Still basking in a warm glow from Valentine’s Day? If you’d like to recreate some of that candlelit magic at home, here are 5 of our favorite seafood dishes for two. Whether you want a quick appetizer before heading out on the town, or an elaborate preparation to show someone how much you care, here are some tasty suggestions:
This is an interesting halibut recipe that delights both the taste buds and the eyes. The creative use of both citrus and pistachios complement the delicate flavor of the fish and make for a complex mixture of textures and colors.
This salmon dish is as simple as the halibut dish is involved. The glaze adds a bright tang to the richness of the fish, and it can be prepared in less than half an hour, leaving you with plenty of time to change clothes and light the candles. Try substituting an outdoor grill for the broiler for a romantic picnic in warm weather.
Risottos are sensuous, creamy, and rich - perfect for sharing with a loved one. Try serving both portions on one large dish and sitting close together; it’s the grown-up version of an ice cream float with two straws. This preparation pairs lobster with brandy and chevre for an elegant meal.
Forget the mushy, waterlogged shrimp you get at buffets or parties: thawed, prepeeled, and tasteless. Real shrimp cocktail uses prawns that you cook yourself. It only takes a few minutes, and the result is a gorgeous appetizer for two - eaten with the fingers, of course - yours or theirs.
This is my favorite at-home romantic seafood recipe of the moment: the bright flavors and gorgeous presentation pair nicely with a bottle of wine and are sure to spark conversation of travel or holidays abroad. Plus, tuna is a versatile and forgiving seafood for cooks who are nervous about cooking fish, and is hearty enough to please the most dedicated red meat eater.
Feel free to post links to your own favorite romantic seafood recipes; we’d love to hear them!
The original recipe I found for this called for fresh ahi tuna - always a favorite; for something a little different, go the route I did: try wild albacore instead. I was able to buy a whole loin - solid meat, no waste - and have leftovers. This preparation is simple and quick, and looks beautiful on the plate. I have found a few similar versions online - this one comes from my own kitchen, and has the fewest steps and ingredients, although the sauce might take a little longer…got 5 minutes?
You will need:
1 fresh albacore tuna loin
1/2 cup sesame seeds
1/2 cup black sesame seeds
sesame oil
salt
And for the sauce:
sesame oil
soy sauce
rice wine vinegar
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
4 or 5 garlic cloves, smashed, peeled, and finely chopped
crushed, dried red chilies
1. Rinse the tuna loin under cold running water, and then set it out on a plate to come to room temperature. Meanwhile, whisk together equal parts soy, vinegar, and sesame oil to make the sauce. Add the garlic, ginger, and chilies and taste. Adjust seasonings or proportions accordingly. Pour the sauce into some lovely serving bowl you’re dying to show off, and set it on the table - it’s ready to go.
2. Slice the tuna into inch-thick medallions, cutting perpendicular to the length of the loin. Shake a liberal dusting of salt over the fish; turn each piece over and repeat.
3. Combine the sesame seeds in a bowl and mix them together with your hands. Then, dredge each tuna medallion in the seeds so that it is entirely coated on every side.
4. Heat a heavy splash of sesame oil in a skillet to medium high, and sear the tuna medallions, turning them once and taking care not to knock off the sesame crust. Cook only a couple of minutes - tuna should be warmed through but not cooked all the way; test one piece by cutting it in half - the color change should stop toward the center. Blot each piece dry on paper towels.
5. Serve immediately with the sauce either drizzled over the top or on the side.
We had ours with buttery wasabi mashed potatoes and blanched bok choy sauteed with black vinegar, soy sauce and salt.
Yum. Every once in a while, it’s nice to have a hearty stew you can throw together in under 20 minutes. We just went through the winter storm of the century, and this dish kept us warm on the coldest nights. I definitely recommend tracking down a frozen package of spiced Indian naan - toss a few in the oven to warm and serve them with this soup. The flavors mix beautifully and work perfectly for sopping up the last bits in the bowl.
You will need:
a medium onion, chopped
5 or 6 cloves of garlic, peeled, smashed, and sliced
a toe of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
a bay leaf
a large can of crushed tomatoes
a can of chickpeas
vegetable broth (either in paste, cube, or liquid form)
chili powder
hot sauce (I like Secret Aardvark habanero, but Sriracha or Tabasco work fine; Tabasco adds a lot of vinegar, which I’m not crazy about, but many cooks love)
1-2 T curry powder
cumin
2 cans of good quality, solid-pack tuna in water; for a real treat, sear fresh tuna fillets, slice, and add them at the last instant.
sour cream
1. Saute the onions and garlic in a soup pot with a little olive oil. Add the ginger and bayleaf, and keep frying until everything is fragrant and the onions begin to turn golden.
2. Add the cans of chickpeas and tomatoes, then stir in a can of broth (or water and bouillon base). Season liberally with chili powder, curry, cumin, and hot sauce. Adjust seasonings according to taste.
3. Let the stew simmer for 10 minutes or so to let it thicken, then add the tuna. Turn the heat low; the stew is ready as soon as the fish is heated through. Serve in warmed bowls or dishes with a large dollop of sour cream in the center, and a pile of hot naan.
If you’re feeling adventurous, try adding clams or rockfish in place of the tuna. Be careful not to overcook.
Fresh or frozen, ahi tuna is one of the most wonderful, flavorful seafoods out there.It’s the closest thing to red meat the sea provides, and is dense enough to be served in small portions.The less you do with it, the better, so here is a preparation that allows for a lot of complex flavors without overpowering the beauty of the fish itself.
The pasta sauce is robust and aromatic; it showcases the freshness of the ingredients and the balance of earthy and acidic tastes.
For the pasta, you will need:
one package of good quality rigatoni
a small onion, finely chopped
6 cloves fresh garlic, coarsely chopped
4 large portabello mushroom caps, cut into bite-sized chunks
one box sugar plum tomatoes (cherry tomatoes work just as well), rinsed and halved
vegetable bouillon – I use 1 cube of a tasty organic brand - the crumblier, the better, for this purpose; liquid broth works great, if you have it
salt, pepper, thyme, and basil to taste
olive oil
red wine on hand
capers
For the fish, you will need:
2 nice fillets of ahi tuna, thawed or fresh, rinsed
lots of cracked black pepper
1.Put on a large pot of water to boil; salt it generously.
2.In a large saucepan or deep wok, heat the olive oil and toss in the onions and garlic; sautee until golden, stirring frequently.Add the thyme and basil.
3.Add the mushrooms and tomatoes to the mix, and cook until the tomatoes soften into sauce, and the mushrooms release their juices.
4.Crumble the bouillon cube over the vegetables and add a cup or more of water, to thin the sauce to the right consistency.Add salt and pepper to taste; adjust the seasonings, and add more herbs if necessary.
5.Add the rigatoni to the water and let it cook according to the directions on the package or your own pasta secret.
6.Allow the sauce to simmer; if needed, thin with a few splashes of red wine.This will lend richness and depth to the sauce.
7.Pull out a small plate and grind freshly cracked pepper all over it, to cover the surface.
8.Dust the ahi fillets in salt and then press them into the pepper, turning them to cover each side.
9.In a heavy, hot skillet, sear the tuna in a little olive oil; when you can see the color beginning to change through the steak, turn the fillets and splash the pan with red wine, and let the fish simmer.The wine will thicken into a glaze.Turn the fish again and dredge it in the sauce.Remove from heat.
10.Strain the pasta and drizzle with olive oil (and dried or minced fresh parsley, if you have some on hand.)
11.Add a handful of capers to the sauce and mix well.Taste.If the sauce is too astringent, add a spoonful of brown sugar.If you like it spicy, add sriracha or other low-vinegar hot sauce.
12.Combine the noodles with the sauce and pour into a large serving platter.
13.Cut the tuna with the grain into thick slices, and fan them across the top of the pasta.They should be seared and dark on the outside, and still pink on the inside.
Serve with grated pecorino romano, warm bread, a crisp green salad, and the rest of the red wine.Delicious!
This is a great opportunity to take advantage of the tremendous health benefits that seafood has to offer.Nervous about cooking fish?Haven’t enjoyed seafood in the past?Now is a good time to try something different - if you always stick to canned tuna or frozen shrimp because they’re easy and quick, take a look through our recipes for halibut, scallops, or cod.There are hundreds of ways to prepare each of these foods, and they can be just as simple as your old standbys.
Health experts and dieticians recommend that you eat fish at least twice a week to get the full benefits of seafood’s protein, minerals, vitamins, and Omega-3 fatty acids.If you’re not familiar with the ways in which fish can boost your health, here are a few reminders.A diet rich in seafood can:
reduce depression
reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease
promote vision development
fight the effects of asthma and bronchitis
build muscles and tissues
help relieve symptoms of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis
prevent skin damage due to sun and aging
combat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis
prevent cardiovascular disease, strokes, and heart attacks
decrease blood pressure
improve circulation
lower blood triglycerides and increase HDL (good cholesterol)
Take advantage of National Seafood Month - increase your fish intake, and try at least one new recipe each week!
(Note: to be fair, October is also Celebrate Sun Dried Tomatoes Month, National Pretzel Month, and National Toilet Tank Repair Month.)
Sources:
1.The National Fisheries Institute: http://www.aboutseafood.com, retrieved 10/13/08.
Today, the top story on MSN.com is an article about eating Eco-friendly and healthy seafood. While this is a good topic to cover, they’ve gone about it in the worst way possible.
The article covers the top 10 BEST fish to eat, as well as the top 10 WORST. While a few of their examples are spot on, like Albacore Tuna, and Chinook/King Salmon (which we carry), others such as farmed products like Rainbow trout provide horrible nutrition and offer high levels of toxins. Remember, it’s not only mercury that is bad, it’s also the living conditions of the fish!
We have to give them some credit however, as they are bringing good publicity to an unaware consumer base. Remember, if you eat Wild Alaskan and Northern Pacific Seafood, you will increase the chances of living longer, and having a better life doing it!
Recently, the Greenpeace organization has released a ranking of many nationwide grocery and supermarket outlets, commenting that the commonly sold farmed Atlantic salmon, as well as shrimp, pollock, cod and tuna are all considered to be “red listed.”
Red listing is the Greenpeace term for hazardous, or unacceptable scores on their ranking structure. While we in the industry have known for a long time that Atlantic salmon, especially the farmed variety has been widely sold to consumers through supermarkets regardless of the health issues it causes, the public is just beginning to become aware of the true dangers of this fish. High mercury content, as well as water pollution and poor maintenance of the facilities where these fish are raised can lead to serious side-effects if the product is consumed. We don’t even recommend this for a pet!
Recently we’ve even changed our supply of Alaskan Tuna so that our products remain completely acceptable on even the toughest standards.
Read the full article about Greenpeace and their thoughts on the changing status of the seafood industry here.
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