Heart Healthy -Pistachio-Crusted Grouper with Lavender Honey Sauce

Eating healthy is so much fun.  Your guests will be amazed at the style and finish of this dish. The delicate, subtle flavors of roasted pistachios and lavender honey transform this baked grouper into an easy, yet refined meal that family and friends will remember. Serve with sautéed spinach.

Ingredients

5 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs

5 tablespoons finely chopped unsalted shelled dry-roasted pistachios

4 (6-ounce) grouper fillets

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

Lavender Honey Sauce

Lemon wedges (optional)

Lavender sprigs (optional)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 450°.

2. Combine breadcrumbs and pistachios in a shallow dish. Sprinkle fillets evenly with salt and pepper. Dip fillets in egg whites; dredge in breadcrumb mixture.

3. Place fish on a jelly-roll pan lined with parchment paper; bake at 450° for 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork or until desired degree of doneness. Drizzle fillets evenly with Lavender Honey Sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges and lavender sprigs, if desired.

Heart Healthy – Grilled Tuna with Chipotle Ponzu and Avocado Salsa

Here is a great example of how bold Asian and Latin flavors work well together for our seventh Heart-Healthy Entre’. Orange and lime juice substitute for rice vinegar, the acidic ingredient typically used in a Japanese ponzu dipping sauce. It gets a kick from the hot, smoky chipotle chiles.

Ingredients

Ponzu:

1/2 cup orange juice

1/2 cup lime juice

1/4 cup grated onion

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 1/2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

Salsa:

3/4 cup diced English cucumber

1/2 cup diced plum tomato

1/2 cup diced peeled avocado

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Remaining ingredients:

4 (6-ounce) tuna steaks

1/4 teaspoon salt

Cooking spray

2 cups hot cooked medium-grain rice

Preparation

To prepare ponzu, place 1/2 cup orange juice and the next 5 ingredients (through 1 1/2 chipotle chiles) in a blender, and process until smooth.

To prepare salsa, combine diced cucumber, tomato, avocado, and cilantro in a small bowl.

Sprinkle fish with salt. Heat a large nonstick grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add fish; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Cut each tuna steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Arrange sliced tuna over rice; top with salsa, and drizzle with ponzu.

Heart Healthy -Grilled Orange-and-Bourbon Salmon

This easy grilled salmon recipe gets its sweet, mellow flavor from the marinade of bourbon, orange juice, brown sugar and soy sauce and is our sixth installment in our series about how to  cooking Heart Healthy. To make a complete meal, serve the salmon over a bed of brown rice, with green beans and a salad on the side. Save some orange-and-bourbon marinade and drizzle over the salmon and rice to impart complementing flavors of bourbon and citrus throughout.

 

Ingredients

1/4 cup bourbon

1/4 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup chopped green onions

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, chopped

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets (about 1 inch thick)

Cooking spray

Preparation

Combine first 8 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag, and add salmon to bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 1 1/2 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill or broiler.

Remove salmon from bag, reserving marinade. Place salmon on a grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Cook 6 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork, basting frequently with reserved marinade.

 

Heart Healthy – Seared Scallops with Warm Fruit Salsa

My fourth installment to my series of Heart Healthy recipes comes from The American Heart Association. They recommend eating salmon or other fatty fish such as mackerel or tuna twice each week for the heart-protective benefits associated with omega-3 fatty acids found in their fish oils. Our collection of seafood recipes offers a variety of preparation and cooking options to optimize your fish and shellfish based meals.
First up is our Seared Scallops with Warm Fruit Salsa. A hot skillet is key to a deep golden sear on the scallops. Prepare the fruit salsa in the same skillet as the scallops for an easy one-pan cleanup. Jasmine rice rounds out the meal.

Ingredients

12 large sea scallops (about 1 1/4 pounds)

Cooking spray

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon salt

Warm Fruit Salsa

4 teaspoons sliced green onions

Preparation

1. Pat scallops dry with paper towels. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Sprinkle scallops evenly with pepper and salt. Add scallops to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove scallops from pan; keep warm.

2. Prepare Warm Fruit Salsa.

3. Discard any accumulated juices from scallops; top evenly with Warm Fruit Salsa and onions. Serve immediately.

Classic Shrimp Cocktail

 

Ingredients:

For The Shrimp:
2 tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 lemon, halved
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp salt
24 extra large tail-on raw shrimp,
(more if you are using smaller shrimp).

For The Cocktail Sauce:
1/2 cup chili sauce
1 cup ketchup
1 tbsp horseradish
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp Tabasco
1/2 clove garlic, finely minced.
1 tbsp cilantro, chopped.

Preparation:

To prepare the cocktail sauce, mix all the cocktail sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Have a large bowl of ice water ready and set near the sink.
To a 8-quart pot of water, add the Old Bay, lemon, granulated garlic, minced garlic, chili powder, and salt.

Bring to a boil.

Add the shrimp to the pot and when the water returns to a boil, the shrimp should be done! The shrimp should be bright pink.

Immediately drain and place the shrimp into the ice bath to cool for 2 minutes. Peel the shrimp (leaving the tail-on.) Drain and serve with the cocktail sauce.

Stuffed Crabs le Grande

One of my favorite, easy ways to serve an  appetizer to amaze your guests.

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons minced celery
2 tablespoons minced bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
Pinch cayenne
1 bay leaf
1 pound jumbo lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
2 tablespoons minced parsley leaves
1/4 cup minced green onions
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch ground black pepper
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fine dried bread crumbs
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
6 pats of cold butter
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
6 cleaned crab shells

Preparation:

In a large skillet heat the butter and, when it begins to foam, add the onion, celery, and bell pepper. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, Essence, thyme, cayenne and bay leaf and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gently fold in the crabmeat, parsley, green onions, egg, salt, cayenne, and black pepper, 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs, and the heavy cream. Stir well to combine. Transfer the crabmeat mixture to the cleaned crab shells and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon of the remaining bread crumbs. Top each crab shell with a pat of butter and bake until golden brown and thoroughly heated, about 20 minutes.

Serve immediately.

OYSTERS D’EVEREUX

Chef Lynn Johnson’s version of this classic New Orleans oyster dish includes bacon, ham, D’evereux Pepper Sauce Rouge and sherry for fuller flavor. This recipe is named for Natchez’s own D’evereux Foods.

Ingredients:

1 slice bacon, finely chopped

¹⁄₃ cup sliced white mushrooms

2 oz. ham, finely chopped

6 tbsp. unsalted butter

6 scallions, thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, finely chopped

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

¹⁄₂ small green bell pepper, finely chopped

¹⁄₄ tsp. dried oregano

¹⁄₄ tsp. dried thyme

¹⁄₂ tsp. cayenne pepper

1 bay leaf

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 medium raw shrimp (about 7), finely chopped

1 ¹⁄₂ tbsp. dry sherry

²⁄₃ cup heavy cream

¹⁄₃ cup milk

¹⁄₃ cup flour

1 tbsp. Devereux Pepper Sauce Rouge  (More if you like heat)

Coarse rock salt, for pan

12 bluepoint oysters, on the half shell

Lemon wedges, for serving

Preparation:

Cook bacon in a 10″ skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer bacon to a bowl; set aside. Add mushrooms and ham to skillet and cook until browned, 2 minutes; using a slotted spoon, transfer to bowl with bacon.

Add 2 tbsp. butter to skillet; add scallions, celery, onions, garlic, and peppers; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add oregano, thyme, cayenne, bay, salt, and pepper; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add shrimp and sherry; cook, stirring, until just pink, 1-2 minutes.

Add cream and milk, and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and cook until reduced by two-thirds, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly; stir in reserved bacon, mushrooms, pepper sauce and ham. Transfer mixture to a blender and puree until smooth; set aside. Wipe out skillet and melt remaining butter over medium-high heat; add flour and cook until golden, whisking constantly, 2 minutes.

Whisk in reserved puree; remove; let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a ½” fluted tip and refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour.

Heat broiler to high. Line a baking sheet with rock salt about ¼” deep. Nestle oysters onto bed of rock salt. Pipe filling over oysters; broil until tops are browned, about 4 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges.

Salmon with Lentils and Mustard-Herb Butter – Saumon aux Lentilles

Despite the fact that salmon seems to be everywhere these days, this dish is something very special. Mustard-herb butter gives a lemony pop to the meatiness of the fish, while French green lentils add a unique texture that regular brown lentils just don’t have.

Ingredients:

For mustard-herb butter

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon chopped chives
• 1 teaspoon chopped tarragon
• 2 teaspoons grainy mustard
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

For lentils

• 1 cup French green lentils
• 4 cups water
• 2 medium leeks (white and pale green parts only)
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 to 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

For salmon

• 4 (6-ounce) pieces skinless salmon fillet
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

Preparation:

Make mustard-herb butter:
Stir together all ingredients with 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper.

Cook lentils:
Bring lentils, water, and 3/4 teaspoon salt to a boil in a heavy medium saucepan, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until lentils are just tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking liquid, then drain lentils.

While lentils cook, chop leeks, then wash . Cook leeks in butter in a heavy medium skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add lentils with reserved cooking liquid to leeks along with 3 tablespoons mustard-herb butter and cook, stirring, until lentils are heated through and butter is melted. Add lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and keep warm, covered.

Sauté salmon while leeks cook:
Pat salmon dry and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper (total).

Heat butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until foam subsides, then sauté salmon, turning once, until golden and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes total.

Serve salmon, topped with remaining mustard-herb butter, over lentils.

Pan Seared Red Snapper with Citrus Glaze & Fennel Parsley Salad

“Red Snapper is one of the most popular of all white fish. In fact snapper is increasingly becoming a generic term for white fish. Red Snapper can be found all over the world with most fish being harvested in the Gulf of Mexico. ”          – Lynnie

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lb  Red Snapper Fillets
• 1 Fennel bulb with fronds attached
• 1 Bunch of Italian Flat Leaf Parsley
• 1 cup of white wine
• 1 stick of butter diced and chilled
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (divided)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp corn starch
• 1 tbsp water

Preparation:

1. Let the fish come up to room temperature
2. In a saucepan combine wine and 1/2 of the lemon juice and heat over medium heat.
3. Roughly chop half of the fennel fronds and stems and add it to the wine.
4. Simmer until the liquid reduces to half, remove stems and any large pieces from the sauce and set aside.
5. Thinly slice the bulb part of the fennel and place in a bowl, add the whole parsley leaves.  Cover with a damp paper towel and refrigerate.
6. In a small bowl combine salt and pepper, 1/2 of the olive oil and 1/2 of the lemon juice and mix well – set aside.
7. In a pan add 1/2 of the olive oil and 1/2 of the butter.  Butter should be bubbly.  (Do not burn it.)
8. Pat dry the fish and season it with salt and pepper  on both sides.
9. Place the fish in the hot pan, sear the fish for 3 minutes on each side.
10. In the meantime, prepare the salad, mix the set aside dressing well and pour over the fennel and parsley.  Mound it up in the middle of the serving plate; use the browned stuff in the bottom of the saute’ pan;
11. Remove the fish and place on paper towels to rest.
12. Pour off some of the excess butter and olive oil mixture and discard.  The pour the remaining browned pan goodness into the wine sauce, earlier prepared.
13. Remove from the heat and add diced cold butter to the mixture and stir until the butter is melted and the sauce is glossy.
14. Serve the crispy red snapper with fresh fennel and parsley salad with a drizzle of citrus glaze.

Chef’s Note:  Don’t strain the sauce. You want some of the fronds to stay in the sauce and straining it would take everything out.  Do not allow the fish to smoke. Your ‘secret weapon’ may be used at this point if you want your sauce to be thicker. What you have now is a ‘buerre blanc’ – an elegant thin wine and butter sauce. You can use it as is…thin is good. If you prefer a thicker sauce you can make the slurry and add it slowly to your buerre blanc, bringing it to a mild boil while stirring.

Cozze allo zafferano

MUSSELS IN SAFFRON BROTH

Mussels are an excellent choice for a seafood dish. . You can’t beat them since they are so versatile, yet simple, inexpensive and not fishy tasting.

Ingredients:

1 teaspoon saffron thread
1 cup hot water
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup onion, chopped
2 lbs mussels, cleaned and debearded
1 cup dry white wine or 1 cup beer
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
fresh ground black pepper
salt, only if needed
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Preparation:

In a small bowl, combine the saffron with the hot water and let sit about 30 minutes.

In a Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium heat; cook garlic until it starts to turn golden, about 2 minutes.

Add onion and cook until it starts to soften, 4 minutes.

Add the mussels, wine, thyme, bay leaf and saffron with water; cover pot and cook until the shells open, 3 to 4 minutes.

Remove the shells and divide between serving bowls, discarding any shells did not open.

At this point strain the broth into a large skillet;

At any rate, increase the heat to a rolling boil and cook to slightly reduce the broth and thicken, about 4 minutes.

Stir in the parsley and remaining tablespoon of oil; taste and add salt and/or pepper as needed.

Pour broth over mussels and serve