Easy Cornbread for Seafood Boil Side

Make this to serve with your Seafood Boil—you won’t be disappointed. It’s satisfying, sweet, and very easy.

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for skillet
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 ½ teaspoons distilled white vinegar
  • 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda in a medium bowl; set aside. Generously butter a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, and place in the oven to preheat.

  2. Whisk eggs and melted butter in a large bowl. Whisk in sugar, salt, milk, and vinegar. Add flour mixture, and whisk until just smooth. Stir in corn kernels.

  3. Transfer batter to  pan. Bake until pale golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Serve warm.

Psst! If you want to be extra brush hot honey over bread when it comes out of the oven!

 

 

 

Spicy Tuna Poke Bowls

Who isn’t addicted to poke? It’s the perfect dish

FOR THE TUNA

  • 1/2 pound sushi grade tuna, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/4 cup sliced scallions
  • 2 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce or tamari
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon sriracha

FOR THE SPICY MAYO

  • 2 tablespoons mayonnaise (KEWPIE if you have it!)
  • 2 teaspoons sriracha sauce

FOR THE BOWL

  • 1 cup cooked sushi white rice, or whatever rice you prefer
  • 1 cup cucumbers,  peeled and diced 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1/2 medium avocado, sliced
  • 2 scallions, sliced for garnish
  • 1 teaspoon black sesame seeds
  • Reduced sodium soy or tamari, for serving (optional)
  • sriracha, for serving (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise and sriracha, thin with a little water to drizzle.
  • In a medium bowl, combine tuna with scallions, soy sauce, sesame oil and sriracha. Gently toss to combine and set aside while you prepare the bowls.
  • In 2 bowls, layer 1/2 the rice, 1/2 the tuna, avocado, cucumber and scallions.
  • Drizzle with spicy mayo and sesame seeds and serve with extra soy sauce on the side, if desired.

Personalize your bowl! We have lots to compliment or switch out for protein: smoked albacore tuna, sushi grade salmon, or hamachi!

 

 

 

 

Old Bay–Spiced Fish Sticks with Creamy Celery Root and Carrot Slaw

INGREDIENTS

 

For the fish sticks:
2 large eggs, beaten
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
1 pound firm white fish (such as cod), cut into 16 even strips, about 3×1″ each
Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Grapeseed or other neutral oil (for frying)
For the dipping sauce and slaw:
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons country-style Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey or agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
6 tablespoons lemon juice, divided (about 2 lemons)
Kosher salt
2 large carrots, peeled
1/2 large celery root, peeled
1/2 cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped
Freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1

Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise, mustard, honey, coriander, 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, and 1/2 tsp. salt in a large bowl. Set aside 3/4 cup for dipping sauce. Using the coarse grater disk on a food processor or the largest holes on a box grater, coarsely shred carrots and celery root. Add carrots, celery root, parsley, and remaining 3 Tbsp. lemon juice to remaining yogurt mixture and toss to combine. Season slaw with salt and pepper.

Make the fish sticks:

Step 2

Place eggs, cornstarch, and cornmeal in 3 separate medium bowls. Add Old Bay to cornmeal and stir to combine.

Step 3

Pat fish dry, then season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Working in batches, dredge fish in cornstarch, shaking off excess, then coat with egg, allowing excess to drip back into bowl, then coat with cornmeal mixture, pressing to adhere and shaking off excess, and transfer to a plate.

Step 4

Pour oil into a large skillet to a depth of 1/4″. Heat oil over medium-high until shimmering, hot, and an instant-read thermometer registers 350°F. Reduce heat to medium and, working in 2 batches, cook fish until golden brown and cooked through, about 2–3 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. Serve fish sticks with dipping sauce and slaw.

Do Ahead

Step 5

Fish sticks can be coated, covered, and chilled up to 2 days ahead, or freeze on a rimmed baking sheet, transfer to re-sealable plastic bags, and store in freezer up to 3 months. Frozen fish sticks don’t need to be defrosted, but cook time will be 2 to 3 minutes longer.

Image may contain Food Bread and Plant

 

 

 

Thai Fish Curry

20 minutes in the kitchen and you have supper!

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 ½ lb. white fish
  • 3 tablespoons red Thai curry paste (divided)
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil
  • ½ medium onion, finely minced
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced ginger
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 1 15-ounce can coconut milk
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon coconut or brown sugar
  • 4 cups chopped veggies (pictured are green beans, carrots, and red bell peppers)
  • Minced cilantro and lime juice, to serve

INSTRUCTIONS

Thai fish curry is so easy to make! Here’s what you’re going to do:

  1. Saute onions, garlic, and ginger for big-time flavor.
  2. Now create the sauce by adding coconut milk, curry paste, fish sauce (stinky but tasty!), a little coconut sugar.
  3. Now some chopped veggies go into the pot to cook for a few minutes.
  4. Add the fish last as it cooks very quickly.

WHAT KIND OF FISH IS BEST FOR FISH CURRY?

Any kind of white fish works great in this recipe. We like lingcod, which is in the pictures, but there are many different kinds that work well. Here are a few others to choose from:

  • Cod
  • Tilapia
  • Haddock
  • Grouper
  • Rockfish
  • Sole

 

 

 

Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew)

For a bright, fresh, and filling meal try this Brazilian stew. Cod and shrimp make for a nice balance of flavor and texture.

INGREDIENTS

Pepper Sauce:

Stew

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

Pickled hot cherry peppers are usually sold jarred, next to the pickles or jarred roasted red peppers at the supermarket. Haddock or other firm-fleshed, flaky whitefish may be substituted for cod. Serve with steamed white rice.

INSTRUCTIONS

FOR THE PEPPER SAUCE: Process all ingredients in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Season with salt to taste and transfer to separate bowl. Rinse out processor bowl.

FOR THE STEW: Toss shrimp and cod with garlic, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in bowl. Set aside.

1. Process onion, tomatoes and their juice, and ¼ cup cilantro in food processor until finely chopped and mixture has texture of pureed salsa, about 30 seconds.

2. Heat oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add red and green bell peppers and ½ teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add onion-tomato mixture and ½ teaspoon salt. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until puree has reduced and thickened slightly, 3 to 5 minutes (pot should not be dry).

3. Increase heat to high, stir in coconut milk, and bring to boil (mixture should be bubbling across entire surface). Add seafood mixture and lime juice and stir to evenly distribute seafood, making sure all pieces are submerged in liquid. Cover pot and remove from heat. Let stand until shrimp and cod are opaque and just cooked through, 15 minutes.

4. Gently stir in 2 tablespoons pepper sauce and remaining ½ cup cilantro, being careful not to break up cod too much. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve, passing remaining pepper sauce separately.

 

 

Soft-shelled Crab Tutorial with Karen

Karen shows us how to clean soft-shelled crab before we cook it. Don’t be intimidated by this delicious treat! Afterward she cleaned it she dredged in seasoned cornstarch and pan fried it.

https://www.facebook.com/1379178162/videos/10218724948619711/

HOW TO SHUCK AN OYSTER

Raw oysters on the half shell are a culinary treat. Especially when served with a delightfully bright mingonette sauce or Tabasco. It might be a bit intimidating but opening oysters is a simple task. It just takes a bit of practice.

Clean the Oyster

Clean the outside of the oyster under running water to remove any loose grit or barnacles. Rub the shell with your fingers or use a stiff brush if you have one for this purpose.

Hold the oyster in a towel or oven mitt with the hinge (pointed side) sticking out. This will protect your hand if the oyster knife slips. With the flat side of the oyster up, insert the tip of an oyster knife near the hinge. You only need to insert the knife about 1/2-inch. ​

Do not use a regular knife to open oysters. There is too great a risk of slipping and severely injuring yourself.

An oyster knife is a special blunted knife made for this purpose. They’re cheap, too. If you’re going to buy oysters in the shell, spend a couple extra bucks for the proper knife.

Insert the Knife Between the Shells & Twist

The vast majority of oysters are going to have a cupped side and a flatter side. Hold the oyster with the flatter side up. The cupped side will hold the oyster and its liquid while you shuck.

Now look for the hinge—that point where the shells are joined in a more serious way than just being held together by the muscle that is the oyster. Some people jab the knife in right at the hinge (as pictured here). It’s often easier to insert the knife between the shells near the hinge (see the next step).

Note: You may prefer to set the oyster on a flat working surface, hold it steady, and insert the knife. Try both ways and see which way feels easier, safer, or more natural to you.

Having noticed where the hinge is located will now come in handy. Whether you inserted the knife at the hinge or near it, get the knife into the hinge and “pop” it open by twisting the knife blade. Sometimes just twisting the knife after you put it in between the shells will do it, other oysters are more stubborn and you’ll need to work the knife fairly far in to be able to angle the knife (or screwdriver) to be able to get enough leverage to “pop” that hinge.

Note: Keep it as flat as possible to avoid spilling out too much of the oyster liquor inside.

Slide the Knife Between the Shells

Once you’ve popped the hinge open, slide the knife between the shells, keeping it along the bottom of the top shell—you don’t want to mangle the oyster! Most of this sliding will be very easy, but the point where the oyster is attached to the top shell will provide some resistance you’ll need to cut through.

Open It Up!

You’ve now separated the two shells that house the oyster. Remove the top shell. If there is a lot of meat attached to it, use the knife to cut (or, really, scrape) it off.

If you want to be kind to those who will be eating the oysters, use the shucking knife or a sharp paring knife to cut along the bottom shell to make sure the oyster is free and clear of that shell too.

Through all of this, try to keep as much of the liquid (oyster liquor) in the shell as possible. It’s delicious.

You’ll want to serve oysters as soon after shucking them as possible. You can keep them cold by setting them on a tray of crushed ice.

Serve them plain or with a simple squirt of lemon juice. Many people like Tabasco or cocktail sauce. There are innumerable delicious sauces for oysters on the half shell.

Another option is to make grilled oysters or barbecued oysters, or try this Oysters Rockefeller recipe!

 

Oysters Rockefeller

This version of Oysters Rockefeller ditches the spinach found in most recipes and brightens things up with fresh herbs. It’s exactly what you need to get you through the next few months of winter. Ask our staff for suggestions on what oysters we have in stock so you can make this today!

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons (4 ounces; 115g) unsalted butter, softened and divided
  • 2 large shallots (4 ounces; 115g), thinly sliced
  • 2 celery ribs (3 1/2 ounces; 100g), thinly sliced, plus 1/4 cup (1/4 ounce; 6g) celery leaves, divided
  • 1/2 fennel bulb (3 1/2 ounces; 100g), cored and thinly sliced, fronds reserved
  • 4 medium garlic cloves, thinly sliced
  • 3 scallions (2 ounces; 60g), white and green parts divided and thinly sliced
  • Kosher salt
  • 1 tablespoon (15ml) absinthe (optional, see note)
  • 3 cups (1 1/2 ounces; 40g) fresh parsley leaves
  • 1/2 cup (1 ounce; 30g) panko bread crumbs
  • Rock (ice cream) salt (see note)
  • 24 fresh oysters, scrubbed & shucked
  • Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

  1. In a medium (3-quart) saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat until foaming. Add shallots, sliced celery ribs, fennel bulb, garlic, scallion whites, and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, have released all their liquid, and liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in absinthe. Transfer mixture to food processor bowl.
  2. Process vegetables, scraping down sides of food processor bowl as needed, into a coarse paste, about 30 seconds. Stop processor and add parsley, celery leaves, fennel fronds, and scallion greens to food processor bowl. Continue processing until herbs are broken down and well-combined with vegetable mixture, about 30 seconds. With food processor still running, gradually add remaining 4 tablespoons butter, making sure butter is emulsified into paste before adding more. Stop processor and add panko bread crumbs. Pulse mixture until bread crumbs are fully incorporated. Season to taste with salt, erring on the side of less salt, since the oysters are briny. Transfer mixture to disposable pastry bag or small mixing bowl, and set aside. If using a mixing bowl, cover with plastic wrap, pressing plastic against surface of the paste to prevent skin from forming. If not serving immediately, mixture can be stored in refrigerator for up to 1 day; let sit at room temperature to soften before using, about 30 minutes.
  3. Adjust oven rack to 6 inches below the broiler element and preheat the broiler on high. Line rimmed baking sheet with an even 1/2-inch layer of rock salt. Shuck oysters and arrange them on prepared baking sheet. Pipe or spoon butter topping over oysters, and then use an offset spatula or butter knife to smooth topping and fully cover each oyster.
  4. Broil oysters, checking them frequently, until topping begins to brown and oysters are warmed through, 4 to 6 minutes. Serve immediately, passing lemon wedges at the table.
Notes

Absinthe is the original booze of choice for making oysters Rockefeller, but you can substitute other anise-flavored liqueurs. You can also leave alcohol out entirely.

If you don’t have rock salt, don’t fret. A scrunched up piece of aluminum foil can also hold the oysters in place on the baking sheet during the broiling step. For serving, mix a couple lightly beaten egg whites with kosher salt to form a wet paste that you can perch the finished oysters on.

 

Spanish Octopus – Cook with Karen

Octopus. By far one of the most delicious creatures from the sea and also the thing people are most overwhelmed to prepare. It’s really very easy with a few tips!

Spanish Octopus

Lots of people have been asking about how to cook octopus properly so we're going to cook up some Octopus! Join me Live on Monday after work!

Posted by Cook with Karen on Monday, June 29, 2020

Sockeye Salmon – No grill needed!

Karen’s cooking series continues with Sockeye salmon. Fresh sockeye is now out of season but we always have frozen. This is a great recipe you can cook indoors to remember those warm summers nights grilling!

Sockeye Salmon

Join me Wednesday afternoon for Salmon! we all love salmon on the grill but what if you want that smoky taste but don't have access to a grill or it's pouring rain? I'll show you how!

Posted by Cook with Karen on Wednesday, July 22, 2020