Lobster with Fried Gnocchi, Tomatoes, and Pea Purée →

The dining ritual of eating a lobster roll while in Maine or on Cape Cod is deeply ingrained in the tourist industry of New England. When vacationing on the coast of New England, you don’t have to pay $30. for a lobster roll you can make at home by toasting a hot dog roll and adding a couple of spoonfuls of fresh lobster meat tossed with a quick tarragon aioli. Easy peasy! Having spent much of my childhood growing up on the New England coast, when I go to a restaurant, I prefer to order a dish that I don’t usually make at home. This recipe was inspired by a dish I had at Mac’s Shack seafood restaurant in Wellfleet on Cape Cod. I was so impressed with the original dish, I had to recreate my version of it at home. I hope you like it!

Lobster with Fried Gnocchi and Pea Purée
Serves 2
Ingredients:

• 2 lobster tails

• 6-8 boiled gnocchi per person (homemade or from the market)

• 1 cup of frozen peas

• 1 smallish shallot chopped

• 1-2 cloves of garlic chopped

• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

• zest from half a lemon (optional)

• 1 cup bottled clam juice, fish stock, or chicken stock

• ¼ cup dry white wine

• 1 heaping tablespoon of chopped fresh tarragon

• 1 heaping tablespoon of fresh flat-leaf parsley

• 2 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 tablespoon butter

• 4 cherry tomatoes

• pinch of white pepper and salt to taste

• pea sprouts for garnish (optional)

Preparation:
Make the Pea Purée:

Photo; c. foodblogchef 2021

1. In a medium saucepan, sauté the garlic and shallot over medium heat until just translucent (not browned).

2. Add the red pepper flakes and stir for a few seconds.

3. Add the stock and white wine and bring to a boil and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

4. Add the peas and white pepper and boil for a minute and remove from heat

5. Strain the peas reserving the liquid.

6. Using a blender or Magic Bullet, add the tarragon and parsley, half the liquid, and the pea mixture and purée until smooth. Add more reserved liquid if necessary to achieve the sauce consistency you want.

7. Taste and adjust the salt to taste.

Sauté the lobster and tomatoes:

Photo: c. foodblogchef

1. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to a skillet and sauté the lobster tails covered over medium heat for about 5 minutes adding a ¼ cup of water to create steam.

2. Remove the lobster tails and cut them lengthwise to gently remove the flesh from the shell and set aside.

3. To the same skillet, add a bit more oil if needed, and sauté the tomatoes cut face down for a minute or two to your desired doneness. Remove from heat and set aside.

Boil and fry the gnocchi:

1. Boil the gnocchi according to package directions, or if you’re using fresh homemade gnocchi, add the gnocchi to well-salted boiling water. Wait for them to rise to the surface and continue cooking for a minute. Remove from the water using a slotted spoon to drain the water.

2. To the same skillet, you cooked the lobster in, over medium-high heat, melt a tablespoon of butter and fry the boiled gnocchi until golden brown on two sides.

Plate the dish:

Photo: c. foodblogchef 2021

1. Spread the pea purée equally on two plates and top with 4 half tomatoes on each plate. Distribute the fried gnocchi and top with chopped lobster meat. Garnish with pea sprouts.

Wine pairing: dry white wines like Chablis, Chardonnay, Albariño, Vermentino.

Shrimp Pesto →

Garden tomatoes and freshly made pesto together are a perfect example of simple, flavorful, fragrant Italian cooking. (cucina contadina) You can have this delicious dish combining tomatoes, pesto, and shrimp sauteed in garlic and fresh herbs on the table in about 20 minutes. I prefer to prepare the tomato-pesto sauce first while bringing my pot of water to a boil. Adding the pasta to the boiling water before sauteing the shrimp allows for the pasta to be done by the time you have added the sauteed shrimp to the sauce and brought it to a simmer. The goal is to add the flavors of the garlic, fresh herbs, and lemon juice to the shrimp without overcooking them. If your pesto already has Parmesan in it, wait until you add the shrimp to the sauce to adjust the salt if necessary. Serve garnished with fresh chopped basil and toasted pine nuts. (optional) Don’t forget a good crusty loaf of bread to sop up the sumptuous sauce. A simple green salad dressed with a vinaigrette completes the meal.

Shrimp Pesto
Serves 4

The Steps:
1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil while you do the following:
2. Prepare the tomato-pesto sauce.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water.
4. Sautee the shrimp and herbs.(only about 1-2 minutes)
5. Add the sauce to the shrimp and just bring to a simmer. (3-5 minutes)
6. Once done to al dente, dress the pasta with a little sauce to keep it from drying out.
7. Plate and serve.

For the Sauce:
Ingredients:

• ½ cup pesto (preferably homemade, but bottled is ok)

• ½ cup crushed canned tomatoes

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 4 cloves of garlic

• 8 ounces clam juice

• ¼ cup dry white wine

• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

Preparation:
Sautee the garlic until fragrant. (not brown)
Add the tomatoes and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Add the pesto, clam juice, wine, and lemon juice and simmer for 5 minutes.

Add ½ pound of thin linguine to the boiling water while you saute the shrimp. Cook according to directions on the box to al dente. Fresh pasta cooks in about a minute at a full boil.

For the Shrimp:
Ingredients:

• 1 pound of large shrimp (21-25 count)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 1 clove of garlic minced

• 1 tablespoon fresh basil chopped (1 teaspoon dried)

• 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley chopped (1 teaspoon dried)

• pinch of oregano

• pinch of red pepper flakes

• a squeeze of lemon juice

Preparation:
Sautee the garlic for a minute until fragrant.
Add the shrimp and herbs and stir briefly to mix.
Add a squeeze of lemon juice and stir for about a minute.
Add the reserved tomato-pesto sauce and bring to a simmer.
Done! Don’t overcook the shrimp!

Photo: foodblogchef 2020

Assemble the dish:
Drain the pasta and dress the pasta with a ¼ cup of the tomato-pesto sauce.
Serve on a platter family style or individual plates of pasta topped with sauce and 4-6 shrimp per person.
Garnish with chopped fresh basil and toasted pine nuts. (optional)
Sprinkle with parmesan.

Wine pairing: fresh, bright wines that can stand up to the richness of the pesto and acidity of the tomatoes are a good choice: Vermentino, Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc for white wines; young inexpensive fruity Pinot Noir, Barbera, Beaujolais, or a lighter Tempranillo are red wines that should work. During warm weather, a slightly chilled Rose would be perfect.

Garlic Shrimp with Sauteed Greens →

Garlic Shrimp (Gambas al Ajo) is one of my favorite Spanish tapas. Paired with sauteed bitter greens or baby spinach and pine nuts, it's a delicious light meal you can have on the table in less than a half-hour. Place a couple of shrimp on a small mound of greens and serve as the first course to a larger meal. Add a thin pasta like Capellini, tossed with the sumptuous garlicky-sherry-olive oil sauce, topped with the shrimp and the sauteed greens on the side for a more substantial meal. As an appetizer, the shrimp can be served warm or at room temperature. Don’t forget the crusty bread to dip in the rich spicy sauce. Buen provecho! 

Serves 4 as a light meal or 6-8 appetizers
Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup olive oil

• 4 cloves garlic, cut into thin slices

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

• 1 pound large shrimp, shelled

• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt

• 1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper

• 3 tablespoons dry sherry

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Preparation:

1. In a large frying pan, heat the oil over moderate heat. Add the garlic, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the shrimp, salt, and black pepper to the pan and stir to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally until the shrimp are just done, 4 to 5 minutes.

3. Stir in the sherry, lemon juice, and parsley.

FISH ALTERNATIVES: Squid would be delicious with the garlic sauce. Cook it quickly (for about two minutes), or it will become tough and rubbery. Sea scallops are another alternative; cook them for about two minutes per side, without stirring, so they brown nicely.

Wine pair: sauvignon blanc, rosé, Vermentino, or an albariño would work nicely.

Adapted from: https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/shrimp-in-garlic-sauce

Scallops with Apple-Brandy Cream Sauce and Spinach →

Impress your family and friends with this recipe from Epicurious 2005. It is one of my all-time favorite scallop recipes and is super easy to prepare. The sweet and savory Calvados apple-brandy cream sauce complements the tender sweet scallops and provides a counterpoint to the slightly bitter spinach.

Makes 4 main servings or 6 starter servings
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided

• 1 large shallot, minced

• 1/3 cup Calvados (Apple Brandy)

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream

• 12 large sea scallops, patted dry (if possible buy “dry scallops”)

• 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil

• 1/2 cup fresh unfiltered apple juice

• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

• 1 large garlic clove, minced

• 1 9-ounce bag spinach leaves

• pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)

• pinch of nutmeg (optional)

• 2 teaspoons of grated lemon zest (optional)

Preparation:

Make the Sauce:

1. Heat 1/2 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot; stir 30 seconds. Add Calvados (be careful the apple-brandy may ignite); boil 30 seconds. Add cream and a pinch of nutmeg; boil 2 minutes. Transfer sauce base to bowl. (Sauce base can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Sear the Scallops:

1. Preheat oven to 300°F. Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Heat vegetable oil in another large nonstick skillet over high heat. The pan should be very hot; don’t over-crowd the scallops (about 6 scallops).

2. Cook until brown, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet; tent and place in the oven to keep warm. Repeat with the remaining scallops.

3. Add apple juice and thyme to a hot skillet. Boil 1 minute, scraping up brown bits. Add sauce base; bring to a boil.

4. Pour any collected juices from the baking sheet with scallops on it into the sauce in the skillet. Boil until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; remove from heat.

Saute the Spinach:

1. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and stir 30 seconds. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes; add spinach and lemon zest; toss until barely wilted and still bright green, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Using tongs, mound spinach in the center of plates, dividing equally.

2. Arrange 2 or 3 scallops atop the spinach on each plate. Spoon sauce over scallops and serve immediately.

Serve with white rice or Sukoyaka 8 Grain Mix.

Wine pairing: the classic wine choice for scallops and a cream sauce is Chardonnay, White Burgundy, or Chablis. A softer Sauvignon Blanc from the French Loire Valley also works. Avoid overly acidic or minerally wines.

https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/seared-scallops-on-spinach-with-apple-brandy-cream-sauce-233377

Bacon Wrapped Barbecue Shrimp

We first tasted these shrimp 30 years ago while visiting the Outer Banks in North Carolina and have been making them ever since. The trick is to pre-cook the bacon up to just before it becomes crispy, so it’s partially cooked, but it is still flexible enough to wrap around the shrimp. If you don’t pre-cook the bacon, you will end up with raw bacon or over-cooked shrimp. The spicy, sweet, and savory Bourbon Barbecue Sauce is the perfect complement to the smoky bacon and delicate shrimp. Serve with a green salad or Rice Pilaf for a delicious complete 5TastesTable meal.

4 servings
Ingredients:

• 12 large shrimp (I used 13-15 count)

• 6 slices of bacon

• Bourbon Barbecue Sauce (or your favorite bottled brand)

• 4 bamboo skewers

Preparation:
1. Soak the bamboo skewers while you make the Bourbon Barbecue Sauce:

• 1/2 cups ketchup

• 1/4 cup Bourbon

• 1/6 cup apple cider vinegar

• 1/2 cup molasses

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1 tablespoons yellow or brown mustard

• 1/2 shallot or 1/2 tablespoon onion powder

• 1 cloves garlic or

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne

• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle (or ancho) chili powder

• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire

• 1 Bay Leaf

  1. Saute shallot and garlic.

  2. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over a low heat. Stirring occasionally and simmer for 20 minutes. Sauce should be thin, but not watery. Allow to cool.

  3. Store in an airtight container and refrigerate. Sauce is better if allowed to sit for a day. Sauce will keep refrigerated for about 10 days.

Adapted from: https://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Bourbon-and-Brown-Sugar-Barbecue-Sauce-359849?

2. Precook the bacon: it should be cooked to the point just before it becomes crispy. Cut each strip in half so you have 12 halves.

3. Toss the shrimp in a bowl to coat with barbecue sauce and refrigerate for at least ½ hour.

4. Wrap each shrimp with a piece of bacon and thread onto a skewer so the skewer is holding the bacon in place on the shrimp; 3 shrimp per skewer.

5. Heat your grill to medium-hot; oil the grates.

6. Brush each bacon-shrimp skewer with barbecue sauce and place on a medium hot grill; cook for about 2-3 minutes per side depending on the size of your shrimp

Wine pairing: a balanced, fruit-forward Sauvignon Blanc; Dry Riesling; Albariño.