fish and seafood

Fish & Seafood

Curry Shrimp

I created this Indian-style shrimp when we were entertaining some friends, one of our favorite things to do. It works on the stovetop or the grill.

Fish & Seafood

This is dead simple, and totally delicious. I tend to grill up millions of them, take them off the skewers, pile them on a platter, and stick a few toothpicks on. People get the idea pretty quickly, and they disappear... I like them good and spicy, but you can adjust the amount of Sriracha as you'd like.

Fish & Seafood

IPA Battered Fish and Chips

London Calling. Crisy, golden fried cod, with homemade "twice-fried" fries.

Fish & Seafood

Shrimp and Baby Bok Choy Stir Fry

This is a light and spicy stir-fry, with shrimp, baby bok choy, and snow peas, along with a handful of chopped cashews for texture. Velveting the shrimp -- that is, marinating it in egg white and cornstarch, then poaching it in water -- takes a little bit of time, but the payoff is plump, juicy shrimp that won't overcook. Let the seafood marinate while you prep the vegetables, then poach the shrimp, and toss everything together in a wok. Add a pile of rice to soak up the sauce, and dinner's done!

Fish & Seafood

Seared Salmon with Cinnamon and Chile Powder

This may be a simple recipe, but the flavors unite in an elegant and complex way. It's perfect for one because you can have it on the table in less than 10 minutes with almost no mess.

Fish & Seafood

Quick Wok Fired Squid with Greens

This dish doesn't get much easier to assemble. It requires less than 10 minutes of actual cooking time and about 10 minutes to prep the ingredients (even fewer if you buy your squid already cleaned).

Fish & Seafood

Fish Yassa

When my family and I lived in San Francisco, we often visited a little restaurant in the Mission District called Bissap Baobab. I particularly loved their hibiscus cocktails and a mustardy fish dish. Recently, I recalled the fish dish and tried to figure out what went into it. In my research, I came across a lot of references to a Senegalese dish made with variations of lemon, vinegar, and mustard. While it did not sound exactly like the Bissap Baobab fish, it sounded delicious enough for me to give it a try. I started building the recipe from some toasted coriander, black pepper, and chiles -- and the results were delicious, and very, very spicy. When I first tried a sample of a dried arbol chile, it was not so hot, but after a second little nibble, my lips lit on fire. I did find that cold cream cheese, applied as lipstick, does wonders for stopping the burn... and for my next attempt, I may choose to remove the seeds before adding the chiles to the dish to cut down on the heat.

Fish & Seafood

Grilled (or Broiled) Oysters with a Sriracha Lime Butter

Although I love my oysters raw, sometimes a grilled oyster is a nice change. The oysters are topped with a yummy spicy citrus butter that still allows the flavor of the oysters to come through. The butter is also great as a dipping sauce for crab legs and lobster.

Fish & Seafood

Whole Roasted Fish with Rosemary Potatoes

Not everyone is prepared to find a whole fish on their dinner plate. We found our underwater friend's underbite amusing; but teeth and eyeballs cause some squirm. Besides, many of us never learned what to do when presented with a whole fish for dinner. How does one go about removing the head, skin and spine in order to get to the the tender white fillet inside?

Fish & Seafood

Avocado Crab Rolls

The first summer after my husband and I met, I made my first trek to the East End of Long Island where he spent his summers growing up, and had my first bite of a lobster roll. The sweet simplicity was a revelation. I look forward to one each time we visit our family. Lobsters certainly aren't local here in Maryland, but sweet blue crab is abundant this year. So I based this dish on my favorite parts of a lobster roll, with the avocado playing up the richness of the dish in a way that helps humble crab be a bit more exotic. We can't get the classic top split hot dog buns here - so I trim off the crusts from regular buns and toast the sides in butter. If I were at the Clam Bar in Amagansett - I'd have a Red Stripe with my lobster roll. I think it makes a nice pairing here too. This recipe makes more than enough avocado mayo for 2 rolls - so use the extra for a tasty BLT or more rolls! I had 2 people to serve and 1 avocado that was perfectly ripe so I made this for 2. Easily scales upwards.