Seafood
Sautéed Salmon with Spicy Fresh Mango-Pineapple Chutney
Serve with steamed asparagus, snap peas, or green beans.
Big Mussels with Chorizo and Saffron Rice
This meal is a lazy-man’s version of paella. (But we lazy, big-mouthed, big-appetite girls can dispatch this dinner pretty easily, too!)
Crunchy Japanese Fish with Vegetable and Noodle Toss
No panko (Japanese bread crumbs)? No problem! I got a great recipe from an old JayCee/community cookbook in New England. One local mom made Rice Krispie fish fillets in the oven with melted margarine. What a great substitute for panko flakes! Crushed Krispies! Cool! Here’s my take . . . with a side of No-Pain Vegetable Lo Mein.
Swordfish Burgers with Lemon, Garlic, and Parsley
Serve with oil-and-vinegar-dressed slaw and specialty chips such as Terra brand’s Yukon Gold onion and garlic chips.
Greek Bread Salad with Grilled Shrimp
If you don’t groove on the shrimp, use 1 1/2 pounds of chicken tenders, 20 large sea scallops, or even 8 pieces of calamari, 2 per person, and grill in the shrimps’ place.
Shrimp Martinis and Manhattan Steaks
I usually make the shrimp martinis while the steaks cook, but if you prefer you can make the shrimp first and let them chill in the fridge.
Indian-Asian Seared Cod with Cilantro-Mint Chutney and Sweet Pea and Coconut Jasmine Rice
Remove the seeds from only half the jalapeño pepper. The heat lives in the seeds and this dish is a balance of heat with sweet.
Spanish Fish and Chorizo Stoup
Food Network is located at Chelsea Market, in Manhattan. The Lobster Place is a great seafood shop within this huge market. I made up this meal one night during a run of taping for 30-Minute Meals. I stopped into the market and took home pure white scrod, some tiny Manila clams, and a little pack of saffron powder as my inspiration. It was so delish that John and I ate it three nights in ten, sharing it with family and friends two of those evenings as the simplest, tastiest way we could think to entertain a crowd. Whether you’re feeding one or some, make a whole pot of this stoup (thicker than soup, thinner than stew), as the leftovers get even better!
Crab Tortilla (Egg Pie) and Shredded Plantain Hash Browns
This is my at-home version of Chef José’s crab omelet from the Floridian Diner in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Hey, José, how did I do? Oh, and the inspiration for the hash browns comes from my love of latkes and my love of these crunchy treats called plantain spiders, which I had at La Casita Blanca in Puerto Rico. They are too delish!