The following spicy and versatile seafood dish comes from Skip To Malou:
Ingredients:
2 cans of coconut milk
2 tbsp red curry paste
4 tbsp crab fat (you may add more depending on your taste— or you could omit this part at all)
1 green bell pepper diced
I medium onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
Seafood that you have on hand, works well with shrimp, crab meat, clams or fish
Spaghetti Noodles (cooked)
Procedure:
Saute the garlic, onions and seafood. Set aside the seafood. Saute the crab fat. Pour the 2 cans of coconut milk. Let it simmer or until it’s reduced to a creamy texture. Add the curry paste ( I used 2 generous tbsp full). Stir and allow the flavors to blend. Season with salt or fish sauce.
Pour the sauce over cooked spaghetti noodles. Top it with seafood.
This recipes comes from Healthy Delicious a first class food blog with recipes to wow you:
Scallops with Minted Pea Sauce Appetizer
Mint and ginger dress up dried peas to make an easy and elegant sauce for seared scallops.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup dry green peas
1 cup water
1 tsp olive oil
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken stock
3 Tbs chopped fresh mint
1/2 tsp grated ginger
salt and pepper
16 sea scallops (about 1 pound)
2 Tbs flour
Method:
Add peas and water to a small pot placed over medium heat. Cover and let cook until soft — this should take 30-40 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a small skillet set over medium-high heat.
Add the minced shallot and garlic and cook until soft and translucent. Set aside. When peas have softened, remove the pot from the stove.
Add the shallot and garlic, mint, ginger, and about half the chicken stock. Puree using an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender or food processor), adding more stock until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
Return to stove and keep warm.
Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel, removing as much moisture as you can — this will help you to get a nice sear on them. Dust them with flour to help absorb any excess water that has remained. Heat a large non-stick skillet over high heat.
When the pan is very hot, add the scallops. Cook for 3 minutes, or until the bottom has turned golden brown, trying not to move the scallops around in the pan too much as they cook.
Flip the scallops and cook the other side for an additional 2-3 minutes until they are done.
Ladle the sauce onto your serving dish and top with the scallops.
In a sauce pan, heat a small drizzle of olive oil and saute the garlic for 30-60 seconds. Add the shrimp and scallops and saute until the shrimp have turned a nice shade pink and the scallops are slightly whiter in color. Some of the juices will be released. Stir several times to cook all the seafood.
On a high to medium heat, add the wine and bring to a slight boil. When the wine has reduced slightly, lower the heat and add the evaporated milk. Add the tomato and oregano. Stir occasionally. Let it simmer for a good 15 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper to taste.
While that cooks, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Season with salt and cook the pasta until al dente roughly 8-10 minutes.
Place some of the paste in a large enough plate and ladle some of the shrimp, scallops and sauce over. Serve warm.
Paula of bellalimento.com or “good food” in Italian kindly allowed me to use one of her seafood recipes, and this one looked amazing. Paula is an American who grew up in Italy and can really cook amazing Italian food.
Scallops are low in saturated fat a good source of Vitamin B12, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc and Copper, and a very good source of Protein, Phosphorus and Selenium. Scallops are also wonderful for summer and most recipes are either butter, garlic and wine based or they are fried. Paula’s is neither and is truly artistic.
The pineapple and mango reduction fuses beautifully with the scallops! Sweet harmony with a little kick thrown in at the end (cayenne) - you’ll look like a rock star in the kitchen when you serve this dish up!
Save a slice of your Pineapple and use it as a mini platter for your scallops & garnish with flat leaf Italian Parsley or for an even more dramatic presentation serve your scallops in their natural shell. Just remember to keep your scallops refrigerated until you’re ready to cook them. Since these are the larger variety of scallops, 3-4 per person should be plenty.
A nice wild rice pilaf & white wine would also go beautifully with the scallops!
Pineapple Fusion Scallops
Ingredients:
1 lb of fresh sea scallops
1/2 cup Fresh Pineapple - chopped
1 cup Mango Nectar
1 good size pinch Cayenne Pepper
1/4 cup Honey
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and pepper
Fresh Flat Leaf Italian Parley - optional
Method:
In a sauce pan over medium heat combine pineapple, a dab of olive oil & mango nectar & reduce by half. Season with salt & pepper.
Add in cayenne & honey. Stir well.
Transfer mixture to food processor and pulse until you reach a somewhat smooth consistency. Allow to cool.
While sauce mixture is cooling add a few turns of olive oil to your skillet & heat over medium high heat. Season scallops with salt & pepper.
When olive oil is hot, add your scallops to skillet. Allow your scallops to sear before you turn them. Just a few minutes on each side.
Plate your scallops and generously put the sauce mixture on top. Garnish with fresh flat leaf parsley
Buon Appetito!
For more wonderful Italian recipes see Paula’s blog Bella Alimento
The saffron lends an exotic warmth to this rich scallop dish. Serve the remaining wine with the meal, along with steamed spinach and almonds.
You will need:
• 20 large sea scallops
• 4 T butter
• saffron threads
• 4 T sparkling white wine
• 1 ¼ cups heavy cream
• ½ lemon
• salt and pepper
1. Toast the saffron threads in a dry skillet to bring out their flavor. Take care not to let them burn - just heat them until they become fragrant, then remove them from the pan and set them aside.
2. Melt half the butter in the same skillet, and then saute the scallops in batches until they are cooked through and lightly browned on each side. Overcooking makes scallops rubbery or dry, so be sure to test one in the batch. Remove them from the skillet and keep them cozy on a warmed plate while you prepare the sauce.
3. Add the saffron to the juices in the pan, along with the wine and cream, and stir. Bring the mixture to a boil, and then reduce the heat and simmer for around ten minutes, or until the sauce begins to thicken.
4. Squeeze in the juice from the lemon, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Return the scallops to the pan and reheat gentle. Serve immediately.
While most Americans think of corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s Day, seafood and fish dishes are in many ways more traditional Irish fare. Savory pies and cobblers are favorites throughout the region, either wrapped in flaky pastry, or baked under a thick layer of mashed potato crust, like this preparation. This is a hearty, delicious way to start your evening - and will help soak up all the Guinness and whiskey that comes later!
1. Combine the flour and salt in a medium bowl, and then cut the shortening into the flour mixture, using a pastry cutter or a pair of knives. Continue to work the shortening and flour until the chunks are the size of small peas. Sprinkle in the water 1 T at a time and blend with a fork until the flour is moistened and the dough pulls the flour from the sides of the bowl. Shape the dough into a ball and then flatten it into a round. Wrap with plastic wrap and let rest in the refrigerator as you prepare the filling.
2. Preheat oven to 425. Cut the scallops into 1-inch pieces. Heat 2 T of butter in a large skillet and add the mushrooms and leek. Saute until the mushrooms release their liquid and turn light brown. Once the liquid evaporates, remove the vegetables from the skillet and set them aside.
3. Heat 2 more T of butter in the skillet until hot. Add the scallops and cook until they are opaque but not chewy - about 4 minutes. Remove them from the skillet with a slotted spoon, then reserve the liquid.
4. Heat the remaining butter in the skillet over low heat, and stir in the flour, salt, mustard and pepper. Cook until smooth and bubbly, stirring constantly.
5. Pour the scallop liquid into a measuring cup, and add white wine until you have 1/3 cup of liquid. Add that to the half and half, then bring to a boil, still stirring. Let cook another minute or so, then add the mushrooms and scallops. Remove from heat.
6. Pour the filling into a shallow 1 1/2 quart casserole dish.
7. Unwrap the pastry and place it on a well-floured board. Roll the dough into a sheet an inch larger than the casserole all around. Cut out designs from the center of the dough - this is not only decorative, as it allows steam to escape and the liquid to bubble through and evaporate.
8. Place the pastry over the top of the casserole, turn the edges under, pinch them to seal, then flute the edges, using your thumb and forefingers as pincers. Beat together the egg yolks and water, then brush the mixture over the top of the pastry.
9. Bake until golden brown - about 25 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.
With winter melting away, many of us are looking for lighter meals that fit with springtime appetites (and pre-summer diets). This is a gorgeous, tasty preparation - introducing your local market’s spring vegetables, as well as adding warm flavors to beat the chill that lingers in the air. It has the low-fat and flavorful benefits of poaching seafood and using the liquid for seasoning. It also incorporates a simple technique called “monter au beurre,” which involves whisking a small amount of butter into the broth at the last minute, producing a classic, satisfying velvety finish.
You will need:
olive oil
1 large leek, greens removed, thinly sliced
3-5 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled, and chopped
1 cup dry white wine
1 large can fat-free, low sodium chicken broth (or 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth)
3/4 pound large sea scallops, cut in half horizontally
2 T chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1 1/2 cups chopped plum tomatoes
1 T fresh tarragon, minced
1 tsp grated lemon rind
1/2 t salt
lots of freshly cracked black pepper
ground chili pepper to taste
1. Heat the oil over medium in a large, heavy stock pot. Add the leek and garlic and cook until tender.
2. Add the wine and broth, and bring the mixture to a simmer. Stir in the shrimp and scallops, and bring quickly to a boil. Immediately reduce heat, and simmer for around 3 minutes, or until shrimp are done.
3. Remove the shrimp and scallops from the pot using a slotted spoon, and keep them warm on the side. Bring the broth mixture to a boil again, and allow to cook for 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, and add the butter, stirring constantly with a wire whisk until the butter is melted and a satiny sheen appears on the surface of the soup.
4. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and remaining ingredients. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
5. Divide the seafood among 4 bowls, and cover with broth. Serve immediately.
This goes beautifully with light, crusty French bread and a glass of rose; try serving it with a plate of steamed, chilled crudite: fresh asparagus, green beans, spring carrots and broccoli, with a small side of garlic aioli.
Okay, so word on the street is that Barack Obama’s favorite foods include pizza, chili, and pumpkin pie - further proof that he is, after all, “a man of the people.” On the healthy side, he’s into trail mix, spinach, and broccoli, which may in part explain the fit physique of the next Commander-in-Chief. So, as a cook and as a person with a thing for dinner parties, I have to ask: what do you serve one of the most eagerly anticipated Presidents-elect on his big day? Wouldn’t you know - the Inaugural Luncheon includes nothing other than seafood stew. Feel like cooking along? We’ve got the recipe, so you can celebrate January 20th in truly Presidential style. Note - this serves 10, so invite your cabinet.
10 5-inch puff pastry rounds (available in most freezer sections)
2-3 egg whites, beaten lightly with a splash of water
10 soup ramekins
1. In a large soup pot, boil one gallon of water. Poach the lobsters, then remove them from the water with tongs. Set aside. Poach the shrimp, and remove. Next, add the cod to the water - do this carefully, to keep it from flaking apart. Finally, remove the cod and poach the scallops.
2. Keep the water boiling, and add the vegetables, cooking them until they are tender but not mushy. The potatoes will be the best judge of doneness; do not overcook. Remove the vegetables, allowing the water to continue to boil until most of it has cooked off, creating a light stock.
3. When only a quart of liquid remains, add the vermouth and heavy cream, and allow the entire broth to reduce by half. Season it with salt, pepper, and nutmeg to taste. When the sauce will cover the back of a wooden spoon and not drain off completely, the desired thickness has been reached. Set the sauce aside to cool.
4. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Cut the seafood into bite-sized pieces, and gently fold them into the cooled sauce. Scoop this resulting mixture into the ramekins, taking care to distribute the seafood evenly and not to allow the pieces to break apart.
5. Cover each ramekin with a piece of puff pastry cut to size. Brush the tops with egg wash, and then set the dishes in the oven to bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the pastry is golden. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Barack Obama’s inaugural menu also includes: molasses whipped sweet potatoes, winter vegetables (including asparagus - a veggie Obama claims not to be crazy about), and a cinnamon apple sponge cake (even though his children say he doesn’t enjoy sweets other than pumpkin pie). The menu was designed, after all, not according to Obama’s tastes, but to those of one of his role models: President Abraham Lincoln, who was fond of seafood, among other things. As reported in the New York Post, ”It’s always good to model yourself after a great president,” said Eric Foner, a professor of American history at Columbia University. “The proof will be in the pudding.”
For those of you who are cooking at home and don’t happen to have the “brace of American birds” on hand to roast with sour-cherry chutney - the Presidential main dish, following the seafood - try something lighter. Steam some broccoli and serve it chilled with lemon juice, a splash of nutty olive oil, and a pinch of salt as a lighter side to your stew.
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