Article by Mama Jock
Sauteed Soft-Shell Crabs with Herb Vinaigrette
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tsp. sea salt
2 pinches white pepper
3 TBSP. sherry vinegar
1 cup plus 1 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Wondra flour
4 soft-shell crabs
2 tsp. vegetable oil
1 tsp. each finely chopped tarragon, parsley, chives and chervil
In a bowl, whisk together the mustard, salt, pepper and vinegar.
Whisking constantly, slowly drizzle in the olive oil.
Reserve mixture.
Clean the crabs.
Put a little of the flour in a small strainer and sift over the crabs to lightly coat both sides.
Add the vegetable oil to a large skillet and place over high heat.
When the oil begins to smoke, add the crabs to the pan, topside down.
Do not over crowd. Saute the crabs until brown and crisp, 1 1/2 minutes per side.
Stir the herbs into 3/4 cup of the vinaigrette.
Spoon 2 TBSP. onto the center of the dinner plates.
Split each crab in half and place over the vinaigrette.
Serves 4.
Grilled Tuna BLT Clubs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
2 TBSP. chopped fresh dill
2 TBSP. chopped fresh parsley
8 slices bacon
1 1/4 lbs. skinless tuna fillet
1 small red onion, sliced
Salt and pepper
2 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
12 slices country bread, toasted
8 lettuce leaves
3 plum tomatoes, sliced
1 avocado, halved, pitted and thinly sliced
Combine the mayo, garlic, zest and juice of 1 lime, the dill and the parsley in a small bowl.
Cover and refrigerate.
Cook the bacon in a large skillet until crisp.
Break the slices in half.
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Slice the tuna on the diagonal into 8 thin pieces.
Season the tuna and red onion slices with salt and pepper and rub with olive oil.
Sprinkle with the zest and juice of the remaining lime.
Grill the red onion slices, turning occasionally, until tender and charred, about 5 minutes.
Grill the tuna until marked and just cooked through, turning once, 1 to 2 minutes.
Lay out 4 slices of toasted bread; top with some of the herbed mayo, lettuce, piece of tuna, avocado slices and 2 bacon halves.
Repeat layering.
Spread the remaining 4 slices with the herbed mayo.
Cut each sandwich into quarters.
Serves 4.
Mussels with Garlic Butter
3 lbs. mussels, scrubbed and debearded
10 TBSP. butter
3/4 cup finely chopped shallots
6 large garlic cloves, minced
4 TBSP. chopped parsley
2 TBSP. lemon juice
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
Place mussels in heavy large dutch oven, cover and cook over high heat until mussels open, shaking pan occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Drain mussels, reserving liquid.
Transfer mussels to bowl; discard any that do not open.
Tent bowl with foil.
Melt butter in same dutch oven over medium-high heat.
Add shallots and garlic; sauté until tender.
Add 3 TBSP. parsley, lemon juice, lemon peel and reserved liquid from mussels and bring to a boil.
Season to taste with pepper.
Drizzle garlic butter over mussels, starting with 1/2 and then add more to taste.
Sprinkle with remaining parsley.
Serves 6.
Flounder, Red Pepper Cream, and Risotto
2 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
4 flounder fillets
Salt and pepper
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 (5.5 oz.) Buitoni garden vegetable risotto mix
1/2 cup jarred roasted red peppers
1/2 cup alfredo pasta sauce, store bought
Fresh basil, for garnish
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Pour oil into a 13x9 baking dish.
Arrange fish over oil, folding the ends under the middle to create little pockets.
Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper.
Roast for 5 minutes.
Add asparagus to dish and roast for 5 to 7 minutes longer.
Remove from oven and keep fish warm.
Remove asparagus and reserve.
Prepare risotto mix according to package directions; add asparagus.
Puree roasted peppers and alfredo sauce in a blender; transfer to a small saucepan and let simmer.
Serve fish topped with sauce and accompanied by asparagus risotto.
Garnish with fresh basil.
Serves 4.
Grilled Tuna with Olive Relish
Olive Relish
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/3 cup chopped pitted kalamata black olives
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 TBSP. lemon juice
1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/8 tsp. salt
Pepper, to taste
Tuna
6 tuna steaks
1 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
Lemon wedges, for garnish
To prepare olive relish, combine parsley, olives, celery, garlic, oregano, lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper in a small bowl.
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Rub tuna all over with oil and season with salt and pepper.
Grill the tuna until seared on both sides and just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
Serve with Olive Relish and lemon wedges.
Serves 6.
Linguine with Seafood and Sundried Tomatoes
1 lb. linguine pasta
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. bay scallops
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 (8 oz.) jar clam juice
1/3 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 1/2 tsp. lemon zest
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Add pasta; cook for 8 to 10 minutes; drain.
In a large skillet add the olive oil and butter.
Heat until butter is melted.
Add the garlic and sauté until tender.
Add the scallops and shrimp.
Cook until shrimp is pink, about 10 minutes.
Add clam juice, salt and pepper.
Cook for 3 more minutes.
To the cooked pasta, add the tomatoes, parsley and lemon zest, toss.
Pour seafood mixture over the linguini and serve immediately.
Serves 4-6.
Grilled Flounder with Watermelon Salsa
4 flounder fillets
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. salt, divided
3 TBSP. olive oil, divided
2 cups chopped seedless watermelon
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/2 English cucumber, chopped
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 TBSP. minced red onion
2 TBSP. white balsamic vinegar
Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
Sprinkle fish with pepper and 1/2 tsp. salt.
Drizzle with 2 TBSP. olive oil.
Grill fish, covered with grill lid, 3 to 4 minutes on each side or just until fish begins to flake when poked with the tip of a sharp knife and is opaque in center.
Combine chopped watermelon, next 5 ingredients and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 TBSP. olive oil.
Serve with fish.
Serves 4.
Spinach Stuffed Flounder
1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed
Vegetable cooking spray
1/2 cup minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. dried whole thyme
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 TBSP. sour cream
1 1/2 lbs. flounder fillets
2 TBSP. dry white wine
Lemon wedges
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place spinach between paper towels and squeeze until barely moist. Set aside.
Coat a heavy saucepan with cooking spray and place over low heat until hot.
Add onion and garlic; cover and cook over low heat 10 minutes or until soft, stirring occasionally.
Add spinach, thyme and pepper.
Cook over low heat until thoroughly heated, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and let stand 10 minutes.
Stir in sour cream.
Place fillets, skin side up, on a cutting board and cut in half lengthwise.
Flatten fillets slightly for uniform thickness, using a meat mallet or rolling pin.
Spread 2 TBSP. spinach filling on 1/3 of each fillet.
Starting at the narrow end, roll up fillets jelly roll fashion and secure with wooden toothpicks.
Place rolls in a baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Add wine.
Cover and bake for 20 minutes or until fillets flake easily when tested with a fork.
Garnish with lemon wedges.
Serves 6.
Spicy Thai Barbecued Oysters
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup Thai Kitchen Fish Sauce
1/4 cup sugar
1 TBSP. fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tsp. finely minced garlic
1 tsp. minced fresh red chile, or to taste
24 large oysters
Combine lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, cilantro, garlic and chile in a small bowl; stir until sugar dissolves.
Let stand at least 30 minutes before serving for flavors to develop.
Adjust flavors to your taste.
Preheat grill to medium-high.
Bring oysters along with the sauce, a cutting board, an oven mitt, tongs and an oyster knife to the grill.
Place oysters flat-side up on the grill rack.
Close the lid and grill until the top shell pops open, 3 to 5 minutes.
Transfer the oysters to the cutting board with tongs, keeping them as level as possible so the oyster liquor does not spill out.
Wear the oven mitt to hold the oyster and use the knife to remove the top shell, cutting the oyster away from the top shell and leaving it in the bottom shell.
Discard the top shells.
Spoon about 1 tsp. of sauce onto each oyster.
Return the oysters to the grill, close the lid and grill until the sauce is bubbling, 2 to 4 minutes more.
Serves 6.
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