Mother's Day Seafood Dinner with Wine

Hosting and feeding a small gathering for less than $50, including wine, is almost unthinkable these days. Forget the seafood restaurant. Your mother will be delighted when you greet her with a gift of flowers, and serve her a scrumptious seafood dinner at home. The best gift your mother can receive is time spent with her loving family.

The first step is selecting your best fancy salmon recipe. Pink and Red Salmon can be very expensive, but it can be substituted with a cheaper alternative. Mackerel fillets. Canned Mackerel fillets can be bought in the same quantity for around 1/3 of the price. Combined with a fresh garden salad, this tasty fish gives you the option to prepare something a little different when entertaining. The following recipe is adequate to serve 6 people.

Ingredients:

3 cans Mackerel fillets or cutlets

4 cups of wild rice

1 envelope French onion soup

1 large white onion

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh or dried chives

2 large eggs

1/2 cup of wholemeal flour

6 large baking potatoes

1 small tub of sour cream

2 fresh limes

1 jar Redcurrant Jam

1 French style loaf of bread

Salad:

1 large lettuce

3 carrots, grated

3 large slicing tomatoes

1/4 cup of grated sharp cheese

1 small box of croutons

3 fresh limes

1 small bunch of curly parsley

Method:

-Cook the wild rice ahead of time, drain and set aside to cool

-Prick the potatoes well and microwave each for 8-10 minutes on high. Set aside wrapped in foil

-Pre heat the oven to 300 degrees

-In a large bowl, combine the canned Mackerel, French onion soup mix, diced white onion, 2 eggs and 1/4 cup of chives

-Once the mixture has blended together well, add the rice one cup at a time to distribute evenly throughout

-Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of flour over the top and mix in thoroughly

-Form into balls and place onto a foil lined oven tray

-Flatten with a spatula to form a patty and sprinkle breadcrumbs over each of them

-Bake at 300 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes

-Place the foil wrapped potatoes on the lower shelf of your oven while the Mackerel is baking

Preparing A Salad:

-Wash the lettuce under cold water and drain

-Finely shred the lettuce fine using a large, sharp knife. Do not do this ahead of time as using a knife on lettuce will cause it to turn brown

-Grate the carrots and cheese and toss with the lettuce

-Line individual salad bowls with tomato slices, and fill each of them with the prepared salad mix

-Place a few croutons on top, garnish with 1/4 of a lime and a large sprig of fresh curly parsley.

Serving:

-Serve your salad while the Mackerel is baking

-Once cooked and placed onto the plate, the Mackerel patty should be garnished with curly parsley, a thick slice of lime and with a large dollop of redcurrant jam on the side

-Split the baked potatoes and push each end inwards to make the potato gape open. Add 1 tbs of sour cream

-A thick slice of French bread can be added to the side of each plate or served in a napkin lined basket in the center of the table

*I recommend a dry White Riesling to serve with Mackerel. It's sharp flavor compliments the fish, and it is inexpensive to purchase.

Main course $22.00

Salad $8.00

2 bottles of Riesling $16.00 (optional)