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Seafood Cocktail Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 03:30:26 -0700

Now that it's Summer, all the attention has been turned to typical warm-weather fare, like barbecue and burgers. But don't discount fresh seafood dishes as wonderful additions to any backyard feast. Items like ceviche and shrimp rémoulade will help break up monotony at the appetizer table - as will an exotic, indulgent seafood cocktail.

Have limited time? Start with shellfish that's conveniently already cooked, and you'll have a stunning single-serving appetizer in a matter of minutes. If you've got more time and skill, purchase raw seafood and prepare a classic Latin seafood dish from scratch for much less. To make either seafood cocktail, read more.

Beginner Seafood Cocktail
From Parade

Ingredients

3/4 pound cooked large shrimp (peeled, deveined, tails removed), halved crosswise
1/2 pound fresh lump crabmeat, cartilage removed
1/2 pound fresh lobster meat, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup finely diced carrot
1/4 cup finely diced celery
1 tablespoon drained tiny capers
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon finely minced red or green jalapeño pepper, ribs and seeds removed
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup highest quality extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 large lemon)

Directions

Place the shrimp, crab, lobster, carrot, celery and capers in a large bowl. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold together the ingredients, being careful not to break up the crab too much. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the jalapeño pepper and parsley, then carefully fold in the olive oil and lemon juice, tasting as you go along. Adjust the seasonings and serve immediately, or chill for up to 6 hours. Divide seafood between 8 wine glasses for serving.

Serves 8.

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Expert Seafood Cocktail
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
1/4 cup tomato juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Hot sauce
2 pounds shelled and deveined large shrimp
1/2 pound cleaned squid, cut into 1/2-inch rings, tentacles halved
2 pounds tomatoes-halved, seeded and finely diced
2 Hass avocados, cut into 1/2-inch dice
4 scallions, white and tender green parts only, thinly sliced
1 small red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
Plantain chips, for serving

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. In another large bowl, whisk the lime, orange and tomato juices with the tomato paste. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce.
Cook the shrimp in the boiling water just until curled and pink, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to the ice water. Return the pot of water to a boil and add the squid. Cook for 30 seconds, until firm but tender. Drain immediately and add to the ice water.
When cool, drain the shrimp and squid and pat dry. Add to the bowl with the juices and toss to coat. Transfer the mixture to a large resealable plastic bag. Close the bag, pressing out the air. Refrigerate overnight, turning the bag occasionally.
Transfer the seafood salad to a bowl and stir in the tomatoes, avocados, scallions, onion, cilantro and parsley; season with salt, pepper and hot sauce. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours. Using a slotted spoon, scoop into martini glasses and serve with the plantain chips.

Serves 12.

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Monday's Leftovers: Quick Cioppino

YumSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:00:01 -0700

The beginning of the workweek is always on the strenuous side, so keep Monday nights as effortless as possible by selecting a swift dinner recipe that calls for ingredients you've already got on hand.

By doubling up on the amount of halibut and clams that you needed for last night's meal, you won't have to worry about hitting up the supermarket again.

Take a stab at a stress-free riff on cioppino, the classic San Francisco stew. With a mere 30 minutes, you can make a savory soup that's sure to allay any of your weekday stresses. See the recipe when you read more.

Killer Apps: Clams Casino

partysugar — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 09:00:38 -0800

Although appetizers aren't the first thing that come to mind when one thinks of Thanksgiving dinner, I like to give my family something to nibble on while they wait for the big meal. Usually I serve a luxurious bite like crab cakes or baked brie with mushrooms. This year, I'm offering a classic seafood crowd-pleaser, clams casino.

Even my mom, who's not into clams, enjoys these savory, finger-licking-good, bacon-and-shallot-topped clams. They can be assembled in the morning and baked later, making them ideal for an event like Thanksgiving. These delicious clams are also an excellent addition to a cocktail party menu, so bookmark the recipe now

Fast & Easy Dinner: Sole With Lemon-Shallot Brussels Sprouts

YumSugar — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 06:50:50 -0800

With an epic feast only a few days away, shun poultry (you'll be having it for days!) in favor of something on the opposite end of the flavor spectrum, such as a flaky white fish. Not only does sole make for a lighter dinner alternative and a great source of protein, but it's also extremely affordable. Keep the preparation super simple by dredging the fillets briefly in a mixture of flour, lemon, and white pepper, then pan-sauté in olive oil.

Serve with market-fresh Brussels sprouts that have been tossed with parsley and shallots. The resulting dish is straightforward, yet elegant. For the recipe, read more.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Seafood Newburg on Buttered Toast

partysugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 06:45:00 -0800

It's the last day of 2008, so treat yourself to a decadent seafood dinner. Although this dish is rich and indulgent, it doesn't take a lot of time to prepare. Newburg is a classic sauce for seafood made with cream and sherry.

This recipe calls for shrimp, scallops, and crab, but feel free to change it up according to your culinary needs. Pair with a green salad and a glass of Champagne for the ultimate end of the year meal. Get the recipe and read more.

Seafood Newburg on Buttered Toast
From Everyday With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

5 tablespoons butter
2 rounded tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground pepper
12 scallops, muscle discarded, patted dry
12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound lump crab meat
1 teaspoon Old Bay or other seafood seasoning
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
8 slices white sandwich bread
20 blades fresh chives, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions

In a medium saucepan, melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute, then whisk in the milk and cream and heat through, about 10 minutes.
Lower the heat and stir in the sherry, paprika and nutmeg; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 15 minutes.
Preheat the broiler. Season the scallops, shrimp and crab with salt and pepper. Season the crab with the Old Bay.
In a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the scallops and cook, turning once, until browned on each side, 4 to 6 minutes; transfer to a plate.
Add the shrimp to the skillet and cook for 3 minutes on each side. Add the crab for the last 3 minutes of cooking and heat through. Return the scallops to the pan, pour the sauce evenly over the seafood and remove from the heat.
Arrange the bread on a baking sheet and toast in the broiler on each side, then spread with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
Halve each piece of toast to make triangles. Place 4 toast triangles on each of 4 dinner plates, spoon the seafood Newburg on top and sprinkle with the chives and almonds.

Serves 4.

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Quick Dinner: Spaghetti with Pinot Grigio & Seafood

partysugar — Fri, 04 May 2007 08:55:39 -0700

Isn't it wonderful when great minds think alike? Several Saturdays ago I watched an episode of Giada on the Food Network and made a mental note to give one of her pasta recipes a try (aren't her simple pasta dishes the best?). Working with so many different recipes from tons of different sources, I quickly forgot the seafood spaghetti recipe. Fast forward a few Saturdays when my dad showed me a recipe on his laptop accompanied by the question: tonight's dinner? He had found the GIada recipe that I had wanted to try, but forgot about. I thought perhaps he had read my mind, but turns out he just was in the mood for a fresh pasta dish with clams. The colors are beautiful in this meal that can be made in the time it takes to boil the pasta. I highly recommend you try it, it's excellent for a warm late Spring evening. Sip on the same wine you use in the pasta sauce. For the recipe, read more

Spaghetti with Pinot Grigio & Seafood
From Giada de Laurentiis

1 pound spaghetti pasta
1/4 cup olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1 1/2 cup Pinot Grigio (or other white wine)
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 pounds clams, washed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups arugula

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots and the garlic and cook for 3 minutes, until tender but not brown.
Add the sun-dried tomatoes and cook for another minute. Add the wine, shrimp, and clams. Bring the liquid to a boil.
Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the shrimp are pink and the clams have opened, about 7 minutes.
Add the spaghetti to the seafood mixture. Add the salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add the arugula.
Stir gently and place on a serving platter. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6.

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Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 10:30:09 -0700

Selecting a menu for a large dinner party is tricky. You don't want to choose dishes that require last-minute preparation, and you need to pick recipes that will feed a crowd (or can easily be doubled to do so) and consider the dietary needs of your guests. Luckily, the majority of my friends are adventurous eaters and while two girls don't eat meat, they do eat fish and cheese. Thus I'm serving a rustic Italian meal that's several courses long. When the party begins, plates of tomato and basil bruschetta and chicken-liver crostini will sit - ready to be devoured - on tables in the patio. I'll also set out an assortment of Italian olives, shards of Parmesan cheese, and chunks of salami.

At the table, the first course will consist of a crunchy, Italian salad with mustard vinaigrette. The second course is a decadent baked pasta dish oozing with melted cheese. For the entree, we'll enjoy a fragrant seafood stew with garlic toasts for dipping. This is a luxurious menu that's wonderful at any occasion, be it a birthday party or simply a Saturday night, so check out the recipes and read more.

Tomato, Red Onion, and Basil Bruschetta
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

2 cups assorted cherry, grape, and teardrop tomatoes, halved (or quartered if large)
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for brushing
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 large loaf focaccia, halved horizontally (reserve half for another use)
1 garlic clove, peeled, halved

Directions

Combine halved tomatoes, finely chopped onion, 3 tablespoons olive oil, chopped fresh basil, and balsamic vinegar in medium bowl; season tomato topping with salt and pepper. Topping can be made 2 hours ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature, tossing occasionally.
Preheat broiler.
Place focaccia half, cut side up, on baking sheet; brush bread with olive oil. Toast bread in broiler until top is golden brown, watching closely to avoid burning, about 2 minutes.
Immediately rub cut side of bread all over with halved garlic, then cut focaccia crosswise into 4 equal pieces.
Top toasted focaccia with tomato mixture and serve.

Serves 4.

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Chicken-Liver Crostini
From Gourmet

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/2 lb chicken livers, trimmed and patted dry
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot red-pepper flakes
3 tablespoon capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup sweet (red) vermouth
1 cup chopped parsley
1 sourdough baguette, thinly sliced and toasted
1 lemon wedge

Directions

Heat butter and oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium heat until foam subsides, then cook onion, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes.
Add livers and cook over medium-high heat until undersides are browned, about 3 minutes. Turn livers over and add red-pepper flakes, capers, and 1 tsp salt. Cook until livers are just cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes more.
Increase heat to high and add vermouth. Boil, stirring, until slightly thickened and glossy, about 3 minutes. Transfer livers with a slotted spoon to a cutting board, then transfer sauce to a bowl.
Coarsely chop livers and add to sauce. Season with salt and pepper and gently stir in parsley. Spoon onto toasts and squeeze a little lemon juice over each.

Serves 8.

Make ahead: Liver mixture, without parsley, can be made 1 day ahead and chilled. Reheat, then stir in parsley, before spreading on toasts.

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Crunchy Italian Salad
From Everyday Food

Ingredients

1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 head iceberg lettuce, halved, cored, and cut into wide strips
1/2 head red cabbage, halved, cored, and cut into thin strips
1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
1 cup packed basil leaves, shredded

Directions

In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, oil, and Dijon; season with salt and pepper.
Add lettuce, cabbage, onion, and basil; toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Serves 8.

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Baked Four-Cheese Spaghetti
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds spaghetti
1/2 pound imported Fontina, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1/2 pound mozzarella, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1/2 pound Gruyère, coarsely shredded (2 cups)
1/4 pound Gorgonzola dolce, crumbled
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.
Cook the spaghetti in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain well and spread the spaghetti on a baking sheet; let cool.
In a large bowl, toss the Fontina with the mozzarella and Gruyère.
Spread one third of the spaghetti in the prepared baking dish in an even layer. Sprinkle 1/3 of the mixed cheeses and half of the Gorgonzola over the spaghetti and season with salt and pepper. Repeat with another layer of spaghetti, mixed cheeses, Gorgonzola and salt and pepper. Top with the remaining spaghetti and mixed cheeses.
Bake the spaghetti in the center of the oven until the top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cool slightly before cutting into squares and serving.

Serves 8.

Make Ahead: The recipe can be prepared through Step 2 early in the day and covered with plastic wrap. Uncover the dish before baking.

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Seafood Stew
From Ina Garten

Ingredients

3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 small)
2 cups large-diced small white potatoes
2 cups chopped fennel (1 large bulb)
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups good white wine
1 (28-ounce) can plum tomatoes, chopped
1 quart Seafood Stock, recipe follows, or store-bought fish stock
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (3 cloves)
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined (reserve the shells for the stock)
1 pound each halibut and bass fillets, cut in large chunks
24 mussels, cleaned
3 tablespoons Pernod
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
Toasted baguette slices, buttered and rubbed with garlic

Directions

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or stockpot, add the onions, potatoes, fennel, salt, and pepper, and saute over medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until the onions begin to brown.
Add the wine and scrape up the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the tomatoes with their juices, stock, garlic, and saffron to the pot, bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender.
Add the shrimp, fish, and mussels, bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover, and cook for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and allow the pot to sit covered for another 5 minutes. The fish and shrimp should be cooked and the mussels opened. Discard any mussels that don't open. Stir in the Pernod, orange zest, and salt, to taste. Serve ladled over 1 or 2 slices of toasted baguette.

Serves 6.

Seafood Stock:
2 tablespoons good olive oil
Shells from 1 pound large shrimp
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
2 carrots, unpeeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 quarts water
1/2 cup good white wine
1/3 cup tomato paste
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
10 sprigs fresh thyme, including stems

Warm the oil in the pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp shells, onions, carrots, and celery over medium heat for 15 minutes, until lightly browned.
Add the garlic and cook 2 more minutes. Add 1 1⁄2 quarts of water, the white wine, tomato paste, salt, pepper, and thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 hour.
Strain through a sieve, pressing the solids. You should have approximately 1 quart of stock. If not, you can make up the difference with water or white wine.

Makes 1 quart.

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Come Party With Me: Italian Christmas Eve - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 09:00:21 -0800

On Christmas Eve it's customary for Italians to consume seafood for dinner; they enjoy course after course of rich fish items. Although my family has Irish origins, I thought it would be fun to plan an Italian-style Christmas Eve - this year we'll be eating seven delicious seafood dishes. To get the party started we'll have raw oysters and cold, marinated anchovies waiting for the guests. Once a group has arrived, the hot appetizers will be set out. Spicy seared scallops are a delightful bite and slices of clam pizza are crisp and salty.

At the dining table a tuna and white bean salad will be served, followed by a silky shrimp bisque. The meal finishes with a velvety lobster pasta with cream sauce. Doesn't it sound to die for? Look at these recipes when you read more.

Spicy Seared Scallops
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

24 sea scallops (about 1 1/2 pounds), halved
Olive-oil cooking spray
For the seasoning:
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, or more to taste
3 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons ground coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
For the Garnish:
One 12-inch-long daikon radish, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
5 romaine lettuce leaves, very thinly sliced

Directions

Combine flour, cayenne pepper, cumin, coriander, salt, and cardamom in a small bowl. Dip each halved scallop into the flour mixture to coat; set aside.
Place daikon rounds on serving platter. Top each with shredded lettuce; set aside.
Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat with olive-oil spray, add coated scallops, and sear until light golden brown and cooked through, about 1 minute per side.
Transfer each seared scallop half to a daikon round. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 48.

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White Clam Pizza
From Every Day With Rachael Ray magazine

Ingredients

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
Salt
1/3 cup flour, for dusting
Two 16-ounce packages refrigerated pizza dough
Two 1-pound containers frozen chopped clams, thawed and drained (about 2 1/2 cups)
4 teaspoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Pepper

Directions

Position a rack in the bottom of the oven, place an inverted baking sheet on top and preheat to 500°.
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, garlic and 2 pinches salt.
Lightly flour a baking sheet, place 1 piece of pizza dough on top and stretch to fit the dimensions of the baking sheet.
Drizzle 2 1/2 tablespoons garlic oil on top. Sprinkle half of the clams on top and season with 2 teaspoons Parmesan, 1 1/2 teaspoons thyme and salt and pepper.
Set the baking sheet on the hot baking sheet in the oven. Bake until crisp and golden, about 20 minutes. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make another pizza.

Serves 4.

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Tuna and White Bean Salad
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

2 6-ounce cans tuna packed in oil
3 cups drained and rinsed canned white beans, preferably cannellini (from two 15-ounce cans)
1 red onion, sliced thin
1 tablespoon drained capers
2 bunches watercress (about 3/4 pound), tough stems removed and leaves chopped (about 2 quarts)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon red- or white-wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

Directions
Put the tuna with its oil, the beans, onion, capers, watercress, olive oil, vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Toss gently to combine.

Serves 4.

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Shrimp Bisque
From Ina Garten

Ingredients

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, shells reserved
4 cups seafood stock
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (3 leeks)
1 tablespoon chopped garlic (3 cloves)
Pinch cayenne pepper
1/4 cup Cognac or brandy
1/4 cup dry sherry
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half
1/3 cup tomato paste
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Place the shrimp shells and seafood stock in a saucepan and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve the stock. Add enough water to make 3 3/4 cups.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the leeks and cook them for 10 minutes over medium-low heat, or until the leeks are tender but not browned.
Add the garlic and cook 1 more minute. Add the cayenne pepper and shrimp and cook over medium to low heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the Cognac and cook for 1 minute, then the sherry and cook for 3 minutes longer.
Transfer the shrimp and leeks to a food processor fitted with a steel blade and process until coarsely pureed.
In the same pot, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over medium-low heat for 1 minute, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add the half-and-half and cook, stirring with a whisk, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the pureed shrimp, the stock, tomato paste, salt, and pepper and heat gently until hot but not boiling. Season, to taste, and serve hot.

Serves 4-6.

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Lobster Pasta With Herbed Cream Sauce
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

3 1 3/4-pound live lobsters
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup tomato paste
2 large plum tomatoes, chopped
1/3 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, sliced
2 fresh tarragon sprigs
2 fresh thyme sprigs
2 fresh Italian parsley sprigs
6 cups whipping cream
1 1/2 pounds fettuccine or linguine

Directions

Bring very large pot of salted water to boil. Add lobsters. Boil until cooked through, about 12 minutes (or cook in batches, if necessary).
Using tongs, transfer lobsters to large rimmed baking sheet. Remove meat from tail and claws; place meat in medium bowl. Remove any roe from bodies and place in small bowl. Cover and chill meat and roe (if any). Remove tomalley (green matter) from bodies and discard. Reserve bodies and shells.
Heat oil in heavy large pot over high heat. Add reserved lobster bodies and shells. Sauté 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Add tomato paste; stir 3 minutes.
Stir in tomatoes, wine, vinegar, garlic, tarragon, thyme, and parsley. Add cream; boil 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer just until lobster flavor infuses cream, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
Strain sauce into large bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard contents of strainer. (Lobster and sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.)
Transfer sauce to heavy large saucepan. Cut lobster meat into bite-size pieces; coarsely crumble roe, if using. Add to sauce. Gently rewarm over low heat, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain; return pasta to pot. Add sauce; toss over medium-high heat until sauce coats pasta, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to large shallow bowl and serve.

Serves 10.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Simple Bouillabaisse

partysugar — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:50:59 -0800

You don't need all day to make the classic French seafood stew known as bouillabaisse. Following this recipe, the savory, filling soup can be ready in under an hour. A large variety of seafood can be included in the Provencal dish.

Based on your family's budget and tastebuds, select two or three of the fish and shellfish options listed. This recipe is especially useful when you have leftover fish on hand. To learn how this quick bouillabaisse is made, read more.

Simple Bouillabaisse
From Cookie

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
1 large onion, peeled and sliced
1 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced
1 large pinch saffron, soaked in 2 tablespoons orange juice for 10 minutes (optional)
1 strip orange zest
1 (14-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, in juice
6 cups seafood stock (sold at most fish markets) or clam juice
Some or all of the following seafood (ask your fish seller for enough to serve 4 to 6 people): halibut, cod, tilapia, or snapper (in large chunks); shell-on large shrimp or lump crabmeat; clams or mussels
1 bunch Italian parsley, chopped

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, onion, and fennel and saute until just brown, 5 to 10 minutes.
Add the saffron (if using), orange zest, tomatoes, and stock or clam juice.
Bring to a boil and cook until the vegetables are tender and the liquid is reduced by half, about 20 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium and add the fish (but not shellfish). Cook for about 2 minutes.
Add any clams, mussels, and shrimp. Simmer until the shells just begin to open, about 4 minutes more.
Add any crabmeat.
Cook until all shells have opened, the shrimp is pink and curled, and the fish flakes easily, about 2 minutes.
Serve from the pot, sprinkled with the parsley and topped with crusty bread.

Serves 4-6.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Cod With Cockles and White Wine

partysugar — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 06:50:17 -0700

In this flavorful dish, two types of seafood - firm white fish and briny shellfish - are combined, creating a sophisticated meal that is surprisingly uncomplicated to make.

If your local market does not have cod or cockles, consider using another affordable flaky white fish, like halibut, and small clams in place of the cockles.

Serve a lightly dressed salad of mixed greens with herbs on the side and a glass of chilled Rosé. Take a trip to the seashore with this recipe and read more.

Cod With Cockles and White Wine
From Food and Wine

Ingredients

Four 6-ounce skinless cod or hake fillets (1 1/4 inch thick)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound cockles, scrubbed
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup bottled clam broth
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
Pinch of smoked sweet paprika (optional)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°. Season the fish with salt and pepper and dust lightly with the flour.
In a medium ovenproof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil until shimmering. Add the fish and cook over high heat until golden on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Flip the fish.
Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the fish for about 10 minutes, until the flesh flakes with a fork. Transfer the fish to bowls.
Meanwhile, in another large skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil until shimmering. Add the garlic and cockles and cook over high heat for 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the clam broth and cook, stirring, until the cockles open and the liquid is reduced to about 1/4 cup, about 7 minutes.
Tilt the skillet so the liquid pools to one side. Add the butter to the skillet and swirl until melted. Toss the cockles in the sauce and add the parsley; spoon them over the fish, sprinkle with smoked paprika and serve.

Serves 4.

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