Article by Mama Jock
Shrimp Fajitas
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1 1/2 lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 TBSP. vegetable oil
2 bell peppers, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Corn tortillas, for serving
Chopped cilantro, for garnish
In a medium bowl, whisk together olive oil, lime juice, cumin and chili powder.
Reserving about 1/4 cup of marinade, pour the rest into a resealable plastic bag with the shrimp.
Marinate shrimp for 15 minutes.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Add bell peppers and onions and season with salt and pepper.
Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.
Stir in jalapeno and garlic and cook for another minute.
Remove vegetable mixture from skillet.
Shake off excess marinade from shrimp and add to hot skillet in a single layer.
Season with salt and pepper and cook until pink on both sides, 1 to 2 minutes per side.
Add reserved marinade and let simmer for about 1 minute.
Remove from heat.
Serve shrimp warm with vegetable mixture over corn tortillas.
Garnish with cilantro and cotija cheese, if desired.
Crispy Crab Cakes with Creamy Tomatillo Jalpeno Dip
Crab Cakes
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. Cajun seasoning
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 large egg
1 lb. lump crabmeat
1 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs, divided
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Jalapeno Dip
1 medium tomatillo, husks removed, roughly chopped
1 small jalapeno, seeded, deveined, roughly chopped
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2-3 TBSP fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
Stir the first 8 ingredients together in a medium bowl (through egg).
Fold in scallions, crab meat and 3/4 cup panko until evenly combined. Do not over stir/break up the crab too much. ?
Divide crab mixture into 9 even portions and form into 3/4-inch thick patties. Do not pack them too tightly.
Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or freeze for 60 minutes.
Prepare Creamy Tomatillo Jalapeno Dip by adding all of the ingredients to your blender and blending until smooth.
Refrigerate until ready to serve. ?
When ready to make crab cakes, coat crab mixture in remaining 3/4 cup panko, firmly pressing the panko into the patties so it sticks. ?
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
Working in batches, pan fry crab cakes until golden and crisp, about 4-5 minutes per side.
Serve with Creamy Tomatillo Jalapeno Dip.
Crunchy Tuna Steaks with Creamy Noodles
2 TBSP. olive oil, plus more for searing
1 medium shallot
1 TBSP. finely chopped fresh tarragon
2 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
3 TBSP. dry white wine
1 tsp. salt
3/4 tsp. Freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups half-and-half
1 1/2 TBSP. unsalted butter
1/2 lb. baby bella mushrooms
1 cup panko bread crumbs
Zest of 1 large lemon
6 tuna steaks
1/2 lb. egg noodles
Heat 1 TBSP. olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat.
Add shallot and sauté until softened and translucent, 4 minutes.
Add tarragon and cook 1 more minute.
Stir in 2 TBSP lemon juice, white wine, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.
Cook until mixture begins to bubble.
Add half-and-half, and increase heat to medium to bring to a boil.
Then reduce heat to low, simmering until mixture thickens slightly, 5 minutes.
Remove from heat, stir in 1/2 TBSP. butter, and cover to keep warm.
Heat remaining 1 TBSP. olive oil and 1 TBSP. butter in a separate large saucepan over medium-high heat.
Add mushrooms and sauté until deep golden brown, 6 to 8 minutes.
Remove mushrooms and set aside in a heatproof bowl.
For tuna crust, mix bread crumbs, lemon zest and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper together in a dish.
Pat mixture all over each tuna steak.
Wipe out saucepan and coat bottom with oil.
Heat over medium-high heat.
Add tuna steaks and sear until crusts are golden brown and centers are pink, about 4 minutes per side.
Toss cream sauce, mushrooms and noodles together.
Slice tuna and serve alongside pasta.
Tautog Baked in Herbed Butter
1 lb. fresh tautog
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 TBSP. lemon juice
2 TBSP. fresh chives, chopped or 1 TBSP. dried
2 TBSP fresh parsley, chopped
3 TBSP. fresh dill, chopped or 1 1/2 tsp. dried dash cayenne pepper to taste
Paprika to taste
1/4 cup salt, plus more to taste
Place fish in salt water brine (4 cups of water mixed with 1/4 cup of salt) and let it soak for 30 minutes.
Wash well, then rinse and pat dry with paper towels.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
In a small saucepan melt butter or margarine and stir in lemon juice, parsley, chives, dill, and cayenne and salt lightly to taste.
Cut fillets into serving size pieces and place it in a lightly oiled baking dish.
Pour butter and herb mixture over fillets.
Sprinkle with paprika.
Bake uncovered for about 8 to 10 minutes or until fish begins to flake.
Transfer fish to a warm serving platter.
Boil pan juices until reduced to about 1/4 cup and pour over warm fish.
Serve immediately.
Whole Striped Bass with Lemon and Mint
1 lemon, cut in half
1 whole striped bass, cleaned and scored
5 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup chopped green onions (about 2)
3 TBSP. (packed) chopped fresh mint plus 4 whole sprigs
1 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. dried oregano
Arrange oven rack 6-inches below broiler.
Preheat broiler.
Line rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Cut a half of a lemon into slices.
Cut other half into wedges.
Place fish on foil.
Sprinkle inside and out with salt and pepper.
Blend olive oil, onions, chopped mint, lemon juice, oregano and garlic in mini processor until coarse puree forms.
Season sauce with salt and pepper.
Reserve 3 TBSP. sauce.
Spread remaining sauce inside cavity and over fish, rubbing into cuts in flesh.
Place lemon slices and mint sprigs in cavity.?
Broil fish until cooked through and skin is crisp, about 5 minutes per side.
Serve fish with lemon wedges and reserved sauce.
Broiled Bluefish with Red Onion and Citrus Dressing
1/4 cup olive oil
2 TBSP. grapefruit juice
2 TBSP. lime juice
3/4 tsp. salt
2 TBSP. chopped fresh chives or scallion tops
2 lb. bluefish fillets
1 small red onion
1/4 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
In a small bowl, combine the oil, grapefruit juice, lime juice, 1/4 tsp. of the salt and 1 TBSP. of the chives.
Place the fish, skin-side down, in a shallow glass dish or stainless-steel pan.
Scatter the onion over the fish.
Pour half of the citrus dressing over the top and let marinate for about 15 minutes.
Heat the broiler.
Put the fish, skin-side down, on a broiler pan or baking sheet.
Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and the pepper.
Top with the onion.
Broil the fish, about 6-inches from the heat if possible, until just done, about 5 minutes for 3/4-inch-thick fillets.
Pour the remaining dressing over the hot fish and sprinkle with the remaining TBSP. of chives.
Foil-Baked Sea Bass with Spinach
4 TBSP. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus 1 1/2 TBSP. softened butter, for brushing
1 (5-oz) bag prewashed baby spinach
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 medium shallot, minced
4 (8-oz) skinless sea bass fillets
1/4 cup dry white wine
Preheat the oven to 425-degrees.
Tear off four 18-inch lengths of foil.
Generously brush the softened butter over an 8-inch square in the center of each foil sheet.
Mound the spinach in the center of the sheets and season with salt and pepper.
Sprinkle with the shallot.
Season both sides of each sea bass fillet with salt and pepper and set the fillets on the spinach.
Scatter the pieces of butter over the fish.
Pull the sides of the foil up around the fish and drizzle the fillets with the wine.
Fold the edges of the foil to make sealed packets.
Arrange the packets on a baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes, or until the fish is cooked through.
Transfer one of the packets to a medium bowl.
Carefully make a small tear in the side of the packet and pour the juices into the bowl.
Repeat with the 3 remaining packets.
Using a spatula, transfer the fish and spinach to shallow soup plates, pour the cooking juices over the fish and serve.
Serve with steamed rice or boiled new potatoes.
Fish Eye Cocktail
3/4 cup fresh pink or white grapefruit juice
3 oz. light rum
1 1/2 TBSP. fresh lime juice
1-2 TBSP. sugar
Stir together all incredients in a small pitcher until sugar is dissolved.
Garnish with lemon or lime slices.
Serves 2.
Submit your favorite seafood recipes to Mama Jock at [email protected].
