Cape Cod Family Traditions and Corn Husk Roasted Flounder

Our family has been coming to Cape Cod almost as long as I can remember.  We can’t drive two miles without my parents pointing out a place we’ve stayed.  However, the one I remember most fondly is the budget hotel we used to frequent in the early days.  It was a “but Mommy, why would anyone want to rent a room for an hour?” kind of place, with an over-chlorinated swimming pool and a shuffle board court that entertained us for hours.  After settling the Civil War that would ensue each year over who had to sleep on the cot, my parents would judge our jump and dive contests with a great deal of diplomacy.  It was here that the “peeing dog” was invented, which I was certain deserved to beat my brother’s perfect cannon balls, for sheer creativity and wit.  I’m pretty sure a melt down ensued when my Mom came to tell me, “but honey, we can afford something nicer now.  You’ll get your own queen sized bed!”  But it was a tradition.  What’s nicer than tradition?

Ten years later I would return with my future husband.  Ensuring a love for the Cape is part of a lengthy hazing process for joining our family.  He passed with flying colors, taking a particular liking to the dunes on the Provincetown Beach.  After returning from a particular “Dune Hunting” exhibition with my bright pink camera, he declared “everyone sure is friendly here.”

Although I eventually moved on and appreciated the extra amenities, there are a few traditions I haven’t let go.  Kate’s Seafood is one of them.  As we drove the 45 minutes to this little red shack for our annual intake of fried fish and ice cream, we all acknowledged that there are surely many, many identical seafood shacks closer to where we are staying, and they are likely just as good, if not better.  But they aren’t Kate’s.  I especially love the clam fritters, and the huge ice cream cones (not pictured).

A trip to Truro Vineyard is always a must, for a wine tasting and to stock up on their cranberry wine, which we always enjoy on Thanksgiving Day.

After the vineyard, we stopped for a buzzed round of mini golf, yet another Cape tradition (minus the buzzed).  Matt looks scared.  That’s because these games don’t always end well.  This one, however, was civil… for the most part.

I also got back on the ‘new recipe’ bandwagon with this corn-husk roasted flounder.  Although the recipe called for Walleye, I wanted to use a locally caught fish.  This flounder was perfect, and cooked in the husks to a tender, flaky perfection.

Corn Husk Roasted Flounder

Inspired by BS in the Kitchen

Ingredients:

For the Roasted Corn Salsa

• 4 cobs of corn (be sure to keep the husks)
• 1 red peppers, finely chopped
• 2 green onions, diced
• 2T parsley, chopped
• 2 tsp garlic, minced
• Juice of 1 lime (use the zest for the lime butter, below)
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1/4 cup carrots, shredded
• 2T olive oil
• 2 tsp worcestershire sauce
• 1-2 tsp hot sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Pre-heat your oven to 350°F.  Place corn in the microwave for 5 minutes. This will help to cook the corn and soften the husks. Once each cob has been ‘cooked’ in the microwave, carefully remove the husks and set aside.   Cut the kernels off the cobs and place in a glass baking dish. Put the kernels into the oven for 30 minutes, until they become golden brown. Mix the remaining ingredients together for the Roasted Corn Salsa, adding the corn once it’s been roasted.

For the Flounder:

• 2T butter, softened
• 1 tsp lime zest
• 1.5 lbs flounder, depending on the cut this may be 4-8 fillets
• salt & pepper
• Cooking string

Start by making a citrus butter: melt the butter and lime zest in a medium sauce pan for 5 minutes over a low simmer, allowing the lime to infuse into the butter.

Carefully place the fillets on inside of the corn husks.  You want 1/4 of the fish in each husk, so depending on the size of your fillets, you may be putting one or two in each husk.

Top each fillet with 1/4 of the citrus butter, salt/pepper and 1/4 of the Roasted Corn Salsa.  Fold the husks together and tie securely with cooking string.  Enclose the husks around the fish and salsa as completely as possible.

Place the husks on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350°F for 25 minutes until the fish becomes flaky.  Serves Four.  I recommend serving with blue tortilla chips to scoop up the fish and salsa.

Johanna