Tasty shellfish recipe ideas and serving suggestions
Making the most of seafood is to enjoy a veritable ocean harvest of delicious cuisine, anything from squid and octopus to crab and lobster. Healthy and nutritious, this is food worth splashing out for. And you’ll be surprised at the many different ways you can cook and serve a tasty undersea treat.
Click through the following gallery and celebrate seafood with this appetizing list of shellfish recipe ideas and serving suggestions.
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Oysters Rockefeller
Famed for their aphrodisiac qualities, oysters always evoke images of romance. For this dish, baked oysters are served on their half-shell and topped with sautéed onion and spinach mixed with grated Romano cheese, lemon juice, and pepper. Remember to lightly dab each oyster in a bed of salt before adding the mixture.
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Grilled lobster tail
Grilled lobster tail is the perfect dinner to make for a special occasion. Serve with asparagus and a smooth and creamy Béarnaise sauce.
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Shellfish soup with mussels and crab
A mouthwatering soup that celebrates seafood by combining steamed mussels with baked crab. Bring them together in a fish stock enlivened with garlic, white wine, seeded Roma tomatoes, olive oil, and two or three bay leaves.
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Lobster bisque
Traditionally made from a stock of lobster shells, this velvety smooth, creamy soup of French origin is all about flavor and texture. Use big chunks of lobster tail, add a fragrant blend of finely chopped onion, carrot, celery, tomato paste, and finely chopped garlic. A dash of white wine, or even a bit of sherry, will enhance the simmering mixture.
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Seafood paella
A veritable feast within a pan, this classic seafood creation draws much of its subliminal flavor from a lightly salty and fresh-tasting fish stock and a combination of shellfish seared in advance to deepen their flavors. Langoustines, mussels, clams, shrimp, squid, or cuttlefish can all be used. Ingredients also include saffron threads, Spanish pimentón dulce, garlic, and green bell peppers. Use a medium-grain rice for extra texture.
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Surf and turf burger
How about this for a gourmet surf and turf snack? Take a few cuts of medium rare roast beef, a couple of grilled scampi, mangetout peas, arugula, tomato, and serve in a lightly toasted burger bun with a side dish of French fries.
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Scallops with pea purée and radish
Here’s a treat! Cook the peas with butter and cream, then purée. Season the scallops in sea salt and cook in a pan using canola oil until golden brown. Serve with the purée and garnish with the radish slices.
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Lobster Thermidor
Based on the recipe created in 1891 by French chef Etienne Leopold Mourier (1862–1923), Lobster Thermidor is a luxury that has been prized by chefs for decades. Consisting of a creamy mixture of cooked lobster meat, egg yolks, and brandy (often Cognac) arranged into a lobster shell, this is a dish reserved for very special occasions.
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Grilled beef steak and prawns
What better reason to fire up the coals than to prepare this delicious surf and turf combo of grilled beef steak and prawns? Serve with tender asparagus spears and drizzle with a rich garlic sauce.
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Stir-fried shrimp with noodles and vegetables
This is an easy dish to prepare, but you need to work on a high heat using a wok for optimum results. Add the vegetables— mangetout, long beans, shiitake mushrooms, baby bok choy, peas, red peppers—and toss occasionally for three to four minutes. Boil noodles separately, then add to the mix along with a quarter cup of XO sauce (spicy seafood sauce).
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Crab eggs Benedict
Here’s a breakfast with a difference! Turn eggs Benedict into a gourmet treat by topping a muffin half with poached egg, Hollandaise sauce, and soft flaky crabmeat. Crown with a sprig of parsley.
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Stuffed squid
Choose medium-sized squid for this dish and prepare in advance to cook later in the day, either roasted, grilled, or braised (tentacles and bodies separated). Stuff with chard or spinach. Wild mushrooms work well too. Add Provençal herbs and breadcrumbs. White wine and lemon zest provide a tangy kick.
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Baked crab dip
An essential party finger food, crab dip lifts any occasion, and it’s so easy to make. Use fresh crab meat, milk mayonnaise, cheese (grated Grana Padano or Gruyère if you can get it), green onions, and fresh ground pepper and oregano to taste. Pour into a skillet and warm gently until thoroughly combined. Serve up on crackers or warm country bread, or with celery sticks.
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Lobster roll
For a quick healthy bite, why not chop up some steamed lobster tails, mix with a knob of butter, throw in some freshly chopped chives, salt and pepper, and pack the whole lot into a toasted roll? Serve with wedge-cut fries.
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Clam chowder
A rich, smooth, and fragrant clam chowder is delightful on the palate. Essentially a soup, this dish contains clams and vegetable broth. Other ingredients include onion, potato, celery, and garlic. Optional is the addition of bacon pieces. Garnish with parsley, chives, thyme, or even croutons.
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Mussels in coconut milk
There’s nothing quite like fresh, scrubbed mussels foraged from a rocky, salt-laced shoreline and cooked within the hour. This recipe uses coconut milk for the broth, and chopped cilantro for a garnish. Garlic, shallot, and grated zest of lime help balance the flavors, as does lemongrass cut into small strips.
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Lobster salad
Use succulent lobster tail tossed with yellow bell peppers, crunchy celery, lemon zest, chives, and homemade mayonnaise. Sprinkle with chia seeds and serve on a bed of fresh crispy iceberg lettuce.
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Shrimp tempura
Homemade shrimp tempura is a delicious snack. The secret to making a light crisp coating that doesn’t absorb oil when fried is in the batter and deep-frying technique. Not easy to master admittedly, but with practice you’ll be serving up this traditional Japanese delicacy with flair. Serve with a sweet chili dip.
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Shellfish cataplana
A cataplana is a special vessel made from copper that interlocks perfectly, rather like a wok with a lid. Into this goes cockles, mussels, razor clams, and chopped smoke ham mixed with a variety of herbs and spices to produce a veritable ocean harvest of a meal. Serve with chilled white wine and savor.
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Black cuttlefish ink spaghetti
A dish enjoyed across the Mediterranean region and in the Far East, black pasta is a pasta dough that has ink from squid or cuttlefish mixed into it. Ideal with seafood, plate up with prawns, cherry tomatoes, basil, lemon, and a pinch of red pepper flakes or chopped red chili.
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Octopus rice
Traditional South American and southern European fare, octopus rice captures the very essence of the ocean. Ingredients include onion, parsley, olive oil, wine vinegar, and, importantly, a pinch of crushed and dried chili powder. Use short grain rice.
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Fried king prawns
One of life’s great culinary pleasures is to bite into a juicy fried king prawn dabbed in garlic butter. The taste sensation is heightened when served in a spicy chili dip. Either way, enjoy with an ice cold beer.
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Cockles a la marinera
A favorite southern European offering, this simple recipe combines cockles with garlic, olive oil, parsley, and white wine simmered in a seafood broth. Lemon wedges provide the garnish.
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Crab cake
Crab cakes are best served immediately after cooking. Use “Jumbo Lump”— premium-grade crabmeat—for the tastiest results. Panko breadcrumbs best bind the patties together, as does a good mayo (but Greek yogurt also does the trick). Sear in a hot skillet with neutral oil.
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Cajun jambalaya
Famed through the southern United States, jambalaya is one of Creole cuisine’s most celebrated creations—and it’s surprisingly easy to make! To achieve the bold, zesty flavors the dish is known for, you must use Andouille sausage along with cayenne, chili powder, cumin, paprika, and dried oregano. Then pile in the chicken and shrimp. Tip: leave the shrimp tails on while simmering–they give the dish that extra bit of briny flavor.
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Garlic steamed clams
How mouthwatering is garlicky wine-sauce shellfish? Ensure the clams are well scrubbed, and use sautéed garlic, shallots, white wine, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper in the mix. Cook clams until the shells open, about three to four minutes.
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Lobster mac and cheese
The aroma alone is enough to stimulate the taste buds, and this delicious combo is comfort food at some of its healthiest. Use cooked lobster, roughly chopped. Shredded white cheddar, freshly grated Parmesan, and Fontina are the cheeses of choice. Panko breadcrumbs provide the bind. Freshly chopped parsley works wonders as a garnish.
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Spaghetti with sea urchin
Use farro spaghetti to create this imaginative dish. Sea urchins are sublime. The five deep pink corals of roe, or “tongues” (pictured), are the sweet and kelpy-tasting parts to eat. Add finely chopped chives and a dash of lemon juice as garnish.
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Snow crab salad with avocado and grilled carrot
A recipe that combines light and fluffy snow crab meat with avocado and grilled vegetables. The avocado brings a smooth, mellow flavor to the dish, the carrots a delicate smoky aroma. Garnish with fennel.
