Appetizer Recipes

Ingredients

Grain Mustard Aioli

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2 egg yolks

2 cloves garlic

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tablespoon champagne vinegar

2 teaspoons whole grain mustard

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup canola oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Angels on Horseback

9 slices bacon

18 medium to large oysters, shucked

4 lemon wedges

¼ cup of Grain Mustard Aioli

Directions

Grain Mustard Aioli

1. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, puree the yolks, garlic, lemon juice, vinegar, and mustard until combined.
2. Scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula and pulse a few more times to make sure the ingredients are well blended.
3. With the food processor running, slowly add the oils in a thin stream through the tube and let them emulsify with the yolks. If the mixture becomes too thick, add a few drops of cold water and continue adding the oil. The finished aioli should easily coat a spoon.
4. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to five days.

Angels on Horseback

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place the bacon slices flat on a baking sheet with about ½ inch between them. Bake until slightly crispy but still pliable enough to wrap around the oysters, 15 to 18 minutes.
3. Remove the bacon from the oven and turn up the oven to 425 degrees.
4. Let the bacon cool slightly, then cut the slices in half crosswise. Wrap each shucked oyster with a bacon slice and secure by pushing a toothpick through the oyster. Place on a clean baking sheet.
5. Bake the wrapped oysters until the bacon is crisp and the oysters are warmed through, about 6 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and aioli on the side.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Jeremy Sewall, adapted from The Row34 Cookbook: Stories and Recipes from a Neighborhood Oyster Bar.

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Ingredients

1 pound (four sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

½ cup brown sugar

¼ cup bourbon

⅔ cup peeled garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 10-ounce can of chipotle chilies in adobo sauce, chopped

50 oysters

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, dissolve the brown sugar into the bourbon. Combine the butter, brown sugar/bourbon mixture, and other ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. It will remain a bit lumpy in texture. Use a food processor, if desired.
2. On a piece of parchment paper, pile the butter mixture along the center, working to form a “log”. Wrap the butter mixture and fold it into a log-shape. Refrigerate for at least an hour. The finished roll should be the dimension of a cube of butter, but about a foot long. (Note: While the butter log makes for ease of use when cooking, storing the butter in the mixing bowl and scooping it out by the spoonful is just as effective.)
3. While the grill warms to medium heat, remove the butter mixture from the refrigerator and shuck the oysters. Cut butter into thin pats—about ¼ inch—and place a piece on each shucked oyster before placing the oysters on the grill. Wait for the butter to melt and start to bubble and allow the oysters sizzle for about one minute. Once the oysters and butter have bubbled, remove them from the grill. Let them cool for a moment and enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of Hog Island Oyster Company.

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Ingredients

4 cups calamari (squid cut into ⅓- to ½-inch thick rings)

2 teaspoons flour

¼ cup oil

¾ cup diced tomatoes

1 medium onion

3 cloves of garlic

2 teaspoons butter

1 teaspoon fish sauce

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 teaspoons ginger

½ teaspoon chili pepper

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon fresh parsley

Directions

1. Prepare sauce first. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, butter, fish sauce, lemon juice, and spices. Simmer and taste periodically.
2. Add oil to the pan and bring to medium heat.
3. Sprinkle calamari with flour and gently place in oil. Gently place each piece into oil and cook until golden brown on both sides. Remove from the pan and place on a wire rack or plate with paper towels. Let them set a minute or two before serving with dipping sauce.

Recipe courtesy of Lyndy Broomfield, culinary student, Chesterfield Technical Center, Richmond, VA; from “Chefs’ Seafood Symposium” archives, courtesy of Virginia Sea Grant.

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Ingredients

8 ounces surimi (imitation crabmeat), leg style

½ cup Japanese rice-wine vinegar

6 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon salt

1 ½ cups Japanese short-grain rice

4 sheets nori (Japanese seaweed), each cut crosswise into 2 pieces approximately 4 by 9 inches

1 ripe avocado

Toasted sesame seeds, optional

2 tablespoons wasabi powder

Soy sauce

Bamboo sushi rolling mat

Directions

1. Combine vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from heat and let cool. Wash the rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Combine rice with 1 ¾ cups of water and cook in a rice cooker for 45 minutes (or follow directions on the package for stove-top cooking). Place cooked rice in a large bowl. Pour ¾  cup of the cooled vinegar mixture over the rice and stir. Wait until the rice cools to body temperature before making rolls (approximately 30 minutes).
2. Completely cover the bamboo rolling mat with plastic wrap and set aside. Peel the avocado and cut it into 16 slices. Cut the cylinders of surimi lengthwise in half. Lay one sheet of nori on the counter and—with hands moistened with water—pat rice onto the surface. Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over rice. Turn the nori over onto the plastic-covered bamboo rolling mat, rice-side down, with 1 of the long sides along the edge where you will begin rolling. With this long side facing you, place two pieces of avocado and two pieces of surimi across the length of the seaweed side, about 1 inch up from the bottom. Lift the edge of the mat and roll the long edge of the nori firmly over the avocado and surimi. Continue to roll firmly, remove roll from mat, and cut with a very sharp knife into six equal pieces. Repeat with remaining nori. Rolls can be wrapped in plastic and left at room temperature for ½ hour. Do not refrigerate.
3. Mix wasabi powder with 2 tablespoons of water. Arrange rolls on a plate and garnish with a large pinch of wasabi paste. Serve with soy sauce.

Recipe courtesy of Steve Fujii, Chef at Ebisu in San Francisco, California.

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Ingredients

1 large acorn squash, quartered and seeds removed

½ cup of apricot nectar, divided

1 teaspoon salt, divided

1 teaspoon white pepper, divided

½ teaspoon olive oil

3 green onions, thinly sliced, plus additional for garnish

¼ cup of dried apricots, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

¼ cup half-and-half cream

2 6-ounce cans of lump crabmeat, drained

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place acorn squash in a greased 13x9-inch baking pan. Drizzle it with ¼ of a cup of the apricot nectar and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon each of salt and white pepper.
3. Bake, covered, until fork-tender. Approximately 35 to 40 minutes.
4. While the squash bakes, heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
5. Add the green onions and cook for 5 minutes or until tender, then add the dried apricots and garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
6. Stir in the half-and-half and the remaining apricot nectar, salt, and white pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to let it simmer for 5 minutes.
7. Gently stir in the crab; heat through.
8. Arrange the squash on a serving dish and add the crab mixture over top. Sprinkle with additional green onions and serve hot.

Recipe and photo courtesy of the Seafood Nutrition Partnership.

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Ingredients

1 ¼ pounds cod filets

1 egg white

1 tablespoon prepared mustard (optional)

1 tablespoon water

½ cup bread crumbs

1 tablespoon dry mustard

⅛ teaspoon ground white pepper

2 ounces sharp cheddar cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Cut cod filets into equal “sticks.” Coat a baking sheet with vegetable cooking spray. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the egg white, prepared mustard, and water with a fork until thoroughly blended. In another shallow bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, dry mustard, and pepper.
3. Dip the fish sticks into the egg white/mustard mixture and coat on all sides, then dredge in seasoned bread crumbs, coating evenly. Place sticks on the prepared baking sheet a few inches apart. Bake for 6 minutes. Turn sticks over and continue baking for 4 minutes.
4. Remove sticks to a serving platter. Quickly sprinkle cheddar over the tops of the fish sticks and serve immediately, with lemon wedge, if desired.

Recipe courtesy of Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas by Joyce Taylor, 2003, North Carolina Sea Grant.

Ingredients

Saffron Corn Cream

4 tablespoons butter

2 shallots, finely diced

8 ears fresh corn, husked and shucked

1 ½ teaspoon saffron threads

1 cup heavy cream

Potato-Scallion Pancakes

1 pound russet potatoes

1 bunch scallions

2 eggs

1 tablespoon salt

1⁄2 tablespoon pepper

2 tablespoons clarified butter for frying

Fiery Dusted Scallops

1 ½ pounds sea scallops

1 teaspoon smoked sea salt

½ teaspoon smoked sweet paprika

2 tablespoons tomato powder

1 tablespoon black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup diced tomatoes

¼ cup fresh basil leaves, cut into long, thin strips

Directions

1. Sweat shallots in 3 tablespoons butter until they are soft and translucent. Add the corn and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the saffron and cream, then simmer for 4 minutes until the saffron has released its aroma and color. Season with salt and pepper. Place the corn mixture in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a fine sieve. Finish with a tablespoon of butter. Keep warm until service.
2. Wash potatoes but do not peel. Grate potatoes in a food processor. Soak in water to remove starch. Drain thoroughly and toss in a large bowl with chopped scallions, eggs and salt and pepper. Form the potato mixture into pancakes. Coat the bottom of the pan with clarified butter and add the pancakes. Sauté until golden brown on each side, about 6 minutes per side. Keep warm in the oven until service.
3. Combine dry spices and brush lightly onto scallops. Heat a non-stick pan over high heat. Brush the pan with butter and sear the scallops—about 3 minutes on each side—until caramelized and firm to touch. To serve, place sauce on a plate; lay a potato pancake on top. Arrange scallops on top of pancake and garnish with chopped tomatoes and basil.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Laura Rogers, NOAA chef, 2006 Great American Seafood Cookoff.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons sweet butter

1 leek root with green tops trimmed

1 cup lump crabmeat picked over for any remaining bits of shell

1 pint oysters with their liquor

½ cup white wine

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup heavy cream

Salt and white pepper to taste

Directions

1. Butter four scallop shells (or small ovenproof dishes) and set aside. Quarter the leek, rinse it under running water, and pat dry. Chop the leek to measure about 1 cup. Over low heat, melt the remaining butter in a saucepan, add the leek and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the crab meat. Spread the mixture on each of the scallop shells.
2. Put the oysters in a small saucepan with their liquor, the wine, and the lemon juice. Poach them just until their edges begin to curl. With a slotted spoon to drain them, place the oysters on the crab mixture, dividing them among the four shells. Over high heat, reduce the liquid remaining in the pan to about ⅓ cup, skimming the surface as it boils down. Add the cream and reduce further, until the sauce is thick and concentrated in flavor. Season delicately with salt and pepper, and spoon the sauce over the oysters.
3. Just before serving, preheat the broiler and run the dishes under it briefly, only enough to glaze them.
4. Serve immediately.

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Ingredients

2 pounds mussels

8 ounces smoked sablefish (black cod)

Garlic, to taste

A drizzle of olive oil

Summer vegetables, such as fresh fennel bulb, sungold tomatoes, green beans, new potatoes, little gem lettuce, and beets.

White wine, to taste

1 cup of your favorite recipe for aioli

Directions

1. Steam the mussels in white wine and garlic. Pull  the cooked mussels out of the shell and store in the cooking liquid in the fridge to cool.
2. Blanch the green beans, boil or steam your potatoes until tender. Do the same for the beets, but stopping a touch early so they still have a little crunch to them.
3. Slice all the vegetables except the tomatoes and green beans and keep them in the fridge to stay cold.
4. Pull the mussels from the liquid and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil, sea salt, and fresh black pepper.
5. Assemble the mussels, smoked sablefish, and vegetables on a large platter and serve alongside your favorite recipe for aioli.

Recipe courtesy of Chef Renee Erickson, co-owner of Sea Creatures Restaurants.

Ingredients

NOLA BBQ Sauce

6 ounces white Worcestershire sauce

16 ounces Abita SOS beer, or another similar wheat pilsner

1 ounce hot sauce

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ounce rosemary, finely chopped

4 ounces heavy cream

4 ounces butter

1 tablespoon black pepper

½ ounce oil

Salt to taste

Shrimp

8 head-on shrimp, body peeled

½ cup corn starch

½ cup flour

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 green onions, sliced thin

16 ounces corn oil

6 ounces of NOLA BBQ Sauce

Directions

Sauce

1. Heat oil in a saucepan, on medium heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add beer, allow to reduce by ½. Add Worcestershire, cream, and hot sauce. Cook for 2 minutes on medium heat. Slowly stir in the butter then add rosemary and pepper. Season with salt to taste.

Shrimp

1. Combine flour, salt and cornstarch. Toss shrimp in the flour mixture.
2. Heat oil in a heavy sauce pot to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fry shrimp in oil for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oil and allow to drain on a dry paper towel.
3. Toss cooked shrimp with cayenne, garlic, green onions, and NOLA BBQ sauce.

Recipe credit: Chef Christopher Lusk, Café Adelaide, Louisiana chef, 2010 Great American Seafood Cook-off

Ingredients

Slaw

Chiffonade green cabbage, and red cabbage

Julienne carrots

Mango dressing

1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice

Bun and Aioli

Sweet Hawaiian buns

1 cup homemade sweet hot mustard sauce

3 cups mayonnaise

Sole Cake

Diced green peppers, sautéed

Diced onions, sautéed

Cooked, chopped sole

Panko bread crumbs

Salt and pepper

Italian bread crumbs

Fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

Slaw

1. Add the mango dressing and lemon juice to a large mixing bowl and whisk together until fully combined.
2. Add in the cabbages, carrots, pineapple, and mango and stir well to combine.
3. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Bun and Aioli

1. Mix mayonnaise and sweet hot mustard sauce in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
2. Sear buns with aioli.

Sole Cake

1. Mix together sole, bread crumbs, panko bread crumbs, parsley, peppers, onions, salt, and pepper.
2. Form into a 2-ounce patty and place on a lightly greased sauté pan.
3. Pan fry till golden crust is present on both sides of the cake, and an internal temperature of 155 degrees Fahrenheit.

Recipe and photo credit: Courtesy of Rhode Island Sea Grant. Recipe created by Westerly Career and Technical Education Team, winner of the 2019 Rhode Island Seafood Cook-Off.

Ingredients

48 mussels in shells (approx. 2 dozen mussels per pound)

¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

½ cup onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons basil

1 cup white wine

Directions

1. Rinse and debeard the mussels.
2. Place parsley, onion, garlic, oregano, basil, and wine in a large saucepan. Add the mussels.
3. Cover the saucepan with a tight lid and steam the ingredients on medium heat for approximately 10 minutes, or until the mussel shells open.
4. Agitate the pan during this time to cook the mussels evenly.
5. Serve hot.

Recipe credit: Oregon Sea Grant