Category Archives: SEAFOOD RECIPES

CURRY SAUCE FOR CHICKEN, SHRIMP, BEEF, OR LAMB

While I understand that many of you are older and don’t have children at home anymore or even had children to begin with.  But since I did, and even after 20 some years of not having hungry children waiting for me when I arrive home from work, I still remember what it was like. So if it seems like many of my recipes are aimed at folks with little time to spare in the kitchen, it is because some of my best recipes were developed during my years of being a working parent. And you know, I still make many of those same recipes today even though Mr. C. and I are happily retired and presumably I have all the time in the world to spend in the kitchen. Don’t get me wrong, I love to while away the hours preparing new dishes. But some evenings, it’s just delightful to serve a favorite old standby that I know we are both going to enjoy. So when I find myself with a bit of leftover meat in the fridge, I often make a curry. I almost always have the other necessary ingredients in my fridge or pantry, so to build a curry sauce is a snap. But before I go any further, a word about curry powder. The curry powder I use in this recipe is based on the spices used in Indian cooking. But In India, there is no such thing as curry powder.  Every Indian dish that requires powdered spices combines a number of individual spices unique to that particular dish. So there is no “one combination curry powder fits all” in an Indian kitchen. An Indian cook will roast and pulverize whole spices or they might use a combination of already ground spices. Much the same way in which we would decide the variety and amount of spice to use while preparing an apple pie. One baker might use only cinnamon and allspice, whereas the next pie maker might swear by a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.  So how did curry powder, which is a combination of spices including coriander, cumin, fenugreek, cayenne, turmeric, allspice, cardamom, cloves, fennel, ginger, mace, mustard, and black or white pepper, come about? The British, of course! From the early 1600s when Britain had just a scattering of trading posts on the Indian coast until 1947 when India gained its independence from Britain, British citizens living in India were exposed to Indian cuisine. And of course, as British soldiers and other government officials returned home from their stay in India, they wanted a way in which to bring those wonderful flavors home with them. Their solution was curry powder. And why not, it’s easy!  And many of the blends readily available to us today are really good. Instead of having to add multiple spices to an Indian dish that is otherwise quick and easy to prepare, curry powder is usually the only “spice” required. Such a deal! And all you parents out there, don’t be afraid to introduce your kidlets to curry at an early age. Curry was one of dishes all my children loved. They were eating it before they realized they really shouldn’t like it. Being children after all comes with certain responsibilities, like being fussy about what food you will and will not tolerate. Get your little darlings hooked young enough and they won’t know enough to object! And even if you aren’t lucky enough to still have children at home (I can say “lucky” and truly mean it now that my children are all grown) as an excuse to prepare a curry, be brave and give it a try anyway. Remember, you’re never too old for the “three bite” rule!

  • 3 T. butter
  • 1/3 c. julienne cut carrots
  • ½ c. thinly sliced mushrooms, opt.
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 T. vermouth, opt.
  • 1 T. minced fresh or dried parsley
  • 2 T. flour
  • 3-4 tsp. curry powder, or more to taste
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 can cream of mushroom soup
  • ½ c. milk
  • 1 ½ c. sour cream
  • 1 c. cooked chicken (cubed), shrimp, beef (cubed), or lamb (cubed)
  • chopped cashew nuts (opt.)
  • finely chopped green onions (opt.)
  • chutney (opt.)

Melt butter in a medium sized saucepan. Add carrots and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and garlic and cook until garlic is just starting to brown. Deglaze the pan with vermouth. Whisk in the parsley, flour, curry powder, black pepper, cream of mushroom soup, and milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Carefully whisk in the sour cream and add your cooked meat of choice. Adjust seasoning. Serve over steamed rice garnished with cashews, green onions, and chutney, or any combination thereof.

 

 

SHRIMP AND SCALLOP CEVICHE

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This recipe was given to me by our dear friend Desiree. She prepared it for one of our JazzVox concerts and it was a huge success. I absolutely could not stop eating it. And believe me, I was not alone. I did change some of the amounts and omit a couple of ingredients, but that’s only because of personal preference. The great thing about ceviche is that in addition to shrimp and scallops you can use a wide variety of other seafood including snapper, flounder, sea bass, halibut, mahi-mahi, tilapia, squid, and octopus. In fact, tilapia is very widely used in Mexico and here in America it is fairly inexpensive and widely available. And I know, ceviche is all about “cooking” seafood in citrus juice, mainly lemon and lime. However, I prefer to actually lightly poach my shrimp and scallops before I add them to the other ingredients.  Technically speaking, to actually cook something, heat is required. So a dish in which raw fish is marinated in citrus juice hasn’t truly been cooked.  But food “cooked” in an acid isn’t exactly raw either. Both heat and citric acid are agents of a chemical process called denaturation. Denaturation is the process by which protein molecules in food are structurally changed by heating, agitation, pressure or adding an alkali or acid. When fish is “cooked” in citrus juices, the process of denaturation turns the flesh firm and opaque, as if it had been cooked with heat. But from everything I’ve read, “cooking” food in citrus juice does not do as good a job of killing bacteria or parasites as does cooking with heat. Unless you are absolutely positive your seafood is ultra fresh, I would recommend that you at least consider a hot bath for your seafood before you add it to its flavorful citric marinade. But enough about “cooking” and cooking! Let’s go on to an interesting and perhaps little known fact about ceviche marinade.

If you are a ceviche connoisseur, then you probably already know about Tiger’s Milk (leche de tigre). But just in case you don’t, leche de tigre is what the Peruvians call the leftover ceviche marinade. It is often served as the drink of choice when ceviche is on the menu. It is served in small glasses with or without vodka. (I’m tellin’ you, for me to drink this concoction it would have to be at least 1/3rd vodka!) But, apparently Peruvians love their leche de tigre. They consider it an excellent cure for hangovers. (You know, I don’t make this stuff up; but it seems to me that vodka spiked leche de tigre would cause more hangovers than it would cure!)  Happy ceviche everyone.

  • ½ c. fresh orange juice
  • 4 limes, juiced
  • 3 lemons, juiced
  • dash hot sauce
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ c. finely diced red onion
  • 1-2 very finely minced jalapeño peppers
  • 2 c. (about ¾ lb.) raw scallops
  • 2 c. (about ¾ lb. raw de-veined medium large shrimp
  • ½ c. finely chopped cilantro
  • 4 finely chopped green onions
  • 2-3 campari or vine-ripened tomatoes, seeded and finely diced
  • 2 avocados, diced

In a medium sized, non-reactive bowl, stir together the orange juice, 3/4th of the lime juice (reserve the remaining lime juice to add just before serving), lemon juice, hot sauce, salt, pepper, red onion, jalapeño, and poached scallops and shrimp. (To poach the shrimp and scallops, season 2 quarts of water with 1/4 cup kosher salt and bring to a boil. Once the water has come to a boil, add the seafood to the pot and immediately turn off the heat. Let the shrimp and scallops sit until just about cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the water and immediately drop in ice cold water. Drain, pat dry, and cut into bite sized pieces.) Make sure seafood is completely covered with citrus liquid. Add more lime juice if necessary. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours. Stir once or twice to ensure everybody marinating uniformly. 30 minutes before serving add the cilantro, green onions, tomatoes, avocados, and reserved lime juice. Adjust seasoning and drain off part of the liquid. (Or of course, you can serve the extra marinade in small glasses to the uninitiated.) Serve as an appetizer with tortilla chips or on a bed of lettuce for a light summer salad. Either way, ceviche is a heavenly way to enjoy seafood.

 

 

MUSSELS IN ANCHO CHILI CREAM SAUCE

Mr. C. and I love almost any type of critter that spent its happier days (that is to say alive days) basking in either salt or fresh water. And bivalve mollusks, like mussels and clams, when they are steamed in a lovely broth are at the top of our list of most beloved seafood dishes. And this recipe that I developed after having enjoyed a similar mussel appetizer at a Mexican restaurant in the Ballard district of Seattle is one of our favorites. Most of the time I begin my food experiments (actually knock-off recipes) using the ingredients listed on the menu. In this case the only ingredients listed were (if I remember correctly) ancho chili, shallots, wine, and cream. Not a lot to go on, but never-the-less, a starting point. (My biggest problem was where to find ancho chili powder. Even though, at the time, and this was quite a few years ago, we lived in Bellevue, I couldn’t find ancho chili powder anywhere. (For those of you unfamiliar with the great state of Washington, Bellevue is the 2nd largest city; (really just an unpretentious little burg) located east and just across Lake Washington from Seattle.) I finally located ancho chili powder at Market Spice, a fabulous spice store in Seattle’s famous Pike Street Market. Now thank heaven, you can find it at most upscale markets around the area. After finally finding ancho chili powder, I added the other ingredients that had been listed on the menu and a few others that I remembered either seeing or tasting in the broth. After a couple of near misses, I came up with the recipe I am sharing with you today. It is ever so lovely as an appetizer, but also makes a heavenly main dish if you add al dente cooked pasta. Just place the pasta in the bottom of a large, flat bowl. Scoop some of the mussels, or a combination of mussels, clams, prawns, and calamari rings over the pasta and add some of the broth and topping ingredients. Serve with chewy baguette slices and you have a simple one course lunch or dinner fit for a king!

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 3 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 12-15 fresh thyme sprigs tied together with kitchen string
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 tsp. or more ancho chili powder
  • 1 c. dry white wine
  • 1 bottle clam juice
  • ½ c. heavy cream
  • 2-3 lbs. mussels, cleaned and de-bearded
  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 small tomato, chopped
  • 1 lemon cut into wedges for garnish
  • chewy Italian baguette, sliced

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat; add shallots and celery and sweat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic, sauté for 1 minute. Add the thyme sprigs, bay leaf, ancho chile (start with 1 teaspoon), wine, clam juice, and cream. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer uncovered until liquid is reduced to about ½ cup, 30-40 minutes. If you want a stronger ancho taste, add a small amount more at this point. Remove the thyme sprig bundle and bay leaf from the pan. Discard. Turn up the heat, and add mussels; cover and simmer until mussels open, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard any mussels that have not opened. Taste broth and season with salt and pepper if required. Sprinkle with parsley and chopped tomato and garnish with lemon wedges. Provide each person with a large flat bowl and a tiny or salad fork. Serve mussels right out of pan with baguette slices for dipping.

GRILLED MARINATED PRAWNS

I got this basic recipe from a girl I worked with back in 1974 or 1975.  I was about 4 years her senior and held the misguided belief that I was quite savvy about food. (I was young – cut me some slack!) Anyway, she shared this recipe with me. As I read through the recipe she proceeded to verbally elaborate on the merits of using this white wine over that white wine. (Up till that point I had only purchased wine in a box, that is if you don’t count Ripple, Annie Green Springs, and Cold Duck (and please for goodness sake, don’t count them). This younger woman was actually talking about wine that came in a bottle with a fancy French name! Then there was this olive oil that I had never heard of either. And prawns?  Who was this girl? Suffice it to say, my ego took a big hit that day. I still think of her when I find myself getting overly verbose about my cooking expertise. You just never know when you are in the presence of a true kitchen genius.

  • ¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
  • ¼ c. dry white wine
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 2-3 lbs. uncooked prawns (I use frozen, uncooked, unshelled with tail on, 18-25 per lb.)

Combine olive oil, white wine, garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper in a one gallon zip lock bag.  Add prawns and marinate for 1-2 hours depending on size of the prawns. (The larger the prawns, the longer the marinating time.) Refrigerate while prawns are marinating. Drain and barbeque over medium heat, or sauté quickly in a large fry pan, for a couple of minutes per side. DO NOT OVERCOOK. Prawns are done when they have just turned pink. Serve immediately or cool completely and refrigerate. When ready to serve, warm gently or serve at room temperature. No dip or sauce required.

 

CRAB BISQUE – also reverently referred to as Heaven in a Bowl!

I absolutely love serving a first course soup at dinner parties. I have a large selection of flat bottomed coffee cups (short, squat, straight sided, with the bottom and top sharing the same circumference) that I picked up at our local Goodwill. After the appetizers and beverages have been served, and my guests have had sufficient time to tell me how wonderful the appetizers tasted (always allow time between courses for unsolicited compliments), I hand out small cups of a rich soup like this bisque before the main course is served. The servings are small because my first course soups tend to be very rich, and a tiny amount goes a long way. In fact, I try to serve fairly small portions of every dish that I serve. I have always felt that a person’s taste buds (like mine for example – that can legitimately be classified as overworked) get tired after a few bites of any flavor, regardless of how fabulous. So rather than too much quantity of any one food, I prefer to offer a greater assortment of small dishes, with lots of different and interesting flavors and flavor combinations represented. And yes, I know that it takes more time and effort to prepare the food for a dinner party using my criteria, but happy taste buds dancing around your dining room is worth the effort.

  • 2 T. butter (don’t even think about using margarine)
  • 1 large shallot, thinly sliced
  • ¼ c. loosely packed basil chiffonade* (rolled into the shape of a cigarette and very thinly sliced)
  • 2 ½ T. flour
  • 2 c. vegetable stock
  • 8-oz. can tomato sauce
  • 1 c. heavy cream
  • 1/8 tsp. white pepper
  • 1/3 lb. fresh or canned crab (do not use that fake crab stuff in MY Crab Bisque recipe – or else!)

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté for 2 or 3 minutes, or until soft. Add basil and continue sautéing for 1 minute more. Whisk in flour and cook until mixture is bubbly, 1 to 2 minutes. Gradually add veggie stock and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil. Add heavy cream and bring back to just under a boil. Reduce heat to simmer, add white pepper and crab, reserving a tiny amount to add as a garnish, and continue cooking 3 or 4 minutes. Serve immediately garnished with reserved crab.

*rolled into the shape of a cigarette and very thinly sliced