seafood

Amazing Dish! Scallops in Aguachile

August 16, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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

Print Recipe

CourseAppetizer, dinner, Lunch, Main Course, mexican, Snack

CuisineJapanese, Mexican

Servings servings

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

Instructions

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/

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

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course

CuisineAmerican, Mexican

Keywordchorizo, main course, panroasted red snapper, red snapper

Servings Servings

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

Instructions

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.

Easy Maryland-Style Crab Cakes

June 17, 2019 by Becky Spoon

I love Crab Cakes! The other day when I made Seafood gumbo I had some crab left and I decided I’d make a couple of crab cakes. You know, it was one of those days, it’s just you, you want something to eat, and you look and you have just enough for about two cakes! Yay for me! Wonderful lunch.

There are some recipes for crab cakes that have peppers, onions, celery and other ingredients that are delicious, but this recipe is pretty much about the crab without a lot of other added ingredients. An egg, a little dijon mustard, mayonnaise, just a couple of the few ingredients.

I know crab is pretty expensive. I haven’t checked, but It would most likely be less expensive to buy crab legs and harvest the meat. I purchased a container of crab meat that was a quality brand. The lumps weren’t as jumbo as I wanted, so try to buy a large lump. I’ve ordered from Pike’s Fish Market in Seattle which was amazing and succulent, but it was costly. http://www.pikeplacefish.com/collections/shellfish/SHELLFISH-D-CRABMEAT.html.

Easy Maryland-Style Crab Cakes

Crab Cakes make an excellent appetizer!! I was in Vegas and went to Emeril’s restaurant, New Orleans Fish and ordered the Crab Cakes as an appetizer. They were totally amazing! There were a few other ingredients that I have not included but the majority of the cake was CRAB! Who doesn’t love crab? I didn’t take the time to make a sauce, I just had mine with a squeeze of lemon! Delicious.

These would be the perfect appetizer for my https://the2spoons.com/delicious-louisiana-seafood-gumbo/

Here’s my simple recipe! Enjoy!

Maryland-Style Crab Cakes

Print Recipe

CourseAppetizer, dinner, Lunch

Cuisinecreole

Servings Servings

Ingredients

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp dijon
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp hot sauce
1 lb jumbo lump crab meat, picked over
20 saltine crackers, finely crushed
1/4 cup canola oil
lemon wedges

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise with the egg, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce until smooth.
In a medium bowl, lightly toss the crabmeat with the cracker crumbs. Gently fold in the mayonnaise mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
Scoop the crab mixture into eight 1/3-cup mounds; lightly pack into 8 patties, about 1 1/2 inches thick. In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the crab cakes and cook over moderately high heat until deeply golden and heated through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the crab cakes to plates and serve with lemon wedges.
The crab cakes can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight.

Fisherman’s Stew, or Cioppino-Hearty & Robust

February 4, 2019 by Becky Spoon

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Fisherman’s Stew or Cioppino is a tomato-based seafood stew that was invented by the San Francisco Italian fishermen of North Beach in the late 1800s using whatever seafood was left over from the day’s catch. Often times it was with crab, shrimp, clams, and fish, which were then combined with onions, garlic and tomatoes, and then everything was cooked with herbs in olive oil and wine. Originally it was made on the boats while out at sea and in homes, but as Italian restaurants started sprouting up around the wharf, cioppino became a very popular dish at local restaurants.http://www.sftravel.com/article/definitive-history-cioppino-san-francisco

Fisherman’s Stew or Cioppino-Hearty & Robust

I honestly love seafood! When my grocer had mussels that they received that morning, some fresh scallops and cod, Fisherman’s Stew cane to mind! This Fisherman’s Stew is loaded with flavor! I made my own broth which can be made ahead and frozen.

This Fisherman Stew is perfect for any time of the year, lunch or dinner. Add a loaf of French Bread for sopping and you have the absolute perfect meal!

Fisherman’s Stew, or Cioppino, Hearty and Robust

Here’s the recipe! Pass the bread! I know you’ll love this! Here is the recipe for my stock: https://the2spoons.com/?p=4342)

Fisherman’s Stew, or Cioppino

Fisherman’s Stew or Cioppino is a tomato-based seafood stew that was invented by the San Francisco Italian fishermen of North Beach in the late 1800s using whatever seafood was left over from the day’s catch. Often times it was a crab, shrimp, clams, and fish, which were then combined with onions, garlic, and tomatoes, and then everything was cooked with herbs in olive oil and wine. Originally it was made on the boats while out at sea and in homes, but as Italian restaurants started sprouting up around the wharf, cioppino became a very popular dish at local restaurants.

Print Recipe

Coursedinner, Lunch, Main Course

CuisineItalian

Keywordfisherman stew,

Servings servings

Ingredients

olive oil
1 1/2 cups yellow onion, diced
1 tsp minced garlic (about 3)
1 tsp whole fried fennel seeds
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes, such as San Marzano
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
4 cups stock (https://the2spoons.com/?p=4342)
1 1/2 cod fillets, skin removed, 2 inch diced
1 lb sea scallops, halved crosswise
24 mussels, scrubbed (see recipe note)
3 tbsp minced fresh Parsley
garlic Toast or loaf of french bread for serving

Instructions

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in a large heavy pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for 10 minutes until tender. Stir in the garlic, fennel seeds, and red pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the tomatoes, stock, wine, salt, and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer uncovered 30 minutes.
Add the cod first, the mussels. Do not stir. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat, cover and cook for about 4 minutes. At this time add the scallops and cover again and cook an additional 4 minutes. Turn off the heat, cover and set aside for 3 minutes for the flavors to blend. Discard any mussels that have not opened. Ladle into large shallow bowls, sprinkle with parsley and serve with garlic bread or just a loaf of french bread for sopping the juices.

Notes

Scrub mussels with a wire brush, removing the little beard that is on some, soak in water for a few minutes to remove any sand, then drain.