Orange Teriyaki Seafood Marinade

Orange Teriyaki Seafood Marinade

Combine in a ziplock bag:

1/3 cup orange juice

1/3 cup soy sauce, reduced sodium

1/4 cup mirin (or white wine with a little sugar added)

2 Tbsp. neutral oil

1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger (or 1 tsp. powdered ginger)

1 tsp. mustard powder

Marinate seafood about 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Catfish with farro and kale salad

A Blue Apron recipe. The original calls for another element - a grape relish - but the combination of grapes, almonds, and fried rosemary just ended up producing a "peanut butter and jelly" like topping that didn't harmonize with the rest of the dish.

Catfish with farro and kale salad
serves 2

Add 1/2 cup semi-pearled farro to a pot of boiling salted water.  Cook uncovered 16-18 minutes, until tender. Drain and return to the pot.

Season 2 catfish fillets with salt and pepper, then coat in flour. In a non-stick skillet, pan fry in 2 tbsp. butter, 5-6 minutes on the first side, 1-2 minutes on the second.

In a second pan, saute for 2-3 minutes:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 bunch kale, destemmed and rough chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper

Add and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally:
1/2 c. water

Stir to combine:
cooked faro
cooked kale mixture
2 tsp. lemon zest
juice of 1/2 lemon
drizzle of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Salmon with Three-Lemon Creme Fraiche

This recipe takes a lot less time and effort than its fancy name implies. Impress your guests! It comes courtesy of Serious Eats, with the "quick" preserved lemon cheat recipe from Mark Bittman.

Creme fraiche can be easily swapped with Mexican crema or in a pinch with sour cream, although you might want to water down sour cream to loosen it up a bit.

Salmon with Three-Lemon Creme Fraiche
Serves 6

Create preserved lemon in an acid-proof vessel and let rest at least 30 minutes:
1 whole lemon, diced small
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt

To create sauce, stir together:
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. lemon zest
2 tbsp. preserved lemon
1/2 cup crème fraîche
salt and pepper to taste

Place on a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil:
1 bunch fresh thyme leaves
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced
1 whole salmon filet, covered in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper

Roast at 350 until the internal temperature registers 130, about 15-25 minutes.

Shrimp in Green Sauce

Shrimp in Green Sauce
serves 6

Boil in salted water:
1 lb. fresh cheese tortellini (e.g. Buitoni)

Meanwhile, combine in the food processor:
1 bunch of green onions, tops only
1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, rough chopped
1 bunch cilantro, rough chopped
3 tbsp. garlic olive oil
1/8 c. lemon juice
1/8 c. white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. red chilli flakes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper

Add to pan and saute for ~5 minutes, until shrimp are just cooked:
the pureed green sauce
1/4 c. white wine
1 pound of shrimp, peeled

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

Shrimp Fra Diavolo
serves 4-6

Serve over 1/2 lb. linguini or spaghetti.

Shrimp
Toss together, then saute on high for about 30 seconds:
1 lb. medium-large shrimp, peeled (can also substitute 1 lb. sea scallops)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. olive oil

Turn shrimp and add 1/4 cup cognac (or brandy).  Set cognac on fire, then pull pan off the heat.  Set shrimp aside.

Sauce
Saute over low for 7-10 minutes:
3 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. raw garlic, minced (about 9 cloves)

Add, then increase heat to medium for 8 minutes:
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sugar
28 oz. diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup dry white wine

Add and heat through:
reserved shrimp
1 tbsp. raw garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)
1/4 cup minced parsley leaves
1 tbsp. olive oil

Olive Tapenade for Swordfish

Olive Tapenade for Swordfish

for 6 steaks

Combine in a food processor:

1 1/2 tsp. prepared Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp. lemon zest

1 tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 c. olive oil

1 c. green olives (stuffed with your filling of choice)

3 cloves garlic

2 anchovy fillets

3 tbsp. capers, drained

Shrimp & Grits

A classic dish of the “low country”, most famously Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA.  Most versions use heavy cream in the grits and bacon fat in the shrimp.  My mother developed this lighter version, which is substantially less likely to give you or your loved ones a heart attack but remains delicious.  Although the recipe looks long, the grits themselves are trivial to prepare and can be done in parallel with the shrimp and pan sauce.

What's a "grit"?

Grits are made by coarsely grinding up corn, and are commonly served as a hot breakfast cereal (think "oatmeal") in the American South.  If you're familiar with Italian cooking, grits are very much like polenta; if that doesn't ring a bell, think of Cream of Wheat made with corn.  Grits can either be paired with sweet toppings like maple syrup or served with savory additions like cheese.  The simplest way to eat them is with salt and butter.

Shrimp and Grits

serves 4

Grits

Bring to a boil (uncovered, or milk will boil over):

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup milk

1/2 tsp. salt

Whisk in:

1 c. quick cooking grits (NOT instant)

1 c. additional chicken broth or milk

Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, stirring, about 5 minutes until thickened.

Stir in:

1/2 tsp. Tabasco or to taste

1/4 tsp. white or black pepper

a pinch of paprika for color

one of the following cheese blends:

a) 3/4  c. shredded sharp cheddar & 1/4 c. Parmesan

b) 1/2 c. sharp cheddar & 1/2 c. pepper Jack

c) 1 c. smoked cheddar

d) 1 c. smoked Gouda

Set them aside, covered, to keep warm.

Shrimp

Toss in a plastic bag:

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled

1/4 c. flour

1/4 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

1/8 to 1/4 tsp. Creole seasoning

Saute on medium:

1 tbsp. canola oil

1 tbsp.  butter

coated shrimp

Brown shrimp on both sides, then remove them from the pan and set aside.

Saute for 1 minute in the same pan:

1 c. sliced mushrooms

1/2 c. sliced green onions

1 small tomato, diced

Stir into pan to deglaze and finish cooking the mushrooms:

1/2 c. chicken broth

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 tsp. Tabasco

To assemble

Divide cooked grits among 4 large shallow soup bowls.  Arrange shrimp on the grits and spoon the mushroom pan sauce over top.

Recommended products:

Don't already have a box of grits in your pantry?  Go find yourself some Quaker quick grits.  Avoid the similar Quaker product "instant grits," as these have an undesirable texture.  If you can't find Quaker in your store, look for Albers quick grits.  It's an extremely similar product with identical cooking instructions.

Quaker Quick Grits

Albers quick grits

Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

Gumbo can have almost any protein in it, but this is my favorite combination.

Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

serves 4-6

Brown in a skillet on medium heat, then drain and reserve:

1 lb. smoked sausage, in 1/4" slices

Combine in a Dutch oven:

1/4 c. oil (neutrally flavored like canola or peanut)

1/4 c. flour

Stir roux continually over medium heat about 10-15 minutes until it browns; the traditional shade is the color of a copper penny.  Once the color starts to turn, it goes fast.  Be careful: roux is also known as "Cajun napalm", and it can spatter!

Add and simmer on medium low, stirring occasionally, about half an hour:

2 c. chicken broth

1 medium green pepper, diced

1 medium white or yellow onion, diced

2 stalks celery, chopped

1/2 bag frozen sliced okra, thawed

1 can petite diced tomatoes, drained

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp. dried parsley

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Tabasco to taste

the reserved sausage

At the end, add 1 lb. small raw shrimp, peeled.  Serve in bowls over scoops of cooked long grain rice.

Recommended product:

Sausage can vary wildly in its fat content, so pay attention to the labels at the store.  The traditional choice is andouille, a Cajun spicy pork sausage.  I use my slightly healthier stand-by, Jennie-O hot Italian turkey sausage.

 

Shrimp & Lime Pasta

The first time I made this recipe, I misread "teaspoon" for "tablespoon" and accidentally tripled the amount of lime juice it called for.  Honestly, I think it came out better that way - and so the change has stayed.

Shrimp & Lime Pasta 

serves 4

Saute in olive oil for 5 minutes until soft:

1 small white onion, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, diced

Add and saute until shrimp is cooked:
1 lb. shrimp, peeled
2 cloves garlic, minced

Add and heat through:

3 tbsp. lime juice

1 jar chunky salsa

Toss with 3/4 lb. cooked long pasta.

This is very much a "semi-homemade" recipe: store-bought salsa provides the bulk of the sauce, with fresh vegetables added for flavor and crispness.  Everyone say hi to Aunt Sandy!

Salmon Dill Marinade

Salmon and dill are a match made in heaven.  For me, this is right up there with grilling asparagus in a little olive oil with salt and pepper: sure you could cook your salmon another way...but why?

Salmon Dill Marinade

Marinate overnight in:

1/3 c. olive oil

1/3 c. lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. dill

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. Dijon or other brown prepared mustard

1 clove garlic, minced

Grill or broil for 10 minutes.

Shrimp and Rice Salad

From Cook's Illustrated.  Mango chutney is most likely sold in the "ethnic" aisle of your supermarket with the Indian foods, rather than with the rest of the jams and jellies.

Shrimp and Rice Salad

serves 6

Cook 1.5 cups of basmati rice.

Puree in blender until smooth:

1/2 c. mango chutney

2 tbsp. lime juice

1/3 c. olive oil

Saute briefly over medium heat until just cooked:

1 lb. medium shrimp, seasoned with salt and pepper

Toss together:

mango chutney mixture

cooked rice

cooked shrimp

1/3 c. chopped fresh mint

4 green onions, minced

1 c. frozen peas, thawed and salted

salt and pepper to taste

Shrimp & Tortellini

When I'm starving and have zero time, this is my go-to home run recipe.  You can go from frozen shrimp to finished dinner in about 20 minutes.  It's certainly not low calorie between the cheese and the butter, but when you're hungry, that's exactly what the doctor ordered.  It reheats beautifully.

The only difficult part of this dish is not overcooking the shrimp.  Are they basically pink all over?  STOP and pull the pan off the heat!  If your shrimp progress to the curled up stage, they'll still taste good but have an unpleasantly rubbery texture.

Shrimp & Tortellini
serves 4-6

Boil in salted water:
1 lb. fresh cheese tortellini (e.g. Buitoni)

Melt together in a skillet:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 bunch green onion tops, chopped

Add to skillet and saute over medium until shrimp are just pink:
1 lb. shrimp, peeled
salt and pepper to taste

Drain the tortellini and salt them separately.  Toss together shrimp, pan sauce, and pasta.

Add 1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese.


Shopping list:
1 lb. fresh cheese tortellini
1 lb. shrimp
1 bunch green onions

Check the pantry:
Parmesan cheese

Maryland Crab Cakes

Originated in the Maryland's Way cookbook.  My grandparents lived in Baltimore for 35 years and taught me all about what to do with a crab.  The first year I lived in San Francisco, I missed out on crab season - nobody told me we had one!  But you can bet I've taken advantage of it every year since. Dungeness is similar in flavor to Maryland's blue crabs, so the recipes adapt quite well.  The major difference is that Dungeness are considerably larger.  In my opinion, that's all to the good: less time spent picking means more time spent eating!

Crab mathematics: Half a pound (8 oz.) of crab meat will make four 1/3 c. crab cakes and will feed two adults for dinner.  Half a pound of meat can reliably be picked from one large ~2 lb. Dungeness.  If you want to double the recipe to make eight 1/3 c. crab cakes (or six 1/2 c. cakes), you can't just multiply everything by two: pay attention to the special values for the egg, mayonnaise, and breadcrumbs.

Maryland Crab Cakes

serves 2

Combine in a bowl:

1 egg, beaten (if doubling: still just 1 egg)

1/4 c. chopped parsley

1 tsp. Coleman’s dry mustard

1 tsp. prepared brown mustard

1/4 tsp. Worcestershire

2 tbsp. mayonnaise (if doubling: 3 tbsp.)

1/8 tsp. Old Bay seasoning

Stir in:

1/3 c. plain breadcrumbs (if doubling: 1/2 cup)

Fold in gently:

8 oz. crab, picked over for cartilage

Measure out into portions on a plate using a 1/3 c. measuring cup.  Pat cakes together with your hands until they will just hold their shape.  Either cook them immediately or refrigerate them, covered with saran wrap, for a few hours.  Refrigerated cakes set up and tend to hold their shape better during cooking.

Saute cakes in a non-stick pan on medium heat in half butter, half olive oil and brown both sides well. (The butter produces a tasty brown crust via the Maillard reaction, so don't leave it out in a spasm of healthfulness!) They will take about 3-5 minutes per side.

Recommended products:

• Best Foods/Hellman's reduced fat mayonnaise
• Progresso plain bread crumbs
• Old Bay 30% less sodium seasoning

If you're having trouble locating Old Bay in the spice aisle of your local supermarket, check for it at the seafood counter instead.

When I introduced my San Francisco friends to this recipe, the most common comment I got was "What on earth is Old Bay seasoning?"  So here's a little history lesson: Old Bay is an herb and spice blend that was originally developed in the 1940s in the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland.  Back then, blue crabs were so plentiful that bars in Baltimore would serve them up for free as bar snacks.  Spicy seasoning blends like Old Bay were invented so that patrons who were chowing down would then get thirsty and buy more beer.