Archive for the Category ◊ Seafood ◊

10 Feb 2010 Coffee Kissed Salmon
Author:  |  Category: Main Dish, Seafood  | Tags: , , , , , , ,  | 5 Comments

It’s a marriage made in heaven. Even coffee haters will appreciate this pairing.  The baked salmon tastes a bit smokey, and bit cedar-y, not at all like coffee.  This is an easy, healthy, entree to put on the table after a long day, and an easy company-pleasing entree to put on the table during a busy weekend.  It can’t get much easier, actually.  Just make sure you have some good quality salmon steaks on hand. Then rub them, bake them, and enjoy.

Coffee Kissed Salmon

For each pair of salmon fillets (each about 6 oz)

1 T. ground cumin
1 T. chili powder
1 T. brown sugar
1 T. ground coffee (not instant, use fresh coffee grounds-not used!-any kind, caffeinated or decaffeinated, it doesn’t matter)
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine all ingredients cumin, chili powder, brown sugar, ground coffee, salt and pepper in a small bowl and then rub mixture all over the salmon fillets.  Set fillets aside to rest, 10-20 minutes.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle a little bit of olive oil over the salmon, and lightly brush oil evenly over the fillet without disturbing the rub.  Bake fillets in hot oven until fish is cooked (internal temp of 140 degrees), which usually takes 10-12 minutes but depends upon the thickness of the fillets.

This recipe was found in the comments of Facebook’s Epicurious Fan page, under a post from October 22, 2009, titled ‘Our Favorite Cooking with Coffee Recipes’. It is attributed to Rebecca Chanin of WiseChoice, Your Personal Path to College.

Thanks for stopping by my kitchen today!  Try this salmon soon, it will become one of your staples. I am sure of it!

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25 Jan 2010 Fisherman’s Pie
Author:  |  Category: Main Dish, Seafood  | Tags: ,  | Leave a Comment

I’m from England. Shepherd’s pie-a casserole of ground meat, veggies, and mashed potatoes-is my heritage (it was even my last name, Shepherd, not pie(!) for the first 21 years of my life). There’s also Fisherman’s Pie, you know! I’m guessing you’ve never made it, so here’s my basic recipe. Feel free to change it up a bit to match your tastes, just as you would any Shepherd’s Pie recipe. Fisherman’s Pie is a good way to introduce fish to someone who claims to not like it. The bottom layer is a creamy mixture of common veggies and fish or fish and shellfish. All of that is then topped with mashed potatoes and a sprinkle of cheese. The only spices are salt and pepper. What’s not to like? Remember to use a nice white fish, and make sure it’s fresh. Don’t cook with anything smelly. Smelly fish is not good fish.

Fisherman’s Pie

2 1/2 lbs russet potatoes
salt
2 1/2 lbs fish and/or shellfish (I use half cod and half shrimp, or half scallops and half shrimp)
1/4 cup butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup flour
2 1/2 cups warm milk
1/4 cup minced parsley
1 cup frozen peas
pepper
approx. 2 T. butter
approx. 1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

Peel and cube potatoes. Put into a large saucepan, cover with cold water, add a tsp of salt and bring to a boil. Boil for about 20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, cut fish into 1 inch chunks and set aside. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Melt butter in a large frying pan over medium heat on the stovetop. Add chopped onions to pan and saute for 2 minutes. Add in celery and carrots and saute for 3 more minutes. Heat milk in MW for 3 minutes. Stir flour into veggies in pan, stirring constantly over medium heat for 3 minutes (do this while milk is heating in the MW). Remove frying pan from heat and slowly stir in warm milk half a cup at a time. Completely incorporate each addition of milk-no lumps-before adding more milk. When all milk has been incorporated return mixture to burner over medium heat. Stir in 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. Taste. Add more salt and pepper if needed. Stir in 1/4 cup diced parsley, fish/shellfish, and frozen peas to veggie mixture then pour the whole thing into the bottom of a 13 x 9 x 2 inch casserole pan. Drain cooked potatoes, stir in butter, milk, salt and pepper to taste and then mash. Pour the mashed potatoes over the fish/veggie mixture in the casserole dish, smooth potatoes with a small spatula. Sprinkle cheese on top of potatoes. Place in a 400 degree oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Thanks for being a fan,

Polly

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21 Jan 2010 Polly’s Seafood Chowder
Author:  |  Category: Main Dish, Seafood, Soups  | Tags: ,  | 2 Comments


It was my turn to host book club tonight. The book was “Ahab’s Wife”, which I knew we had to discuss over a bowl of chowder and a slice of pie. Not having made Seafood Chowder before, I began a search for a great recipe. I found one in the book “The Book Club Cookbook” by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp (which actually had a whole chapter on “Ahab’s Wife”) and another I found on “Laura’s Best Recipes” attributed to Chef David Wells. I made one, which was good, but not great, then I made that one again, took some stuff out, added parts of the second recipe plus some crab and creamed corn, adjusted the method…and “Voilà!” a GREAT Seafood Chowder! Really, it is good. Everyone at book club said so!!! I am quite proud of it. This recipe makes a vat of chowder, and the leftovers reheat very well in the microwave-the seafood doesn’t get overcooked and rubbery.  LOVE this recipe.

Polly’s Seafood Chowder

6 slices of bacon, cooked crisply and crumbled (apple smoked if possible)
2-3 Tablespoons fat from cooked bacon (if you can’t bear it, use olive oil)
1 cup diced onions (can sub some shallots for the onions-I used one and then made up a cup with the onion)
1 cup diced celery
2 cloves minced garlic
2 bay leaves
4 cups chicken broth
1 bottle clam juice (or seafood stock)
1 cup white wine
1.5 lbs (total) of Yukon Gold and Red potatoes, diced (I used half of each)
1 cup diced carrots
2 bay leaves
½ tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried tarragon
1 ½ tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 – 4 green onions, diced
1 lb. firm white fish, cut into small cubes (snapper, halibut, cod-I used cod)
1 lb. raw scallops, cut into small pieces, if large
1 lb. raw shelled shrimp, cut into halves or thirds
3 cups frozen corn (can substitute 1 can creamed corn for 1 cup of frozen corn)
16 oz. lump crab meat (found in the refrigerated section of grocery stores…Lucky and Costco carry it in San Jose)
2 cups half and half or whipping cream (I used the whipping cream. Bad Polly, bad Polly)

Set aside cooked and crumbled bacon. (I save only the meaty parts and discard all the fat) In bacon grease left in pan (remove excess if you have more than 3T) sauté onions, shallots and celery for about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic, bay leaves, chicken broth, clam juice, white wine, finely diced potatoes and diced carrots. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes or until potatoes are cooked. Remove bay leaves. Remove one-half of mixture (4 -5 cups) and blend or puree until smooth. Return puree to pan with non-pureed mixture. Stir in thyme, tarragon, salt, pepper, corn, and creamed corn (if using). Can be made up to this point and refrigerated overnight (Which I recommend because it gives the flavors a chance to meld, and gives you the chance to skim excess hardened fat of surface before continuing). Bring base to a simmer and then continue. Stir in green onions, diced fish, scallops, shrimp, corn and half-and-half or whipping cream. Bring to boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in crab and reserved cooked and crumbled bacon. Let chowder sit for 10 minutes before serving.

This makes a whole heck of a lot of chowder…3 qts…which is 24 cups. If you have seafood lovers in your circle, then it’s about 12 hearty servings. I have found that leftovers reheat very well in the MW. YUM!

Thanks for visiting!

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