Mention squid and almost everyone goes “Yuck! Aaaag!” You get the message. Still, as mentioned in prior posts, squid (or calamari) is a dish favored throughout the Mediterranean and the Caribbean. It is also popular in Asian cuisine as well, as noted in the recipe given below. It’s simple and quick, and delicious, with a mild sweet taste.

We are fortunate that today, in most markets and stores, you can buy squid cleaned and prepared. So you don’t have to go through all the drudgery as in the old days when you had to cut the squid apart, scrape and discard the innards, remove the outer membrane and clean the squid thoroughly. When you buy cleaned squid, they come with tubes and tentacles. All you have to do is rinse them in water, slice and cook. That’s it. In this recipe, you add a little soy sauce, vegetable or peanut oil and a few drops of sesame oil. The natural accompaniment to this dish is plain boiled rice. This time around, we had some plantains on hand so we paired them with tostones, deep-fried plantains. For a recipe on tostones, check my post of 09/09/10.

SQUID WITH SOY SAUCE  AND OIL

Ingredients:

1 pound cleaned squid
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons vegetable or peanut oil
Few drops of sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Rinse squid under cold running water. Slice tubes and tentacles into bit-sized pieces.
2.  Fill a large saucepan two-thirds full with water and bring to a boil. Drop the squid into the water and cook about 1 minute over medium heat, stirring lightly with a wooden spoon. The squid pieces will curl up like cylinders, and you can check for doneness by cutting through a piece. The squid should be opaque all the way through. Do not over cook or they will become tough.
3.  Drain the squid and shake out any excess water. Transfer to a serving bowl, and toss with the soy sauce, oil, and sesame oil. Serve immediately.
   Yield: 4 servings.

This is one of the easiest shrimp dishes you can prepare. It’s from my first cookbook, Puerto Rican Cuisine  in America (Running Press). A quickie fix-up—with a little bit of rum added to it. Camarones con Cebolla was a family favorite back in Spanish Harlem, and it still holds up to this day. The shrimp is stir-fried just to doneness and smothered in onions. Few things can be more satisfying. This dish goes great with crusty bread or on rice.

CAMARONES CON CEBOLLA
(Shrimp with Onions)

Ingredients:

¼ cup olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and thinly sliced in rounds
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
2 pounds raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
3 tablespoons Puerto Rican rum (white or dark)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
¼ teaspoon dried tarragon
Salt and black ground pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a large skillet or frying pan. Add onions and garlic and sauté over moderate heat until onion is limp and transparent.
2. Add shrimp, rum, lemon juice, tarragon, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly until shrimp turns pink (3 to 4 minutes).
Yield: 4 servings.

In our family, we love shellfish. And one of our greatest treats is scallops.  In French, scallops translate as coquille St Jacques, which means the “Shell of Saint James.” Back in the Middle Ages a shrine was built to Saint James the Apostle at Santiago de Compostela in Spain. It is said that pilgrims who visited the site would wear a scallop shell in their hats as a symbol of their devotion. And that’s how we get the name.

What’s interesting about scallops is that they make a fine combination with any number of other ingredients. One of the best combinations is with cream. Add mustard to it and you have a match made in heaven. The trick is to use the mustard sparingly or it will overpower the dish. Once you have the right mix, it is a splendid dish fit for a  commoner or a king. Want to impress family and friends? This is the go-to recipe.  It will cement your reputation as a high class gourmand. Serve over noodles or, as we did it here, rice, it is a winner.

SCALLOPS IN CREAM ANS MUSTARD SAUCE

Ingredients:

1 pound scallops, preferably bay scallops
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon chopped shallots
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup heavy cream
Salt to taste
1 tablespoon mustard, preferably Dijon
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Instructions:

1. If sea scallops are used, cut them in quarters. If bay scallops are used, leave them whole. Set aside.
2.  Heat butter in a skillet and add the shallots. Cook briefly, stirring. Add vinegar and cook until almost all the vinegar has evaporated.
3.  Add cream and cook down over high heat until reduced by half. Stir in the scallops and salt. Cook, shaking the skillet so that the scallops cook evenly, about 1 minutes.
4.  Remove from heat and stir in the mustard. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.
   Yield: 4 servings.

Scallops are a favorite in our clan. Normally, we just pan-sear them in a little olive oil, adding salt, pepper and oregano. Back on the block we usually served it over steamed rice. Recently I decided to try baking the suckers. Also, I happen to have some leeks on hand; and added that to it, along with a red pepper (pimento) and Spanish green stuffed olives. It turned out to be a successful experiment, and quite delicious.

In our group, we prefer sea scallops which are larger (1½ to 2-inch in diameter) than the smaller bay scallops. There are those who prefer bay scallops since the are considered sweeter and more tender. My experience has been that bay scallops are better in stews and casseroles. But if you want to use bay scallops for this recipe, go right ahead. Just be aware that the baking time may be less.

This time around, instead of rice, we served it with pearl (also known as Israeli) couscous. So, here it is, Roasted Scallops with Leeks, Pepper and Olives.  As noted, we used green stuffed olives. If desired, you can utilize Greek Kalamata olives (in fact, we added some to this dish) or black olives. Add a good white wine, such as Chablis, Soave, or even a Rhine wine, some crusty bread, and you can’t go wrong with this one.

ROASTED SCALLOPS WITH  LEEKS, PEPPERS AND OLIVES

Ingredients:

4 cups sliced leeks (about 2 large) white and light green part only
1 red or green bell pepper, cut into ½-inch strips
¼ teaspoon saffron threads
3 tablespoons butter
3 cups chicken broth or stock
2 pounds sea scallops, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 cup chopped pitted green olives (or a mix of green, black olives or Kalamata olives)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

 Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
2. Place leeks, peppers, saffron and butter in a large oven-proof sauté pan, deep pot or skillet (we prefer cast-iron). Pour in the chicken broth. Cook over medium-high heat until the leeks are soft and the broth boils down to about one third of the amount you started with, about 12-15 minutes.
3.  Arrange the scallops over the leek mixture. Add the lemon  juice, olives and pepper. Place in oven and bake until scallops are tender, about 25 minutes.
   Yield: 4 servings.

   

Sometimes the best meals are those done at the spur of the moment. You’ve been there: “What’s for dinner, honey?” Reply: “I don’t know, what we got?” You look around, and inspiration strikes. Or doesn’t. In which case, you order pizza. But what if you don’t want pizza? There’s the challenge. And this is one of those meals. I look in the fridge, and I have some shrimp. I look in the cupboard, and I find a can of Marinara sauce (or it can be spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, or even tomato sauce). Th rest is history, and a great meal. Add a good crusty bread, and a red wine like a Chianti or Zinfandel (or whatever the hell you want, even a white wine), and you have a delicious spur-of-the-moment dinner. It may not be haute cuisine, but it hits the spot.

SHRIMP MARINARA

Instructions:

1 pound capellini (angel hair) pasta (or any favorite pasta)
1 can (24- oz.) Marinara, spaghetti, or tomato sauce
¼ cup dry white or red wine
1 pound large or extra large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh chopped oregano or 1 teaspoon dried

Instructions:

1. Cooked pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan or skillet, bring the Marinara, spaghetti, or tomato sauce  to a boil. Add wine and shrimp. Reduce heat, add salt, pepper, and oregano. Cover, simmer for 7 minutes.
3.  Drain pasta, place in a serving bowl. Pour sauce over pasta and serve.
   Yield: 4 or more servings.

If you like a rich meal, this is it. Awesome! It’s something for a special occasion or, guys, when you want or impress her. And ladies, when you want to impress him.  Or our LBGTQ brothers and sisters, you want to impress him or her. That’s how good this dish is.

Alfredo sauce is a white cream sauce very popular in Italian cuisine. It is made with butter, heavy  cream and Parmesan cheese. It’s most renowned version is Fettuccine Alfredo. Do not even think about the cholesterol problem. As I said before, it’s a special dish for that special occasion. That being said, go for it. In fact, you don’t need a special occasion for this dish. Whenever the hell you want it will be okay.

This time around I added shrimp to the dish. Why? Because I like shrimp. And here it is: Shrimp with Lemon Alfredo Sauce. Enjoy!

SHRIMP WITH LEMON ALFREDO SAUCE

Ingredients:

8 ounces plain or spinach fettuccine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Juice of 1 large lemon
1 pound large raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, rinsed and patted dry
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
Salt and freshly ground back pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add fettuccine and cook just until al dente, 2-3 minutes for fresh pasta, and 5-7 minutes for dried.
2.  Meanwhile, combine butter and half-and half in a medium skillet. Bring to a boil; and boil about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat, stir in lemon zest, lemon juice and shrimp. Simmer until shrimp are opaque, 3-5 minutes.
3.  Drain pasta and place in a large bowl. Pour hot shrimp sauce over top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Toss quickly to coat noodles with sauce. Serve immediately, passing extra Parmesan cheese.
   Yield: 4 servings.
   

This is a Thai dish that I’ve had for years. How I acquired it, I can’t remember; but it’s become one of my favorite ways to prepare shrimp. This dish can be served with rice,  pasta, soya noodles or other grain. I serve it with Pad Thai rice stick noodles to retain that Thai flavor. It’s a simple delicious recipe, and it’ll leave you asking for more.

This dish calls for the usual Asian ingredients, oyster sauce and fish sauce (known as Nam Pla). Both ingredients can be found in Asian stores or markets . In fact, these days, they can be found in most urban supermarkets.

ASIAN SHRIMP

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons peanut oil
5 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
3 cups broccoli, rinsed and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 pounds shrimp, cleaned and deveined
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce (Nam Pla)
1 teaspoon brown sugar
½ cup water
2-3 tablespoons sliced scallions

Instructions:

1. In a wok or large skillet, heat peanut oil over medium-high flame.
2. Just before garlic turns brown, add broccoli. Sauté for 3 minutes, then add shrimp, oyster sauce, fish sauce and sugar.
3.  Cook another 2 minutes, add water, cover, lower heat and cook for another 5 minutes.
4.  Add scallions and serve.
   Yield: 4 servings.

I grew some parsley on a planter over the summer along with some other herbs. I figured that, by now, the herbs, and mainly the parsley, would be gone since we’re heading into Fall. To my surprise, the parsley is still going strong. Which meant I would have to use it real soon or I would lose it to the incoming cold. That’s when I decided to create the following dish, since I like scallops  and had some on hand.  And the result is this gem of  recipe—to which I include some toasted sesame seeds for added flavor. Note that the dish calls for the sesame seeds to be lightly toasted. Simply, in a small saucepan or skillet, add the sesame seeds (no added oil is needed). Cook lightly, stirring over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until they attain  a slight golden color (do not burn).

I combined the dish with linguine; but it can go with any string pasta, be linguine, spaghetti, angel hair, bucatini, you get the idea.  And it’s a dish that you can cook in 15 minutes—I timed the thing to make sure. So you can set it up by boiling the pasta at the same time you prepare the scallops.

SCALLOPS WITH PARSLEY

Ingredients:

8 tablespoons butter (¼ pound)
½ cup fresh chopped parsley
Juice from 1 lemon
Salt and ground black pepper to taste
20-25  sea scallops (cut in half if too large)
3 tablespoons lightly toasted sesame seeds

Ingredients:

1. Bring 2 tablespoons of water to a boil in a small saucepan. Lower heat whisk in the butter a little at a time until the mixture becomes saucy.
2.  Add the parsley, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat while cooking the scallops.
3.  Preheat a large skillet over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the scallops, but do not crowd. Cook without stirring until they brown lightly on one side, about two minutes. Turn and brown on the other side.
4.  Serve the scallops drizzled with the sauce and sprinkled with sesame seeds.
   Yield: 4 servings

It’s still a scorcher out there, and the summer ain’t over yet.  So how about preparing the “King of Salads,” Crab Louis (also known as Crab Louie). It features crabmeat and the recipe itself, culinary historians state, dates back to the early 1900s. No one knows the exact date of its creation, but it was being served in prominent San Francisco restaurants by 1908. The version we feature is Crab Louis with avocado an an addition. The recipe itself is from a cookbook, The Book of Salads (HP Books) which was published in 1989. The book was a gift from a fellow martial artists who knew of my interest in cooking and dining. The only change I made in the recipe is that I added tomato wedges for more variety and color.

AVOCADO CRAB LOUIS

Ingredients:

Seafood Sauce (see below)
8 oz. plain white crabmeat, flaked (equal to two 4 oz. cans)
2 medium avocados
Juice of ½  Lemon
Fresh chervil sprigs
1 medium tomato, cut in wedges

Seafood Sauce:
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon ketchup
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup half and half
2 teaspoons lemon juice
Dash of dry sherry
Pinch of red cayenne pepper

Instructions:

1, To prepare seafood sauce: place all sauce ingredients in a bowl and blend well (or do it in a blender).
2.  Fold crabmeat into sauce. Pit, peel and slice avocados, then sprinkle with lemon juice to prevent discoloring.
3.  Place crabmeat in center of a serving platter, and arrange avocado slices and tomato wedges around it. Garnish with chervil sprigs and serve with crusty bread. If desired, you can also arrange the avocado/tomato on 4 individual plates, garnish with chervil, and serve.
Yield: 4 servings.