Fish/Seafood

Amazing! Mussels with Tomatoes, Garlic, and Lemons

August 23, 2019 by Becky Spoon

Mussels with Tomatoes, Garlic, Lemons, & Wine

I made these Mussels with Tomatoes, Garlic, and Lemons when I was in Mexico on vacation. I was in a 2 bedroom condo at my resort that had a partial kitchen, so we were able to buy groceries, which I love to do while traveling, and cook some of the local food finds. Since I was in Cabo San Lucas I can always get fresh seafood!

Of course, I can get mussels here too! And I do make mussels often. I love them. They are so much meatier than clams and I love the flavors! They just pair so well with lemons, garlic, white wine, tomatoes, fresh herbs, and honestly many other ingredients.

Mussels with Tomatoes, Garlic, and Lemons

When I purchase mussels at my local fish market they come in a bag like this. They are alive. You want to use them soon after purchase and until then, store them in your refrigerator over ice. When you use the mussels, you want to wash them well, and there is a little beard that needs to be removed. Any mussels that are open and if you tap them and they do not close, you need to discard them because they are not living any longer. Here’s a link if you want to read further about cleaning mussels: http://dish.allrecipes.com/how-to-clean-mussel.

This is an easy recipe. You can serve this as an appetizer or as a meal with a loaf of crusty bread. If you want to add a salad https://the2spoons.com/italian-salad-with-lemon-olive-oil-vinaigrette/ my Italian Salad would be great.

Mussels with Tomatoes, Garlic, and Lemons

Here’s the easy recipe!! Enjoy!

Mussesls with Tomatoes, Garlic, and Lemons

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Course: Appetizer, dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Seafood

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2-3 lbs mussels
1/2 medium onion, diced
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
6 Roma Tomatoes, diced (you can substitute a couple of regular tomatoes if needed)
2 tbsp olive oil plus more for drizzling
2 cups Sauvignon blanc or similar
juice of one lemon
salt to taste
chopped fresh parsley

Method

Heat a large skillet on medium high. Add the onion and sauté until soft. Add the garlic and cook just a few minutes until fragrant. Add the wine and reduce by half. Add the tomatoes and lemon juice, and cook for a couple of minutes. Add a little salt and taste.
Add the mussels, cover, reduce the heat to medium and cook until the mussels have opened. If any mussels did not open, discard them.
Serve immediately with some crusty bread! Enjoy!

Italian Salad with Lemon and Olive Oil Vinaigrette

Amazing Dish! Scallops in Aguachile

August 16, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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This dish of Scallops in Aguachile (chile water) is amazing. If you love sashimi or ceviche, you will love this dish.

Here is an excerpt from Andrew Zimmerman’s website explaining what this dish is and where it originated.

“In the Pacific states of Sinaloa and Nayarit, aguachile de callo de hacha (scallops in chile water) is the Rolls Royce of ceviche dishes, in which the luxurious scallop is bathed in a fiery solution of lime and fresh green chile. Traditionally, only two vegetables—cucumber and purple onion—serve as a garnish, so the dish shines with just a finish of sea salt and pepper. Not surprisingly, the elegantly simple aguachile has become a favorite of modern Mexican chefs like Carlos Salgado, who is slowly evolving the flavors in his versions.

Two notes: Poached shrimp, sliced in half down the middle, will substitute beautifully for the scallops if you prefer that. And if you can’t find anise hyssop leaves (they are uncommon), fresh mint makes a delicious variation.”

Amazing dish! Scallops in Aguachile

This dish was inspired by a dish my friend made on my last trip to Cabo San Lucas. He layered thinly sliced fresh scallops from the ocean, very thinly sliced onion and added lime juice. He marinated the scallops and onions in the lime juice for about 15 minutes which cooked the scallops. Then he added avocado and cucumber and served this delicious dish with tortilla chips. I’d say it was between sashimi and ceviche. When I returned from Cabo, I did a little research, ran across the original recipe with an aguachile and decided I’d take his recipe a step farther.

Such a delicious and refreshing dish for the summer! You can substitute shrimp as stated before, but you want to make sure either the shrimp or scallops are very fresh!

I served this on fried Wontons. Oh, my goodness! So good. I added a little wasabi and I honestly can’t tell you how delicious this dish was.

Serving this on a wonton idea came from one of my favorite restaurants in Cabo, Tazuma. Tazuma is at Pueblo Bonito Resort at Sunset Beach so you would have to call ahead for reservations and to make arrangements to enter the resort. Here’s a link if you ever have the opportunity to try: https://www.pueblobonito.com/resorts/sunset-beach.

Here is my ceviche dish I think you will love too: https://the2spoons.com/this-shrimp-ceviche-is-easy-so-delicious/

Amazing Dish! Scallops in Aguachile

I hope you don’t let the idea of the lime cooking the scallops keep you from trying this dish. This is a crazy good dish, perfect for an evening meal or lunch, just a snack along with appetizers for your next party or before the main course.

Scallops in Aguachile

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Servings: 2 servings

Course: Appetizer, dinner, Lunch, Main Course, mexican, Snack

Cuisine: Japanese, Mexican

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

6 sea scallops
3 limes, juiced
1-2 avocado diced
1/2 English cucumber, peeled, de-seeded and thinly sliced, seasoned with salt
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
6-8 Fried crispy wonton wrappers

For the Aguachile Broth

3 limes, juiced
1/2 cucumber, peeled
1 jalapeno, sliced and seeded
About a handful each of cilantro and parsley
1 tbsp tarragon, optional
mint leaves, optional
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp water
1 garlic clove
1/2 tsp salt

Method

Using a sharp knife slice the scallops finely and add them to lime juice.
To prepare the Aguachile Broth, blitz the ingredients in a blender or food processor and strain through a fine mesh.
Arrange the scallops evenly on 2 plates and top with red onion, avocado & cucumber. Pour over the aguachile broth. Serve with fried wontons or tortilla chips!

Want more seafood dishes? Try these BBQ shrimp! https://the2spoons.com/love-this-easy-barbecue-shrimp/

Perfect Lemon Parmesan Salmon with Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

August 16, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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This Lemon Parmesan Salmon with Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad was on Halfbaked Harvest Instagram page and I thought it looked delicious! Well, I had to make it and it is delicious! The salmon turned out perfect!

I was very careful to not overlook the salmon. The salmon was moist and delicious! This was Wild Salmon I purchased from Sam’s Club. Here’s the link for the salmon: https://www.samsclub.com/p/members-mark-wild-caught-alaskan-sockeye-salmon-frozen/prod22761070?xid=plp_product_1_3. The salmon is immediately frozen so this is fresh, many times fresher than the unfrozen salmon in the fish market.

Perfect Lemon Parmesan Salmon with Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

The base of this dish is a yogurt, lemon and garlic sauce. There is no need for another dressing. Then I added a little peppery arugula, the Corn, Tomato and Avocado salad, topped with perfectly cooked salmon.

Want other salmon recipes? Check out this link: https://the2spoons.com/toast-with-cream-cheese-and-salmon/.

Hope you enjoy this recipe!

Lemon Parmesan Salmon with Corn, Tomato and Avocado Salad

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Servings: 4 Servings

Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

For the Salmon

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper
4 salmon filets
2 tsp smoked paprika
4 cloves garlic, minced or grated
zest of one lemon
1 pinch red pepper flakes
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

For the Corn Salad

1/2 cup fresh basil, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp fresh chopped chives
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
salt and pepper
1 can chickpeas, drained
4 ears grilled or steamed corn, kernels removed from the cob
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved or 2 chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup crumbled feta or cotija cheese
1-2 avocado, diced

For the Lemon Yogurt

1 cup plain yogurt
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1-2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
salt

Method

Place the salmon in a 9×13 inch baking dish. Add the paprika, garlic, lemon zest, crushed red pepper flakes, parmesan, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Drizzle with olive oil, rubbing the seasonings and oil evenly into flesh.
To make the yogurt sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until smooth.
Heat your grill, grill pan, or skillet to medium high heat. Place the salmon on the grill, skin side down. Cover and cook until skin is lightly charred, 4-5 minutes, carefully flip and grill another 3-4 minutes until opaque.
Meanwhile, add the basil, cilantro, olive oil, lemon juice, chives, and a pinch each of crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper to a large serving bowl. Add the chickpeas, corn, tomatoes, feta, and avocado, toss to combine.
To serve, spread the yogurt sauce onto plates. Add the corn salad, then the salmon.

Delicious, Easy Shrimp Fried Rice

August 13, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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Ooh! I love this Shrimp Fried Rice! Honestly, what’s not to love about it? It is garlicky, loaded with fresh ginger and green onions, along with shrimp, eggs, and peas!

This is a great meal to have any time of the day, even breakfast! I love this for breakfast. Not only is it delicious, but it is so easy and fast.

I like to use leftover rice or rice that I have cooked at least the day before that I have stored in the refrigerator.

Fried rice is at its most delicious when it’s fluffy and not too sticky. It should have distinct, individual grains. Here are tips to help you make fried rice that tastes as good as it does at your favorite restaurant. This link gives you details on the Best rice and method for cooking if you want to review: https://www.thespruceeats.com/making-rice-for-fried-rice-695035.

I have found that what works really well for me is to cook a cup of long grain rice in two cups of water. When the rice and water come to a boil, I place a lid on the pan, reduce the heat to simmer and cook until the water has absorbed. I then turn the burner off, fluff the rice with a fork, spread it out on a sheet pan until it has cooled, then store it in the refrigerator overnight at least for use the next day or so. One cup uncooked rice yields about 3 cups cooked. Double the recipe if you need more.

Delicious, Easy Shrimp Fried Rice

If you want another rice recipe, here’s a link to my Rice Pilaf. https://the2spoons.com/yummy-rice-pilaf-perfect-side-dish/.

Hope you try this Shrimp Fried Rice soon! I love to keep these take out containers that I get on Amazon.com. This is a really fun dish served in the containers with chopsticks on hand. it’s a great way to teach the kiddos how to use them and it’s just fun having this take-out at home!!

Here’s a link: https://www.amazon.com/Containers-Bamboo-Chopsticks-Avant-Recyclable/dp/B07D18TRMW/ref=sr_1_15?hvadid=77927953825524&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvqmt=e&keywords=chinese+take-out+containers&qid=1565722191&s=gateway&sr=8-15

Shrimp Fried Rice

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Ingredients Method

Ingredients

3 cups cooked long grain rice, chilled
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 lb peeled and deveined shrimp, halved or in thirds
2 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1 tsp minced garlic
vegetable oil
2 green onions, tops and bottom, diced.
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 tbsp soy sauce, plus more for serving

Method

Heat a wok or large non stick skillet to hot. Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add a thin layer of oil to the wok or skillet. Add the eggs and move around quickly to soft scramble the eggs. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the shrimp to the hot wok or skillet and cook quickly, moving around with a spatula until pink. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add a little oil to the pan if needed. Add the ginger and garlic, stir fry fast for just about a minute, then immediately add the rice. Cook the rice with the ginger and garlic, tossing and stirring with a spatula until the rice is completely coated with the oil and heated through. Add the frozen peas and soy sauce, continuing to stir fry about two minutes. Turn the heat off and add the eggs and shrimp back in along with the green onions and soy sauce. Toss to combine. Serve immediately with chopsticks if you want!! Have extra soy sauce on hand. Enjoy!

Love this New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp!

August 9, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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I love this New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp! This is a recipe from John Besh’s Cookbook “My New Orleans” which by the way, is a great cookbook! Here’s a link for the book: https://www.amazon.com/My-New-Orleans-Cookbook-John/dp/0740784137.

I buy head on, unpeeled shrimp because I want the heads and shells to make the base for the fish. I find them at my HEB fish market and they are half the price of regular shrimp. They are cooked with Creole spices and other ingredients resulting in an amazing finished base.

This shrimp is a little spicy, not too much, just right and it’s in the creamiest most delicious sauce for dipping French bread!

For the sauce you start with peeling your shrimp reserving the shells and heads then sauté them for about 5 minutes in a little oil. Then creole spices are added along with lemon, Worcestershire sauce, cloves and bay leaves and the base sauce is simmered until a lucious smell and delicious tasting sauce is created! You can almost drink it!

Love This Barbecue Shrimp!

If you want to make the shrimp more as an entree add my Louisiana white rice. Here’s the link for that recipe: https://the2spoons.com/shrimp-creole-with-louisiana-white-rice/

Or try this gumbo! https://the2spoons.com/delicious-louisiana-seafood-gumbo/. Both of these recipes were from John Besh’s cookbook.

Love This Barbecue Shrimp!

Here is the recipe for this post! Let me hear from you when you make this dish! Hope you love it as much as we do!

Barbecue Shrimp

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Servings: 4 Servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

For the Sauce Base

2 tbsp Olive oil
2 cups shrim heads and shells
1/2 cup Worcestershire
2 tbsp cracked black pepper
2 tbsp Basic Creole Spices (recipe below)
1/2 tsp whole cloves
2 bay leaves
juice of one lemon

Basic Creole Spices (1/2 cup)

2 tbsp celery salt
tbsp celery salt
1 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp coarse sea salt
1 tbsp coarsley ground black pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp onion powder
2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground allspice

For the Shrimp

2 lbs jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
salt
pepper
1 cup sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup butter

Method

For the sauce base, heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat, add the shrimp heads and shells, and cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes. Add the Worcestershire, black pepper, Creole Spices, cloves, bay leaves, and lemon juice along with 2 cups water and bring to a boil. Once the liquid is boiling, reduce heat to moderate and simmer until it has reduced by half. Strain and reserve. For the shrimp, season the shrimp with a little salt and lots of pepper. Put the shrimp and the sauce base, cream, and butter in a large cast-iron skillet over high heat. Bring the sauce to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the skillet and arrange on a platter or in individual bowls. Reduce the sauce by half, about 5 minutes. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and serve with hot, toasted French bread.

Awesome Pan-Roasted Red Snapper with Edamame -Chorizo Ragout

July 9, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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I made this Pan-Roasted Red Snapper with Edamame -Chorizo Ragout the other day after I had made homemade chorizo and it was delicious. The chorizo ragout and the mild pan-roasted red snapper simply complimented each other. I’m always looking for side dishes or a great sauce to serve with fish and this turned out a winner. I’m not opposed to a little spice either as you all know that follow me, so I absolutely loved this! This recipe is easy and quick. You literally cook the red snapper for about 6 minutes.

I really love almost all seafood and I try to eat it often for the health benefits and you know, it’s less in calories and sometimes I really need to cut the calories. I like this link that gives you some ideas to get your weekly requirement of seafood in your diet. https://thehealthyfish.com/.

I do not diet, or I should say I don’t go on a “fad diet” I just eat more sensible, I eat smarter, watch the portions when i want to lose a few pounds. Cutting back for Allen and I is not hard because we only eat food made from scratch, no processed foods, very seldom do we eat processed meats other than the occasional quality summer sausage or smoked sausage. We don’t eat fast food and about the only time we eat out is for Mexican food. I mean, we live in Texas, isn’t eating TexMex mandatory? LOL! It is in our household.

Awesome Pan-Roasted Red Snapper with Edamame-Chorizo Ragout

I used Mexican Chorizo because it is one of my favorites. I make my own Mexican Chorizo because I don’t like the ingredients on most of the packages in the store. You, know another example that you can eat great food but you can make it at home and not eat the processed versions. Here’s the link for my homemade chorizo: https://the2spoons.com/homemade-chorizo-with-eggs-hashbrowns/

Other than Edamame, you could use Fava Beans, but they are hard for me to find. I think the green lima beans that you get frozen or in a can would work too. I keep Edamame because I think it makes a great snack. I always buy a big bag from Sam’s Club that has individually wrapped portions that you can throw in the microwave for a great snack. Here’s the link for the bags I buy: https://www.samsclub.com/p/organic-edamame-8-8oz-bags/prod20995425?xid=plp_product_1_1.

Anyway, try this recipe! It’s really good! And if you are like me, want to get that weekly fish requirement in, according to the food pyramid, this is a great recipe to try! It’s a really beautiful recipe too! This is a great weeknight recipe for your family or it would make the perfect guest main course.

Pan-Roasted Red Snapper with Edamame Chorizo Ragout

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Servings: 4 Servings

Course: dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine: American, Mexican

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

2 cups shelled edamame
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Lb fresh chorizo, crumbled
1 cup onion, diced
1 cup chicken stock
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
4 res snapper filets, skin on

Method

Cook the edamame according to package instructions. Shell and set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When it is hot, and onions. Cook until the onions begin to soften about 4 minutes. Add the chorizo and cook until it starts to slightly brown breaking up with the back of a spoon.

Add the edamame and the stock, and bring to a boil. Then reduce the heat, cover the pan, and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes until tender. Season with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Add the heavy cream and continue to cook, uncovered, until the sauce has thickened slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the thyme, parsley, and oregano, remove from the heat, and keep warm.

Season the Red snapper on both sides with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and the cayenne pepper.

Place a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, and when it is hot, add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Place the fillets, skin side down, in the pan, and cook for 4 minutes. If the fillets begin to curl, press them down gently with a spatula. Turn the fillets over and cook for another 2 minutes.
Divide the edamame bean–chorizo ragout among four plates, and top each one with a fish fillet. Serve immediately.