Grilled Lake Trout in Mustard-Riesling Sauce

Picture is not of lake trout, but this is how the finished product looks using one larger trout that was butterflied

2 or 3 whole lake trout, butterflied with or without bones
sea salt and black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil plus additional for coating fish
1 tablespoon chopped shallots or green onions
1/2 cup riesling wine
1/2 teaspoon smooth Dijon mustard
1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock
2 tablespoons cold butter
cayenne pepper to taste (optional)

Use a knife to open up and butterfly whole trout (if you would prefer, remove bones or fillet fish. . . we like the bones left in for flavor).  Pat fish dry with paper towels or clean kitchen towel.

Coat fish with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  On inside grill pan or outside grill, cook fish on both sides until fish flakes . . . .(note: the time varies based on heat applied and usually takes less than 8 minutes).  Remove fish to platter to rest.

 Add 1 tablespoon olive oil and shallots or green onions to saucepan and saute for 30 seconds.  Add the wine and mustard, stirring to blend.  Bring to a simmer and cook to reduce the sauce by about one-half which will take about a minute.

Add chicken stock and simmer about 30 more seconds.  Then stir in cold butter and cayenne pepper.  Taste to be sure seasoning is correct.  Pour hot sauce over fish in platter and serve.

Malaysian-Style Stir-Fried Turmeric Shrimp with Bulgur Wheat

Lots of interesting flavor and texture

Serves 2
1/2 cup quick cooking bulgur wheat
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon each of onion powder and garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried dill
zest of 2 lemons
1 large carrot small diced
1 rib celery small diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 small minced jalapeno and
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 lb. small to medium shrimp, peeled
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or
9 fresh curry leaves cut into strips
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
3 green onions, sliced
3 tablespoon chopped cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
Early in the day, cook bulgur wheat by putting it in glass bowl with onion powder, garlic powder, dried dill, and lemon zest.  Heat chicken broth to a boil and pour over bulgur mixture.  Stir and cover bowl.  Allow mixture to sit on counter for 1 hour and then refrigerate until ready to make shrimp dish.
To make the stir-fry, saute carrots, celery, garlic, jalapeno, turmeric, cumin, and red pepper flakes in oil for 3 minutes or until tender crisp.  Next add shrimp and toss to coat with oil and veggie mixture, then immediately add bulgur wheat and chopped fresh dill as well as lemon juice and sugar.  When shrimp begin turning pink, toss in green onions and cilantro.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Remove from heat and serve.
Note: sweet potato chips are delicious with this meal.

Grilled Clams with Basil, Tomato, and Pasta

Serves 2 generously or up to 4 as small plate first course

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 6 sun-dried tomato halves in oil, drained and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts or toasted chopped walnuts
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 24 littleneck clams, scrubbed clean
• 2 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
• cooked pasta of your choice for 2 (we use Angel hair or linguini) 
• grated Parmesan or Romano cheese for garnish

Directions

Heat a gas grill or prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals.

Combine the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, sun-dried tomatoes, basil,
nuts, salt and pepper in a large serving bowl and set aside.
When the grill is hot, place the clams in 1 layer on the hot grate and
allow the heat to open the clams. They'll open gradually for about
5 minutes, then pop-open wide when they're done. Using tongs, remove
the clams from the grill and place them in the bowl with the garlic mixture
and toss together. Drizzle with the melted butter and toss with just cooked hot
pasta.  Place on plates making sure clams are visible on top. 
Sprinkle with cheese; serve immediately.

Angie’s Cioppino-Style Stew

In cioppino, a savory and aromatic concoction, shellfish and firm-fleshed fish - indeed any seafood in profusion - are combined with onions, garlic, tomatoes and perhaps other vegetables, and cooked with herbs in olive oil and wine. While cioppino is redolent of the Mediterranean, it has undergone changes as various groups have embraced making this hearty, cold weather stew.

This version reflects my South Carolina heritage.

1 lb. hot Italian sausage links, sliced

2 tablespoons olive oil

5 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium onions, roughly chopped 
2 finely chopped leeks

2 medium green bell peppers, cored, seeded, 

   and roughly chopped
1 finely diced carrot
1 finely diced celery stalk

1 cup dry white wine

1 cup fish stock or bottled clam juice

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning (may use more or less to taste)
2 teaspoons sugar

28-oz. canned diced tomatoes
1 small can of tomato sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1⁄2 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes (optional)

1 lb. boneless, skinless haddock or cod filets, 

   cut into 1⁄2" chunks

2 lbs. or more of your favorite seafoods like mussels, clams, crab claws, lobster, calamari rings, bay scallops, and shrimp  (I think a variety adds a lot to this dish)

2 lbs. new potatoes, microwaved, cooled and diced into tiny pieces
juice of 4 limes
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 tablespoon thyme
Beurre Manie*

3 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

3 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Brown Italian sausage slices in a skillet over medium-high heat; drain sausage on paper towels and then place in large soup pot; remove any fat rendered and discard it. Next sauté garlic, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, and bell peppers in olive oil in skillet until they are soft but not browned, stirring them so they soften evenly.  Set these aside to add later.  
In soup pot add wine, fish stock, bay leaves, sugar, red chile flakes and Old Bay Seasoning to browned sausage slices.  Bring pan to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 20 minutes. Add sauteed vegetables, lime juice, thyme, tarragon, and fish to the soup pot and continue to cook, covered, for 3 minutes.  Taste and adjust salt and pepper. Add other seafood.  Cover pot; cook until mussels just begin to open, 4–5 minutes.  Stir in diced potatoes and let them heat for a couple of minutes.  At this point, pinch off pieces of Beurre Maine and stir them into the stew.  Stir and heat a couple more minutes to create a glossy looking stew.

 To serve, transfer fish stew to a large serving bowl and sprinkle with half the parsley and cilantro. Allow guests to sprinkle with remaining cilantro and parsley, and serve alongside stew.

SERVES 6 - 8

*Note: Make Beurre Manie by kneading 1/2 stick cold butter with 2 tablespoons flour until well blended.  This is a thickening agent that will also add flavor and shine to your finished stew. 
http://frenchfood.about.com/od/frenchcookingtechniques/ss/beurremanie.htm

Curried Shrimp with Cinnamon Basmati Rice and Golden Raisins

We think this is the best recipe on Martha Stewart’s website

Yield Serves 4

Ingredients for Curried Shrimp

• 2 oranges
• 1 pound large shrimp, tails on, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon hot curry powder
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, plus more to taste
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 2 stalks celery, strings removed, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 cup tomato juice
• 1/2 cup heavy cream or yogurt
• Sprigs fresh oregano, for garnish

Directions

1. Using a citrus zester or the small holes of a box grater, zest oranges. Squeeze juice of oranges into a small bowl. Set zest and juice aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine half of the zest with shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss to coat.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Cook shrimp until bright pink, 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
4. Heat remaining tablespoon oil. Add onion, celery, oregano, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder; cook until onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Add orange and tomato juices; cook until liquid starts to thicken, about 8 minutes.
5. Return the shrimp to saute pan, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the cream. Add the remaining orange zest; season with salt and pepper. Garnish with fresh oregano, and serve with Cinnamon Basmati Rice.

Cinnamon Basmati Rice with Golden Raisins

This is a great side dish rice anytime

Top of Form

Bottom of Form

• Yield Serves 4

Ingredients

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 1 medium yellow onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup uncooked basmati rice
• 1 whole bay leaf
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2/3 cup golden raisins
• 2 cups water
• Salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Melt butter in a medium high-sided saucepan set over medium heat. Add onion, cloves, and cinnamon; cook until onion becomes translucent and mixture is very fragrant.
2. Place rice in sieve, and rinse under cold running water. Add rice to saucepan, and stir so grains are coated in butter mixture.
3. Add bay leaf, cinnamon stick, raisins, salt, and pepper to saucepan. Stir in 2 cups water. Raise heat, and bring to a boil. Cover, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until all water has been absorbed and rice has cooked, 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Remove pan from heat, and let stand, covered, 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Variations

Omits ground cloves and ground cinnamon and replaces with a green cardamom pod.

Coquilles Saint Jacques

This translates into scallops in a Bordelaise style sauce

    

Yield: 6 servings

45 minutes to prepare

For Scallops

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 2 slices of bacon  
• 1 pound/450 g scallops
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Duxelles

• 1 tablespoons butter
• 8 ounces/250 g mushrooms
• 2 shallots, minced
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley or cilantro

Sauce

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoons flour (optional)
• dried tarragon to taste (optional . . . I use about a teaspoon)
• dried thyme to taste (optional)
• dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1/2 cup125 ml white wine
• Liquid from bowl where scallops thaw
• 2 tablespoons Greek Yogurt 
• a few tablespoons of seafood or chicken broth to thin if necessary
• Lemon juice, to taste (I use the juice from 1 whole lemon)

Topping

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley or cilantro
• 6 tablespoons butter cracker crumbs
•  Dab of butter, melted
• reserved bacon bits

Directions

Prepare the scallops: Cook bacon in a large sauté pan.  Remove, drain, and crumble bacon for later use.  Add butter to the sauté pan.   Season the scallops with salt and pepper and sear 1 minute per side, to brown.  Do not overcrowd the pan and do not cook completely.  Slice large scallops in half.  Set aside.
To make the duxelles: Melt the butter in the large sauté pan. Add the shallot, mushroom, salt and pepper.  Cook until the mushrooms have released all their liquid and the pan is dry, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and stir through the parsley.
To make the sauce: Melt the butter in the sauté pan until foaming. Add the shallot and cook until soft. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, 3 minutes. Whisk in the wine and boil down by half. Add the scallop liquid and cook, stirring, until the sauce is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat and stir in the yogurt. Check the seasonings, adding salt, pepper, tarragon, thyme, cayenne pepper, and lemon juice as needed.
To assemble the dish: Heat the oven to broil with the oven rack at the top. Lay 6 large scallop shells or individual gratin dishes on a baking sheet. Divide the mushroom mixture among the shells. Arrange six scallops on each, then spoon over the sauce. For the topping, scatter over the cracker crumbs, parsley, and crumbled bacon;  drizzle over the melted butter, and broil until golden and bubbly, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

SHRIMP ETOUFFEE

Mix the following seasonings in a bowl and set aside:

2 t. salt

2 t. ground red pepper

1 t. white pepper

1 t. black pepper

1 t. dried sweet basil leaves

1/2 t. dried thyme leaves

In a separate bowl combine:

1/4 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped green bell peppers

Roux Ingredients:

7 T. vegetable oil

3/4 cup flour

Other Ingredients:

3 cups of shrimp stock (make this from the shrimp shells)

2 sticks butter

2 lbs. peeled shrimp

1 cup very finely chopped green onions

4 cups cooked rice

     In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat until it begins to smoke.  With a long-handled whisk, gradually mix in the flour, stirring until smooth.  Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until roux is dark red-brown, about 3 to 5 minutes.  Remove from heat and immediately stir in the celery, onions, and green pepper with a tablespoon of the seasoning mix.  Continue stirring until cooled, about 5 minutes.

     In a 2 quart saucepan bring 2 cups of the stock to a boil over high heat.  Gradually add the roux and whisk until thoroughly dissolved.  Reduce heat to low and cook until flour taste is gone, about 2 minutes, whisking constantly.  Remove from heat and set aside.

     In a 4 quart saucepan melt 1 stick of the butter over medium heat.  Stir in the shrimp and the green onions; saute about 1 minute, stirring constantly.  Add the remianing stick of butter, the stock mixture and the remaining stock; cook until butter melts and is mixed into sauce, about 4 to 6 minutes, constantly shaking the pan in a back and forth motion.  Add the remaining seasoning mix; stir well and remove from heat.  Serve with a mounded 1/2 cup rice in center and etouffee surrounding on each plate.