In the mood for something new for dinner? Think about bypassing the butcher counter and opt for some shellfish instead. Shellfish cooks up quickly and its versatility is impressive.

Although there are several choices, I’m sticking to three tasty varieties in the following recipes: scallops, shrimps, and mussels. My rule is to cook fresh shellfish on the day it is purchased, but when it comes to raw, shelled shrimp and scallops, I often buy them frozen, which allows for more use-time wiggle room.

Buying and Prepping Shrimp: I often buy frozen head-off, peeled and deveined raw shrimp at the supermarket (it’s stocked in the frozen food case, not the seafood display). Sealed in a 2-pound bag, the shrimp are IQF (individually quick frozen) so I can take out as many as I need and leave the rest in the freezer. The majority of shrimp sold in the marketplace are deep frozen and delivered frozen. Even those in the seafood display of “fresh” shrimp you see at the counter were defrosted. Looking at them behind the glass it is difficult to know how long they’ve been there defrosted. Avoid shrimp that are limp, slimy, or falling apart; shrimp should smell fresh, not like ammonia.

A shrimp’s size is measured by the number it takes to make up a pound. The smaller the number, the bigger the shrimp. Figure 51 or greater per pound are small. Medium shrimp are 36 to 50 per pound. Large are 26 to 40, and jumbo are 16 to 25. Colossal, bless their hearts, are fewer than 15 per pound. Labels such as “medium” or “jumbo” aren’t regulated and thus can vary greatly from seller to seller.

To quicken the thawing process of frozen shrimp, I put them in a colander in the sink and run lukewarm water on them.

Buying and Prepping Scallops: I usually buy the larger variety of scallops, sea scallops, because I like to sear the exterior to a beautiful brown. There are about 8 to 10 sea scallops per pound, while the much smaller bay scallops can yield as much as three times that amount.

Wet or dry? Most cooks agree that dry scallops taste and brown better. Wet scallops are treated with a solution of water and sodium Tripolyphosphate to increase shelf life and retain moisture.

Often scallops are sold with the abductor muscle intact; it’s the muscle that opens and closes the shell. It’s found on the side of a scallop and can be easily pulled off.

Buying and Prepping Live Mussels: They should have wet, shiny shells and be kept on ice at the market. They should smell like the ocean, briny and fresh. They should not smell overly fishy. The shells should be tightly closed. If the occasional mussel has an open shell, gently tap it on the counter, wait a minute, and see if it closes. Discard any mussels that don’t close, or those with chipped or cracked shells.

Most of the mussels in the marketplace have the beards removed, those thread-like clusters on the side of the shell. Just before cooking, if the beards are still in place, grab and pull them off. Scrub them under cold running water. Nowadays, most mussels are farmed or grown on ropes, which is good because they are minimally gritty.

There are two main mussel varieties sold in the U.S., the Atlantic blue mussel and the Pacific green-lipped (also called New Zealand) mussel. They are generally interchangeable in recipes.

Grilled Shrimp can either be a quick-to-prepare appetizer or a fast dinner entrée if teamed with cooked rice or orzo. (Photo by Cathy Thomas)

Easy Grilled Shrimp

These tasty shrimp can serve as a quick-to-prepare appetizer, or teamed with cooked rice or orzo, they make a fast dinner entrée. To mix it up, I divide the glaze-sauce into two bowls (it is utilized first as a glaze and next as a spoon-over sauce). One I leave as is, the other I spike with Frank’s RedHot Sauce to taste. The sauce is tart as well as spicy. So I make half the shrimp with the sweet mustardy glaze-sauce, the other half with the spicy-tart-sweet pizzazz. Guests and family can choose either the shrimp on the yellow plate or the slightly spicy ones on the red plate.

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons honey

2 large garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 to 1 1/2 pounds raw shrimp (26 to 40), peeled, deveined

Vegetable oil for brushing on grate

Salt and pepper to taste

PROCEDURE

1. Heat grill. In a small bowl, combine honey, garlic, juice and mustard. Stir to combine and set aside.

2. Thread shrimp on bamboo skewers. Clean grate. Brush grate with oil (I use a folded-up paper towel (2-inch square) secured with tongs – the paper towel dipped in oil). Brush one side of shrimp with glaze. Place unglazed side on grill; cook 1 to 2 minutes. Turn and brush shrimp with glaze and cook 1 to 2 minutes or until shrimp are opaque. Transfer to serving plate. Slather on a little more (glaze) sauce and season with salt and pepper.

Source: Adapted from Cooking Light magazine

Sautéed scallops are served atop a creamy bed of pureed cauliflower. (Photo by Curt Norris)

Sautéed Scallops with Cauliflower

Many years ago, Chef Jean-Pierre Dubray shared the recipe for his delicious sautéed scallops. Creamy pureed cauliflower formed a bed under the perfectly browned scallops, a few florets adorned the plate, along with a puddle of reduced chicken stock. He said that a squeeze of basil oil is a delectable accompaniment. He makes the optional flavored oil by infusing grapeseed oil with fresh basil for 24 hours. He purees it and strains it through cheesecloth. The herbaceous green droplets can be added as a final garnish on the rim of the plate.

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

1 head white cauliflower

Salt for cooking water

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste

1 tablespoon butter

8 large “dry” sea scallops

Salt and ground cayenne pepper to taste

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup reduced chicken jus, warmed in saucepan’ see cook’s notes

Garnish: Sprigs of fresh chervil or popcorn sprouts or Italian parsley or small basil leaves or assorted microgreens

Cook’s notes: Dubray used house-made chicken jus, but said that store-bought chicken broth or chicken stock can be substituted, but it will need to be boiled to reduce it by about two-thirds. It won’t have the same deep-brown color.

Chef Dubray used Day Boat scallops (dry, large sea scallops) because he said that they aren’t processed with chemicals.

PROCEDURE

1. Core cauliflower and cut into medium-small florets. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Blanch florets until just barely tender; drain well. Set about 1/4 of florets aside, selecting the best-looking ones. In a food processor, puree the remaining florets with heavy cream, salt, and white pepper. Return cauliflower mixture to pot and bring to simmer on medium-high heat; reduce heat to low.

2. Melt butter in small skillet on medium-high heat. Add reserved florets and cook until golden brown, gently turning as needed. Set aside.

3. Pat scallops dry. Be sure to remove abductor muscle from the side of each scallop (if present). Season dry scallops with salt and a little cayenne pepper. Be very careful not to over season with cayenne. Heat canola oil in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add scallops in single layer and cook until golden brown on exterior and just barely cooked through, about 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcook.

5. On 4 serving plates, place cauliflower puree in the center. Place scallops and browned florets on top. Spoon warm chicken jus around edge of cauliflower puree and garnish with chervil sprigs. Serve.

Source: Jean-Pierre Dubray, Executive Chef, Monarch Beach Waldorf Astoria

Mussels can be cooked with Spanish chorizo and tomatoes and served on garlic toast. (Courtesy of America’s Test Kitchen)

Mussels, Chorizo and Tomatoes with Garlic Toasts

Tomatoes, garlic and Spanish-style chorizo form a delectable backdrop for mussels. Before cooking, discard any mussel with an unpleasant odor, a cracked or broken shell, or a shell that won’t close when tapped.

Yield: 4 servings

INGREDIENTS

12 ounces Spanish-style chorizo sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces; see cook’s notes

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus oil for drizzling on bread

4 medium garlic cloves, peeled (3 minced, one whole)

One (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded

8 (1-inch thick) slices rustic bread

Cook’s notes: Spanish chorizo is a cured, smoked sausage, which can be sliced. Not to be confused with Mexican chorizo, a fresh sausage that can be purchased loose or in casings.

PROCEDURE

1. Adjust oven rack to 6- to 8-inches below broiler element. Turn on broiler.

2. Cook chorizo in 3 tablespoons olive oil in large Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until chorizo is browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to simmer and cook until flavors meld, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to high and stir in mussels. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until mussels open, 3 to 7 minutes. Discard any unopened mussels.

3. Prepare toast: Place bread on foil-lined rimmed baking sheet and broil until deep golden brown, turning to brown on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes. Keep an eye on them because they burn easily. While toast is still warm, lightly rub 1 side with peeled garlic and drizzle with a little olive oil to taste. Serve mussels with garlic toast.

Source: “Five Ingredient Dinners” by America’s Test Kitchen” (America’s Test Kitchen, $29.99)

Cooking question? Contact Cathy Thomas at [email protected]

Related Articles