Seafood is a delicious and healthy alternative to meat and poultry and can be incorporated into a large variety of dinner ideas. Whether using frozen or fresh seafood, it tends to require minimum cooking times, so a seafood dinner can often be prepared quickly and with little fuss. Seafood dinners can be very simple or extravagantly gourmet.
Fisherman's Pie
A "Fisherman's Pie" can incorporate whatever fish and seafood you wish to use. It is basically a base of béchamel sauce with chunks of fish and whole shellfish topped with a layer of mashed potatoes and cheese that is then baked in the oven. Cook the fish by poaching it in milk with a few dots of butter. When you remove the fish, save the milk to use as the sauce. Add the fish, some quartered hard-boiled eggs, a dash of lemon juice and some parsley to the sauce along with whatever other seafood you want. Bake in the oven with a topping of mashed potatoes and some grated cheese until the sauce is bubbling and the top is golden brown.
Fried Calamari
Homemade calamari is always popular and is quick and easy to make. You can use fresh squid cut into rings or thaw frozen squid rings. You can either make a simple batter from cornstarch and water, use a store-bought tempura batter mix, or just dust the calamari rings in a dry mixture of cornstarch and semolina. Deep fry the calamari rings in small batches. Do not be tempted to cook them for any longer than a couple of minutes or they will become very tough. With dipping sauces and a side of fries or salad, the fried calamari can become a whole meal.
Seafood Paella
Traditional Spanish Paella usually contains meat, but is still delicious using only seafood. A seafood paella can use any type of fish and shellfish. You will need a large, heavy-based frying pan and aborio rice. Start by gently frying some chopped onion and garlic, add paprika, sliced bell peppers, and a can of diced tomatoes, and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Add the rice and cook it by adding fish broth a cup at a time, allowing all the broth to be absorbed before adding more. When the rice is almost done, arrange pieces of seafood, shrimp, mussels, squid, etc., over the surface of the rice, add a little more broth, and simmer until all the seafood is cooked. Shrimp should turn pink and mussel shells should be open (discard any mussels that remain closed).
Tags: calamari rings, mashed potatoes
