Article by Mama Jock
Mahi-Mahi and Veggie Skillet
3 TBSP. olive oil, divided
4 mahi-mahi fillets
3 medium sweet red peppers, cut into strips
1/2 lb. sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1 large sweet onion, cut into thick rings, separated
1/3 cup lemon juice
3/4 tsp. salt, divided
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh chives
1/3 cup pine cups, optional
In a large skillet, heat 2 TBSP. olive oil over medium-high heat.
Add mahi-mahi fillets; cook 4-5 minutes on each side or until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork.
Remove from pan.
Add remaining olive oil, peppers, mushrooms, onion, lemon juice and 1/4 tsp. salt.
Cook, covered, over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally.
Place fish over the vegetables; sprinkle with pepper and remaining salt.
Cook, covered, until heated through.
Sprinkle with chives and, if desired, pine nuts before serving.
Serves 4.
Light and Lemony Scampi
1 lb. uncooked shrimp
8 oz. uncooked angel hair pasta
1 TBSP. butter
1 TBSP. olive oil
2 green onions, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup reduced sodium chicken broth
2 tsp. grated lemon peel
3 TBSP. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. pepper
Parmesan cheese, optional
Peel, devein and remove tails from shrimp.
Cut each shrimp lengthwise in half.
Cook pasta according to package directions.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat butter and oil over medium-high heat.
Add shrimp, green onions and garlic; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until shrimp turn pink.
Remove from pan with a slotted spoon.
Add broth, lemon peel, lemon juice, salt and pepper to pan.
Bring to a boil; cook until liquid is slightly reduced.
Return shrimp to pan and heat through.
Drain pasta; divide among four bowls.
Top with shrimp mixture; sprinkle with parsley.
If desired, serve with Parmesan cheese.
Serves 4.
Flounder with Salsa Verde
For Salsa:
6 TBSP. chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 TBSP. white wine vinegar
2 TBSP. capers, rinsed and chopped
1 1/2 tsp. anchovy paste
1 clove garlic, chopped
For Fish:
4 flounder fillets, skinned
1/2 lb. new potatoes, very thinly sliced
1/2 small red onion, sliced
1 lemon, cut into wedges
Heat oven to 425 degrees
Combine salsa ingredients in a bowl.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pat fish dry and season with salt and pepper.
Coat inside of 4 large pieces of parchment with nonstick cooking spray.
Arrange 1/4 of the potatoes in a single layer.
Top with 1 fillet and 1/4 of the onion.
Fold open ends securely.
Repeat process to make 3 more packets.
Bake packets on sheet pan until cooked through, about 15 minutes.
Let stand 5 minutes.
Transfer packets to serving plates; carefully tear a slit in top of each and serve with salsa verde and lemon wedges.
Serves 4.
Grilled Lobster with Garlic-Parsley Butter
8 TBSP. unsalted butter, softened
2 TBSP. finely chopped parsley
1 1/2 tsp. crushed red chili flakes
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
1 live lobster, about 1 to 1 1/2 lb.
1/4 cup olive oil
Combine butter, parsley, chili flakes, garlic, lemon zest, salt and pepper in a bowl; set aside.
Using a cleaver, split lobster in half lengthwise through its head and tail.
Scoop out and discard the yellow-green tomalley and break off claws.
Transfer lobster halves, shell side down, to a baking sheet.
Drizzle halves and claws with oil and season with salt and pepper.
Heat a charcoal grill or set a gas grill on high; bank coals or turn off burner on one side.
Place lobster halves, flesh side down, and claws on hottest part of grill; cook until slightly charred, 2-3 minutes.
Flip lobster over and using a spoon, spread lobster with the garlic-parsley butter; continue grilling until lobster meat is tender, 3-5 minutes more.
Serves 1-2.
Soft-Shell Crabs with Almonds
1/2 cup milk
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp. Tabasco sauce
12 small, fresh soft-shell crabs, cleaned (see note)
3/4 cup flour
4 TBSP. vegetable oil
2 TBSP. butter
2 TBSP. olive oil
1 TBSP. finely chopped shallots
1/2 cup sliced almonds
2 TBSP. fresh lemon juice
4 TBSP. finely chopped parsley
In flat dish, combine the milk, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Blend well.
Add the crabs, turning them over to coat well with the milk.
Place the flour in a flat dish and remove the crabs from the milk.
Dredge them in the flour.
Shake to remove any excess flour.
Heat 2 TBSP. of the vegetable oil in a large skillet.
Place 6 crabs in the pan and cook them over medium heat for about 3 minutes or until lightly browned on one side.
Turn and cook until golden brown on the other side.
The total cooking time is about 6-7 minutes depending on the thickness.
Transfer to a warm serving platter; keep warm.
Add remaining vegetable oil to pan and repeat the procedure with the other crabs.
Pour off the fat from the skillet and wipe it clean with paper towels.
Add the butter and olive oil, add the shallots and sliced almonds and cook until lightly browned, shaking the pan.
When the oil is bubbling, add the lemon juice and pour the mixture over the crabs.
Sprinkle with parsley.
Serves 4.
Note: To clean soft-shell crabs, first place them top side up on a cutting board and cut off the eyes. Then lift the flap on each side and remove the spongy gill tissue underneath. Rinse the crabs with cold water and pat dry with paper towels.
Baked Stuffed Clams
12 hard-shell clams, each under 2 inches in diameter
1 TBSP. olive oil
1 TBSP. minced garlic
1 cup plain bread crumbs
2 TBSP. minced parsley
Dash cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon wedges
Tabasco sauce
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Shuck the clams, reserving half the shells and as much of the liquid as possible.
Mince the clams.
Heat the olive oil over medium heat in 10 inch skillet.
Add the garlic; cook, stirring, just until it begins to color.
Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring until the mixture browns.
Add the parsley, cayenne, salt and pepper, stir, and taste for seasoning.
Add the reseved liquor and if the mixture seems dry, or if you want a more acidic mixture, add some lemon juice.
Add the minced clams.
Stuff the shells with this mixture; place them on a cookie sheet or baking pan and bake until lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve with lemon wedges and Tabasco.
Makes 4-6 appetizer servings.
Flounder with Balsamic Cherry Tomatoes
1 1/2 TBSP. olive oil, divided
4 flounder fillets
1/2 tsp. salt, divided
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 cups cherry tomatoes
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 TBSP. balsamic vinegar
2 TBSP. chopped fresh basil
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add 1 TBSP. of oil; swirl to coat.
Sprinkle fish with 1/4 tsp. each of salt and pepper.
Add fish to pan; cook 5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Remove fish from pan and keep warm.
Add remaining 1 1/2 tsp. of oil to pan.
Add tomatoes and garlic and saute 3 minutes.
Add vinegar; cook 1 minute or until tomatoes begin to burst.
Stir in the basil and remaining 1/4 tsp. of salt.
Serve tomato mixture with flounder.
Serves 4.
Grilled Watermelon and Shrimp
1 cup sugar
2 red bell peppers, chopped
2 jalapeno chiles, seeded and chopped
3 cilantro sprigs, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 lb. large shrimp, tails on, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 TBSP. fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 small seedless watermelon, rind on, halved and sliced
1 lime, halved
Toasted unsweetened coconut, optional
Preheat grill to high heat.
Combine sugar and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
Transfer 1 1/2 cups syrup to a bowl; set aside.
Add bell peppers and next 3 ingredients to remaining syrup in saucepan.
Simmer over medium heat until liquid is syrupy and peppers are tender.
Combine shrimp, 2 TBSP. oil, lime juice and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl.
Grill shrimp 4 minutes on each side or until cooked through; set aside.
Brush each side of watermelon with reserved syrup and remaining 2 TBSP. olive oil.
Grill 1 minute on each side.
Arrange watermelon and shrimp on serving plates; squeeze lime over watermelon and shrimp, and top with pepper marmalade.
Garnish, if desired, with coconut.
Serves 4-6.
