Article by Christine Budd
Maryland Hot Crab Dip
Ingredients:
8 oz. block cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 3/4 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning*
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 pound fresh lump crab meat
Optional: 2 dashes of hot sauce (or to taste)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).
In a large mixing bowl using a hand held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.
Add the mayonnaise, sour cream, 1 cup cheddar cheese, ground mustard, lemon juice, Old Bay seasoning, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce (if using). Beat on medium-high speed until combined. Using a spoon or rubber spatula, gently fold in the lump crab meat. If you used hot sauce, taste, then add more hot sauce if desired.
Transfer to a 9-inch (or slightly larger) baking pan, pie dish, or oven-safe skillet. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup of cheddar cheese.
Bake for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly around the edges.
Serve warm.
Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a 350°F (177°C) until warmed throughout.
AMAZING MAHI TACOS
Ingredients:
For the Avocado-Lime Slaw:
½ cup mayonnaise
1 avocado
½ cup cilantro roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves
3 Tablespoons lime juice
4 Tablespoons jalapeños pickled, chopped or 1 fresh jalapeno cored and seeds removed
½ teaspoon Kosher salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 oz. slaw mix
For the Chipotle Aioli:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves minced
1 teaspoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chile powder. Add more for increased heat, or regular chil powder for less heat
1 pinch kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Mahi:
1 ¼ lb mahi fillets skinless, cut into 12 pieces (can also use also use fresh tuna steak)
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 Tablespoons lime juice
3 Tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 corn tortillas
½ cup fresh cilantro for garnish
½ cup thinly sliced radish for garnish
2 fresh jalapenos thinly sliced for garnish
Hot sauce, such as Tabasco for garnish
Directions:
Avocado-Lime Slaw:
In a food processor, add the mayo, avocado, cilantro, garlic, lime juice, jalapenos, salt and pepper and pulse until completely blended.
Add the mayo-avocado mixture to the slaw and stir until fully coated. Set aside.
Chipotle Aioli:
Stir together the mayo, garlic, lime juice, chili powder, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Prepare Mahi:
Make the marinade by mixing together in a medium bowl the chili powder, cumin, paprika, onion and garlic powders, salt, pepper, lime juice, and olive oil.
Add the mahi and turn to coat. Let rest for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your grill to high heat.
Place fish in a grill pan or cast iron skillet. Or, thread each fish piece with a skewer. Discard the left-over marinade.
Grill the fish, carefully turning once, until opaque and just cooked through, about 8 minutes total.
Heat the tortillas directly on the grill rack, or place in aluminum foil, and heat on the grill.
Place the cooked fish in the warmed tortilla and top with slaw, fresh cilantro, radishes, chipotle aioli, sliced jalapenos, and hot sauce.
Broiled Grouper Parmesan
Ingredients:
2 lbs. fresh grouper fillets
2 Tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¼ cup butter, softened
3 Tablespoons mayonnaise
1 dash hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™)
1 pinch salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven’s broiler.
Place the grouper fillets on a greased baking tray. Brush them with lemon juice. In a small bowl, stir together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise, hot pepper sauce, salt and pepper. Set aside.
Broil the fillets for 4 to 6 minutes, until they can be flaked with a fork. Remove from the oven and spread the cheese mixture on top of fillets.
Return to the broiler for an additional 30 seconds, or until the topping is browned and bubbly.
Broiled Spanish Mackerel
Ingredients:
6 (3 ounce) fillets Spanish mackerel fillets
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon paprika
1 pinch salt and ground black pepper to taste
12 slices lemon
Directions:
Preheat the oven’s broiler and set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source. Lightly grease a baking dish.
Rub both sides of each mackerel fillet with olive oil and place with the skin side down into the prepared baking dish. Season each fillet with the paprika, salt, and pepper. Top each fillet with two lemon slices.
Bake the fillets under the broiler until the fish just begins to flake, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately.
Tom Budd’s Tuna Marinade
Ingredients:
2 lbs. tuna steaks
Marinade:
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped
1 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Directions:
Mix marinade ingredients together. Marinade tuna in a large ziplock bag or bowl with fitted lid for 24 hours. Sear tuna on high heat over a grill for 5-6 minutes, flip sear another 4-5 minutes. Do not overcook. Never met anyone that didn’t love this marinade!
Shrimp Boil with Clams and Lemon
Ingredients:
Water
2 lemons, halved, plus more for serving
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 cup crab boil seasoning (Old Bay recommended!)
1/2 bunch thyme, tied together
1 medium onion, quartered
2 serrano chiles, split in half lengthwise
1 head garlic, halved
1 lb. 5 oz. red new potatoes, medium to large, cut in half
3 ears sweet corn, halved
3 pieces smoked sausage, such as andouille or kielbasa, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 pound 5 ounces)
12 littleneck clams, scrubbed (about 1 lb. 4 oz.)
2 pounds jumbo shrimp with heads and tails
Kosher salt
Directions:
Fill a huge stockpot, preferably fitted with a basket insert, with about 4 quarts of water. Keep in mind that when you add the solid ingredients the water level will rise, so don’t fill the pot up more than halfway. Squeeze the lemons into the water, tossing in the halves too. Add the bay leaves, salt, seasoning, thyme, onions, chiles and garlic; bring the broth to a boil over medium-high heat and simmer for 10 minutes. You want a very aromatic broth with plenty of salt and spices. Taste it; don’t be afraid to make it strong so some of the flavor can penetrate and get absorbed by the potatoes and other ingredients. Adjust seasoning with salt.
Add the potatoes to the pot to give them a head start; simmer for 20 minutes. Now add the corn and sausage; cook another 5 minutes, making sure everything stays covered with the liquid. Add the clams and boil for 8 to 10 minutes until they open. Then toss in the shrimp and shut off the heat. Cover the pot and let the shrimp steep in the flavor for 15 minutes. Drain and spread the shrimp, sausage, clams, corn, potatoes, and onions out on a newspaper-covered table. Serve with lemons and plenty of napkins. Reserve the broth to make Shrimp Cocktail Shots.
Marinated and Grilled Cobia
Ingredients:
4 cobia fillets (about 1 1/2 lbs.)
2 lemons, for juice
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Directions:
Place fish in baking dish. Squeeze lemons for juice (1/4 cup). Combine juice with remaining ingredients (except salsa); pour over fish and let stand 10 minutes to marinate. Preheat grill (or grill pan).
Place fish on grill (discard marinade); grill 6–7 minutes on each side and until fish is opaque and separates easily. Serve with salsa if desired.
Always check fish for bones and cook to an internal temperature of 145°F.
Other Preparation Method:
Bake: Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat 4 cobia fillets with 1/4 cup melted butter. Combine 1/2 cup of each Italian bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese; top cobia evenly. Bake for 12–15 minutes and until fish is opaque and separates easily.
