Seafood

I bought a 5 pound bag of mussels recently. That’s a lot of mussels for two people…what was I thinking? So here are several of the recipes I created using these delicious little sea creatures.
Mussels with Pasta, Fresh Spinach and Cheese
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
 
 
2 servings of fettuccine pasta cooked
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic minced
1 quart chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 1/2 pounds fresh mussels
1 cup fresh spinach (packed)
1/2 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
pinch of dried red pepper flakes

Cook pasta according to package directions for al dente; drain and set aside

In a deep skillet melt the butter and oil together over medium heat; saute the garlic for 30-40 seconds till just fragrant. Add the chicken stock, basil, parsley and pepper. Bring the broth to a boil; add the mussels. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes till mussels open, discard any that do not open.
Stir in the pasta and fresh spinach, cover and steam on low heat for 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat and top with the cheese blend and pepper flakes. Serve with some crusty bread for dipping.

Serves 4-5

Note: whole wheat, spinach pasta or herb flavored pasta like rosemary, basil or garlic would work well with this recipe.
 

Mussels, Mussels, Mussles… Read More »
 
Steamed Mussels in Basil Pesto
 and Red Wine Broth
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
 
 
6-7 roasted garlic cloves smashed
1 Tablespoon Butter
2 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive oil or
   (The Gourmet Farm Girl Mission Extra Virgin Olive Oil)
2 green onions chopped
2 14.5 oz cans low sodium chicken broth
1 14.5 can diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Basil Pesto
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 1/2 pounds mussels
1/2 cup red wine (use a good one)
5-6 stems of Flat Leaf Parsley (chopped)
Grated Parmesan Cheese (use a good one)
 
 
Pre-heat oven to 375 
 
Cut one head of garlic in half; drizzle one half with olive oil and lightly salt; wrap in foil and bake for 20-30 minutes till soft and fragrant.  Reserve the other half for another recipe
 
While the garlic roasts, heat the butter and olive oil in a large deep skillet that has a lid. Saute the onions for 2-3 minutes over medium heat. Add the broth, tomatoes, basil pesto, oregano sprigs and pepper, reduce heat to simmer.
 
Remove the garlic from the foil and allow to cool, when cool enough to handle squeeze the garlic into a small bowl and smash with a spoon. Stir the garlic into the broth.
 
Turn the heat back up and bring the broth to a boil; pour the mussels into the hot broth and add the wine. Cover the pan with the lid and cook for 3-4 minutes or until all the mussels open.
(Discard any that do not open)
 
Garnish with the chopped parsley and grated cheese; serve immediately with some crusty bread for dipping.
 
Serves 2-4
 
Enjoy!
 

Saturday Night Supper! Read More »
 Arugula and Prosciutto Wrapped Shrimp
 with Golden Balsamic and Lemon Dressing
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
 
 
 
4 Tablespoons Golden Balsamic (from The Gourmet Farm Girl line of Balsamic)

1 lemon zested and juiced
3 Tablespoons Mission Extra Virgin Olive Oil (from The Gourmet Farm Girl line of Oils)
Plus extra for finishing
20 fresh jumbo shrimp (or frozen fully cooked)
20 pieces of fresh arugula leaves
20 small pieces of prosciutto
20 cherry or grape tomatoes
20 wooden tooth picks or party picks
Small batch of fresh cilantro

Whisk together the balsamic, lemon juice, zest and oil; set aside

Steam or boil the shrimp for 3-5 minutes till orange in color and shaped like a C. Drain and cool for 10-15 minutes. If using frozen; thaw completely according to package directions.
Once cool, pour the balsamic dressing over the shrimp and toss to coat.

Place one shrimp on top of a piece of arugula and prosciutto; gently wrap and secure with a pick and top with a tomato. Repeat till finished; drizzle with 1-2 tablespoons of the oil (optional)

Chop the cilantro and sprinkle over the top; serve immediately or refrigerate before serving.

Serves 5-6



Zesty Appetizer… Read More »
 Seared Tuna Steak Salad
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

2 Sushi grade tuna steaks (6 oz ea)
1 tablespoon ground ginger
1 tablespoon ground cardamon
pinch of cracked black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons capers (without vinegar)

Mix the ginger, cardamon and pepper together and season both sides of the tuna

Heat oil in a medium size saute pan over medium high heat; sear tuna steaks on both sides; 45-50 seconds till just turning white; about a quarter of an inch

Remove steaks and deglaze the pan with the soy sauce; reduce heat to medium low and cook for about 1 minute; add the capers and continue to cook for another 30-40 seconds till hot.

Pour the sauce over the tuna steaks; slice into thin strips and serve with a fresh greens.

Makes 2-4 salads

Note: Capers without vinegar can be found at markets like Earth Fare, Wholefoods or
in specialty food sections of most markets. 

  

Read More »

I had mussels for an appetizer recently and they were delish. Mussels are easy to prepare and there are many various ways to season them.
Here is a great weekend appetizer idea for game day or an evening at home.
 
Drunken Mussels
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

 
2- 2 1/2 pounds Fresh Mussels (beards removed)

4-5 garlic cloves chopped
2-3 hot peppers or chilies
1 red onion chopped
1 1/2 cups chopped bell peppers (yellow, orange and green)
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2-3 Tablespoons butter
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with chilies
2 teaspoons cumin
1-2 Tablespoons dried cilantro or 3-4 Tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
2- 12 oz bottles of beer (Dos Equis, Modelo, Tecate or Corona’s)
1 lemon or lime

In a large stock pot over medium to medium high heat melt the butter and olive oil; add the onions, garlic cloves and peppers; sauté till tender, 4-5 minutes; add the canned tomatoes and cumin; continue to cook for 2-3 minutes; pour the beer into the pot and heat up for 2-3 minutes; add the mussels, give a quick stir and cover. Cook mussels for 8-10 minutes till all are open (discard any that did not open)

Add the cilantro; squeeze some lemon or lime juice over them, stir and serve immediately in a large bowl with some of the broth and toasted or crusty bread for dipping.

Serves 3-4

Mussels & Beer…Yum! Read More »

When growing up on the farm it was not unusual for my dad and grandpa to work late into the evenings. I used to love to grill burgers and garnish them with fresh vegetables. I would pack a supper basket and take to the fields where they were working. There was something special about those burgers…or maybe it was just the pure simple pleasure of eating one among the Killdeer birds screeching across the hay fields or the smell of the dirt freshly tilled. Sometimes it’s more about the company kept and surroundings that makes a meal memorable.  

I recently discoverd these Salmon Burgers in Marysville Ohio at Barry’s Perch n More. Barry raises his own Yellow Perch for his business. He sells beef, chicken, pork and other variaties of seafood also. If you live in the Central Ohio area, look him up at
 900 Columbus Ave. Marysville, 43040.
I bet these burgers would of tasted exceptional packed in my supper basket.

Grilled Salmon and Zucchini Burgers 
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

1 lb Salmon burgers (frozen)
1 medium size zucchini sliced
1 package quality hamburger buns
Leaf lettuce
4 tablespoons real mayonnaise
1 tablespoon of The Gourmet Farm Girl’s Seafood Seasoning
(Or your favorite)
4 tablespoons butter soften
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Allow burgers to thaw out slightly

Mix together the mayonnaise and seafood seasoning; set aside in refrigerator

Salt and pepper the zucchini slices and drizzle with a small amount of olive oil

Grill burgers over medium heat till cooked through; 5-6 six minutes on each side. At the same time place the zucchini on the other side of the grill

Spread the soft butter onto both sides of the buns and broil till golden brown. Layer the bun with lettuce, salmon burger, seafood sauce and place zucchini slices on top

Serves 4

ENJOY!

Burger Business… Read More »
Blackened Salmon with Sauteed Cherry Tomatoes
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
2 pounds Wild Caught Salmon fillet (or your favorite)
2-3 tablespoons Blackening Seasoning
2 cups assorted fresh cherry tomatoes (sliced if desired)
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1-2 tablespoons fresh chopped basil
Pre-heat grill to 400 degrees
Rinse fish fillet under cold water and pat dry; brush with olive oil and sprinkle with seasoning.
Lay fillet on a large sheet of aluminum foil brushed with olive oil skin side down. Top with another sheet of foil and fold edges together to form a pouch
Lay foil pouch onto hot grill skin side up; grill for 12 minutes then flip the foil pouch to skin side down and continue to cook for an additional 10-12 minutes.
Note: Once flipped, remove top piece of foil after 8 minutes and check for doneness as each grill is slightly different. Fish is done when flaky and starts to pull apart.
When fish is done remove and tent with foil; let rest; before serving transfer fillet to a serving platter skin side down.
Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a medium size skillet; add the tomatoes; salt and pepper to taste; cook over medium high heat till the skins on the tomatoes start to soften and split; 2-3 minutes; remove from heat and pour over the salmon fillet, garnish with fresh chopped basil; serve immediatley.
ENJOY!

What to do with all those cherry tomatoes…? Read More »

Red Gold Tomatoes contacted me about posting some recipes using their products. I agreed; so they shipped some of their wonderful tomatoes to my door step. Here is what I created with the Petite Diced Tomatoes flavored with Garlic and Olive oil.    

Mussels in Spicy Tomato Sauce, Wine, Sopressata
and Fresh Parsley
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

2 – 2 ½ pounds Fresh Mussels (beards removed)

¼ cup olive oil
5 garlic cloves
3-4 dried red peppers with seeds (chopped)
2 cups tomato juice
1- 14.5 oz Red Gold Petite Diced Garlic and Olive Oil tomatoes
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces Sopressata sausage (this is a dry and inexpensive sausage)
1 red onion (cut into wedges)
1 cup dry white wine
¼ cup fresh parsley (lightly chopped)

In a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium to medium high heat melt the butter; add the onions and garlic cloves; sauté till tender, 3-4 minutes; add bay leaves, peppers, pepper seeds and olive oil; continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato juice, sausage and white wine; bring to a boil; add the mussels; give a quick stir; cover and let cook for 8-10 minutes till all mussels open (discard any that did not open)

Add the fresh parsley; stir and serve immediately in a large bowl with some of the broth and toasted or crusty bread for dipping.

Serves 3-4

ENJOY!

New Creation… Read More »
Grilled Tenderloin Fillets and Lobster Tails with Tangy Pepper Scallops
By The Gourmet Farm Girl

In celebration of Mom’s weekend my hubby bought Lobster tails because he know how much I love this delicacy …it reminded me of our trip to Maine for our honeymoon and ate some of the best lobster ever!

(These tails were uncooked and frozen)

I had some tenderloin fillets cut from our freezer beef so we decided on a surf and turf meal; all on the grill.

The recipe for the Grilled Scallops with Maple Bacon and Tangy Pepper Relish follows this post; (from 5/10/10)

1- 8 -10 oz Lobster Tail per person
1- 4-5 oz tenderloin fillet per person
1 stick butter
1-2 lemons

Salt and cracked black pepper to taste
Heat grill to 350-400 degrees
Melt butter in microwave or in a small sauce pan; set aside and keep warm
Cut lemons into wedges
Thaw the lobster tails and before grilling cut the underside of the tail (the soft part of the shell) all the way to the tail; this will allow the meat to be removed more easily and to flatten out better on the grill top.

Salt and pepper the tenderloin fillets and secure with a string (if needed) to keep the perfect round shape. These fillets were lean but still had enough fat to keep the flavor and moisture ; if the fillets are really lean and trim; use a piece of bacon in place of the string to add a little fat and flavor; secure with a tooth pick or wooden skewer.

Place the lobster on the grill first; cut side down and grill for 12-15 minutes; this time may vary depending on size of the tails. Flip to shell side and grill for another 10-12 minutes. Place the fillets on the grill at this time and grill 5-7 minutes on each side for a rare steak or a few minutes longer if a more well done steak desired.

Remove the lobster (The meat should be white and juicy when done) do not dry out the tails; place on plate squeeze some fresh lemon juice over them; tent in aluminum foil to keep warm

Remove steaks and tent in foil; let stand and rest for 5 minute before serving.

Pour the butter into individual servings and plate with the extra lemons…now you are ready to ENJOY!

Grilled Seafood Feast Read More »
Grilled Scallops with Maple Bacon and Tangy Pepper Relsih Appetizer’s
By The Gourmet Farm Girl
Check out this great relish….
I discovered this great OHIO product when shopping…thought I would give it a try with some scallops.

Turned out great… I bought the hot, figured it would work well with mild flavored seafood and it sure did!!!

1- 1 ½ pounds of Sea Scallops
½ -pound Maple flavored or Apple Smoked Bacon
Salt and pepper to taste
This recipe will serve 4-6
Wrap each scallop with half slice of bacon; secure with wooden skewer that has been soaked in water to prevent from burning (some will char a little; I like the flavor if they do)
Salt and pepper to taste
Grill for 10-12 minutes on medium to high (350-400 degrees) till opaque; remove and spoon relish over the skewers.

This recipe could also be served along with other seafood or beef as an entree.

They have a great story…check out their website

Website:http://www.sparkyandspike.com
ENJOY!

Ohio Proud Product… Read More »