Article by Mama Jock
Fish Bites with Romesco Sauce
Sauce:
1 slice crusty Italian bread
1 plum tomato, quartered
3 TBSP. whole blanched almonds
3 cloves garlic, peeled
2 TBSP. chopped pimento, drained
1 TBSP. red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly grease 2 baking sheets; set aside.
Place bread, tomato, whole almonds and garlic on 1 baking sheet.
Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until almonds are slightly browned.
Transfer ingredients to food processor; use on/off pulsing action just until ingredients are coarsely chopped.
Add pimento, vinegar, paprika and 1/8 tsp. salt.
Process until almost smooth.
Place sauce in small bowl; set aside.
Fish Bites:
1 egg white
2 TBSP. flour
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup ground almonds
4 flounder fillets
Beat egg white lightly in small bowl.
Combine flour, red pepper and 1/4 tsp. salt in shallow bowl.
Place ground almonds in second shallow bowl.
Cut fillets into pieces and coat in flour mixture, shaking off excess.
Dip into egg white; roll in ground almonds until evenly coated.
Arrange fish on second baking sheet.
Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until fish begins to flake when tested.
Serve immediately with sauce.
Serves 4.
Scallop Piccata over Angel Hair Pasta
1 lb. dry sea scallops, tough muscle removed
1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper
1 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
8 oz. whole-wheat angel hair pasta
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup clam juice
2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 cup garlic, chopped
3 TBSP. lemon juice
1 TBSP. capers, rinsed and chopped
3 tsp. butter
2 TBSP. fresh parsley, chopped
Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Sprinkle scallops on both sides with salt and pepper.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Reduce heat to medium and add the scallops; cook, turning once, until browned on both sides, about 6 minutes total.
Transfer to a plate.
Cook pasta about 4 minutes.
Drain and rinse.
Whisk wine, clam juice and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth.
Cook garlic in the pan over medium-high heat, stirring often, until softened.
Add the wine mixture; bring to a boil and cook until thickened.
Stir in lemon juice, capers and butter; cook until the butter melts.
Return scallops to the pan, add the pasta; cook, stirring gently, until heated through and coated with the sauce.
Stir in parsley and serve immediately.
Serves 4.
Oysters Baked with Buttered Spinach
5 TBSP. butter
1 cup onions, minced
8 to 12 oz. fresh spinach, stems removed, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated nutmeg to taste
1 cup light or heavy cream
2 tsp. minced garlic
24 oysters, shucked
1/2 cup fresh toasted breadcrumbs
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Melt 2 TBSP. butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the onion, cook, stirring until soft.
Add the spinach; turn the heat to high, cook, stirring, until it wilts.
Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Turn heat to low and add the cream.
Cook, stirring for 2 minutes.
Add the garlic; stir in 1 more TBSP. of butter.
Transfer the spinach to a buttered baking dish.
Nestle the oysters in the spinach and top with bread crumbs.
Dot with the remaining butter.
Bake until the oysters are cooked through, about 15 minutes.
They are done when their ends curl.
Serves 4.
Indian Spiced Rice with Shrimp and Peas
1 TBSP. olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 1/2 TBSP. fresh ginger, grated
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 TBSP. curry powder
1 cup long-grain white rice
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
Lemon wedges for serving
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, season with ¼ tsp. each salt and pepper. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally until tender, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic, cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Add the curry powder, cook for 1 minute.
Add the rice, stir to coat in the onion mixture. Stir in 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer, covered for 15 minutes. Fold the shrimp and peas into the partially cooked rice and cook, covered, until the shrimp is opaque throughout and the rice is tender, 4 to 5 minutes more.
Remove from heat and fold in the cilantro.
Serve with lemon wedges.
Serves 4.
Farfalle Pasta with Tuna
12 oz. farfalle pasta
1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb. tuna steaks
Salt
3 tsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 can (14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes
2 TBSP. capers, drained and chopped
2 tsp. grated fresh lemon peel
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
Heat large saucepot of salted water to a boil.
Add pasta; cook as label directs.
Add green beens to saucepot 2 minutes before pasta is done.
Reserve 1/4 cup pasta water.
Drain pasta and green beans; return to pot.
Sprinkle tuna with 1/4 tsp. salt to season both sides.
In a large skillet, heat 2 tsp. oil on medium-high until hot.
Add tuna and cook for 2 minutes on each side.
Reduce heat to medium; cover skillet and cook until tuna is almost opaque throughout, turning once halfway through cooking.
Transfer tuna to plate.
To the same skillet, add remaining 1 tsp. oil.
Reduce heat to medium; add onion and garlic; cook until lightly browned and tender, stirring occasionally.
Stir in tomatoes, capers, lemon peel and crushed red pepper.
Heat to boiling; boil 1 minute.
Flake tuna with 2 forks into bite-size pieces.
Stir the vegetable mixture from skillet into pasta pot, add the flaked tuna, chopped parsley and reserved pasta water; tosss to coat.
Serves 6.
Grilled Paprika Shrimp Quesadillas
1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. sweet smoked paprika
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup parsley or cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 slightly under ripe avocado, pitted, skin removed and very thinly diced
1/2 lemon, juiced
8 large tortillas, heated to soften slightly
2 tomatoes, seeded and diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Cooking spray
Preheat an outdoor grill, indoor grill or grill pan to medium-high heat.
Sprinkle the shrimp lightly in the oil, then season with the smoked paprika, onion powder and garlic powder.
Thread the shrimp onto metal skewers.
Grill until pink and firm, about 2 minutes on each side.
Douse with the lime juice, then remove the shrimp from the skewers and chop.
Sprinkle with the cilantro or parsley.
Dress the avocado with the lemon juice.
On one half of each tortilla, arrange the shrimp, tomatoes, scallions, avocado and cheese.
Fold over the other tortilla half, then spray lightly with cooking spray.
Grill, turning once until crisp and the cheese has melted.
Cut into wedges and serve.
Serves 4 to 6.
Blackened Sea Bass with Creole Vegetables
2/3 cup smoked barbecue sauce
1/3 cup Frank’s Red Hot Cayenne Pepper Sauce
2 TBSP. chile or Cajun seasoning
2 TBSP. olive oil
4 skinless sea bass fillets
Creole Vegetables, recipe follows
Salt and pepper, to taste
Combine both sauces with oil.
Reserve 1/2 cup mixture for Creole Vegetables.
Season fish with salt and pepper to taste.
Baste fish with remaining barbecue mixture.
Cook fish on a well greased grill over medium direct heat, 5 minutes per side or until fish is opaque in center, turning once.
Serve with the veggies.
Creole Vegetables:
1 red bell pepper, cut into quarters
1 large green zucchini or summer squash, cut in half, then in slices
1 large white onion, slices 1/2-inch thick
Vegetable cooking spray
Arrange vegetables on skewers.
Coat vegetables with cooking spray.
Grill over medium heat until lightly charred and tender, basting often with reserved 1/2 cup barbecue sauce mixture.
Serves 4.
If you would like to share your favorite seafood recipes with fellow Coastal Fisherman readers, you can email them to Mama Jock at [email protected]. All of Mama Jock’s past recipes can be found at www.coastalfisherman.net.