Question: In Albuquerque, my husband and I stopped at Luby's Cafeteria. His Haddock topped with tomato sauce was so good, we thought we would ask for the recipe. -- Mary Claire Crawford, Colorado Springs
Answer: King of the Mountain is not a competition for sissies. Especially when the mountain is Albuquerque's Sandia Peak, and the gist of the rivalry involves careening down a vertical drop on a piece of titanium frame.To get started, the bike warrior stows map, cell phone, lucky "gimme" cap, energy bar and chain tool. Then, the rider dons helmet, mounts the unobtanium (high-tech unobtainable titanium) and hammers the trail, avoiding a biff (wipeout) and face plant (hitting the ground face first) while hanging tight over death cookies (fist-size rocks).
Albuquerque's Sandia Peak Mountain Bike Challenge Series starts Memorial Day and runs throughout the season until October, as the series of races to accumulate points leads up to the Final Challenge and
double points. The winner, of course, is King of the Mountain.
Luby's Cafeteria, an eatery noted for good home-style food, adds French flavor to pan-grilled haddock via a tomato based sauce Provencale, which takes its name from a region in the south of France. For best results, treat fresh fish like ice cream: keep it cold and go directly home after purchasing it from the store. Also, remember to rinse fish in cool running water and dry thoroughly before beginning any recipe.
PAN-GRILLED HADDOCK PROVENCALE
Sauce:
4 medium tomatoes
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1/4 cup cooking sherry
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Fish:
3 cups water
1/3 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup paprika
2 tablespoons seasoned salt
8 6-ounce haddock, cod, trout, or catfish fillets
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For sauce, place tomatoes in rapidly boiling water 3 minutes or until skins begin to blister. Rinse under cool running water and peel. Core and dice, retaining juice.
In a 10-inch skillet, melt butter. Add mushrooms, onion and celery and cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, sherry, garlic, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered 5 minutes.
For fish, in a mixing bowl, whisk together water, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce. In a shallow bowl, mix flour, paprika and seasoned salt until well blended. Dip fish into water mixture, then into flour mixture, coating evenly. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.
Add fish and cook skin side up 4-5 minutes. Turn and continue cooking 4 minutes or until fish flakes when tested with fork. Serve sauce with fish. Serves 8.
Diane Howard is a columnist for Hunt House. America a la Carte welcomes recipe requests. Send the complete address of the restaurant along with your name, address and phone number to America a la Carte, P.O. box 5994, Austin, TX 78763-5994, or fax 1-512-453-2145. Email amercarte@aol.com.