Category Archives: Seafood

Stuffed Piquillo Peppers (Pimiento de Piquillo Rellenos de Bacalao)

Posted in Appetizer, Mediterranean cooking, Seafood, Spanish cuisine, Tapa by

A piquillo pepper is a variety of pepper traditionally grown in the North of Spain.  It got its name from its “beak-like” shape (pico in spanish). However, if you could not find this variety of pepper locally, there’s no reason you can’t use a different variety. For this recipe, I used cod but I don’t see any reason why you can’t use tuna, hake, meat, prawns, crab meat, etc.

pimiento piquillo relleno

You will need:

15 de-seed piquillo peppers, (or other variety)

olive oil

60 ml cream

50 ml white wine

500 ml tomato sauce

STUFFING:

200 grams fresh cod fillets

200 grams shrimp (deveined and peeled)

1 onion, finely chopped

2-3 garlic cloves

finely minced fresh parsley (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

BECHAMEL:

90 grams butter

4 cups milk

80 grams flour

a pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)

salt and pepper to taste

6 tablespoons white wine

Directions:

1.  In a mortar, crush the garlic with the parsley. Set aside.

2. Heat a skillet and drizzle with olive oil.  When oil is already hot, sauté the onion until transparent.

3. Add the fish fillet, shrimp and the garlic-parsley.  Add salt and pepper to taste. Continue sauteing until the fish and shrimp is cooked through. Set aside.

4. Heat a pot and melt the butter. Add the flour and gradually pour the milk. Keep on stirring to avoid the mixture from burning and sticking to the pot. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add ground nutmeg (optional). Let this simmer for 7-8 minutes until the béchamel has thickened.

5. Pour the béchamel to the fish and shrimp mixture. Let this cool.

6. Once the stuffing is cool enough to handle, stuff the peppers and close with the help of a toothpick.

7. Place the stuffed peppers in a buttered baking dish.

8. Pre-heat oven at 170ºC.

9. Don’t throw away the broken or torn peppers.  In your food processor (or with the help of a mixer), mix the cream, white wine, tomato sauce and the broken or torn peppers. Pour this mixture over the stuffed peppers. Bake for 30 minutes.

10. Serve and enjoy!

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Pulpo a la Gallega, a Spanish tapa recipe

Posted in Mediterranean cooking, Seafood, Sin categoría, Spanish cuisine, Tapa by

My husband loves to fish. Whenever he would go to fish at the beach in front of our house, he would always come home with at least 2 fresh catches. But the other night, he came home with a third one. To our surprise and delight, he caught an octopus! We decided to make Pulpo a la Gallega, a typical Spanish tapa/appetizer and a traditional dish in Galicia, Spain.

pulpo a la gallega

First and foremost, I cleaned the octopus by taking out the innards, beak, mouth and eyes.  I froze  it to break the muscle fibers and nerves so it won’t get hard after cooking it. I took it out of the freezer the night before using it and let it thaw in the refrigerator.

For 2-3 persons, you will need:

800-1,000 kg. octopus (cleaned and previously frozen)

1 garlic head, unpeeled (but outer and thicker skin taken off)

2 laurel leaves

1.5-2 liters seawater/saline water (or bottled water with coarse/rock salt)

sweet/spicy paprika

olive oil

Directions:

1. Heat a pot filled with seawater. If you don’t have saline water, use bottled water with coarse/rock salt. Heat until the water boils.

2. Using a cooking fork, dip the octopus into the boiling water for about 30 seconds making sure everything is covered with water. Take it out of the water and wait for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, dip it again into the boiling water then take it out of the water. Do this step three times.

3. Leave the octopus in the pot and boil for 30 minutes-45 minutes.

4. After 30-45 minutes, take the octopus out of the pot and let it cool on a plate.

5. Once the octopus has already cooled off, bias cut the tentacles and the head in bite size slices.

pulpo a gallega in clay pot

6. Arrange the pieces in a clay bowl or ceramic ramekins.

7. Season with sweet or spicy paprika or both. Drizzle with a generous amount of virgin olive oil.

8. Serve with bread and wine or beer.

spanish tapa or appetizer

9. Enjoy!

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Crispy Prawns Torpedo with Salsa Rosa Dip

Posted in Asian cooking, Japanese Cooking, Main Course, Seafood by

When we are craving for some Asian food, we don’t order it. I make it. My husband never really loved Asian cooking until we met. Because I live an hour (car) drive away from the city where Asian stores are located, I used to buy my asian staples online. However (and to my delight), a grocery store about 20 minutes away from where I live started to sell basic asian products like rice vermicelli wrappers, soy sauce, teriyaki marinade, sesame oil, sake, mirin, etc. Imagine my delight when I found they sell japanese bread crumbs (panko). Of course, you can get about the same results using ground corn flakes, cornmeal or crackers. So, if you don’t find panko where you live, don’t feel afraid to substitute it to make these Crispy Prawns Torpedo. If you can get peeled and deveined (but with the tails on) tiger prawns where you live, good for you! Although you can always do it yourself, too. ^^) You can also use this recipe to coat vegetable slices.

langostino torpedo

Prawns Torpedo with Salsa Rosa Dip

Now, for the recipe:

1 kg. peeled and deveined prawns (with the tails on)

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup processed corn flakes (processed with your food processor until coarsley ground)

1 – 2 teaspoons garlic salt

juice of 1 lemon

2 egg whites

oil for frying

baking sheet for baking

Directions:

1.  Place the prawns in a bowl, marinate with lemon juice for 30 minutes.

2. In a deep bowl, mix panko bread crumbs, processed corn flakes and garlic salt.

3. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites until foamy.

4. Dip the prawn into the beaten egg whites then into the bread crumbs mixture. Repeat this procedure twice to have more coating. Repeat the procedure until all prawns were dipped and coated.

5. Fry until golden brown and let the oil drain on paper towels.

6. If you choose to bake the prawns, preheat the oven to 200ºC. Bake the prawns at 200ºC for 10-12 minutes until the coating is golden brown but not burnt.

7. Serve with salad and salsa rosa dip (see recipe below)

Salsa Rosa Dip Recipe

This is my husband’s recipe and it’s really delicious and is great for salad or just about anything! You might have to test what quantities work best for you as some people like their salsa rosa sweeter (more mayo) or sourer (more ketchup). It’s a personal preference.

You will need:

1/2 cup Mayonnaise (you can add more or less depending on your personal preference)

1/2 cup Ketchup (you can add more or less depending on your personal preference)

1 teaspoon Maggi Seasoning

2 teaspoons Cognac or Brandy de Jerez

Directions:

Mix all of the ingredient and stir well.

asian food

Asian food night plate

Enjoy!

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Herbed Salmon

Posted in Seafood by

I am not a huge salmon fan but my husband is. Whenever I cook salmon at home, I make sure the experience is delectable as much as enjoyable by taking out all of the bones with the help of some tweezers. It would take extra time and effort but my family enjoys every bite, not worrying about swallowing or chewing on any spine.

You can use any herb of your choice but my husband loves rosemary with salmon. You can of course use the dried ones if you don’t have fresh rosemary available.

 

herbed salmon

Herbed Salmon

 

For 2 servings, you will need:

400-600 grams salmon belly (ventresca de salmón)

juice of half lemon

2 tablespoons white wine

fresh or dried rosemary

rock salt to taste

2 teaspoons olive oil

 

How to:

1. Wash and pat dry the salmon. Rub with rock salt and rosemary on both sides.

2. Marinate it for 30 minutes (or the night before) with some lemon juice.

3. Heat a pan. Drizzle with olive oil.

4. Cook the salmon pieces just until it’s a bit golden (changed in color) on both sides. This will also help to seal all the juices inside.

5. Pour the white wine into the pan.

5. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes depending on how thick the fish slices are. Never overcook though. We don’t want the flesh to get dry or tough.

6. Take out the salmon and serve hot with desired side dish.

7. Let the remaining juices in the pan reduce a little and drizzle on top of the salmon.

8. Serve and Enjoy1

 

 

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