Cioppino

A hearty seafood stew.  This is easily adapted to whatever seafood you have on hand. I used clams, shrimp, bay scallops, and halibut.  However mussels, crab, and squid can work very well in this stew also.  A must is to serve it with a nice crusty bread to dip into the base.

Ingredients Adapted from the Food Network

• STEW BASE
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups sliced onion
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes
• 1 red bell pepper, trimmed, seeded, and diced
• 2 tablespoons minced parsley
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cups fish stock or 1 cup bottled clam brothmixed with 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup julienned fresh basil leaves

SEAFOOD

12 little neck clams

1 pound large shrimp

1/2 pound sea scallops, trimmed

1/2 pound firm fleshed fish, like halibut, cut into 1-inch cubes

Serving suggestion: hot crusty bread

Directions

Make the stew base. Heat a large stew pot or dutch oven over medium heat with the olive oil. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, season with salt and pepper to taste, and cook 2 minutes more. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the wine, and use a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits in the pot. Simmer the wine until reduced by about half. Add the tomatoes, peppers, parsley, thyme, and bay leaf and cook for 5 minutes. Add the stock or broths; bring to a boil, then adjust the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook the base, with a cover slightly ajar, for 30 minutes. (The base may be prepared ahead up to this point, refrigerated for 1 day or frozen for 1 month).
Finish with the fish. Bring the base to a simmer. Add the basil and the clams, and cook covered, over high heat, for 5 minutes, or just until the clams open.  Add fish fillet, shrimp, and scallops. Cook, stirring frequently the shrimp curl, and scallops are just firm, about 3 minutes. Serve in large heated bowls with plenty of crusty bread.

Sea Bass w/ Olives & Tomatoes

Another super easy, super quick dinner! I'm serious!  I have so many people stop me at work and comment that it must take me forever to make all the dishes I blog and facebook about.  They are surprised when I tell them that most of the recipes are easy and do not take more then a half an hour.  Because let's me be honest on a weeknight who has the time or motivation to spend more then that in the kitchen to get a good meal on the table.  I sure don't!

Recipe:

2lb sea bass filet
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup sliced pitted olives
1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes sliced in half

Rinse and pat dry the sea bass.  Season with salt and pepper.  Heat olive oil in a medium pan place olives in pan and saute for two minutes.  Move olives to side of pan and place sea bass in pan.  Cook about 4 minutes and flip fish over.  Add tomatoes to olives and pour white wine in pan.  Cook another 4-5 minutes until fish flakes and wine is reduced.  Serve with couscous, rice, or any other grain.  Enjoy!

Tilapia Couscous Bake

This meal was the perfect solution to a hectic day. By perfect I mean it was easy to prepare,one bowl, quick to cook, one dish, which leads to quick and easy clean up! The best part being of course is that it is tasty. It has a wonderful blend of spices.

Recipe:

1 box of couscous ( I used near east 5.9 oz box)
4 single serve tilapia pieces ( each about the size of my palm)
1/4 cup of olive oil + 2 tablespoons
1 tablespoon of cumin
1 teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of coriander
1 teaspoon of paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped sun dried tomato
1/4 cup chopped dates
1/4 cup chopped dried figs or raisins
1 lemon thinly sliced

In a medium bowl mix the couscous, tomato, dates, figs, 1/4 cup of olive oil, and all spices. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a 13x9 pan or similar casserole dish drizzle one tablespoon olive oil. Place fish in a single layer in bottom of dish. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with last tablespoon of olive oil. Top fish with couscous mixture. Top with lemon slices. Pour 1 1/4 cups of water around fish. Cover tightly with foil. Bake about 30 minutes until fish flakes and couscous tender.

Serve with a side salad.

Seafood Risotto

I found this recipe to be the perfect comfort meal on a cold, snowy, rainy, and windy evening.  Even better is that it is a Friday during lent.  The recipe for risotto is definitely easy but yes it can be a little time consuming, to get the nice creamy texture you want from a risotto. I think any combination of fish you have on hand will work well with this.  I wish I would have had some clams to throw in also.

Recipe:

1 cup arborio rice (risotto rice)

1 tsp olive oil

1 shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

4 cups fish or seafood stock

1/4 cup lump crab meat

1/2 lb bay scallops

1/2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp

1 lemon

1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, minced

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic and saute for about three minutes, until soft. Add the rice and toss to coat each kernel with oil.

Add the white wine to the pot and stir. Cook until all the wine has been absorbed—about three minutes.

Now, add the stock—a quarter cup at a time—stirring after each addition and not adding any more until the previous addition has been completely absorbed.   This will take some time but it is worth every minute to get creamy risotto.

After all the stock has been absorbed into the risotto, turn off the heat. Heat a teaspoon more oil in a non-stick skillet over medium high heat and add the scallops and shrimp. Quickly cook until the shrimp are pink and curled and the scallops are opaque in the center.

Add the shrimp, scallops and half a can of lump crab meat to the risotto, along with minced parsley, and grated cheese. Season with salt to taste. Serve each bowl of risotto with a big squeeze of lemon over top.

Tilapia Puttanesca

I think I have mentioned before how much I love the ease of frozen tilapia in a single serve pouch.  They are great for a quick meal since they are easy to defrost on the spot and cook quickly.  Tonight I served these with a Mediterranean blend quinoa and zucchini.  On a busy Monday this was the perfect quick meal which took all of about 25 minutes to prepare.  Be careful not to add salt to the salt as it gets enough saltiness from the capers and olives.

Recipe:

1 pound of tilapia fillets
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 red onion thickly sliced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can of diced tomatoes,  undrained
2 teaspoons of dried oregano
1 teaspoon of red pepper flake
1/4 cup Kalamata olives
1 tablespoon capers, drained

Thaw fish.  Rinse and pat dry with paper towel.  Sprinkle with salt.

In a large skillet heat oil and cook onion for about 5minutes until tender.  Stir in garlic, tomatoes, oregano, and red pepper flake. Bring to a boil; reduce heat.  Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes.

Add olives and capers to sauce, stir.  Top with tilapia fillets.  Return sauce to boil; reduce heat, cover and simmer.  Cook until fish flakes about 10 minutes.  Plate fish and top with sauce.

Fish Tacos

We are suckers in this house for tacos.  Any kind of taco!  These are perfect to use with the big bag of frozen single pouch tilapia I keep in the freezer at all times.  And bonus its an easy weeknight meal ready is half an hour or less.  Equally easy is the black bean salad served on the side.  Again very easy and using one of the many cans of black beans I keep in the pantry.

Tacos:

2 pieces of tilapia, cut into smaller pieces

2 tablespoons of flour

1 cup of panko bread crumbs

1 egg

2 tablespoons of milk

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of oregano

1/2 teaspoon of chili powder

taco shells

cabbage slaw

shredded cheese

avocado slices

lime

salt and pepper

Mix panko, cumin, oregano, and chili powder together in shallow bowl.  In another bowl beat egg, add milk.  On a small plate mix flour with salt and pepper.  Dredge pieces of fish in flour, then into egg mixture, finally coat with panko.  Heat oil in skillet.  Fry fish a few minutes or until flakes.  

Warm tacos shells. Top with cabbage slaw, shredded cheese, and avocado slices.  Serve with lime pieces.

Cabbage Slaw:

1/4 of head of cabbage, shredded

1 carrot finely shredded

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of chili powder

1 lime juiced

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let stand 15 minutes.

Black Bean Salad:

1 can black beans drained/rinsed

1/2 cup frozen corn thawed

1 avocado diced

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon ancho chili powder

Mix all ingredients in a bowl, enjoy!

Shrimp Tacos

There are plenty of weeknights where dinner needs to be quick and easy.  Something that I have come to love is a bag of frozen shrimp.  It is quite simple to pull them out of the freezer defrost fast under some warm water.  Tonight an easy meal was pulled together using this ingredient.  Served with a quick side of refried beans and rice.

Shrimp Tacos: (makes 6 tacos)

Shrimp-

18 shrimp (raw, peeled and deveined) 

1 teaspoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of smoke paprika

1 teaspoon of chili powder

juice of half lime

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon of olive oil

Mix shrimp and all but olive oil in bowl.  Let stand 10 minutes. Heat olive oil in skillet.  Cook shrimp until pink 5-6 minutes turning halfway through.

Carrot Slaw-

1 carrot finely julienned 

1/4 onion finely sliced

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

juice of half lime

salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in small bowl. Set aside to use as topping for tacos.

Warm tortillas or taco shells.  Place shrimp in tortillas, top with carrot slaw, shredded cheese, sour cream, and sliced avocado. Squeeze fresh lime over.  

Jambalaya

I think lately I have been enjoying foods that have that underlying heat, spice that bites back.  In my cooking I know at times I can have a tendenacy to give an extra shake or two of the red pepper flakes.  Last night we enjoyed ASian turkey meatballs with some spicy mayo which I made iwth a hefty squirt of Sriracha sauce.  Tonight it was a couple of extra shakes of the Tabasco in the Jambalya.  For most of the bowl it just tastes good with a little heat.  By the end I realized my nose was now cleared and my mouth was a little on fire.  As with any recipe adjust the heat to your own liking.  As I typed the recipe I realized when I added to the spices to the pot I threw in a little red pepper flake in for good measure even though the recipe does not call for it....oops extra spicy tonight at our house!

1 Tbp olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 red bell pepper chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 ounces andouille sausage, sliced (i used an entire Smithfield spicy andouille so lots of sausage in mine)
1 cup uncooked rice
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 bay leaf
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I think I went one too many shakes of the Tabasco...it was SPICY...oh so good)
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 pound (roughly 10) peeled and deviened medium shrimp


Heat olive oil in a dutch oven or heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, pepper, garlic, and sausage.  Cook about 5 minutes or until vegetable are tender.

Next add the rice and all spices.  Cook for 2 minutes to heat spices.

Add the broth, water, tomato paste, hot sauce, and diced tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Cover and reduce heat, simmer about 20 minutes.

Last add the shrimp and cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through.

Tastes great served with some garlic bread and a red Irish Ale!

Coconut Curry Shrimp

INGREDIENTS:
For the shrimp marinade:
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1 lemon)
1-2 pounds large or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon canola oil
1 medium red or yellow onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots roughly diced
 1 red bell pepper chopped
1 can of chickpeas drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger, from about a 1-inch peeled piece of ginger
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon curry powder
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can coconut milk, light or regular
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Hot cooked rice for serving, if desired

Directions:

Combine all the marinade ingredients in a bowl, mix the shrimp in. Cover and place in fridge while you make the sauce.

In a saucepan heat oil saute onion till soft add garlic and cook another minute.  Add the carrot, red pepper cook 2-3 minutes.  Next add the spices (salt, pepper, turmeric, curry, and coriander cook till fragrant.  Add the diced tomatoes.  Scrape up any loose bits in the pan.  Next add the chickpeas.  Raise heat and let simmer about 5 minutes.  Stir in the coconut milk and simmer 5 minutes.  Add the shrimp and marinade and cook until shrimp are cooked through about 5-10 minutes.   Last minute add half of the cilantro and cover and cook.  Serve over cooked rice and top with rest of chopped cilantro.

Shrimp and Clam Boil

Nothing better on a summer day then a fresh catch meal.  I looked through a few recipes for a few different boils and decided to use bits from a few and this is what came about.  Using some fresh jumbo shrimp and littleneck clams, kielbasa, fresh picked corn, potatoes, and a beer.

Recipe: (served 3)

About 15 jumbo shrimp

About 15 littleneck clams

Two ears of corn (or frozen)

On bottle/can of a lager beer

handful of colorful little potatoes (cut in half or quarters according to size)

1lb of smoked kielbasa (cut in one inch or so pieces)

1 tablesppon of old bay seasoning (more or less to taste)

pinch of cayenne pepper (more or less to taste)

salt and pepper to taste

Bring a large pot of water to boil with the bottle of beer, old bay seasoning, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.  Put the potatoes and corn in the pot and boil about 10 minutes.  Next place the kielbasa in the pot and boil another 7-8 minutes.  Place the clams in and boil another 5 minutes, finally place the shrimp in the pot and boil until the shrimp is pink and potatoes and corn should be tender.  When serving add more seasoing (old bay, salt/pepper to taste) serve with toasted garlic bread.

Scallop Po Boys

Scallop Po Boys

Joe and i have been trying to vary up our dinner to include more fish.  To eat a little healthier we have made a conscience decision to try and eat fish twice a week, chicken twice a week, a meatless meal at least once, and the last day can be anything.  Now I understand that the fried scallops on this sandwich are not necessarily healthy but we are just starting out, at least we stuck to the fish category!I have a big bag of frozen bay scallops I purchased at BJ's recently and was looking for something to do with them when I came across this recipe.  The sandwiches were fantastic.  I liked the spice from the hot sauce, and the scallops had a great flavor. 

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup light mayonnaise
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, for serving
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• Hot sauce, to taste
• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 1/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 pound bay scallops, patted dry
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil, such as safflower
• 4 hot dog buns
• 4 lettuce leaves

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, garlic, lemon juice, teaspoon paprika, and hot sauce; season with salt and pepper. Set spicy mayo aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine breadcrumbs, flour, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika; season with salt and pepper. Add scallops, and toss to coat.
3. In a medium nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Working in two batches, fry scallops, tossing occasionally, until golden and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer scallops to a paper-towel-lined plate; season with salt.
4. Dividing evenly, spread inside of buns with spicy mayo. Top with a lettuce leaf, then scallops. Serve po boys immediately, with lemon wedges.

recipe source: http://www.marthastewart.com

Tilapia, Black Bean, Corn Foil Packet

As with most meals on a weeknight I want to make something that is easy, fast, and does not require a lot of ingredients.  I varied this recipe slightly from the original I came acorss, more so out of what I had on hand.  But this is a tasty recipe that cooks easliy in a foil packet, which also makes clean up simple!  The flavors of this tilapia dish blend well, orange zest and juice give it a nice fresh taste.  While the mixture of corn and beans make it a satisfying complete meal.

The recipe below will serve two people.  My husband and I were not extremely hungry this night so what was included in the packet was enough for our dinner. There was also some of the bean mixture leftover.  I would reduce that for next time for just the two of us.  We both do think that adding a little rice on the side would work well or a side salad.  Joe and I also thought rolling the fish and beans in a tortilla would also be delious or even a few slices of fresh avocado.  Don't mistake my suggestions that the meal was not good.   We often sit and discuss how we can improve a meal while we are eating, this meal is yummy on its own!

Recipe:

Foil-Baked Fish with Black Beans and Corn: This recipe is for four servings (I halved it for just the two of us)

• 4 skinless white fish fillets (6 to 8 oz each), 1-inch thick
• salt and pepper
• 4 Tbs unsalted butter, softened
• 2 tsp minced chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
• 1 tsp grated orange zest
• 2 Tbs freshly squeezed orange juice
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 (16-oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 2 cups corn kernels
• 1/2 red onion, minced
• 2 scallions, minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Adjust the oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat to 450 degrees.

Pat the fish dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper.  Using a fork, mix together the butter, 1 teaspoon chipotle, orange zest, half the garlic, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper in a medium bowl until well-combined.  Spread butter mixture over the fish.

Combine the beans, corn, onion, scallions, 2 tablespoons of cilantro, orange juice, remaining chipotle, remaining garlic, scallions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a bowl.

Lay four 14-inch lengths of foil on the counter and divide the bean mixture evenly over the lower half of each piece of foil.  Top with fish, and fold the foil over the fish, folding the edges to seal.

Arrange the packets in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until the fish is just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes.  Carefully open the packets and sprinkle with remaining cilantro.  Serve.

Source:  America's Test Kitchen, The Best Simple Recipes