Carolina Outdoor Journal 2013-2014 Archive | UNC-TV

This week we fish for largemouth bass using top water frogs in heavy cover. This is a productive method for catching bass almost every month of the year. On Gear Time our angler's will discuss the frog lures and how to fish them. And Donna Reynolds serves up a tasty shrimp recipe in the kitchen.

2915 Mediterranean Polenta Rounds 2 pounds baby shrimp or large shrimp chopped 36 ½ -inch round slices of polenta (see below for Polenta recipe) 1 tablespoon olive oil 2/3 cup sun-dried tomato spread ½ cup loosely packed, thinly sliced fresh basil ½ cup finely diced red bell pepper ½ cup crumbled goat cheese Place polenta slices in single layer on 2 greased 15x10x1-inch baking sheets. Brush oil lightly over tops of slices. Broil each pan 1½ to 2 inches from heat for 15 or until polenta begins to brown. Meanwhile, prepare shrimp topping. In a large bowl, combine shrimp, sun-dried tomato spread and ½ cup basil. Mix well. Top each polenta slice with about 1 teaspoon shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with red bell pepper and cheese. Garnish with additional basil. Serve warm, room temperature or chilled. Make 36 appetizers Polenta: 2 cups cold water 1 teaspoon salt 1 ½ cups House-Autry Mills Yellow Cornmeal 3 ½ cups boiling water ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces In a 5-quart pot, combine cold water and salt. Gradually whisk in cornmeal until smooth. Whisk in boiling water. Heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook. Stir frequently with wooden spoon, until mixture is very thick and indentions remain when a spoon is dragged through polenta, 30-35 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese and butter. Let polenta cool, divide into equal portions. Spoon each portion onto waxed paper. Roll into a log shape and place in refrigerator to cool completely or until very firm. Meanwhile, line 2 15x10x1-inch baking sheet. Slice cold polenta into 36 ½-inch slices.

On this edition of the Journal we'll target dolphin (mahi mahi) out in the Gulf Stream. A big surprise is just around the corner as our angler's venture further offshore. On Gear Time we'll discuss the tackle and why you need to be prepared. And Donna Reynolds prepares Sushi in the kitchen.

2914 Sushi-pressed Makes 15 pieces 2/3 cup sushi rice ¾ cup water wash the sushi rice under cold running water until the water is running clear, then drain the rice. Put rice in pan with water, cover. Bring to a boil as quickly as possible. Turn down heat and let simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and let rice stand for 15 minutes Sushi rice, cooked 2 tablespoons Japanese mayonnaise 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds ½ avocado, cut into think strips Flesh from 4 freshly cooked crabs ½ cucumber, peeled and cut into very thin slices Lemon quarters and dill sprigs for garnish Oli a 8-inch square cake pan and line with plastic wrap so that the plastic wrap hangs over the edges. This helps you pull the sushi form the pan. Place ¾ of the rice in the bottom of the cake pan, press rice in bottom until flat. Spread layer of mayonnaise on top of rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Arrange the avocado, crab and cucumber in thick diagonal strips over rice. Cover top with rice and a strip of plastic wrap, put another pan on top, and add some weight, such as a few cans, to help flatten out the top of the siushi. Chill sushi for at least 15 minutes, take weights off the pan. Loosen the sides of the pan and lift out the sushi. Cut sushi into about 15 pieces with a wet sharp knife. Garnish with lemon and dill and serve with pickled ginger and a dab of wasabi paste, if desired.

This week on the Journal we'll fish for the longnose gar using fly rods and fishing deep. On Gear Time our angler's discuss the tackle and flies and we'll join Donna Reynolds in the kitchen for a grouper recipe.

2913 Grouper with Roasted Pepper Salad 2 jars of roasted peppers, drained ½ medium onion, thinly sliced 12 mushrooms, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons garlic, thinly sliced 2 tablespoons capers, chopped 1 tablespoon sherry vinegar ½ teaspoon ground cumin ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes 1/8 teaspoon ground coriander Salt and pepper to taste 1 box House-Autry Spicy Hot Breader 3 pounds grouper filets Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add onion and cook until lightly caramelized, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook about 30-60 seconds. Add capers, vinegar, cumin, red pepper flakes and coriander. Season with about ¼ teaspoon salt and a pinch of black pepper. Add mixture to roasted peppers and keep warm. Preheat heavy skillet over medium high heat. Cut grouper into eight 6 ounce portions; dredge filets in House Autry Spicy Hot Breader, pan fry over medium high heat for 2-3 minutes per side in vegetable oil. Serve immediately. Enjoy!

On this edition of the Journal we target speckled trout in deep water. On Gear Time our angler's discuss the variety of soft plastic baits they used and Donna Reynolds prepares a tasty crab fritter recipe.

2912 Ricotta Crab Fritters Serves 8 Ingredients 1/2 of an 8-ounce piece Gallo Italian Dry Salame, peeled and finely chopped (should be about 3/4 cup) 1 lb fresh ricotta, drained of any excess liquid 1/2 oz finely grated parmesan cheese (1/4 cup) ½ cup shredded or lump crabmeat, shells removed 2 large egg yolks 3/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 3 tablespoons House-Autry Hushpuppy Mix Onion 3 large eggs, beaten 1/2 cup House-Autry Chicken Fry About 2 cups vegetable oil Method 1. Stir salami, ricotta, parmesan, crabmeat, yolks, salt, pepper, and 3 tablespoons of House-Autry Hushpuppy Mix with Onion until combined. 2. Line a large cookie sheet with wax paper. Scoop about 1 ½ Tablespoons of the ricotta mixture and pat into a 1/2-inch-thick disc. 3. Place 3 large eggs in a pie plate or shallow dish. Place House-Autry Chicken fry on a piece of waxed paper. 4. Dip ricotta disc into beaten eggs, turning to coat, and shaking off excess. Then dip into House-Autry Chicken Fry breader, turning to coat completely. Transfer to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining mixture, arranging discs in a single layer. 5. Heat 1/2 inch oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot, but not smoking (if you have a thermometer, the oil should be about 350°F). Place half the fritters into the oil, and fry until golden, about 2 minutes. 6. Gently turn each fritter over with a slotted spoon and fry until golden on all sides, an additional 2 to 4 minutes. Transfer fritters to a plate lined with paper towels using a slotted spoon. 7. Add more oil to the skillet so that the level reaches ½ inch. Heat oil until it’s hot but not smoking. Fry remaining fritters as you did in steps 5 and 6. Serve warm or at room temperature.

This week on the Journal we'll fish Kerr Lake during passage of a cold front. Snow begins to fall as our angler's target striped bass. On Gear Time dealing with the weather and tackle are discussed and we'll join Donna Reynolds in the kitchen for a trout recipe.

2911 Breakfast Trout ¾ pound Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ½-inch cubes ½ yellow onion, chopped 1 tablespoon olive oil About ¼ teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt ½ teaspoon smoked paprika Freshly ground black pepper 2 ½ ounces smoked trout, skin pulled off 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice 4 large eggs Preheat oven to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking pan mix potatoes with onion, olive oil, salt, paprika and a few grinds of pepper. Bake, stirring a couple times, until potatoes are tender, 20-25 minutes. Crumble the trout fillet into bite-size pieces as you add it to the pan. Add dill and lemon juice and mix well, scraping up any browned bits from bottom of pan. Season hash with additional salt and pepper and cover with lid or foil to keep warm. Heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Gently crack egg into pan and fry gently until cooked thoroughly but not hard. Repeat with other 3 eggs. Divide hash between 2 plates. Top each plate of hash with 2 eggs and sprinkle with pepper to taste. Recipe adapted from Sunset Magazine-March 2009 issue

On this edition of the Journal we fish an inlet for red drum. There must be 400-500 fish in the school but you need to be aware of your surroundings. Our angler's discuss the lures and tackle needed on Gear Time and Donna Reynolds prepares oyster puppies in the kitchen.

2910 Oysterpuppies 1 pint oysters 2 cups House-Autry Plain or Onion Hushpuppy Mix Pinch of salt and pepper 1 cup water Oil for frying Drain oysters, reserving liquid; cut into quarters. Combine cut oysters, reserved oyster juice, Hushpuppy Mix, salt and pepper. Add water to mixture; stir well and allow to sit for 5 minutes. Heat oil in a skillet or deep fryer to 365°F. Stir batter; drop by the tablespoonful into hot oil and fry for 2 1/-3 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with cocktail or tartar sauce. Makes approximately 35 oysterpuppies.

This week on the Journal we'll try something different by trolling for catfish.This method of fishing can be very productive. On Gear Time our angler's discuss how to do it and we'll join Donna in the kitchen for a catfish recipe..

Parmesan Pecan Fried Catfish 2 pounds catfish fillets, cut into 1-inch wide strips 1 cup buttermilk 1 cup ground pecans 2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese House-Autry Southern Chicken Bake 2 tablespoons House-Autry Spicy Hot Breader Place catfish and buttermilk in a large zip-top plastic baggie. Seal and chill 1 hour. Remove catfish from buttermilk, discard buttermilk. Combine pecans and next 4 ingredients in a shallow bowl. Dredge catfish in mixture turning to coat well on both sides. Shake off excess and arrange on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake catfish for 10 minutes in a 400 degree pre-heated oven. Remove from oven and serve with pickled okra salsa. Pickled Okra Salsa 5 whole pickled okra, sliced ½ cup chopped sweet onion 4 teaspoons chopped fresh cilantro 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice ¼ teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with mild green chiles, drained Pulse first 6 ingredients and half the tomatoes in a food processor 4 to 6 times or until thoroughly combined. Stir in remaining diced tomatoes. Serve immediately, or cover and chill. Store in refrigerator up to 7 days. If refrigerated, let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

On this edition of the Journal we fish mid October for speckled trout.The water temperature is dropping and some of the best fishing days occur during this time. On Gear Time our anglers discuss the soft bait selection that caught fish. Donna Reynolds prepares a coastal trout recipe in the kitchen.

Trout with a Lemon Walnut Butter 8 trout fillets (2-21/2 pounds) House-Autry Fish Fry 4 tablespoons Oil ¼ cup unsalted butter ¼ cup finely chopped fresh parsley 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh tarragon 20 1/8-inch lemon slices (2-3 lemons) ½ cup chopped walnuts Place House-Autry Fish Fry on a piece of waxed paper. Dredge trout in House-Autry Fish Fry, shaking off excess. Add 4 tablespoons oil in a skillet. Panfry fish in skillet over medium-high heat until fish is cooked throughout and flaky to the fork. If you would like you can add some lemon slices to the pan for a little extra lemon flavor. Remove fish from pan and set aside to drain on paper towel. Melt ¼ cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook until lightly browned and fragrant, 3-5 minutes. Immediately remove from the heat and stir in the walnuts. Serve the trout on a large dinner plate and top with browned butter and lemon slices.

This week on the Journal we'll fish Sutton Lake one of the top bass fishing lakes in the state. On Gear Time our angler's discuss the hot lures that caught fish and will join Donna Reynolds in the kitchen for a soft shell crab recipe.

Soft-Shell Crab BLT 8 soft-shelled crabs, cleaned 1/2 cup House-Autry Seasoned Fish Fry 1/2 cup butter 8 sandwich rolls, split and warmed 8 slices bacon, cooked until crispy and cut in half 2 tomatoes, sliced 8 leaves iceberg lettuce Mayonnaise or tartar sauce Dust crabs lightly with House-Autry Seasoned Fish Fry. Heat butter over medium heat until sizzling. Saute crabs until crisp and brown on one side, 4-5 minutes. Turn and repeat on other side. Drain and serve on warm rolls with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and your choice of mayonnaise or tartar sauce. Tip: For added flavor, fry 2 tablespoonfuls of capers in vegetable oil until crunchy. Sprinkle over sandwich just prior to serving.

This week on the Journal we'll fish Sutton Lake one of the top bass fishing lakes in the state. On Gear Time our angler's discuss the hot lures that caught fish and will join Donna Reynolds in the kitchen for a soft shell crab recipe.

Scalloped Scallops Yield: 4-6 servings 1 ½ pounds sea scallops 1 ½ tsp onion powder ½ tsp salt ¼ tsp ground black pepper 1 cup Ritz cracker crumbs, coarsely chopped 1 cup House-Autry Southern Baked for Chicken or Pork 1/3 cup butter, melted 1 cup half and half 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, divided Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter a 2-quart casserole dish. Toss scallops with the onion powder, salt and pepper; set aside. In a small bowl, combine cracker crumbs, House-Autry Southern Baked Coating Mix, melted butter and 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Mix scallops with crumb mixture and loosely place in prepared dish. Pour half & half over the top and allow it to settle. Top with remaining parmesan cheese. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. (Cooking times will vary depending on the size of your casserole dish.)

This week on the Journal we'll fish the fall season for crappie. If you can find the fish the action should be really good. On Gear Time our angler's discuss how to do it and Donna Reynolds prepares trout cakes in the kitchen.

2 tablespoons butter 1 medium onion, finely chopped 1 small rep bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped 1 cup water 1 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon granules ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ½ teaspoon red pepper sauce ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper 1 pound stream trout or substitute, fillets 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 1 can (10.75 ounces) condensed cream of celery soup, divided 2 cups instant potato buds or flakes ½ cup House-Autry Seafood Breader 6 tablespoons vegetable oil 12 slices American cheese ¼ cup evaporated milk If cooking over an open fire: Build campfire: allow to burn down to glowing coals. Otherwise, place cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Melt butter in skillet. Add onion and red bell pepper. Cook 1-2 minutes. Add water, bouillon, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper sauce and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add trout fillets. Cook 3-5 minutes or until trout is firm and completely flaked. Remove skillet from heat. Add lemon juice and 1/3 cup cream of celery soup. Gradually stir in potato flakes until mixture is stiff. Let cool 5 minutes. Place House-Autry Seafood Breader on a paper plate. Divide fish mixture into 12 equal portions. Shape each into 3.5 inch rounds. Dredge both sides of each patty in seafood breader. Wipe out skillet. Place back on heat. Heat 2 tablespoons oil. Add 4 patties. Cooke for 4-6 minutes, or until golden brown, turning once and topping with cheese during final minutes of cooking time. Place on plate and cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining patties. Wipe out skillet. Add remaining soup and the evaporated milk. Cook mixture for 5-6 minutes or until hot, stirring constantly. Spoon about 1 tablespoon sauce over each cake. Yield: 6 servings

On this edition of the Journal we'll be fishing a coastal river using kayaks.These versatile craft can put you on the fish. On Gear Time our anglers discuss fishing out of a kayak and the tackle they used. Donna Reynolds prepares a great recipe for crab cakes in the kitchen.

Yield: 8 patties Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Difficulty: Easy 2 cups fresh crabmeat, drained ½ cup House-Autry Seafood Breader 1 egg, beaten ¼ cup mayonnaise 3 tbsp scallions, minced 2 tbsp celery, minced 2 tsp hot sauce 1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley 1/2 tsp dried dill Combine all ingredients until thoroughly mixed. Shape into 8 patties, then coat with additional House-Autry Seafood Breader. Cook over medium-high heat in 1/8-inch hot oil 5 minutes, turning halfway through cooking. Makes 4 servings. Meal Suggestion: Serve these with Chipotle Mayonnaise. Combine 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 tbsp chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, 1 tsp of sugar and the juice of a lime. Additional serving suggestions: shape into 16 patties and serve as an appetizer or on a small slider bun for fun finger food. Note: Patties can be made and frozen until ready to cook and serve. Place portioned patties onto Press and Seal plastic wrap and seal. Store in freezer. To cook, let patties thaw in refrigerator and then dredge in House Autry Seafood Breader and fry in hot oil.

This week on the Journal we travel to High Rock lake for some tough bass fishing. Low water and high wind make catching fish a challenge. On Gear Time our anglers discuss what they did to meet the challenge.

4 6-8 ounce skinless fish fillets ½ cups fresh pumpernickel bread crumbs 1 package House-Autry In Your Oven Breader 1/3 cup Thousand Island dressing 8 slices of Swiss cheese 2 cups sweet kraut Preheat oven to 400 degree. Combine the pumpernickel bread crumbs with House-Autry In Your Oven Breader. Shake to mix well. Place fish fillets in bag with breader and shake to coat. Place coated fillets on a foil lined baking sheet. Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until fish is thoroughly cooked. Once fish is cooked top each fillet with 1 tablespoon of Thousand Island dressing and 2 slices of cheese. Place under the broiler for 3-5 minutes to melt cheese. Remove from oven, Serve fish fillets with sweet kraut. Yield: 4 servings

On this edition of the Journal we'll venture just off the beach for some hot flounder fishing. On Gear Time our anglers discuss what you need and how to catch flounder in deep water. Donna Reynolds serves up a fish salad in the kitchen.

1 cup House-Autry Fish Fry breader 1 teaspoon Chili powder 1.5 pounds flounder filets ½ cup olive oil, plus additional for frying 2 10-ounce bags mixed greens ¾ cup grape tomatoes, halved ½ cup pecans, roasted and coarsely chopped ¼ small red onion, thinly sliced ¼ cup honey mustard On a piece of waxed paper, combine House-Autry Fish Fry breader and chili powder. Dredge flounder filets in breader. Shake extra coating from filets. In a heavy large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Working batches, add the fish and cook, turning once, until browned, about 6 minutes total or until filets are cooked throughout. Combine the greens, tomatoes, pecans and onion. In a jar with a lid, shake the honey mustard and 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Pour over the salad and toss. Serve the flounder filets on top of the salad.

This week on the Journal we'll take a look at several trout stream options in the mountains. On Gear Time our anglers briefly discuss the streams and equipment and we'll join Donna Reynolds in the kitchen for a trout recipe.

Ingredients 2 handfuls of dried aromatic twigs (such as apple, cherry, maple or hickory), or substitute wood chips or 2 large bunches fresh thyme 2 (10-ounce) trout filets, head and tail on 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 large sprigs fresh sage, or 8 sprigs Italian parsley or thyme 1 lemon, halved from top to bottom and sliced 1/2 pound sliced bacon Salt and pepper to taste Preparation 1. Using your best fly, catch a trout. Clean and gut it. 2. Soak twigs in a brook (or a bowl of water) for 30 minutes. If using thyme, bind it at the stems with a natural fiber string. Drizzle cavity of trout with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Stuff cavity with four lemon slices and one or two sprigs of the herbs. 3. Gather dried wood and build a fire. Let the fire burn down until the wood is red hot, but covered in a grey-white ash. While the wood is burning down, wrap trout with bacon like a mummy, using toothpicks to hold bacon in place. Each trout will require about four strips of bacon. Reserve. 4. Set a cooking grate over the fire at such a height that you can only hold your hand directly above the grate for a slow count of three seconds. Just before grilling, top the fire with water-soaked twigs (or can substitute twigs with chips or thyme). 5. Immediately set fish on grate and cover with a large upside-down frying pan. Cook directly over medium heat for approximately five minutes per side, or until bacon is crispy and trout is cooked throughout. Trout can also be seared in a cast-iron pan over a medium-high flame for approximately five minutes per side. Garnish with extra herb springs and serve immediately. Bob’s Campfire Tip: Save any leftover bits of bacon and trout (cooked or uncooked) to transform your next morning’s scrambled eggs into a campfire delicacy. Yield: 2 servings Recipe from Chef Bob Blumer