seafood

Jumbo Shrimp Butter

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? A Symphony of Flavors: Jumbo Shrimp Butter! What should I bring to the next party? Forget the ho-hum cheese and cracker tray you can pick up at the neighborhood deli. Be innovative. Shrimp is every seafood-lover’s dream. It can actually be made ahead of time, as long as it comes to room temperature before serving. The saltine provides a crisp, light, and salty platform to balance the richness of shrimp and the creaminess of butter. Try it first at home to enjoy it firsthand. Once it hits the buffet line at the party, you may only see the treasured platter you brought it in on by the time it’s your turn to choose. You think I’m kidding. See for yourself. 

JUMBO SHRIMP BUTTER

Ingredients:

1/2 cup salted butter, room temperature 

1/8 teaspoon seafood seasoning

1/2 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon parsley

1/2 teaspoon dill weed

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 teaspoon celery seed

3 green onions, chopped

1/2 pound jumbo shrimp, frozen and precooked, thawed with tails removed 

Instructions:

In a large bowl, beat the butter until smooth. Add seafood seasoning, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, parsley, dill weed, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and celery seed. Mash with the back of a fork until all ingredients are well combined. Set aside. Fill a colander with jumbo shrimp. Run under cold water to completely rinse. Remove shrimp and place on paper towels. Pat dry. Remove tails and discard. Chop shrimp very finely in a mini chopper. Fold the shrimp into the seasoned butter mixture. Mix well until spreadable. Serve immediately with saltine crackers. 

Toasted Lobster Sliders

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Fabulous Fixings: Toasted Lobster Sliders! If I had to list how many ways I’ve eaten lobster, I think I would lose count. The most popular would have to be my first experience of steamed lobster with drawn butter. Since then, I’ve also had lobster grilled cheese, lobster risotto, lobster rolls, lobster mac’n cheese, lobster bisque, stuffed lobster pie, lobster cobb salad, lobster eggs benedict, and now lobster roll sliders. Yet, I know there are many more tasty dishes out there you can think of, so feel free to mention them in the Comments section below. 

TOASTED LOBSTER SLIDERS

Ingredients:

1 package Hawaiian dinner rolls 

1 pound cooked lobster meat, cut into chunks 

1/2 cup sea salt butter, melted

1 teaspoon seafood seasoning

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Fresh chives, for garnish

Red pepper flakes, if desired

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Place slider buns on the baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, split the tops of the buns without cutting all the way through. In a bowl, combine the melted butter, seafood seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix well. Brush the rolls all over, including the cavities. Save the reserve butter. Bake rolls for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a microwave-safe dish, warm the lobster meat in the reserve butter for 2 minutes on 30% power. Divide the lobster meat into the baked rolls. Pour remaining garlic butter over top. Garnish with chopped chives. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes. Serve warm. 

Jumbo Shrimp Over Avocado

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Food With Soul: Jumbo Shrimp Over Avocado! Grill marks on food are like a person’s signature tattoo. I don’t know about you, but when I see that food is slightly charred, visions of smoky goodness can cause me to drool. The creaminess of the warmed avocado filled with spicy salsa takes me down a country road to memorable experiences of Mexican favorites. The grilled shrimp is enhanced by the savory herbs, adding tangy flavors seductive to the tongue. Not only is this a quick meal or tempting appetizer, it transforms every cook into a gourmet chef. You should try it.

JUMBO SHRIMP OVER AVOCADO

Ingredients:

1 large ripe avocado, halved with pit removed

Fresh lime juice

6 frozen precooked jumbo shrimp, tail on and thawed

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 cup prepared salsa

Dill sprig, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat grill to 400°. In a small dish, combine olive oil, Italian seasoning blend, sea salt, and garlic powder. Mix well; set aside. Squeeze lime juice onto both halves of avocado. Brush each avocado, as well as both sides of the shrimp, with the seasoned olive oil. Place directly onto the grill grates. Close lid. Cook the avocados for 4 minutes, or until slightly charred. Cook the jumbo shrimp for 2 minutes. Then flip the shrimp, close the lid, and cook 2 minutes longer. Transfer all to a platter. Spoon the salsa into the avocados. Arrange 3 jumbo shrimp over each portion. Garnish with a sprig of fresh dill. Serve immediately.

Fabulous Seafood Lasagna

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Bright Ideas: Fabulous Seafood Lasagna! Because I really like seafood, and for the first time in my life I have access to it, I decided to think “outside the box” for a new dinner idea. Combining pasta and seafood seemed like a nice transition. To keep the cost down, I did end up substituting imitation crabmeat, but of course you may use the real deal, especially if you have connections with a fisherman. I’m working on that.

FABULOUS SEAFOOD LASAGNA

Ingredients:

9 uncooked lasagna noodles

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup flour

2 cups light cream

1 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup dry sherry

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1 egg, slightly beaten

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated

15-ounce container ricotta cheese

1 tablespoon dried parsley

16 ounces imitation crabmeat, salad-style, drained, and chopped

8 ounces precooked salad shrimp, drained

3 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Freshly grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a 9”x13” glass baking dish with nonstick oil. Cook lasagna noodles as directed on package. Set aside. In a 4-quart pan, warm butter over medium heat. Add chopped onion and minced garlic. Cook 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender. Gradually add flour, stirring constantly. Cook and stir until bubbly. Slowly stir in the light cream, chicken broth, dry sherry, sea salt, and black pepper. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for one minute longer. Do not scorch. Remove white sauce from heat and set aside. In a bowl, combine beaten egg, parmesan cheese, ricotta cheese, and dried parsley. Mix well; set aside. Drain lasagna noodles. Spread 3/4 cup white sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Top with 3 lasagna noodles. Layer half the crabmeat and half the shrimp over the noodles. Add another 3/4 cup white sauce over seafood. Sprinkle one cup mozzarella cheese on top. Next, add a layer of 3 lasagna noodles. Spread ricotta mixture over noodles. Add 3/4 cup white sauce. Sprinkle with one cup mozzarella cheese; layer with 3 lasagna noodles. Spread the remaining seafood and sauce over all. Sprinkle with the last cup of mozzarella cheese. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until cheese is light golden brown. Let stand 15 minutes before cutting. Sprinkle with freshly grated parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

Velvety Seafood Chowder

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Elevated Edibles: Velvety Seafood Chowder! Everyone who has enrolled a child or grandchild in preschool is probably familiar with the folk tale known as “Stone Soup”. The story goes, a bunch of starving strangers enter a small village to convince the townspeople to share one ingredient from their root cellars to make a fantastic meal. The strangers produce a magic “stone”, which they place into a large cauldron filled with water. As the pot is cooking over a wood fire, one by one, the curious residents walk by. They are told the soup is almost ready but needs a “little of this or a pinch of that”. The villagers happily agree to throw in everything from carrots and onions to meat and potatoes to enhance the flavor. By the time the medley is fully cooked, the stone is removed and the hearty soup is shared among them. What a wonderful tradition.

VELVETY SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 sweet onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning*

1/8 teaspoon thyme

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 stalk celery, sliced

1/2 carrot, chopped

1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/4 cup corn

5 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup white wine

1/2 cup crabmeat, flaked

6 ounces shrimp, peeled and deveined

6.5-ounce can clams, drained and chopped

1 cup heavy cream

1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley

Instructions:

In a heavy pan over medium heat, warm butter. Add diced onion. Sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add Old Bay seasoning, thyme, and flour. Cook 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add sliced celery, chopped carrots, cubed potatoes, corn, chicken broth, and white wine. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add flaked crabmeat, peeled shrimp, chopped clams, and heavy cream. Cook until seafood is fully cooked, heated through, and potatoes are tender, approximately 8-10 minutes. Ladle into bowls; garnish with fresh parsley.

*I receive no recompense for mentioning this product.

Ahi Poke Platter

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Clean Eating: Ahi Poke Platter! Here’s a perfect example of choosing the foods you love. An ahi platter can offer many variations of side veggies to compliment the star attraction. Personally, I like the crunch of radish slices and mukimame. They balance quite nicely with the creaminess of a ripe avocado. Perhaps you may substitute these ingredients with cucumber slices and jicama sticks. I realize there are those who just don’t care for the taste of cilantro, no matter how often they try. That’s fine. Dill is a delightful change. I’m not here to be the food police. Are you getting the idea?

AHI POKE PLATTER

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons furikake seasoning

1 teaspoon white sesame seeds, toasted

1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

2 ahi tuna steaks, skinless

1 cup sticky rice, prepared

1 avocado, pitted and cubed

1/2 cup mukimame

1/2 cup radishes, sliced thin

Fresh cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1 1/2 tablespoons sriracha

1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

Instructions:

Combine olive oil, vegetable oil, and sesame oil in a shallow dish. Add furikake seasoning, white sesame seeds, and black sesame seeds. Marinate ahi steaks ten minutes per side to coat evenly. Remove steaks from marinade and set aside. In a skillet over medium-high heat, warm the marinade mixture. Cook ahi steaks 2-3 minutes per side. The outer skin will appear seared while the center remains pink. Remove from heat. Transfer ahi steaks to a cutting board and tent with foil for 10 minutes. Cut into 1/4” thick slices. Arrange on a platter over sticky rice, overlapping the slices. Arrange avocado chunks, mukimame, radish slices, and chopped cilantro on the platter. For dipping sauce, combine mayonnaise, sriracha, and soy sauce. Mix well. Pour into a small bowl and serve with the ahi poke platter.

Easy Red Snapper and Tomatoes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Easy Red Snapper and Tomatoes! When I was a kid, I couldn’t stand the “fishy” taste of Midwestern fish fillets. The fact that I practically choked on a bone really didn’t make it enjoyable either. But fast forward to the fresh catch from the salty waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Red snapper is quite delicious, I must say. Because they thrive on mostly shrimp and crab, it intensifies their flavor, making red snapper mild and slightly sweet. The local fishermen have me spoiled, especially Dilly’s Fish Company. They catch the fish, transfer it on ice to a central location, clean it, debone it, remove the scales, fins, and head. Then they fillet the fish, package it, and identify it, since I’m usually buying more than one variety. Fish is sold by weight as caught out of the water. Once I know what I want, I simply need to decide how I’m going to cook it. As you can guess….for me that’s the best part….until I eat it.

EASY RED SNAPPER AND TOMATOES

Ingredients:

1 pound red snapper fillets, fresh

3-4 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

2 Roma tomatoes, quartered

Instructions:

Wash red snapper fillets and pat dry. Line a grill pan with aluminum foil. Spray with nonstick oil. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper. Brush both sides of red snapper with mixture. Transfer fish to the grill pan. Arrange quartered tomatoes around fish. Drizzle remaining olive oil mixture over tomatoes. Preheat gas grill to medium-high heat, approximately 450°. Cook fish dinner for 4 minutes with the lid closed. Then carefully flip fish, close lid, and cook 4 minutes longer. Remove and serve immediately.

Drawn Butter Fish Favorite

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Drawn Butter Fish Favorite! Keeping it simple with a fresh catch is probably my favorite way of serving fish. Now that I’ve connected with a local fisherman, it practically feels like a luxury to plan evening meals. The marinade couldn’t get any easier; a couple of key ingredients do the trick. After all, the star attraction is the warm melted butter. You’ve heard me rave about the French sea salt butter we order once a year. It is ah-mazing. Serve dinner with fresh veggies from the produce bin and you’ll be smiling all through the meal.

DRAWN BUTTER FISH FAVORITE

Ingredients:

1 pound Almaco Jack fish fillets

1-2 tablespoons garlic wine vinegar

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons sea salt butter

Juice of one Lemon

Instructions:

Rinse fish fillets and pat dry. In a shallow dish, combine garlic wine vinegar, olive oil, and minced garlic. Brush both sides of the fish fillets with marinade. Place fillets in the shallow dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for one hour. To cook, warm butter in an iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fish fillets, cover, and cook for 4 minutes without turning. Flip and cook 4 minutes longer or until fish is crispy. Transfer fillets to a plate, drizzle with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Spoon drawn butter over all. Serve immediately.

Crunchy Crab Cakes

What’s Cooking in Gail’s Kitchen? Palatable Possibilities: Crunchy Crab Cakes! Get ready for a celebration meal by simply serving crab cakes. You’re going to want to savor every bite, so try really hard to chew your food 20 times before taking another forkful. The outer layer is crispy crunchy, which works well for serving with a homemade jezebel sauce, creamy horseradish, or Caesar dressing. Personally, I prefer a bed of romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, and green onions simply because it intensifies the sweet lump crabmeat filling that much more. Pour yourself a glass of chilled Chardonnay, bubbly Prosecco, or Pinot Blanc. Now let’s get this party started.

CRUNCHY CRAB CAKES

Ingredients:

1 large egg, beaten

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon sriracha

1/2 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1 cup red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 cup green onions, finely chopped

16-ounce can lump crabmeat, rinsed and drained

1 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick oil. Set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together beaten egg, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, soy sauce, sriracha, and Cajun seasoning. Add chopped red pepper and green onions. Fold in crabmeat and 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs. Place remaining breadcrumbs on a sheet of waxed paper. Sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper. Divide crab mixture into fourths. Shape each portion into a patty. Coats both sides in the panko bread crumbs. Place crab cake on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat process with the remaining mixture. Bake 10-12 minutes, or until crab cakes are crispy on the bottom. Flip over and bake 10-12 minutes longer or until golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately.