Browsing Category

Seafood Recipes

Appetizer Recipes Latin Recipes Seafood Recipes

Chef Victor Scargle’s Scallop and California Avocado Ceviche Recipe

Ceviche is one of our favorite summertime appetizers, especially on a hot summer day when turning on any type of kitchen heat seems unthinkable.

For those not thoroughly familiar, here is a brief ceviche synopsis.  Originally a South or Central American dish, it’s magic lies in “cooking” raw seafood via acidic citrus, usually lemon or lime.   How does this work?  The proteins in the fish, shrimp, or seafood become denatured, literally cooked, by the acids in the citrus.  The flesh becomes firm and opaque.    Jalapeño, minced onions, tomato, and cilantro are often added to the seafood citrus mixture.  The end result is a fresh and highly addictive flavor combination of spicy, rich, savory and tart with a crunchy texture.   In Peru, the dish is often served with a side of plantain chips,  cold boiled and sliced sweet potato, or maiz tostado (aka corn nuts) with cold beer.   We most often serve it simply by itself, or with tortilla chips or soft and warm corn tortillas.  Don’t be afraid to get creative!   Add orange. grapefruit, or tangerine juice, diced cucumbers or heirloom tomatoes, freshly chopped garlic, chives, or whatever you wish.

Our recipe today is a gorgeously simple Ceviche with California avocados and scallops from Chef Victor Scargle.   Chef Victor, formerly Executive Chef of Go Fish restaurant in St. Helena and San Francisco’s Grande Café,  is currently sharing his culinary expertise teaching at the Culinary Institue of America’s Greystone campus in Napa Valley.

(Ingredient note:  We love California avocados as opposed to those from Central or South America, because they typically are fresher due to less transit time en route.  Learn more about the fruit’s journey from seedling to market via the California Avocado Commission here.)

Scallop Avocado Ceviche

Scallop and California Avocado Ceviche
Chef Victor Scargle

Serves 6

1 lb sea scallops, cleaned
3⁄4 cups fresh lemon juice
1⁄4 cup chopped cilantro
1⁄4 cup chopped red onion
1⁄4 cup ketchup
1⁄4 cup fresh orange juice
1⁄4 cup clam juice
1⁄2 Tbsp finely chopped jalapeño peppers
hot pepper sauce to taste
salt to taste
2 California avocados, diced
Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Clean and quarter scallops. Cover scallops with lemon juice; marinate until firm and opaque, about 2 hours.
Meanwhile, mix red onion and remaining ingredients, except for the avocados.

When scallops are ready, drain, reserving lemon juice. Fold scallop and avocado into ketchup mixture. Stir in some of the reserved lemon juice to taste. Chill to blend flavors.

Per serving, put 2/3 cup ceviche in a martini glass or other stemmed glass. Garnish with cilantro sprigs.

Photo © California Avocado Commission

Appetizer Recipes Seafood Recipes

Oyster Roast! From the Grand Central NYC Oyster Bar

Grand Central Terminal in NYC is largely delicious. Freaking huge, bold, and beautiful. At last count over 750,000 people pass through the 42nd St Grand Central Terminal per day. Who are they and why?  They are locals or tourists either traveling to one of 600 destinations, or simply people watching and soaking up the classic New York landmark splendor, or tasting perhaps some of the best oysters in the city.

The Grand Central Oyster Bar, located under the station is a classic NYC seafood venue.  Featuring beautiful Guastivino tiled vaulted ceilings, this downstairs from the terminal eatery is a favorite destination for both tourists and locals alike.

Today we are so proud to share with you one of their restaurant recipes, a deliciously famous oyster delight that is fairly simple to make, their Oyster Pan Roast which is served over toast.  For more recipes,  purchase their book from Amazon here.

Grand Central Oyster Bar: The Famous Oyster Roast Recipe

Serves: 1, simply double for two

8 freshly opened oysters
2 Tbsp (1/4 stick) of sweet butter
1 Tbsp chili sauce
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4 cup oyster liquor, also called liquid
1/2 tsp paprika
dash celery salt
1 oz of clam juice
1/2 cup cream
1 slice of dry toast

Place all ingredients except cream, toast and 1 Tbsp of butter in the top part of a double broiler over boiling water. Do not let the top pan of the double broiler touch the water below.

Whisk or stir briskly and constantly for abut 1 minute until oyster edges begin to curl. Stirring carefully as to not damage the oysters.

Add cream and continue stirring briskly, Do not boil.

Pour pan roast into a soup plate over the slice of dry toast

Top with remaining 1 Tbsp butter, and sprinkle with paprika, and serve right away.

To create other individual stews and pan roasts, simply substitute the oysters for the following:

Shrimp: 8 raw shrimp, shelled, deveined, with tails off
Clams: 8 freshly opened cherrystone or littleneck clams
Lobster: 2 oz fresh lobster meat
Scallops: 10 – 12 raw bay scallops
Mussels: 14-16, bearded, but in the shell
Mixture: 3 shrimp, 2 oysters, 2 clams, 3 scallops, 2 oz lobster

Enjoy, go, eat, play!

Italian Recipes Seafood Recipes

Leeks, Clams, White Wine, Chef Bartolotta and Average Betty

Photo © AverageBetty.com

Leeks, Clams, White Wine, Chef Bartolotta and Average Betty, can you imagine anything more scrumptious?     Our favorite diva foodie rocks it in a video interview with Chef Paul Bartolotta, a two time James Beard award winner from Bartolotta Ristorante Di Mare restaurant in Las Vegas.   Here he tells all and shares the recipe for his famous Brodetto di Vongole e Porri, aka “Tiny Clams in a White Wine Broth with Leeks”.  It looks amazing and we cannot wait to make it!  Read about Average Betty’s experience here and view the written recipe here.

Care to join in?  Make this recipe, take photos, and send them to our email on the about page.    We will feature you and publish your version with a shout out  to your site or blog, test the recipe, send our reviews and your version will be sent to the chef and Average Betty.  Be a star!

Chefs Speak Seafood Recipes

Sustainable Fish: An Interview and Recipe From Chef Paul McCabe

Chef Paul McCabe

Being recognized by the James Beard Foundation as a Rising Star of American Cuisine is only one of Chef Paul McCabe’s impressive achievements in the culinary world. He’s also won Golden Sceptre and Golden Baccus awards from the Southern California Restaurant Writers, the Wine Spectator Magazine Award of Excellence, and his restaurant Kitchen 1540 was named the Best Hotel Dining by San Diego City Search, Best New Restaurant by San Diego Magazine, and hailed as Best Restaurant Service by San Diego’s Ranch and Coast Magazine.

Chef Paul McCabe is the executive chef of the gorgeous L’Auberge Del Mar resort and its Kitchen 1540 restaurant, located in the coastal village of Del Mar in San Diego’s North County. Operating with a a farm to table philosophy, his kitchen proudly serves hormone free beef, sustainable seafood, and fresh local produce according to season. We were thrilled to have the opportunity to interview Chef Paul, and he graciously shared a restaurant recipe with us as well.

Savory Tv: We’ve been reading about your international experience in the culinary world, is there any one region or country that is near and dear to your heart outside of the US? Do you bring this influence to the kitchen at 1540?

Chef Paul McCabe: Spain is a great source of inspiration for me. The variety of ingredients and dining options are found no where else on the planet. You can get great tapas at the markets or small restaurants, the best cured meats and cheeses and Spain has more Michelin star restaurants than any other country. Here at Kitchen 1540, our kitchen is grounded in the craft of our industry, guided by principles of sustainability and creatively motivated by modern cooking techniques.

Savory Tv: We know that you choose local, organic, and sustainable ingredients in your cuisine. Sadly not long ago, a proposed ban for Atlantic bluefin tuna was rejected. Our question for you is: how do you feel about chefs serving non sustainable seafood to satisfy consumer demand?

Chef Paul McCabe: Well, who am I to tell other Chefs what to do or what to serve? I am adamantly against serving non sustainable seafood.  We work closely with Kanaloa Seafood, a certified sustainable seafood distributor, to ensure that all seafood we order is from a sustainable source. About six months ago we made the decision to remove all Tuna from L’Auberge and Kitchen 1540 menus and have taken a stand to help save this magnificent Fish. I do believe it’s up to the Chefs and restaurants in this country to help educate the public.

Savory Tv: Do you think that restaurants are moving forward in this regard at all, towards responsibly serving sustainable fish on their menus?

Chef Paul McCabe: Yes! But not fast enough…if we want our grandchildren to see and experience this fish then we must act now!

Savory Tv: With summer quickly approaching, which ingredients are you looking forward to working with?

Chef Paul McCabe: Spring is my favorite season but San Diego farmers are growing some amazing produce! I always look forward to the corn, fava beans, heirloom tomatoes and all the incredible stone fruit.

Savory Tv: Thank you for joining us Chef!  Have a wonderful Summer.

Clean Seas Hiramasa Crudo
Compressed Fennel, Sake Cured Steelhead Roe, Duck Cracklings

Ingredients
12 oz Clean Seas Hiramasa
1 Cup Kosher Salt
1/4 Cup Sugar
1/4 Coriander Seeds
Fennel Fronds from one bulb of fennel, chopped
4oz Fennel Bulb, Shaved and compressed in a cryovac machine
.5oz Micro Sorel
.5oz Sake Cured Steelhead Roe
2 Smoked Duck Skin, julienned
1/3 Cup Lemon Vinegar
1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive oil

Method
For the Hiramasa:
Clean the Hiramasa filets and set aside in the refrigerator. Mix the salt, sugar, coriander and fennel fronds in a bowl and mix. Cover the Hiramasa with the salt mixture and let cure for 3 hours. Wash the fish under cold water to remove the salt and pat dry.

For the Duck Cracklings:
Place a heavy bottomed sauté pan over medium heat and add the duck skin and cook until crisp, drain and set aside.

For the Vinaigrette:
Mix the vinegar and olive oil and set aside.

Presentation
Slice the Clean Seas Hiramasa in quarter inch pieces and place six on a rectangular plate. Mix the shaved fennel, sorel and some of the vinaigrette in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place the fennel salad on top of the fish and add the roe and duck cracklings and serve.

Culinary Events Pasta Recipes Seafood Recipes

Chef Michael Smith’s Smoked Salmon Pasta With a Lemon Dill Cheese Sauce

© www.fallflavours.ca

He’s a well known celebrity chef in Canada, but for those in the US and elsewhere who aren’t familiar, we’d like to introduce you to this James Beard award winning culinary gem.  Michael Smith attended the Culinary Institute of America in NYC, worked for several restaurants both abroad and in NY, and is currently stars in Food Network Canada’s tv shows “Chef at Home” and “Chef at Large”.  He also is a cookbook author, and you will see him soon in a future Iron Chef episode.

Chef Michael currently lives in Prince Edward Island, (P.E.I.), a beautiful Province and Island in northeast Canada, close to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. He was recently named the PEI’s ‘Food Ambassador’ and will be a star of the PEI’s Fall Flavours food festival from September 25 – October 4, 2009.  Fall Flavors features over 150 culinary events, including delicious tasting workshops, ale and wine tastings, and interactive education including how to catch lobsters or harvest oysters.   We will miss the event this year but are already RSVP’ing for 2010!

You will love this chef recipe video from our friends at Le Gourmet Tv:   Michael shares a wonderful (and quick)  Smoked Salmon Penne Pasta with a a lemon, dill, dijon and caper cream cheese sauce.   You may download the printable PDF from Le Gourmet Tv here.  Try your best to use fresh dill, but if it is not available, typically 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed equals a four-inch sprig of dill.  That said, add as much as you wish according to taste.

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8uZ59HNkM4[/pro-player]
Continue Reading

Seafood Recipes

Top Chef Masters Duet! Seafood Recipes from Chefs Chiarello and Keller

Ciao Bello! Aspen 2009

Ciao Bello! Aspen 2009

Not double trouble but a charming duet!  And no, it’s not about Heidi from Savory Tv and her affinity for men in white as shown left.  Todays duo features the two San Francisco Bay area Top Chef Masters Michael Chiarello and Hubert Keller sharing seafood recipes, in this video from View From The Bay.  Michael Chiarello shares his salsa verde swordfish meatball recipe in tomato based fisherman’s sauce and a Calabrian tartar sauce, while Hubert Keller shares his Scottish cold salmon with caviar and mustard seed sauce. (This was the dish made in the dorm room if you watch the show!)  The two of them are very sweet together, and Keller confesses “the only thing we didn’t share in all these days was a bedroom”, and that although the show was “totally stressful”, “we compete in a more elegant manner” than traditional Top Chef relationships.  Proof once and for all that maturity and respect are in fact possible in reality television.   Bon appétit and buon appetito!

Read on for the recipes: Continue Reading

Grilled Recipes Latin Recipes Seafood Recipes

Rick Bayless Presents: Grilled Catfish with Chipotle Salsa

Have you been watching Top Chef Masters Wednesday nights on Bravo Tv?   If you have then you already know him , and if you haven’t, start watching, you’re missing out!      For those not in the know, Rick Bayless has won multiple James Beard awards, is a cookbook author, and is the Chef / Restauranteur behind the wildly popular Frontera Grill and Topolobampo in Chicago. His culinary focus is devoted to modern interpretations of authentic Mexican cuisine, and he was called the “”greatest contribution to the Mexican table imaginable” by The New York Time’s Craig Claiborne.

In this video from our friends at Great Chefs, Rick prepares marinated and grilled catfish steaks with a chipotle tomatillo avocado salsa, garnished with cilantro sprigs. This recipe will involve some prep time, as Bayless recommends marinating the fish for several hours before grilling if possible, or, you may marinade the fish and make the salsa a day ahead of time. If you are not a catfish fan, he states that tuna, swordfish, or shark work can be used, and that skewered scallops are an excellent substitute as well.

Quick trivia regarding this dish:  What is a chipotle pepper exactly?  Nothing more than a smoked jalapeño, traditionally dry smoked over a wood fire. If you can’t find them, you may substitute canned chipotle chiles found in most grocery stores.

And here’s is the Spanish name for this recipe fyi:  “Bagre Asado con Salsa de Aguacate Enchipotlado”, although if your Spanish is poor you may want to bypass announcing that to your guests!

[pro-player width=’550′ height=’353′ type=’video’]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZVIv_QN86I[/pro-player]

Chipotle Salsa with Pan Roasted Tomatillos
Chef Rick Bayless

* 3 garlic cloves, peeled
* 4 medium (about 8 ounces total) tomatillos, husked, rinsed and cut in half
* 2 canned chipotle chiles en adobo (or more, if you like really spicy salsa), stemmed
* Salt

Set a large (10-inch) non-stick skillet over medium-high heat (if a non-stick skillet is unavailable, lay in a piece of foil). Lay in the garlic and tomatillos (cut side down). When the tomatillos are well browned, 3 or 4 minutes, turn everything over and brown the other side. (The tomatillos should be completely soft.)

Scoop the garlic and tomatillos into a blender jar or food processor with the chiles and 1/4 cup water. Process to a coarse puree. Pour into a salsa dish and cool.

Thin with a little additional water if necessary to give the salsa an easily spoonable consistency. Taste and season with salt, usually a generous 1/2 teaspoon.

Rick adds diced avocado to this salsa and marinates his fish steaks in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before grilling. He sears both sides of the catfish steaks on the grill, and serves them with the remaining salsa, garnished with cilantro.

“Riffs on Chipotle Salsa: You can replace the tomatillos with roasted tomatoes (two 4-ounce plum tomatoes roasted like the tomatillos or ½ drained 15-ounce can fire-roasted tomatoes), but keep in mind that the tomato will tip the flavor toward sweet rather than tangy. A little cilantro, fresh thyme or parsley is always welcome, as is green or white onion—especially if it’s grilled. A splash of mescal (or the less-smoky tequila) makes a borracha (drunken) salsa that’s dynamite. Instead of pureeing the chiles, you can finely chop them and add them to the pureed (green) base; they’ll show up as little red flecks, and the salsa will be less smoky.” – Rick Bayless

On Twitter?   Follow Rick Bayless at @Rick_Bayless for delicious updates and an occasional short recipe. We’ve gathered several of his twitter recipes here.

Seafood Recipes

Seared Halibut with Zesty Lemon Risotto

We are pleased to introduce to you Chef Drew Munro!   Another talented chef that we discovered via Twitter,  Chef Drew hails from BC Canada, and after culinary school and working in several high end kitchens is now operating Drew Cooks,  a personal chef and catering service as well as a delicious food blog with videos.   And he not only offers his culinary magic at events such as romantic dinners and barbecues,  he also offers Iron Chef style dinner parties in your home, how cool is that?

Drew is a natural in front of the camera, perhaps the Food Network should scoop him up as their next star!   In this episode he prepares a pan seared halibut with a tangy lemon pesto risotto, topped with sauteed cherry tomatoes, shallots, and chive oil.  Visit his blog for the written recipe, enjoy!

Appetizer Recipes Pizza Recipes Seafood Recipes

Salmon Gravlax Pizza with Jacques Pépin

Jacques Pépin is truly one of our favorite chefs of all time. Author of 25 cookbooks and host of over 300 cooking shows on public television, his elegant recipes and detailed instructions command a deep level of respect from both home cooks and culinary experts throughout the world.

In this video from Food & Wine magazine, Jacques and his daughter Claudine prepare a 10 minute recipe of cured salmon gravlax pizza, a quick and delicious appetizer that would bring holiday cheer to your Christmas party with minimal effort!

What is gravlax you ask? Scandinavian in origin, gravlax literally translates to “salmon dug into the ground”. In the middle ages, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian and Estonian fisherman had a special technique to cure their freshly caught salmon. They salted it and fermented it (to preserve the fish) by burying it into the sand for several days. Modern preparation of gravlax is much simpler, thinly sliced salmon is simply cured with a dry rub of salt, sugar, and often dill.

Jacques Pépin’s recipe for salmon gravlax pizza calls for the following ingredients: thinly sliced raw salmon, kosher salt, pepper, brown sugar, sour cream, horseradish, a cooked thin pizza crust (you may use a frozen pizza dough to prepare this), thinly sliced red onion, black olives, capers, and basil.

Salmon Gravlax Pizza
Chef Jacques Pepin
For the gravlax:

½ pound skinless boneless salmon fillet
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 ½ teaspoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A little oil

For the pizza:

1 flour tortilla
Olive oil
¼ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon horseradish, homemade or store-bought
¼ cup red onion, sliced very thin
6 black oil-cured olives, pitted and cut into pieces
7 or 8 fresh basil leaves
Fleur de sel, for garnish

Directions

For the gravlax, cut the salmon into 8 thin slices, and arrange them in a single layer on a flat plate or platter. Mix together the kosher salt, light brown sugar, and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle half of this mixture evenly over the salmon slices, turn the slices over, and sprinkle with the remaining seasoning mixture. Spread a thin coating of oil on the slices, just enough to make the salmon shiny, and press a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the salmon. Refrigerate to cure; it will be ready in an hour or less, although you can leave it overnight or even up to a day. (We are using only 4 slices of gravlax on our pizza. Make a second pizza, or enjoy the leftover gravlax with cucumber and/or sliced onion and buttered black bread.)

Preheat the oven to 500°F. Precook the tortilla for this pizza. Coat the tortilla with olive oil, using about ½ teaspoon on each side. Place the oiled tortilla on a cookie sheet and, to prevent it from curling up and bubbling in the oven without the weight of toppings to hold it down, place a rack or cake stand upside down directly on top of the tortilla. The rack will hold it flat as it cooks. Bake for about 5 minutes to brown the tortilla nicely and make it crisp. Let cool before continuing.

When the tortilla is cool, coat with the sour cream, and then spread on the horseradish. (My friend Claude has enormous and pungent horseradish in his garden that he peels, grates, and puts in a jar with a little vinegar, salt, and water.) Arrange 4 slices of gravlax on top, so the salmon covers most of the surface, although it’s attractive if a little sour cream shows through here and there. Sprinkle the sliced red onion on top, and then scatter the olives over the surface. Finally, coarsely tear the basil leaves into pieces, and top the pizza with the basil. Cut the pizza into 8 pieces. Sprinkle with fleur de sel.

Seafood Recipes

Steamed Mussels with Beer

Lately videos from “The Icelandic Chef” have been appearing in the food video world. Set with a backdrop of the breathtaking coast of Iceland, his videos feature him collecting his own food wearing chunky wool, and preparing it outside of his scenic RV camping spot on the shore. Who is this vagabond culinary expert? Is he really a chef? Savory Tv had to know! It turns out his name is as exotic as his image, Volundur Snaer Volundarson, and he is otherwise known as “Chef Worly”. He was raised in northern Iceland, and is quite the seasoned chef indeed. He has also authored a book entitled “Delicious Iceland: Tales of Unique Northern Delicacies”, which the publisher describes as “a glorious culinary and cultural tour”. You can read more about Chef Worly and his award winning book on his professional site here, and visit his blog for original recipes here.

This video features the Icelandic Chef whipping up a simple but delicious looking recipe of steamed mussels with light beer, ginger, red onion, jalapeno, sweet red pepper, tomato, butter, cream, and thyme.


Steamed Mussels from IcelandicChef on Vimeo.

Seafood Recipes

Wild Salmon with a Cranberry Compote

Chef Becky Troelstra of Sliced Tomatoes in Vancouver, prepares an wild salmon from British Columbia with a cranberry compote. A compote is simply fresh or dried fruit simmered with sugar to a syrupy consistency. Becky pairs the entree with roasted acorn squash and a fresh garden salad, and the end result is a very healthy and warm autumn meal.

Ingredients:

For the squash, acorn squash, diced onion, diced garlic, olive oil, coarse salt, pepper

For the entree, wild sockeye salmon,half of a sliced orange, the juice and zest of the rest of the orange, white wine, cloves, a bayleaf

For the compote: dried cranberries, brown sugar, orange juice

For the salad, organic spring greens, toasted almonds, tomato, cucumber

For the dressing, apple cider vinegar, olive oil, dijon, salt, pepper

Appetizer Recipes Latin Recipes Seafood Recipes

Shrimp and scallop ceviche in a delicious citrus marinade with Chef Aaron Sanchez

Chef and owner of the Manhattan restaurant, Paladar, Aaron Sanchez creates a fusion Caribbean, Central and South American flavors. In this video Aaron creates a shrimp and scallop ceviche in citrus marinade, a perfect dish for summer.

[kaltura-widget wid=”wsc8nokreo” width=”410″ height=”364″ type=”grey” addPermission=”3″ editPermission=”3″ /]
* Juice of 1 lemon
* 2 bay leaves
* 1 tbsp. Tabasco
* 1/2 lb. 20 / 30 size sea scallops
* 1/2 lb. 16-20 size shrimp, peeled, deveined, cut in half lengthwise
* 1/2 med. Tomato, diced
* 1 jalapeno chile, chopped, seeded
* 1 tsp. Aji Amarillo
* 1 tbsp. chopped chives
* 1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
* 1 cup mango nectar or orange juice
* Juice of 1 lime
* 1 tsp. salt

Bring to boil medium pot of water. Add lemon juice, bay leaves, salt, submerge sea scallops for 5 minutes, add shrimp. Cook 30 seconds. Remove from boiling water into ice bath. Drain seafood. Cool. Combine remaining ingredients. Add to seafood.

Fusion Recipes Grilled Recipes Seafood Recipes

Grilled decadence! Lobster burgers with Chef Michael Haimowitz

Looking for a unique summer recipe for the grill? Chef Michael Haimowitz of New Jersey’s Arthur’s Landing restaurant offers up this suggestion for lobster sliders with spicy avocado mayo.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2 pound lobster meat
• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup scallions, chopped
• 1/4 cup fine diced red pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste

In bowl of food processor, combine ½ pound lobster meat, ½ pound shrimp, heavy cream, salt and pepper. Puree until smooth.

Place pureed ingredients in a bowl, fold in remaining ingredients.

Using a one-ounce ice cream scoop, portion burger mix onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Wet hand, then flatten portions to form patties.

Refrigerate ½ hour, then grill and serve.
________________________________

Spicy avocado mayo:

INGREDIENTS

• 2 ripe avocados
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 limes
• 1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder
• 2 jalepenos, peeled, seeded and finely diced
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt and pepper to taste

Place avocado in bowl of food processor with mayo, juice of two limes and chipotle powder. Puree until smooth.

Add remaining ingredients. Pulse until well combined.

Grilled Recipes Seafood Recipes

Grilled Clams and mussels with Chef Anne Burrell

With her trademark spiky blond hair and pumped-up personality, Anne Burrell has worked at some of the top restaurants in New York, studied the culinary landscape and traditions of Italy, and has battled alongside Mario Batali as his sous chef on Food Network’s Iron Chef America. Anne eliminates the intimidation of restaurant dishes and reveals concise, easy-to-master techniques for the at-home cook on her Food Network series, Secrets of a Restaurant Chef. Anne is currently the executive chef at West Village restaurant Centro Vinoteca. Watch as she prepares delicious grilled clams and mussels for this perfect summer dinner. Please note that MSNBC is debuting a new video player, and it is still in beta stage, if you have trouble viewing this show click this link.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Seafood Recipes

Chef Mario Batali’s savory grilled sea scallops alla caprese

Sea scallops alla caprese
Mario Batali
Serves 6

Scoring the scallops before grilling makes them open up like a flower, and the contrast between the golden brown surface and white interior is striking. The trick here is to cook the scallops 90 percent on the first side, until very well seared, then just give them a quick finish on the other side.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds mixed great heirloom tomatoes
• 24 fresh basil leaves
• 3 medium red onions, cut into 1-inch-thick slices
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 to 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 giant diver scallops (about 2 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons Maldon salt or other coarse sea salt
• 1 lemon, cut in half

DIRECTIONS

Preheat a gas grill or prepare a fire in a charcoal grill. Place a piastra on the grill to preheat.

Slice the tomatoes creatively (leave very small ones whole, or halve them) and lay out on a platter. Tear the basil leaves over the tomatoes, strewing them about. Set aside.

Season the onion slices on both sides with salt and pepper. Place them on the hot dry piastra and cook, unmoved, for 7 to 10 minutes, until well charred on the first side. Using tongs, carefully turn the slices over and cook for 7 to 10 minutes on the second side, until well charred and softened. Transfer to a plate and let cool slightly, then separate the onion slices into smaller rings and scatter them over the tomatoes. Drizzle the whole mess with 3 to 4 tablespoons of the olive oil.

While the onions cook, carve a checkerboard pattern about 1/4 inch deep into one side of each scallop. Season them all over with salt and pepper, toss them in a bowl with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and stir gently to coat.

Place the scallops on the dry clean piastra, design side down, and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, unmoved, until almost cooked (they should be opaque almost all the way through). Flip them over and sear for just 30 seconds, then remove and arrange on the tomato salad.

Sprinkle the tomatoes with the Maldon salt, squeeze the lemon halves over the scallops and tomatoes, and serve.