chowder.

Start by cooking several pieces of bacon. Save the greese. The bacon adds flavor to the chowder.

Chopped celery and onion.

In a large pot, cook chopped onion and celery with butter or olive oil. One small onion and a few stalks of celery is all that is needed.

Add potatoes, and season with salt, pepper, garlic, lemon pepper.

Add four to six small to medium skinned, chopped up potatoes. Stir in chopped bacon, bacon grease, salt, pepper, lemon pepper and garlic. Add a pinch of flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.

Add just enough water to almost cover potatoes.

Add enough water to almost cover the potatoes. Be careful not to add too much, especially if you like thicker chowder. Add a generous amount of dried dill weed. Cook the potatoes until almost done.

Add raw salmon to the chowder.

Just as potatoes are almost done, add chopped up raw salmon. Remove the skin and bones before adding to the chowder. Stir and continue to cook over medium heat.

The salmon will crumble to small pieces as it cooks.

As the salmon cooks, it will break apart into small pieces. Continue cooking until salmon is done.

Add frozen or a can of corn, drained.

Once the salmon is cooked, add a can of drained corn, or a bag of frozen corn. Stir well.

Add one to two cups of half and half.

The final step is adding one to two cups of half and half. Heat, stirring frequently, until chowder is hot.

A dash of Tabasco sauce adds a little kick to the finished chowder.

Enjoy the chowder with a dash of Tabasco sauce, or a dab of butter. Serve with warm bread or crackers.

To catch a salmon on the Oregon Coast to make this delicious salmon chowder, visit http://www.brookingsfishing.com.

Easy, delicious rockfish chowder recipe

By far, our most requested recipe has been rockfish chowder. Our customers love it, and almost everyone who tries it says it one of their favorite ways to prepare their catch. Perfect for rockfish, lingcod or halibut, this recipe will have you coming back for seconds. Here’s a look back at Capt. Andy’s rockfish chowder recipe. This is our best Rockfish Chowder Recipe.

(Originally published March 26, 2020) Rockfish chowder is great way to enjoy fresh or frozen Oregon Coast rockfish, especially on a cold, rainy or foggy day. The fillets from a couple of rockfish will yield enough chowder for your entire family, or for a feast to enjoy with friends and neighbors, double the recipe.

Rockfish chowder is delicious and easy to make. Just a couple of rockfish fillets is enough to make a pot of chowder.

Here is Capt. Andy’s favorite rockfish chowder recipe, which yields 8 servings or 2 quarts. Halibut, lingcod or even salmon can be substituted for rockfish. This dish is quick and easy to prepare.

Rockfish Chowder

4 strips bacon (reserve a small portion of the bacon grease)

1 cup finely sliced carrots
1 bunch green onions, sliced (1/2 cup yellow onion may be substituted)

1 cup diced potatoes (optional)
2 tablespoons butter
1 minced garlic clove
1 package cream cheese (8 oz.), cut into small cubes
2 cans (10.5 oz. cans) cream of potato soup, condensed
1 can (10.5 oz.) cream of mushroom soup, condensed
2 cups 2% milk, half-and-half or heavy cream
1 to 2 pounds rockfish, cut into small pieces
1 cup frozen corn, or 1 can corn (drained)
Salt, pepper and lemon pepper to taste

Parsley to garnish

In a large pot, sauté the thinly chopped carrots, onion and potatoes in butter. Cook until the onion and carrots are tender.

Add the soup (undiluted), milk and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cream cheese is melted. (Cutting the cream cheese into small cubes will allow it to melt much faster than a whole block). Add crumbled cooked bacon and small amount of bacon grease.

Add the soup (undiluted), milk and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cream cheese is melted.
Add the raw rockfish fillets, cut into small pieces. Bring to a boil, constantly stirring, and then simmer for 10 minutes. The rockfish will quickly cook.
Add crumbled bacon and some of the reserved bacon grease.

Add the corn, stir, and prepare to serve.

Serve with a dash of Tabasco, or cayenne pepper, and a dab of butter.

To make a seafood chowder, add cooked crab meat and/or cooked shrimp.

Rockfish chowder makes a hearty meal. Serve with warm break, and a dab of butter and few drops of Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper.
Rockfish chowder made by Brookings Fishing Charters customer Neil Anderson.

To catch a limit of rockfish and lingcod to enjoy with this recipe, check out www.brookingsfishing.com. Capt. Andy learned about this recipe while working on halibut charter boats in remote Southeast Alaska, where charter operators living in the bush ate fish several times a weeks.

A few rockfish yield enough fillets for a large pot of rockfish chowder.

Grilled Rockfish and Shrimp

By Capt. Andy Martin – The mild flavor of Oregon Coast rockfish makes it a favorite for fish and chips and fish tacos, but it’s also amazing when combined with large shrimp or prawns, marinated and grilled. This is the perfect recipe when you want to enjoy rockfish or lingcod without frying it, and want to impress your dinner guests. Grilled Rockfish and Shrimp is flavorful and healthy, and sure to become a favorite way to enjoy freshly caught rockfish, or when clearing the freezer to prepare room for a future fishing trip.

Grilled Rockfish and Shrimp, served with rice.

Some remote Alaskan and British Columbia fishing lodges use this recipe to prepare rockfish, lingcod or halibut for their guests. It is easier than it may appear, and uses a simple mixture of ingredients. The fish is marinated by itself for an hour, and then another 15 minutes with the shrimp. On the grill, the fish is cooked for 10 minutes or less.

Grilled Rockfish and Shrimp is marinated in a simple mixture of soy sauce, cranberry juice, lime juice, garlic, sugar, red pepper flake and olive oil.

Grilled Rockfish and Shrimp

Ingredients

2 to 3 rockfish fillets, cut in half

6 to 8 large shrimp, shell on

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup cranberry juice (orange juice may be subsitited)

1/4 cup olive oil

Juice from one lime

2 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flake

1 tsp sugar

2 stalks green onion, chopped, for garnish

Mix the soy sauce, cranberry juice, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, sugar, and red pepper flake and place in a baking dish to marinate. Marinate the rockfish for one hour, then add the shrimp and marinate another 10-15 minutes.

Place the rockfish on a hot grill and cook for 5 minutes, allowing the fillets to get grill marks.

After turning over the rockfish, add shrimp to the grill and cook another 5 minutes.

Garnish with green onion, serve with rice or pasta.

Marinate the rockfish fillets, first, for an hour and no longer than 2 hours.
After marinating the fish for an hour, add the shrimp and marinate another 10 to 15 minutes. Don’t marinate the shrimp too long, as the lime juice will cook them, similar to ceviche.
Grill the rockfish first, for around 5 minutes, allowing them to get deep grill marks. Turn the fillets over and add the shrimp, cooking the rockfish and shrimp for another 5 minutes.
Grilled Rockfish and Shrimp is delicious, and healthy.

To catch a limit of rockfish on the Oregon Coast, check out our half-day fishing charters. Customers keep the fish they catch, and our crew fillets them back at the dock. For information, visit www.brookingsfishing.com.

Rockfish are fun to catch, and taste great on the grill. Pictured are a canary rockfish and vermillion rockfish caught during the summer of 2023 on the Dash of Brookings Fishing Charters.

Creamy Lingcod and Shrimp Pasta

By Capt. Andy Martin – While most people prepare lingcod, rockfish or halibut as fish and chips, or fish tacos, the mild white fillets of these abundant Oregon Coast species also taste great when added to pasta recipes. Creamy Lingcod and Shrimp Pasta with Mushrooms combines the bounty of the Oregon Coast with an easy, creamy pasta sauce made with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, basil, garlic and paprika. A great way to prepare local seafood for date night, or a big family dinner.

Creamy Lingcod and Shrimp Pasta is perfect for date night, or a large family gathering.

This recipe tastes great with lingcod, rockfish or halibut. It is delicious with grocery store-bought mushrooms, or if you get the chance, wild mushrooms, such as chanterelle, black trumpet or hedgehog mushrooms found along timbered areas of the Oregon Coast.

The homemade alfredo sauce is surprisingly simple and easy to prepare, and is sure to become a favorite way to enjoy pasta – with and without seafood!

Lingcod are fun to catch, and delicious. Try this Creamy Lingcod and Shrimp Pasta after your next fishing charter on the Oregon Coast.

Creamy Lingcod and Shrimp Pasta

Ingredients

2 to 4 fillets from Rockfish, Lingcod or Halibut, cut into smaller pieces (fillets cut into 3-inch pieces – If fillets are from a larger fish, slice them in half, lengthwise to fully cook).

1 lb. large shrimp, deveined and shells removed

12 oz. pasta (fettuccine works best, spaghetti also could be used)

8 oz. sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup cooked pasta water

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese

1 cup half and half, or heavy cream

3 tbs olive oil, or butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp paprika

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp basil flakes

Boil pasta as directed on package. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.

Shrimp and lingcod, a delicious combination.
Cut fish into smaller pieces, and cook on one side, then add shrimp after flipping fish.

Cook fish and shrimp. Heat a large skillet, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil or butter. Add garlic. Add Lingcod or Rockfish fillets (cut into smaller pieces approx. 3 inches long). Cook fish for 3 minutes on medium-high heat, and flip. Add shrimp, sprinkle with salt, pepper, basil, crushed red pepper flake and paprika. Cook for 2 minutes, and flip again. Cook for 1-2 more minutes, and then remove and set aside. Fish may be slightly undercooked, but will finish when added back to sauce.

The fish and shrimp is removed from the skillet and set aside, then later added back to sauce.

In the same skillet, add the sliced mushrooms, and more butter/olive oil if needed. Cook on medium high for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until mushrooms are tender.

You may need to add a slight amount of olive oil or butter to skillet before adding mushrooms.
Cook mushrooms until tender.

To make the alfredo sauce, add 1 cup of half-and-half or heavy cream to the mushrooms, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add half of the cheese mixture, bring to boil, and then reduce heat to simmer. Cook until cheese is melted, constantly stirring. Once cheese is melted, gradually add the remaining cheese.

The shrimp can be added back to mushrooms when making sauce, but since the fish fillets are more fragile, don’t add them until sauce and pasta are already mixed together.
The alfredo sauce is a combination of half-and-half or cream, Parmesan cheese and Mozzarella cheese.

Once all of the cheese is melted, add the drained pasta, and a portion of the held over pasta water, and mix together with sauce. Add shrimp and fish on top of the pasta and sauce, and heat over medium-low until pasta is hot again. (Don’t stir once fish is added, as the fillets will break into smaller pieces.)

Add the fish and shrimp to the pasta and sauce as the pasta reheats.

Season to taste with more salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and basil. If fish is still slightly undercooked, cover until fish is fully cooked.

To catch a limit of rockfish, lingcod or halibut to enjoy with your favorite seafood recipes, book a charter at www.brookingsfishing.com.

Chipotle Rockfish, Shrimp and Bacon Tacos

By Capt. Andy Martin – We get to enjoy Taco Night a few times a week at my house, and typically we try a different version of rockfish tacos. Running a charter boat business, we get plenty of fresh rockfish and lingcod fillets to take home and try new variations of tacos. Recently we tried a spicier fish taco recipe, that was not only loaded with flavor and surprisingly easy to make, but was also unique to any other fish taco recipe we have tried. Chipotle Rockfish, Shrimp and Bacon tacos are insanely delicious, and sure to become a favorite way to prepare rockfish, halibut, cod or surfperch.

Rockfish, shrimp and bacon, ready to serve with your favorite taco ingredients.

This recipe took quite a bit of tinkering to perfect. It is best prepared broiled in the oven. Everyone who has tried it agrees it is their new favorite fish taco recipe.

Served with homemade salsa and crema sauce, and garnished with avocado, cucumber, cabbage and mango, these tacos are sure to make Taco Night a hit.

It’s hard to beat rockfish, shrimp and bacon broiled with chipotle peppers.
Key ingredients include chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and jalapeno peppers.
Fish, shrimp and slightly cooked bacon.
Mix the fish with mayonnaise, chipotle peppers, Jugo sauce, softened butter and onions and peppers.

Place ingredients on a screen over a baking sheet.
Broil on screen over a baking dish.
Ready to make insanely delicious rockfish, shrimp and bacon tacos.
Chipotle Rockfish, Shrimp and Bacon Tacos.

Chipotle Rockfish, Shrimp and Bacon Tacos

1-2 pounds rockfish (or surfperch, lingcod, halibut or surfperch), cut into smaller chunks

1 pound peeled medium or large shrimp

1 can (7 oz.) Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce

4-6 slices bacon

1 cube butter

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup Maggi Jugo sauce (can be substituted with 3 tbs soy sauce and 3 tbs Worcestershire sauce)

1 tbs garlic power

salt and pepper to taste

4-6 green onions

2 jalapeno peppers, sliced

2 Anaheim peppers, sliced

Crema sauce

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sour cream

1 tbs sriracha sauce

1 tsp garlic powder

Juice from one lemon

Garnish

Salsa, avocado, cabbage or cole slaw mix, sliced cucumber, sliced mango (optional)

Slightly crisp bacon, and set aside to cool. (Don’t overcook bacon, as it will finish cooking under broiler).

Combine pieces of fish, raw shrimp and pieces of bacon in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, Jugo (or soy/Worcestershire sauce), softened butter, chipotle peppers (break into smaller pieces) and adobo sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix together (easier done with your hands than a spoon). Add green onions and sliced jalapeno and Anaheim peppers, and mix together.

Place fish mixture on an elevated baking screen over a baking sheet. The liquid from the mixture will settle below screen (browning bacon first reduces the amount of liquid that ends up on baking dish).

Broil for 5-10 minutes, or until fish is done.

Serve on warm tortillas (we like flour tortillas, but also is great with corn tortillas) with cabbage, salsa, crema sauce, avocado and cucumber. For an extra treat, try adding sliced mango.

To catch a limit of rockfish to make your own Chipotle Rockfish, Shrimp and Bacon tacos, visit www.brookingsfishing.com.