Orange Ginger Striped Bass with Roasted Zucchini

I have to say it has been a busy month for me. It is not the lack of ideas that has kept me from posting but the lack of spare time. I work full time as a sous chef and part time as a server at another restaurant. Minimum 45 hours a week at one restaurant and picking up shifts at the other can take a chunk of time out of your life. I try to fit in all of my other obligations, but my recreational activities can take a hit...namely recipe testing and posting. But I can say I am still on track to make at least one recipe post a week.

Just because I am not posting as much as I would like does not mean I am not working on the recipes though. Not including this one, I actually have three in the pipeline ready to go as I type this. But on to things more important than my bitching about following my dream....WHAT'S FOR DINNER?!?!?!?!

Striped Bass.
This is a mild flavored, firm but flaky fish. This being spring, although Texas seems to have forgotten this and as usual jumped straight to summer, I wanted to go with a light citrus flavor. While tasting oranges at my grocery store (yes my grocery store does have fruit samplings), I found the oranges were really amazing. These had that perfect balance of sweet and sour that immediately made me think of adding ginger to them. The flavors here will be mild so they won't overpower the natural flavor of the fish, which makes this a light and delicate meal.

Razza con Peperoni e Finocchi Arrosti

I was talking to someone earlier today and told them I was going shopping for dinner. When they asked what I was cooking, I responded with "I honestly don't know. I will just look around till I get inspired." When the response I got was, "I guess that is the hard part about creating recipes for a blog, you know, trying to get inspired." I hung up and was left thinking...was that a challenge?

I headed to the store not really knowing what I was going to cook. All I did know was I was in the mood for some real food after the week I had been through. I can honestly say it did not take long after entering the store to decide what I wanted to cook though. I was taking a glance at the seafood counter, and while trying to decide between Chilean Sea Bass, Shrimp or Salmon, I saw it.

Bacon Wrapped Jerk Red Snapper

I had a recipe I wanted to post that I had been working on for several days. I even shopped and had it prepped. I had everything I needed, except for the time to put it together. But like it tends to do, fate stepped in and threw me a curve ball. I inherited a few cuts of Red Snapper while at work last night, and not one to let a good fish go bad, I set my prepared recipe aside for the moment and let inspiration take over.


Honestly, I tend to feel really bad having to throw away good food. Well that, and I like fish a lot. It is a close follower to Pork, The Pig is King. This was basically the thought process that led to this dish.