2011, Recipes 36 & 37: Pan Fried Rockfish with Green Onions and Spinach Ricotta Pasta Sauce

Pan Fried Rockfish
Recipe courtesy of Petit Chef

2 Rockfish fillets (11 to 12-ounce)
All purpose flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon butter

1. Lay out each Rockfish filletlike a book. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Dust Rockfish with flour and shake off excess.
2. Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 Rockfish fillet and sauté until coating is crisp and Rockfish is just opaque in center about 2 minutes per side.
3. Transfer Rockfish fillet to plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining 1/2 tablespoon oil and Rockfish fillet.
4. Wipe out skillet with paper towels. Set aside 2 tablespoons green onions. Add remaining green onions, wine and butter to same skillet. Simmer over medium heat until mixture is almost reduced to glaze, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Spoon sauce over Rockfish fillets.
   Sprinkle Rockfish with reserved 2 tablespoons green onions and serve.

Results: NOT GOOD.  I didn't enjoy this in the least.  Neither did Rashan.  Not enough flavor.  The sauce was pretty good but the fish itself tasted like nothing.  Also I'm not sure rockfish is for me.  Very strange inflexible texture.  That's ignoring the fact that it broke apart so unattractively.

Spinach Ricotta Pasta Sauce
Recipe courtesy of Kraft

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 Tbsp. oil
• 1-1/2 cups ricotta cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 2/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained
• 3 plum tomatoes, chopped (I subbed diced fire-roasted canned tomatoes)
• 1/8 tsp. pepper

Cook and stir onions and garlic in hot oil in large saucepan on medium-high heat until tender.
Add ricotta cheese, milk and Parmesan cheese; mix well. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add spinach; mix well. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Stir in tomatoes and pepper.
Toss with hot cooked fettuccine or your favorite pasta.  

Results:  Again... not delicious.  What is up with recipes that don't tell you to season throughout?  This recipe sounds like the makings of something great.  It so wasn't.  Again, flavorless.  First full meal bomb in years.