Seafood is a favorite food that most people don’t get to eat every day and is a great idea for a special meal or party. Here are 2 gourmet seafood recipes you can prepare for your party, whether it is a baby shower, bridal party, or just a special dinner.
Seared Scallops on Baby Spinach with Lemon Vinaigrette
10 medium sized sea scallops
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
Heat a large skillet on medium high. Melt butter in pan and add olive oil. Salt and pepper both sides of the scallop. Lay scallops into the hot pan, searing until golden brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Set aside on paper towel to drain and cool.
For the salad and vinaigrette, you’ll need:
1 lb. fresh, baby spinach
1 lb. oyster mushrooms
Half cup roasted pumpkin seeds
2 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice (do not use bottled juice)
1 tbsp. lemon rind
1 tsp. Dijon country mustard
One half tsp. garlic powder
One half tsp. kosher or sea salt
One fourth tsp. fresh ground pepper
One fourth cup extra virgin olive oil
Mix first six ingredients together well. Then, slowly drizzle in olive oil and whisk briskly to incorporate into a thick, yellow vinaigrette. To arrange the dish, toss baby spinach and oyster mushrooms together with the vinaigrette. Arrange in a small mound in the middle of the plate. Slice scallops in half and serve one or two seared side up. Scatter roasted pumpkin seeds over the top and serve.
Roasted and Broiled Salmon with Mango Coulis
2 lbs. fresh Atlantic or Sockeye salmon, cut into 1 inch filets
2 lemons, juiced and zested
Seasoned salt (McCormick’s, Lawry’s, Aunt Cora’s, etc.)
8 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped finely
8-10 tsp. Gulden’s Spicy Mustard
2 cups dried plain bread crumbs
Butter or Olive Oil flavored cooking spray
Parchment paper
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Remove any pin bones from salmon filets. Zest lemons and set aside. Place salmon in a dish and squeeze fresh lemon juice over the top. Let it marinade for 30-45 minutes. Place salmon on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper and cooking spray. Sprinkle top with generous amount of seasoning salt. Then, spread one teaspoon of spicy brown mustard over the top and smooth out with a knife. Toss fresh garlic over the mustard and then cover with one fourth cup of dried plain bread crumbs. Repeat for all pieces of salmon. Carefully and slowly spray the top of the bread crumbs with a layer of cooking spray. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Then, broil for 5-10 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Mango Coulis
1 ripe mango, peeled and cut into cubes
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. honey
Half a cup orange juice
One fourth tsp. ground cinnamon
One fourth tsp. ground allspice
One fourth tsp. ground nutmeg
One eighth tsp. cayenne pepper (more or less, depending on how much heat you want)
Blend all ingredients together in a food processor until smooth. Spoon onto plate and place cooked salmon on top. Add a side of mashed potatoes to finish off the dish. These two dishes will be a sure hit, whether you are hosting a party, a formal event, or just making a special dinner.
Criss White is a professional writer that writes about food and other party planning topics like baby shower recipes and other baby shower ideas. Criss enjoys hosting parties and cooking when not writing.
Showing posts with label gourmet food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label gourmet food. Show all posts
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Thursday, August 18, 2011
3 Gourmet Recipes You can Prepare for Your Party
No matter what kind of party you’re throwing – holiday event, bridal or baby shower – you can wow your guests with your culinary skills. You don’t have to be a graduate of the C.I.A. to make these recipes. All you need is quality ingredients, a little planning ahead, and patience to present a gorgeous plate of food. Here are two delicious entrees and a dessert that will make your party or meal complete.
Paella
One fourth cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
One half cup chorizo sliced into half-inch pieces
Half a large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
One and a half cups Valencia rice
2 cups chicken broth
One half cup red wine
One half pound mussels
Salt to taste
Bijol powder (found in spice section)
One half pound medium raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
One half pound clams (littlenecks or cherrystones)
One fourth pound scallops
Meat of 2 lobster tails, reserve shells for garnish
Half cup frozen green peas
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Sauté chorizo sausage. onions, and garlic and sauté until wilted but not overcooked. Add chicken pieces and sauté for about 15 minutes until brown, but not fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
In a large pot combine the rice, broth, wine, and mussels. Add salt for flavor and Bijol for color. Stir. Turn on high and bring to boil and cover. Add chicken and chorizo. Cover and simmer on the stove for 30 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Sauté shrimp, clams, scallops, and lobster tails separately in the oil. Remove and keep warm. Fold seafood into the rice mixture. Transfer to a large, flat oven-safe platter to serve. Top with peas. Place in oven for about 5 minutes to heat through. Garnish with lobster shells.
Coq au Vin
1 bottle of red wine (not too sweet, not too dry – a Beaujolais or Pinot Noir works best)
1 cup chicken stock
6-8 boneless chicken thighs
1 cup frozen pearl onions
Half stick of butter
1 lb. fresh mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shitake variety)
6 strips of bacon, chopped
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. flour or cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
Several sprigs of fresh thyme
One medium spaghetti squash
In a large Dutch oven pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and cook frozen pearl onions and mushrooms until they’re tender. Set aside. In the same pot, add chopped bacon pieces and cook down until all fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, but not burned. Strain bacon out onto paper towel to drain.
Using remaining bacon fat, brown the chicken thighs for about ten minutes on both sides until golden brown on the outside. Salt and pepper as it’s cooking. Add chicken stock, red wine, and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and let it cook for 30-45 minutes or until chicken is extremely tender.
In a preheated 425 degree oven, place halved and seeded spaghetti squash skin side up on a baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes. Remove and let it cool. Then, with a fork, rake out the squash into a bowl. It will resemble thick spaghetti.
Remove one cup of cooking liquid to separate bowl. Combine flour and two tablespoons of butter together and then whisk into the cooking liquid to form a thick sauce. Pour back into larger pot and stir well to thicken the rest of the sauce. Let it simmer an additional 10-15 minutes. Then add the onions and mushrooms back in and finally the bacon. Serve mixture over a bed of the spaghetti squash.
Nova Scotia Blueberry Buckle
One fourth cup butter
Half cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
Half tsp. baking powder
One third cup milk
2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) blueberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together sugar and butter and then add egg and mix well. Sift flour, baking powder and salt and then add alternatively with milk and the first mixture. Then, add everything together and stir. Pour into a well-greased square pan. Spread blueberries evenly over the top.
In an a separate bowl, add half a cup sugar, one third cup flour, one half teaspoon cinnamon, and one fourth cup butter. Cut all ingredients together with a fork and then scatter the topping over the blueberries. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Serve with gourmet vanilla bean ice cream.
Criss White is a professional writer that writes about food and other party planning topics like baby shower recipes and other baby shower ideas. Criss enjoys hosting parties and cooking when not writing.
Paella
One fourth cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons
One half cup chorizo sliced into half-inch pieces
Half a large onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, minced
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
One and a half cups Valencia rice
2 cups chicken broth
One half cup red wine
One half pound mussels
Salt to taste
Bijol powder (found in spice section)
One half pound medium raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined
One half pound clams (littlenecks or cherrystones)
One fourth pound scallops
Meat of 2 lobster tails, reserve shells for garnish
Half cup frozen green peas
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat olive oil in a large pan. Sauté chorizo sausage. onions, and garlic and sauté until wilted but not overcooked. Add chicken pieces and sauté for about 15 minutes until brown, but not fully cooked. Remove and set aside.
In a large pot combine the rice, broth, wine, and mussels. Add salt for flavor and Bijol for color. Stir. Turn on high and bring to boil and cover. Add chicken and chorizo. Cover and simmer on the stove for 30 minutes, until the rice is cooked. Sauté shrimp, clams, scallops, and lobster tails separately in the oil. Remove and keep warm. Fold seafood into the rice mixture. Transfer to a large, flat oven-safe platter to serve. Top with peas. Place in oven for about 5 minutes to heat through. Garnish with lobster shells.
Coq au Vin
1 bottle of red wine (not too sweet, not too dry – a Beaujolais or Pinot Noir works best)
1 cup chicken stock
6-8 boneless chicken thighs
1 cup frozen pearl onions
Half stick of butter
1 lb. fresh mushrooms (cremini, oyster, shitake variety)
6 strips of bacon, chopped
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tbsp. flour or cornstarch
Salt and pepper to taste
Several sprigs of fresh thyme
One medium spaghetti squash
In a large Dutch oven pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and cook frozen pearl onions and mushrooms until they’re tender. Set aside. In the same pot, add chopped bacon pieces and cook down until all fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, but not burned. Strain bacon out onto paper towel to drain.
Using remaining bacon fat, brown the chicken thighs for about ten minutes on both sides until golden brown on the outside. Salt and pepper as it’s cooking. Add chicken stock, red wine, and thyme and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and let it cook for 30-45 minutes or until chicken is extremely tender.
In a preheated 425 degree oven, place halved and seeded spaghetti squash skin side up on a baking sheet and roast for 20-30 minutes. Remove and let it cool. Then, with a fork, rake out the squash into a bowl. It will resemble thick spaghetti.
Remove one cup of cooking liquid to separate bowl. Combine flour and two tablespoons of butter together and then whisk into the cooking liquid to form a thick sauce. Pour back into larger pot and stir well to thicken the rest of the sauce. Let it simmer an additional 10-15 minutes. Then add the onions and mushrooms back in and finally the bacon. Serve mixture over a bed of the spaghetti squash.
Nova Scotia Blueberry Buckle
One fourth cup butter
Half cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
Half tsp. baking powder
One third cup milk
2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed) blueberries
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream together sugar and butter and then add egg and mix well. Sift flour, baking powder and salt and then add alternatively with milk and the first mixture. Then, add everything together and stir. Pour into a well-greased square pan. Spread blueberries evenly over the top.
In an a separate bowl, add half a cup sugar, one third cup flour, one half teaspoon cinnamon, and one fourth cup butter. Cut all ingredients together with a fork and then scatter the topping over the blueberries. Bake for 45 minutes to an hour. Serve with gourmet vanilla bean ice cream.
Criss White is a professional writer that writes about food and other party planning topics like baby shower recipes and other baby shower ideas. Criss enjoys hosting parties and cooking when not writing.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)