Lobster is among the most popular seafood in seaside restaurants. In fact, there are seaside restaurants that mainly survive–and thrive–by serving this delicious seafood meat to diners. Also, lobster is considered some sort of specialty meat and is actually quite pricey. So it’s totally perfect for special occasions. Now, this Trilogy of Lobster: A Tasting of Maine Lobster—Lobster Cappuccino, Tempura Lobster, Lobster Cassoulet is the perfect set of dishes for a celebratory dinner with friends. It screams “We can afford expensive stuff now because I got a new job(or a promotion)!” Don’t you think so? Now, the Lobster Cappuccino might be a tad strange. But you know what they say, you should try things(however strange) at least once.

Serves: 4

Three 1½ –2-lb lobsters

LOBSTER CAPPUCCINO

1½ Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, medium, cut in half, sliced into 1/4 -in. slices
1 carrot, small, peeled, chopped into 1/2 -in. pieces
1½ tomato paste
3 Tbsp cognac
3/4 cup white wine
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups Lobster Essence
1 garlic clove
3 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs tarragon
4 Tbsp tomato sauce
To taste, salt
To taste, cayenne
2 Tbsp fava beans, fresh or frozen, blanched and outer skin removed
2 oz picked lobster meat
As needed, warm frothed milk
As needed, dry, pulverized lobster coral

LOBSTER CASSOULET*

2 cups dried great northern beans or other white beans
4 Tbsp butter
6 cloves, whole
1 onion, cut in half
2 cups Lobster Essence
2 cups Giancarlo’s Brodo
6 oz slab apple smoked bacon (unsliced)
3 garlic cloves, crushed
1 bouquet garni**
2 shallots, diced small
1/4 cup clarified butter
1/4 cup carrots, blanched and diced
1/4 cup fennel, diced and cooked
1/2 cup Roma tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 cup porcini mushrooms, diced
1 vanilla bean, split
4 Tbsp whole butter
1 lb picked fresh lobster meat, diced medium
8 white fresh or black truffles, sliced thin
1½ cups panko bread crumbs

TEMPURA LOBSTER

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 egg yolk
1 cup water
3 cups vegetable oil

*Begin preparing the cassoulet one day in advance.

**In a double-thickness cheesecloth square, tie together 2 bay leaves, 2 parsley sprigs, 2 thyme sprigs, 1/2 tsp coriander seeds, and 1 tsp peppercorns.

1. Blanch and remove the meat from the lobsters, reserving the shells. Reserve 4 claws for the tempura and the rest of meat for the preparations that follow.

LOBSTER CAPPUCCINO

1. Chop the reserved lobster bodies into medium pieces.

2. In a heavy-bottomed, stainless-steel soup pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the lobster shells and let cook, moving infrequently, until a crust forms on the bottom, 10–12 minutes.

3. Add the onion and carrot and cook until caramelized, about 10 minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the cognac and deglaze, scraping the bottom to release the crust.

4. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Add the cream, broth, garlic, thyme, and tarragon. Bring to a boil, then simmer about 30 minutes.

5. Season with the tomato sauce, salt, and cayenne. Strain twice through a fine sieve.

6. At the last moment before serving, warm the fava beans and the lobster meat in the soup and spoon into cappuccino cups, topped with a little warm frothed milk and sprinkled with dry pulverized lobster coral (the red roe sometimes found in female lobsters).

LOBSTER CASSOULET

1. Cover the dried beans with 3 times their volume of water and let stand overnight.

2. Drain the beans well.

3. In a sauté pan, heat the butter and brown the bottom half of the onion very well. Stick the cloves in the onion halves.

4. In a large saucepan, place onions, beans, stock, brodo, bacon, garlic, and bouquet garni. Bring to boil, skim off any foam, cover, and simmer for 1 to 1½ hours or until beans are tender.

5. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Remove bacon and cut into 8 pieces; set aside. Discard bouquet garni and onion.

6. Add diced shallots and butter to skillet; cook for 2 minutes or until tender. Add carrots, fennel, tomatoes, porcinis, and the reserved bacon. Cook 2–3 minutes more, then add the vanilla bean.

7. Combine this mixture with the beans and place in a 4-qt stainless casserole or Dutch oven. Cover with the reserved broth and butter and bake in a 360°F oven for 1 hour.

8. Remove from the oven. Discard the vanilla bean.

9. Divide about one-quarter of the beans among 4–6 small cast-iron pots or casseroles. Add equal amounts of lobster meat, then the truffle, and then fill with the remaining beans.

10. In a sauté pan, melt the butter and lightly sauté the panko crumbs. Top each pot with bread crumbs and pack firmly. Finish baking in a 360°F oven for 10–12 minutes and serve.

TEMPURA LOBSTER

1. Whisk flour and egg yolk together. Mix in water thoroughly.
2. In a wok or large deep pan, heat oil to 350 degrees.
3. Dip lobster tails you’ve set aside in batter, being sure to cover both sides.
4. Fry lobster tails in oil for four minutes, turning over halfway through cooking. Take from pan and serve.

As I’ve said, lobster is quite pricey, so you should be careful when cooking it. But if you can spare the dough, you can actually choose to practice with these recipes. Just be careful though. Lobster is among the most common food allergens out there. If you don’t have any food allergies, eating lobster meat 24/7 might make you develop one.  Although, munching on the Lobster Cassoulet and Tempura Lobster might be so tempting that it could become addictive. Well, a Trilogy of Lobster: A Tasting of Maine Lobster—Lobster Cappuccino, Tempura Lobster, Lobster Cassoulet certainly sounds worth the pretty penny and the work. Just follow the recipe instructions and you’d probably do fine. I think. Bon appétit!

Gnocchi with Lobster, Peas, and Pumpkin with Sage Butter is a great starter for a dinner with friends. Gnocchi are scrumptious little Italian soft dumplings made with flour, eggs, potatoes, breadcrumbs, and cheese. You can actually buy frozen gnocchi from the supermarket. But you know what the experts say; it’s better if you make them from scratch. You just have to follow instructions. And if you don’t get them right the first time, you can always try again. So go ahead and try this recipe, you just might surprise yourself with your culinary skills.

Serves: 4

GNOCCHI

1 lb fresh ricotta, strained
1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 tsp kosher salt
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour

GARNISH

Two 1½ lb Maine lobsters
1/2 cup fresh shucked peas
1 cup diced pumpkin
1 Tbsp clarified butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp sea salt

SAGE BUTTER

1/2 cup clarified butter
10 sage leaves
1/4 cup Giancarlo’s Brodo
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

ASSEMBLY

To taste, salt
To taste, freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp butter, unsalted, diced
As needed, Vanilla Oil
8 Fried Sage Leaves

GNOCCHI

1. Place the ricotta, Parmigiano-Reggiano, salt, egg, and flour in a bowl and mix by hand slowly until all items are incorporated. Do not over mix.

2. Roll a piece of the dough into a cylinder about 1/2 in. Cut the cylinder into small pieces and roll each in your hand to the desired shape. Place on a pan lined with paper; freeze. Move frozen gnocchi to zippered plastic bags and keep frozen until ready to cook.

GARNISH

1. Cook the lobsters in boiling water for 4 minutes, then shock them in ice water.

2. Remove the meat from the lobsters. Slice the tail into slices, cut the knuckle and claw meat into medium-size pieces, and reserve.

3. Blanch peas in boiling salted water and then shock in ice water to stop cooking. Reserve.

4. In a bowl, toss the diced pumpkin with the butter, brown sugar, and salt. Place the pumpkin in a roasting pan and cook in a 350°F oven, turning occasionally, until tender, 5–7 minutes.

SAGE BUTTER

1. In a pan, heat the butter. Add the sage, simmer 1 minute, and add the brodo and olive oil. Bring to a light boil, mix with a blender stick, and season to taste.

ASSEMBLY

1. Bring a pot of salted water to boil and add the gnocchi. When all gnocchi rise to the top, carefully remove them to a bowl with a spider or slotted spoon and toss gently with 2–3 Tbsp of the sage butter.

2. In a sauté pan, heat 1 Tbsp of the butter and sauté the lobster lightly until just cooked. Add the pumpkin and cook 30 more seconds. Add the peas and the remaining 1 Tbsp butter. Remove from the heat; toss. In a bowl, gently add the garnish to the pasta with some more of the sage butter; season with salt and pepper. Place in 4 bowls or 4 roasted pumpkins, lace with more sauce if desired, and top with the Vanilla Oil and 2 Fried Sage Leaves.

Gnocchi are a good source of calcium, especially since this recipe also comes with a good helping of butter. And you get protein and good Omega 3 fatty acids from lobster, and loads of vitamin K, manganese, and vitamin C from peas. A yummy dish full of awesome health benefits. Don’t you think? Moreover, it’s just so visually aesthetic, your guests will definitely be admiring  this Gnocchi with Lobster, Peas, and Pumpkin with Sage Butter the minute you come out of the kitchen with it. Trust me, food tastes even more delicious if it make a good first impression, especially if its on the eyes.

Salmon is absolutely one of my favorite meats. Well, since I only eat few meats, I guess that statement does not have that much weight. Still, I love salmon. I love it not just because it tastes yummy but also because it is full of healthy good stuff. Not only is salmon packed with the much lauded omega 3 fatty acids, it is also loaded with vitamin D, tryptophan, protein, and selenium. And since this dish has three ways of cooking this lovely meat, it’s like a triple treat! So check out the Trio of Salmon: A Tasting of Salmon Roasted, Poached and Grilled with Spinach and Potatoes Parisienne recipe below and treat yourself to this amazing “wonder meat”.

Serves: 4

ROASTED SALMON

Four 3-oz salmon mignons, skin removed
4 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp finely minced fresh Italian parsley
To taste, sea salt
To taste, freshly ground black pepper

POACHED SALMON

Juice of 2 limes
Four 3-oz salmon mignons, skin removed
1 tsp Spice de Cosette
To taste, coarse kosher salt
To taste, coarsely ground black pepper
1 cup pinot noir
1 cup fish broth
1/4 cup diced fennel
1/4 2–3 Tbsp butter, unsalted, ice cold

GRILLED SALMON

1/2 cup walnut oil
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup red vermouth
2 Tbsp minced shallot
1 Tbsp lemon honey
1 tsp dill
1/2 tsp soy sauce
To taste, freshly ground black pepper
Four 3-oz salmon mignons

ASSEMBLY

4 oz sautéed spinach or other vegetable
36 small potatoes parisienne
As needed, lime juice
As needed, extra-virgin olive oil
As needed, Mustard Cream

ROASTED SALMON

1. Brush the salmon mignons with the olive oil, parsley, then season with salt and pepper.

2. Place the filets skin side down on a lightly oiled roasting rack.

3. Roast in a 365°F oven for 2–3 minutes,until the salmon is just pink in the middle.

POACHED SALMON

1. Squeeze the lime juice over the top of the salmon. Sprinkle with the spice, salt, and pepper.

2. In a stainless-steel pan large enough to hold the liquid while covering the salmon, place the wine, broth, fennel, and celery; bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low; check temperature for about 160°F.

3. Add the salmon and poach until cooked through, 5–7 minutes. Remove the salmon from the liquid and reserve.

4. Strain the liquid and return to a clean stainless-steel saucepan. Boil the liquid until reduced to about 1/3 cup. Remove pan from heat. Whisk in the butter. Strain the sauce and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the salmon just before serving.

GRILLED SALMON

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, vermouth, shallot, honey, dill, soy sauce, and pepper. Toss the salmon in the marinade. Cover the dish or Cryovac the salmon and marinade. Let sit at room temperature for 2 hours.

2. Drain the salmon well and pat dry. Reserve the marinade.

3. Oil a grill rack. Grill the salmon 2–3 minutes on each side, brushing often with marinade.

ASSEMBLY

1. Divide 1 oz fresh sautéed spinach or your favorite vegetable into 3 portions and place on plate. Place 1 serving of each type of cooked salmon on the spinach. Add small roasted potatoes or a scoop of Potatoes Parisienne .

2. Spoon mustard cream over the roasted salmon. Spoon sauce over the poached salmon. Spoon lime juice and extra-virgin olive oil over the grilled salmon.

This Trio of Salmon: A Tasting of Salmon Roasted, Poached and Grilled with Spinach and Potatoes Parisienne recipe is a bit of a hassle since you have to prepare the salmon in three different ways and then spend some time assembling it, too. However, it is all worth it. The deliciously creamy texture of this beautiful meat would surely make up for all the work you have to put into it. And it also has beautiful and equally healthy veggies in it, so you’re all set for healthville, if that’s what you want. Just be sure to follow the instructions and resist the urge to experiment if you’re not an expert chef. If you do that, you’ll be all right.

Crab meat, according to nutritionists, have a lot of health benefits to offer us humans. It is low in cholesterol, high in protein, selenium, and those wonderful omega-3 fatty acids that are very good for one’s health. And this dish has all sorts of lovely beans in it, which are high in protein, fiber, and antioxidants.  Also, crab meat is quite delicious because it has that strong rich flavor that any cook who like seafood would like to get their hands on.  You don’t believe me? Just try making this Crab Bean Cassoulet and you’ll find out just how flavorful crab meat is… because you’ll be able to smell it from miles away.

Serves: 4

1/2 lb dried red beans
1/2 lb dried white beans
2 carrots, cut in half
1 vanilla bean, split
6 cups Crab Broth
4 tsp butter, unsalted
1 onion, medium, chopped
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups tomato puree
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard
18 tsp red pepper flakes
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
9 Tbsp butter, unsalted
1 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
12 oz picked crabmeat
1/2 cup pancetta

1. Soak the beans in water overnight. Drain the beans; then cook them over slow heat with the carrots, vanilla, and Crab Broth for 1–2 hours or until almost tender. Drain the beans, saving the broth. Remove the carrots and vanilla bean.

2. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the butter and sauté the onion until soft. Add the molasses and tomato puree, simmer 2–3 minutes, and mix well. Add 3 cups of the reserved Crab Broth. Add salt, mustard, red pepper flakes, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the drained beans, cover, and cook on low for 1 hour.

3. In a sauté pan over low heat, melt 1 Tbsp of the butter and sauté the bread crumbs, stirring constantly for 1 minute or until lightly browned.

4. Adjust the seasoning of the bean mixture. Fold in the crabmeat and the remaining.

8 Tbsp butter. Place in small ovenproof casserole dishes and top with sautéed bread crumbs. Bake in a 375°F oven for 8–12 minutes.

Crab meat is among the most flavorful seafood in the world. I remember I could smell crab meat cooking from several meters away when my grandma used to cook it for dinner. Sadly though, I’ve only tasted a couple of bites of this flavorful meat my entire life because I’m quite allergic to them. After those two bites, I got red itchy blisters all over me. Not a very pretty sight, I tell you. Oh well, at least I was able to taste it at least once in my life. Now, I can only eat fake crab meat. Hehe. But then, if somebody would cook this delightful Crab Bean Cassoulet for me, I might just dare risk having those itchy blisters again.

The ingredients you need for Cassoulet:

 140g pork rind

140g smoked streaky bacon

300g garlic sausages

600g haricot beans (canned)

1 celery stick

1 small onion

1 large carrot

6 cloves of garlic

2 ripe plum tomatoes

25g goose fat

1 bouquet garni

8 pinches of sea salt

2 pinches of freshly ground black pepper

1 clove, lightly crushed

2 tsp lemon juice

The finishing touch:

4 confit duck legs

60g goose fat or 2 tbsp olive oil

40g dried breadcrumbs

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

A handful of fresh parsley, coarsely chopped

Preparation:

Cut the meats into bite size pieces. Wash and drain the haricot beans and place in large saucepan add all the diced meat and cover with water. Bring to the boil and blanch for around 20 minutes. Drain the beans and meats and discard the cooking water.

Chop up the celery, onion and carrot, peel garlic cloves but leave them whole. Cut tomatoes into wedges. Preheat oven to 120C/fan 100C gas mark 2. Heat goose fat over a low heat and sweat the celery, onion, carrot and garlic for 5 minutes, add tomatoes and bouquet garni and cook slowly for another 5 minutes. Add the beans and meats adding 1.2 litres of water. Bring to the boil, skim the top and add salt, pepper, clove and lemon juice.

Transfer to a casserole and place in the oven to cook uncovered for 2 hours stirring occasionally. Remove the Cassoulet from oven and bury the duck legs in the beans and sprinkle the goose fat, breadcrumbs and garlic over the top. Return to oven and cook for a further 2 hours. When ready serve in bowls and sprinkle freshly chopped parsley over the Cassoulet.

Salmon en croute is not difficult to make and served with new potatoes and broccoli makes a very healthy meal. Here is a great French recipe for this dish.

The ingredients you will need:

Approx 10g bunch of basil

Approx 5g bunch dill

60g unsalted butter at room temperature

Zest of 1 lemon

1kg fresh salmon skinned, pin boned and cut in half

1 tbsp wholegrain mustard

Plain flour, to dust

500g shortcrust pastry

1 x egg

Olive oil

Salt Black pepper

How to make delicious salmon en croute:

Preheat oven to 200°C/gas 6. Roll out the pastry using the slices of salmon as your guide and then leave in a cool place to rest. Soften the butter and place in a large bowl then roughly cut the dill and basil into it before adding the lemon zest. Season the mixture with salt and pepper. Pat the salmon fillets dry and season with salt and pepper. Spread your mixture on one side of the fillets and wholegrain mustard on the other. Sandwich 2 salmon fillets together.

Beat 1 egg to make egg wash. Place the salmon in middle of cut pastry and brush it with egg wash, season with salt and pepper. Bring up the longest pastry sides, trimming away excess. Tuck them in before folding the shorter pastry edges over to form a neat parcel. Turn the whole thing over so that the seam is sitting on the bottom, and transfer to a non-stick baking tray. Brush with egg wash over the outside. Mark the pastry using the back of a small knife to make a cross hatch. Lastly, season the salmon parcel with salt and pepper.

Bake the salmon portions in oven for around 30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

I adore this dish because it is so very good for you. The basil and dill together with the creamy fish and crispy pastry just melt in the mouth and served with a chilled white wine makes a great dish that is so easy to make for a dinner party.

Lobster Thermidor has got to be my all time favorite French seafood recipe and I just adore the creamy sauce and cheese topping on the piping hot lobster. This is a real treat whether cooked at home or as a meal in a restaurant. Lobster thermidor is a superb choice for any occasion that merits a slap up meal, I do love to prepare this from time to time.

The taste of fresh lobster with the sauce made out of stock, wine, shallots, double cream and mustard with parsley is simply exquisite. And the best part about this particular French seafood recipe is that it is so incredibly easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

1 Lobster, about 750g cooked

25g good quality unsalted butter

1 shallot very finely chopped

285 ml of fish stock

50 ml good quality white wine

100 ml of fresh double cream

0.5 tsp Mustard

2 tbsp chopped parsley

0.5 lemon juice

1 pinch of freshly ground sea salt and black pepper

20g grated cheese

How to prepare Lobster Thermidor

Cut the cooked lobster in half and take out all the meat from claws and tail. Put this to one side. Clean out the head. Cut all the meat up and then put this all back into the shell.

Next make up the sauce by placing the butter in a pan over low heat and add the shallots. Cook until soft. Add the stock, wine and double cream, bring to boil. Reduce the heat add the mustard, parsley and lemon juice then season to taste.

Preheat the grill, spoon the sauce over the lobster meat sprinkle with grated cheese and place under the grill until golden brown. Et voilà, lobster thermidore.

I love to serve this with a green salad and plenty of very chilled dry white wine and of course lots of lovely hot crusty French bread. Have you ever tried to cook this dish at home? It really is so easy and just so delicious especially when celebrating a special occasion.

More and more people these days are turning to healthier diets. This may just be a trend or people may really be becoming aware of the importance of eating food that’s good for their health. Now, salmon is certainly one of the good meats, health-wise anyway. It has Omega-3 fatty acids, B12, B6, and niacin. It is also high in protein and low in carbohydrates. Salmon is quite a delicious and versatile meat. And grilling it, in my opinion, is one of the best ways to prepare it. And coupled with sweet corn and fave beans, it sounds like the perfect dinner.  Don’t you think? Well, I certainly do. Try out the Grilled Salmon Filets with a Sweet Corn, Fava Bean, and Pea Relish with Corn Cream recipe below and find out the goodness of this beautiful fish for yourself.

Serves: 4

SALMON

3 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
7 thyme sprigs
To taste, kosher salt
To taste, freshly ground black pepper
Four 6-oz portions salmon filet

CORN CREAM

3 ears corn
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp honey

RELISH

5 oz smoked bacon, diced
1 oz butter, unsalted
1 shallot, minced
6 oz shelled fava beans
4 Tbsp champagne vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
4 oz peas, blanched
To taste, kosher salt
To taste, freshly ground black pepper

ASSEMBLY

1 cup Mashed Potatoes
8 pieces lavas or thinly sliced toast

SALMON

1. Combine the olive oil, lime juice, thyme, salt, and pepper. Marinate the salmon filets in this mixture for 20 minutes.

2. Grill the salmon to desired doneness.

CORN CREAM

1. Place the ears of corn on a roasting rack and roast at 400°F for 10 minutes or until browned. Allow to cool. With a small knife, remove the corn kernels.

2. Place the cornhusks, half of the roasted corn kernels, the cream, and the honey in a saucepan. Bring to boil and let simmer for 8–10 minutes.

3. Remove the husks and discard. Puree the corn mixture in a blender, strain, season with salt and pepper, and reserve.

RELISH

1. Sauté the bacon until brown. Add the butter, the remaining corn, the shallots, and the fava beans; sauté 2–3 minutes.

2. Add the vinegar, sugar, and parsley to the pan and simmer 2–3 minutes. Add the peas and cook until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper.

 ASSEMBLY

1. Spread the mashed potatoes on 4 pieces of toast. Place 1 salmon filet on top of each.

2. Place the relish on the other 4 slices of toast. Top with corn cream.

Like with most recipes, it is best to follow the instructions, especially if you’re not exactly an expert cook. However, it is also perfectly all right to do some trials before the big dinner. Just be careful not to overdo the trials since salmon meat is not exactly cheap, especially if you plan to use wild salmon. And make sure not to burn the corn and overcook the beans. Then, when your done preparing the Grilled Salmon Filets with a Sweet Corn, Fava Bean, and Pea Relish with Corn Cream, choose a nice bottle of chardonnay or pinot blanc, and you’re all set. Bon appétit!

Pan-Roasted Grouper, Caramelized Onion and Potato Tart, Tomato Confit, Bay Spiced Shrimp, and Asparagus Emulsion is another delicious fish recipe you can serve to friends at a dinner party.  Most groupers in the market are big fishes and not really pretty to look at. But they are quite versatile in the kitchen and could be really delicious, if prepared well. Moreover, grouper meat is low in fat. This means it is very good for those who are trying go the healthy route. And since this recipe has vegetables, too–particularly asparagus, tomatoes, potatoes, and onions–it is undoubtedly good for you. Just remember, read the recipe–all of it–no matter how long it may be.

Serves: 4

PAN-ROASTED GROUPER

Four 6-oz portions grouper, skin removed
To taste, sea salt
To taste, freshly ground black pepper
3 oz extra-virgin olive oil
4 thyme sprigs, picked
2 tsp Spice de Cosette
Juice of 2 limes
1 Tbsp honey
4 oz white wine
2 oz butter, unsalted, diced
1 lemon

CARAMELIZED ONION AND POTATO TART

2 Tbsp butter, unsalted
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 tsp sugar
3 onions, medium, julienne
2 oz white wine
4 high-quality frozen or fresh puff pastry sheets,
3-in. by 5-in.
1 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, large
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
To taste, sea salt
1 Tbsp kosher salt
2 tsp truffle oil
2 tsp thyme
1 tsp sea salt

BAY SPICED SHRIMP

4 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp Spice de Cosette

ASSEMBLY

As needed, Tomato Confit
8 Butter-Poached Asparagus Spears
As needed, Asparagus Emulsion
As needed, Tomato Syrup

PAN-ROASTED GROUPER

1. Pat filets dry. Mix salt and pepper and the olive oil, thyme, Spice de Cosette, lime juice, and honey in a bowl. Add the filets and toss to coat well. Cover and let sit for 20–30 minutes.

2. Bring to medium-high heat a seasoned cast-iron skillet or heavy bottomed nonstick sauté. Place the coated filets in the pan skin side up and cook for 3–4 minutes or until nicely browned. Turn over and cook 2–3 minutes more or until browned.

3. Remove the filets to a baking dish and deglaze the pan with the wine. Top the fish with the butter and a squeeze of lemon juice. Place in a 350°F oven for 4–5 minutes or until the fish is flaky and just cooked through.

CARAMELIZED ONION AND POTATO TART

1. Heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and olive oil. When the butter is melted, add the sugar and the onions. Cook, tossing every 2–3 minutes, until the onions are brown and caramelized.

2. Deglaze the pan with wine and cook until dry, 1–2 minutes. Reserve and allow to cool.

3. On a greased or parchment-lined tray, place squares of puff pastry. Dock the pastry with a fork, then cover with parchment paper and 2 baking trays to weigh them down. Bake in a 350°F oven until light brown. Let cool.

4. Brush the cooled pastry with the melted butter. Divide the onions among the pastry sheets and spread out.

5. Toss the potato slices with the remaining butter. Season lightly with salt and pepper.Place the potato slices evenly over the onion tarts. Bake the tarts at 350°F for 5–7 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown.

BAY SPICED SHRIMP

1. Toss the shrimp with the oil and spice. Grill until cooked through.

ASSEMBLY

1. Place a tart on each of 4 plates and top with fish. Place 2 pieces of Tomato Confit on each piece of fish and top with 1 shrimp. Garnish with 2 Butter-Poached Asparagus Spears and Asparagus Emulsion. Squeeze some Tomato Syrup on the plate.

Eating healthy is very important these days. It’s because eating healthy means fewer sick days from work or school. And you can’t find anything healthier than fish. And although, the caramelized onion and potato tart might sound too delicious to be healthy, it is just a small part of the dish. The asparagus and tomatoes might very well even that out. However, just remember that Pan-Roasted Grouper, Caramelized Onion and Potato Tart, Tomato Confit, Bay Spiced Shrimp, and Asparagus Emulsion has shrimp so be careful about who you serve this to. Or just keep some antihistamine around, in case someone suddenly gets hives or experiences anaphylactic shock. In spite of possible allergies, hope you enjoy the dish. Bon appétit!

Salmon is among the most versatile and delicious fish in the world. It can be grilled, sauteed, or baked. It can even be eaten raw.  Ask the sashimi-loving Japanese people and they would heartily agree. However, just like most fish, salmon still has that fishy smell that some people might find downright disgusting. And so making the right sauce would do wonders for a salmon dish, especially if you’re not sure all your guests don’t mind having fish for dinner. Now, the choucroute and mustard cream may sound exotic but it is just sauerkraut and mustard–choucroute is the French word for sauerkraut. So all in all, Pan-Roasted Alaskan Salmon with Choucroute and Mustard Cream is not such a difficult dish to find ingredients for and prepare.

Serves: 4

SALMON

Four 6-oz portions center-cut salmon
To taste, kosher salt
To taste, freshly ground black Tellicherry pepper
3/4 cup honey
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbsp minced tarragon

CHOUCROUTE

5 pieces smoked bacon, matchbook cut
1 Tbsp peanut oil
1 onion, small, medium dice
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
2 cups very thinly sliced savoy cabbage
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tsp caraway seeds
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup blanched sliced new potatoes or fingerlings
2 carrots, blanched, bias cut
1 cup Giancarlo’s Brodo
1 Tbsp chopped parsley
To taste, kosher salt
To taste, freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp butter, unsalted

MUSTARD CREAM

1 shallot, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tsp mustard seed
4 oz butter, unsalted, cold and diced
1/2 cup heavy cream, warm
2 tsp lemon-infused honey
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
To taste, sea salt

SALMON

1. Season each salmon filet with salt and pepper.

2. Mix the honey, olive oil, lime juice, lemon juice, and tarragon. Coat the filets with the marinade. Let sit for 20–30 minutes.

3. Pan-sear the filets until golden brown, 2–3 minutes per side. Finish in a 400°F oven
until just cooked in the center.

CHOUCROUTE

1. Render the bacon in the oil until crisp. Add the onion and garlic; cook until soft.

2. Add the cabbage and vinegar; cook for 7 minutes.

3. Add the caraway seeds. Deglaze the pan with the wine.

4. Add the potatoes, carrots, and brodo. Simmer until the vegetables and potatoes are tender.

5. Season with parsley, salt, and pepper. Add the butter and adjust seasonings. Hold to serve hot.

MUSTARD CREAM

1. Place the shallot, wine, and mustard seeds in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until the wine is almost evaporated.

2. Whisk in the butter, a little at a time. Add the cream, honey, and Dijon mustard. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, strain twice, and season with salt.

As with most dishes, you have to follow the recipe instructions in preparing this Pan-Roasted Alaskan Salmon with Choucroute and Mustard Cream dish, especially if you haven’t prepared the dish before. On that note, sometimes it helps if you perform trial cooking before the actual dinner. It would help you hone your cooking skills. It would also help you adjust the taste, especially if you find the finished dish a bit lacking in something.  Most importantly, it would help you prepare and perfect the dish. This way, you’d really impress those guests with your skills in the kitchen. However, salmon is not exactly cheap. So if you have a limited budget, plan everything carefully before you go crazy with the trial cooking. Other than that, good luck in the kitchen and… bon appétit!