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If you're looking for a delicious excuse for a midsummer get together, try a sustainable fish fry. A fish fry can be sustainable if you choose the right fish. Stay away from any fish that's larger than about the size of a salmon and check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Guide to ensure that you're making the best fish choice for the planet. This is no minor detail, in fact more and more fish are moving toward extinction. A fish fry is way easier on the planet if you plan ahead. Large, fatty and almost extinct fish like Bluefin tuna are not good for frying while many smaller and more abundant white fish like tilapia and triggerfish are often great for frying.
A fish fry is also great because it's casual so you don't have to waste time and energy decorating and setting the table. The only requirement beyond that of the sustainable fish is good weather because you simply cannot have a fish fry inside.
Beer Battered Pacific Cod (Avoid Atlantic Cod)
1 organic egg
1 cup good organic beer
1 1/8 tsp baking powder
1 cup flour
2 tsp sea salt
3/4 tsp pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp freshly cracked pepper
Fish fillets
Vegetable oil
Method
- Mix all ingredients except the fish.
- Wash and dry fish (pat with towel).
- Cut fillets to desired size.
- Heat 2 inches of cooking oil in pan.
- Dip fish pieces in batter; fry briefly in hot oil turning as necessary.
Cost: About $44.00
Accompany the fish with Poat Dot—Cambodian Grilled Corn
Down here in South Carolina the grill becomes one of the most used cooking appliances in the summer. The weather is generally pretty warm. Summer starts early and winter is short with the only hindrance being a slew of hungry mosquitoes that can, on occasion, get the best of you. This corn is easy to make, cheap, and it goes well with fried fish.
Cost: About $23.00
Try a crisp Pacific Island Salad
The heat always puts me in the mood for a light, crisp salad. I like the idea of incorporating tons of fruits into a savory salad like this one. I find that it's always better to make a fresh salad at home (I'm still a little bitter about the mediocre and overpriced salad that I recently ordered at a restaurant in Charleston).
Cost: About $15.00
Sip on a Watermelon Greentini.
What better way to indulge in the juicy watermelon of the season and add an elegant touch to the outdoor festivity? Nothing says swank like serving your guests a signature cocktail to go with their delightful eco-meal. Once these indulgent treats start flowing, so too will the conversation.
Cost: You provide the ingredients and tell your friends to bring the booze. About $17.00
Total Cost: $99.00
More Green Frugal Feasts:
Feed 8 Friends for Under $100 with this Green Frugal Feast: A Vegan Extravaganza
Feed 8 Friends for Under $100 with this Green Frugal Feast: Celebrate Earth Month!
Feed 8 Friends for Under $100 with this Green Frugal Feast: Soup, Bread, Wine and Cookies
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