Recipe | Alaskan Harvest Seafood Blog

Link to This:

If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.

Comments (0)

Avocado stuffed with Shrimp

Filed under: Shrimp Recipes — Tags: avocado, recipe, Shrimp, Shrimp Recipe —

This avocado dish is very easy to prepare and is ideal to serve as a delicious snack at any time of the day. Aguacates rellenos de camarones are a popular appetizer in Colombia and other parts of South America.

Avocado is high in fat but the good type of fat namely oleic a monounsaturated fat, it is also rich in potassium, vitamin C and vitamin E. Shrimp is low in saturated fat is a good source of Niacin, Iron, Phosphorus and Zinc, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin B12 and Selenium. It does contain a lot of cholesterol and for years people were advised to limit consumption to lower cholesterol but recent evidence shows that dietary cholesterol doesn’t have a significant effect on blood cholesterol. So it can be enjoyed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.

Ingredients
(Serves 6)

3 ripe avocados
24 shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup finely chopped onion
Juice of 2 limes
3/4 cup salsa rosada (please see below)
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons fresh parsley
Salt and pepper
Lettuce for Serving

Directions

Bring water to a boil in a small pot. Add the shrimp, cover and turn the heat off. Leave the shrimp in the water for 5 minutes and drain.
In a medium bowl, place the shrimp, onion, salsa rosada, cilantro, parsley, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Cut the avocados lengthwise and remove the pit, drizzle with the lime juice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place the lettuce in a serving plate and place the avocados on top. Fill each avocado with the shrimp mixture.
Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve immediately.

Salsa Rosada

Salsa rosada or golf is a simple mix of ketchup and mayonnaise. It is extremely popular all over Colombia and South America, it is served with various snacks. It taste particularly good served with seafood.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup ketchup
¼ teaspoon lime juice
Salt
Fresh ground pepper
¼ teaspoon Tabasco (Optional)

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl combine all the ingredients and mix well.
Season with salt and pepper.

For more wonderful Columbian recipes be sure to check out Erica’s Blog My Columbian Recipes.

by Rebecca Subbiah RD, LDN

Like This Post? Share With Others:

Close Bookmark and Share This Page

Link to This:

If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.

Comments (0)

Simple Sauces: Piccata

Filed under: Halibut Recipes, Lobster Recipes, Rockfish Recipes, Salmon Recipes, Scallop Recipes, Seafood Recipes — Tags: Alaskan Seafood, brine, capers, easy fish, fish recipe, Halibut, lemon sauce, lobster, piccata, recipe, Salmon, Scallops, simple recipe, sole, tilapia, white wine —

When it comes to seafood, often simplest is best - quick and easy cooking techniques ensure that fish retains its natural flavor and keeps it from becoming overcooked or dry. Pan sauté any thin fillet – halibut, swordfish, tuna, salmon, sole, tilapia – or even lobster meat or scallops, and serve drizzled in piccata, a classic Italian sauce that shows off the succulence of fish oils and balances them with sea-salty brine. With just a couple of ingredients that you can keep on hand at all times, you can have a light and yet robustly-flavored meal ready in a matter of minutes.

You will need:

4 fish fillets – try halibut or swordfish
handful of flour (this can be omitted for gluten-free diets), poured onto a plate
olive oil
3 T butter
4-5 shallots, minced
½ lemon, thinly sliced
¼ cup white wine or dry vermouth
1-2 T capers
salt and freshly cracked black pepper

1. Heat a little olive oil and a tablespoon of butter in a heavy skillet over high heat. Rinse the fish in cold running water, dust each side with salt and pepper, and dredge the fillets in the flour.

2. When the oil is hot, gently place two of the fillets in the skillet, sautéing until golden and then turning them over and browning on both sides. Remove from heat and keep warm in the oven while you cook the second two fillets the same way.

3. Pour the used oil and any bits from the skillet and return it to the heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and allow it to melt. Add the shallots and 4 or 5 lemon slices, sautéing until the shallots turn golden and translucent. Pour in the wine or vermouth, and stir briskly with a wooden spoon or small whisk. Remove the lemon slices, and place them over the fish fillets.

4. Add the rest of the butter to the pan, along with the capers. Let the sauce thicken, and add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Spoon the sauce over the fish and serve immediately with crusty bread to mop up leftover sauce. A crisp green salad and orzo cooked with chilies and saffron make nice accompaniments.

Like This Post? Share With Others:

Close Bookmark and Share This Page

Link to This:

If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.

Comments (0)

The Other Seafood

Filed under: Salmon Recipes, Seafood Recipes — Tags: Asian cuisine, Asian food, coast, health, kelp, kelp pickle, nutrition, pickle recipe, pickles, quiz, recipe, Seafood, seafood quiz, seaweed facts —

Not every food from the sea has tentacles, shells, or fins. Even vegetarians can benefit from sustainable ocean harvest. Seaweed, or marine alga, is found all over the world, and has fed humankind for millennia. Of the thousands of species of seaweed that are known to exist, at least 110 of them are edible, and none is known to be poisonous. Marine algae are one of the richest plant-based sources of calcium, and excellent sources of iodine; different varieties also contain mineral nutrients such as potassium, magnesium, sodium, phosphorus, iron, zinc, selenium, and others, as well as high levels of protein in some, e.g. spirulina.

Here’s a quick picture quiz - identify these common species! (Answers at the bottom).

The American diet has received most of its culinary seaweed culture from Japan, Korea, and China, where seaweed cultivation operations are major industries. While most Americans are familiar with wrapping sushi rolls in brittle sheets of nori, not everyone is aware that many desserts and gels use agar agar as a vegetarian gelatin substitute. Agars have the advantage of being able to solidify while warm, and don’t require refrigeration in order to set.

If you’re curious about seaweed foods but not quite ready to take the leap to eating a salad of something that looks like it washed up on the beach, try kelp pickles first. They’re just as zingy and tasty as those made from cucumbers or other more familiar garden vegetables grown in dirt. They’re also just as simple to make.

Kelp Pickles

You will need:

5 quarts bull kelp
2 cups onions, thinly sliced
5 cups vinegar
5 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp celery seeds
2 tsps mustard seeds

1. You can harvest your own kelp on the beach; my source says that the best picking time is in May and June, but you can find it year-round in many places along the coast. Don’t pick kelp that have white splotches, as they’re over the hill. Rinse them well, but you don’t need to peel or soak them. Cut the “hair” off the heads; the best pickles come from the bulb and stem. Chop them into the size pickles you’d like.

2. Combine everything but the kelp and onions in a large soup pot, then add the vegetables and bring to a boil.

3. Pack them into sterilized jars and then process for 10 minutes in boiling water. Alternatively, you can pack your jars and then use a canner - follow the canner’s instructions for processing.

4. Let stand for about a month for the best flavor before eating. Makes about 8 pints.

Answers to the seaweed quiz - clockwise, from the top left:

arame, dulse, nori, wakame, hijiki, agar agar

Like This Post? Share With Others:

Close Bookmark and Share This Page

Link to This:

If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.

Comments (2)

Brazilian Fish Stew

Filed under: Black Cod Recipes, Halibut Recipes, Rockfish Recipes, Salmon Recipes, Seafood Recipes — Tags: Brazilian food, Cod, cod recipe, fish recipe, fish stew, Halibut, Halibut Recipe, recipe, Seafood, stew —

This is a rich, earthy dish that originates in the Bahia region of Brazil. Any mild white fish can be used: cod is traditional, and has a more distinctive taste due to the natural oils in the fish; halibut is also excellent, as is grouper. The original recipe calls for leaving the skins on the fillets, which creates a fishier-tasting stew. This recipe recommends skinless, boneless fillets; they will break apart during the cooking process. Serves 6 accompanied by rice - a robust and warming meal for autumn or winter evenings.

You will need:

6 six-ounce fillets of halibut, cod or grouper
2 handfuls of fresh cilantro
2 limes, juiced
1 bulb of garlic, peeled (6 or 8 cloves)
3 medium onions, 2 chopped, 1 thinly sliced
1 thirteen-ounce can of coconut milk
olive oil
3 or 4 ripe plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper
fresh chilies, minced or ground (optional)

1. Marinate the fish: chop up 1/3 of the cilantro and mix it with the lime juice, salt, and garlic in a medium-sized bowl. Rinse the fillets in cold water and add them to the marinade, making sure they are all well coated. Set the bowl aside at room temperature for 20-30 minutes while you prepare the stew.

2. Combine the chopped onion and the coconut milk in a blender or food processor, and pulse to a puree. Set this mixture aside.

3. Heat a healthy splash of olive oil in a heavy, deep pan. When the oil is hot, add the tomatoes and half of the remaining cilantro and cook until the tomatoes soften and begin to turn to sauce.

4. Add the coconut-onion puree to the tomatoes, along with salt and pepper to taste. For a spicier, more warming stew, add a few minced chilies. Bring the entire mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it thicken.

5. When the stew has reached a nice consistency, take the fillets out of the marinade one by one and nestle them into the stew. Pour the remaining marinade over the top, along with the rest of the cilantro. Allow the stew to boil again, and then reduce the heat once more and let it thicken. Cook 15-20 minutes, or until the fish is fully cooked through; spoon the sauce over the fish throughout the cooking process.

6. Near the end of the process, add the sliced onion to the top. The stew can be garnished with more fresh cilantro or tomato slices; flavored oils also make a nice touch. Adjust the seasonings and serve.

Like This Post? Share With Others:

Close Bookmark and Share This Page

Link to This:

If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.

Comments (0)

Halibut Ceviche

Filed under: Halibut Recipes, News, Seafood Recipes — Tags: Alaskan Seafood, appetizer, ceviche, fish, Halibut, Halibut Recipe, Mexican, Peruvian, recipe, salad, Seafood, seafood recipe —

Ceviche is a light and delicious way to prepare seafood. Don’t confuse Peruvian ceviche with Japanese sushi - even though no heat is used in the preparation, the acids in the citrus perform the same function and, in effect, “cook” the fish. Ceviche is very, very simple; the basic version is outlined here, along with several suggestions for add-ins. Serve it as a salad, or as a colorful and dramatic cold entree.

You will need:

1 lb. fresh halibut, cut into ½ inch cubes
11/2 c fresh lime juice
1 medium onion
olive oil
sugar (fruit juices can be substituted)
salt and pepper to taste

Recommended additions:

chopped cilantro
minced green chilies
diced tomatoes
a splash of orange juice
sliced mangos
green olives
capers
sliced red onions
cubed avocado*
hot sauces, such as sriracha, harissa, or tabasco

1. In a large bowl, mix together the halibut, lime juice, and onion. Fold it gently with your hand, making sure the fish is completely coated.

2. Let it sit for 4 hours; break apart a fish cube to test - when the fish is opaque all the way through, it is done.

3. Drain the brine off the fish, and add salt, pepper, and sugar to taste. Orange juice or other fruit juices make flavorful sugar substitutes, and will offset the sour lime just as well.

4. 2 hours before you intend to serve it, add your extra ingredients and let the flavors mingle. Tomatoes, onion, avocado, and olives are a popular combination, as are mangoes, onion, skinless orange slices, and hot sauce. Cilantro goes well with both sweet and savory versions. Try adding other spices, such as cumin with olives, or cinnamon with fruitier versions.

*If you use avocado, wait until just before serving to add it in, as it can become mushy or dark while the other ingredients marinate.

Serve with fresh corn chips or small, hot tortillas.

Thanks to Max Rose for the great photo.

Like This Post? Share With Others:

Close Bookmark and Share This Page

Link to This:

If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.

Comments (0)

Stephie’s Perfect Halibut

Filed under: Halibut Recipes, Seafood Recipes — Tags: adults, Alaska, easy seafood, fish, fresh, fried halibut, frozen, fry, Halibut, Halibut Recipe, howto, kids, recipe, Seafood —

I grew up on a family-run fishing boat in Alaska, so there was never a shortage of fresh fish on our table. My mother, Stephanie, was - and still is - a legendary cook: deckhands would line up to crew on our boat, just to be able to eat the incredible meals she somehow conjured from a four-foot-square galley and an oil-burning stove. Of all the dishes she made, this one remains everyone’s favorite. It’s not only easy and quick to fix, but it can transition seamlessly from kids’ TV trays to an elegant supper table set for grown-ups.

Its genius lies in its simplicity.

You will need:

About 25 minutes from start to finish
Approx. 6 oz. fresh or fresh-frozen halibut per person - too much of a good thing can be wonderful, though - you’ll want leftovers
2 eggs, beaten
1 package of saltine-style soda crackers (salted is better), dumped into a large ziploc bag and crushed with a rolling pin (a bottle of wine works just as well)
a handful of all-purpose flour
a couple of lemons, wedged
salt, pepper, or cayenne, to taste
parsley (optional)
oil for frying

For the dipping sauce, mix together:

ground horseradish
ketchup (for a more interesting one, try Thai sweet chili sauce, or even Jufran - a banana- based ketchup from the Philippines, found in most Asian or Cuban markets)
a dash of Worcestershire sauce, to taste

Optional sauce add-ins:

capers
smoked chipotle Tabasco sauce
mayonnaise
lime juice
chopped garlic
fresh or dried herbs - thyme, basil, marjoram, and tarragon are especially good

Preparation:

1. Thaw the halibut, if frozen, and rinse well under cool running water.

2. Remove any skin or bones from the fillet with a sharp knife. (Halibut skins best with the flesh side down; pull the knife toward you, and use long, careful strokes rather than sawing at it, a movement which can chew up the flesh. With your other hand, pull the skin away from the fillet as you go, so you can see where your blade is working.)

3. Cut the halibut into inch-thick chunks. Long rectangles can be elegant, although cubes have their appeal, as well. Try to make chunks that can stand on each end, for even cooking.

4. Set up an assembly line workspace: dump a handful of flour onto a large plate, and place it beside the bowl of beaten eggs; then, pour out the cracker crumbs onto another large plate. The next step is great for team work or kitchen helpers who want to get involved.

5. Dredge each piece of halibut in flour, then dip it into the beaten eggs so that it is completely covered. Finally, roll it around in the cracker crumbs until it’s well coated, and set it aside on another platter. Repeat the process until all of the fish is ready to fry. It’s okay to get your hands messy!

6. Cover the bottom of a heavy skillet - cast iron works best - with about a quarter inch of oil. Heat on medium high until the oil becomes fragrant, but not until it smokes.

7. Cook the fish in batches, letting each side turn deep golden brown before turning it. Dust with salt and pepper, and add paprika or cayenne for color. If the oil is spattering, cover it with a pan lid or a spatter screen. Covered fish will cook more quickly, so keep an eye on it.

8. Test a piece with a fork by prying it in half and checking the inside - if the fish is opaque and flakes apart easily, it is done. Fork each piece onto a sheet of newspaper or paper towel to drain; the fish can be kept warm in the oven while the rest cooks. (Never return cooked fish to the same plate on which it sat raw!)

9. Serve on a platter with lemon wedges and parsley, with a bowl of dipping sauce on the side. Be creative with sauces! Tartar sauce and ketchup are the most common, but the possibilities are endless: ginger tamari, honey mustard, lemon caper - try salad dressings, too (French, Thousand Island, and goddess are all great).

10. Leftovers can be wrapped in foil and saved in the fridge for up to 4 days. It’s wonderful cold!

Troubleshooting:

If your fish is getting too dark before it cooks through, either your pan is too hot or your chunks are too thick; try turning down the heat, and cut the pieces a little smaller next time.

If your fish is too greasy, try turning the heat up, and remember to drain them on paper before serving.

Serving suggestions for kids: try an all-finger food meal, by adding carrot sticks and black olives to the menu, or steamed broccoli or green beans with butter and lemon juice. Plain rice makes a nice side, too.

Serving suggestions for grown-ups: this dish can stand up to most starches, but goes best with a robust vegetable salad - try baby spinach with roasted red peppers, grilled asparagus, artichoke hearts, canned beans (white, red, garbanzo), cubed steamed baby red potatoes, dry hard cheeses, roasted or steamed beets, or sunflower seeds. Serve with crusty bread to sop up the leftover dipping sauce, and pair the whole meal with a bottle of rosé or a strong, fruity white wine.

Like This Post? Share With Others:

Close Bookmark and Share This Page