Seafood – Page 4 – My Gluten Free Cucina

Jumbo Scallops with Risotto, Cubed Squash and Brussels Chips

Jumbo Sea Scallops are paired with risotto, roasted squash cubes and Brussels sprouts chips in this elegant, five-star dinner. This is the kind of meal you might see in a high end restaurant or gourmet magazine, but today I’ll show you how to make it at home for a fraction of the cost!

Jumbo sea scallops are a real treat, and can be expensive when not in season. Watch for sales, or buy frozen if available.

Ingredients:

8 oz. jumbo sea scallops
1/2 cup Arborio rice
1 shallot, minced
1 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup white wine
32 oz. carton gluten free chicken broth (you won’t need all of it)
salt and pepper to taste
fresh chives or chive seasoning
2 cups butternut squash, cut into 1/2″ cubes
garlic seasoning
2 cups Brussels sprouts, leaves separated
olive oil

Preparation:

1. Toss the squash cubes with 1 tbsp. olive oil. Season with salt, pepper and garlic seasoning. Spread the squash cubes on a baking sheet lined with parchment, then bake at 375º for 10 minutes.

2. Wash the Brussels sprouts leaves and discard any that are bruised. Toss with 1 tbsp. olive oil, salt and pepper. Add them to the baking sheet with the squash cubes and continue baking at 375º for another 30 minutes.

3. Make the risotto. Add butter, shallots and rice to a shallow pan, stirring to coat. Add the white wine and stir until almost evaporated. Add the chicken broth, 1 ladle at a time and stir over low heat until almost evaporated. Continue adding broth, 1 ladle at a time until risotto is finished, about 30 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and chives and finish with a pat of butter.

4. Sear the scallops in butter about 3 minutes per side, with just a splash of white wine. To get that beautiful caramelized crust do not use a non-stick pan!

5. To plate, spread the risotto in an even layer on a serving dish. Top with the squash cubes, and Brussels sprouts chips. Finally, arrange the scallops across the top.

A beautiful, colorful plate with the perfect blend of flavors and textures!

Notes ♪♫ If you are new to making risotto, please refer to my Basic Risotto Recipe, a full post dedicated to making this amazing dish.

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Pan Cooked Flounder Fillets

This is an oldie from my recipe box. Easily adapted to be gluten free with a simple substitution of fine white rice flour for regular. Perfect for busy weeknights, you can literally have dinner on the table in 20 minutes! The quick pan cooked method is all that is needed for this delicate, sweet tasting white fish.

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Dinner for two

Ingredients:

1 lb. flounder fillets
¼ cup white rice flour for dusting
Old Bay seasoning
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter
1/4 cup white wine
fresh chives
lemon wedges/slices for serving

Hint: Plain White Rice flour is perfect for recipes like this. Save your pricey gluten free blends for baking.

Preparation:

Sprinkle the fish with Old Bay® seasoning.

Add the flour to a breading tray or a plate and dredge the fillets in the flour, shaking off the excess.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large nonstick skillet.

Add the flounder and cook for 3-4 minutes on medium low heat.

Carefully turn it over and add a splash of white wine to the pan. Use 2 spatulas if needed so the fillets don’t break apart. Another 2-3 minutes is all it takes to finish off this delicate flaky fish. Finish with a sprinkle of chives.

That’s all there is to it! Serve with lemon slices/wedges.

Pair with rice or potato and a veggie and you have a delicious meal.

Notes ♪♫ A very special memory, this delicate pan cooked flounder was the first meal I ever made for my late husband, Mr. Cucina. It was our 3rd date, almost 30 years ago! I guess it was a good choice, we were together from that moment on!

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Crab Stuffed Sole

Crab Stuffed Sole is another old restaurant favorite of mine. It is elegant enough for company but easy enough to prepare on a weeknight. Your whole family will love this simplified version, and I’m pretty sure my preparation has much less butter and calories than its restaurant counterpart (and of course no gluten)!

4 Servings

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Ingredients:

1 lb. sole fillets
6 oz. can gluten free fancy lump crab meat (I used Crown Prince)
1 egg
chive seasoning
12 gluten free crackers (about 1/2 cup total)
4 tbsp. butter, melted
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Old Bay seasoning
fresh chives for garnish

Preparation:

Drain and rinse the crab meat.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Pulse the crackers in an electric chopper or food processor to form coarse crumbs. You will need about 1/2 cup total. In a small bowl whisk together the egg, Worcestershire, crab meat and chive seasoning. Stir in half of the cracker crumbs.

Arrange the fillets on a clean work surface. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with Old Bay.

Spoon the crab stuffing onto the fillets.

Mist a baking dish with cooking spray. Now roll up each fillet into a bundle, starting with the wide end. Tuck the ends underneath.

Arrange the fish bundles in the baking dish seam side down, and brush with the remaining melted butter. Sprinkle with Old Bay and top with the remaining cracker crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°.

There you are friends. Garnish with chives and serve up this elegant main course right in its own baking dish. No one will guess that it’s gluten free 😊.

Notes ♪♫ For seafood dishes like this one nothing beats a Ritz cracker crumb type breading. I have always loved Lance’s Original Gluten Free Crackers but good luck finding them these days! My recommendation for this recipe is Schar Entertainment Crackers, they can be found at most grocers.

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Grilled Mahi Mahi

Mahi Mahi is a delicious, mild tasting fish that pairs beautifully with citrus. With firm flesh and a thick skin, it holds up well on the grill and can also be baked. If possible, buy fresh caught (not frozen) and cook it the same day. The meat should be pinkish with darker meat running through the middle. The skin should be bright and shiny. Use a grill pan for indoor cooking as I did here, or grill outdoors during the summer months. The marinade helps develop the grill lines and ensures that the fish will be moist every time. Try this recipe, you will not be disappointed!

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4 Servings

Ingredients:

1 lb. Mahi Mahi cut into 4 pieces
2 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. lemon juice
2 tbsp. orange juice
1 tsp. maple garlic seasoning
salt and pepper
fresh orange slices
Italian parsley for garnish

Preparation:

Whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, orange juice and seasoning in a small bowl. Place the fish in a non-reactive baking dish and spoon on 2 tbsp. of the marinade. Season with salt and pepper.

Cover and leave at room temperature for 1/2 hour, turning the fish after 15 minutes.

Heat the grill pan over medium and mist with cooking spray. Add the fish skin side up, drizzle with 2 tbsp. more marinade. Add orange slices to the pan.

Cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, then turn the fish and orange slices over and cook 5 more minutes. Drizzle with remaining 2 tbsp. marinade.

Garnish with Italian parsley.

Arrange on a serving dish and top each piece with a slice of grilled orange.

Dinner is served, with a side of broccoli and garlic mashed potato.

Notes ♪♫ Fish can easily become dried out on the grill. To avoid this be sure to marinate, keep heat on medium to medium low and don’t overcook!

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Shrimp Corn Chowder

Corn Chowder is one of those recipes that you must make when sweet corn is in season. We are fortunate to live near several local farms and fresh corn is just a five-minute drive up the road. You can make this chowder with shrimp, crab, chicken or even meatless. It’s ready to enjoy in about 90 minutes.

Now I know you are asking, can’t I make this with frozen corn? You can, but you will be missing a key flavor component in the recipe. The base of this chowder is made from the corn cobs. After the kernels are stripped, the cobs are simmered to make a stock. You can substitute chicken broth and use frozen corn, but seriously, try it this way. It is very, very good!

6 Servings

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Ingredients:

6 ears of corn
6 cups of water
1 tsp. salt
1 large sweet onion, diced
3 Maine white potatoes peeled and diced (use young, thin skinned or waxy potatoes)
12 oz. raw shrimp in the shell
4 oz. gluten free bacon, cut into 1/2″ pieces
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. butter, divided
2 tbsp. sweet rice flour
1 cup gluten free low sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup half and half
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. thyme
paprika
Old Bay® seasoning
smoked sea salt (optional but very good)
fresh thyme sprigs for garnish (optional)

Preparation:

Strip the corn kernels from the cob and refrigerate (you should have about 4 cups). An easy way to do this is to stand the corn straight up on a cutting board and run a sharp knife down the sides.

Peel and devein the shrimp, reserving the shells.

Place the cobs in a stock pot with the reserved shells, 6 cups of water and 1 tsp. salt. Bring it to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Discard the corn cobs and strain the corn stock through a fine mesh sieve or use cheese cloth. You should have about 4 cups. Add 1 cup chicken broth, or enough to total 5 cups of liquid.

Heat a Dutch oven over medium low and cook the shrimp in 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. butter for 2-3 minutes, just until you get a little pink color on both sides. Remove from the pot, sprinkle with Old Bay and set aside to cool. Refrigerate the shrimp until serving time.

Discard any liquid remaining in the Dutch oven and wipe clean. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, stirring frequently. Remove the bacon and drain on paper towels, reserving the fat.

Add the onions to the pot with the reserved bacon fat along with 1 tbsp. of butter. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring frequently. The onions should be nicely browned and caramelized.

Quickly sprinkle the rice flour over the onions and whisk constantly as you stream in the stock. Add the potatoes, corn kernels, 1 tsp. sugar, 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves, and a bit more of the Old Bay seasoning. Simmer on low until the potatoes are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat.

When ready to serve, gently warm the chowder over low heat. Dice the shrimp, leaving a few whole shrimp for a nice presentation when serving. Add the diced shrimp, with 1/2 cup of half and half. Cover and heat through, 5 minutes more.

Serve in shallow bowls and garnish with crumbled bacon and fresh thyme. For a special treat I topped each bowl with a whole shrimp and a skewer of grilled scallops.

This hearty chowder will provide a filling meal for lunch or light dinner. Like most soups, it is even better (and thicker) the next day.

Notes ♪♫ For a perfect accompaniment to this hearty chowder, check out my homemade gluten free oyster crackers!

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New Orleans Shrimp Boil on the Grill

Bites of shrimp, sausage, potato, corn and veggies are assembled into foil packets and grilled to perfection in this easy summer meal! It is no wonder that a few years ago this recipe was going viral.

You can’t go wrong on a gluten free diet when you prepare meals using healthy fresh ingredients, so before summer comes to an end, let’s revisit this popular dinner on the grill with a spicy New Orleans twist!

If you have never tried Old Bay® seasoning this recipe is a good excuse to go and buy some, you will find yourself using it in on everything. Plan on about 45 minutes to prep and cook this meal.

4 packets

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Ingredients:

12 extra large raw shrimp
4 oz. gluten free Andouille sausage
2 ears of corn, cut into 2″ pieces
16 baby marble potatoes, halved
1 large sweet onion, cut into wedges
1 small zucchini, cut into 1″ slices
Old Bay® seasoning
olive oil

Preparation:

Defrost the shrimp under cold water (if using frozen), peel and devein leaving the tails on. Cut the sausage into 1/4″ slices. Halve the potatoes and microwave them in a little water for 4 minutes to give them a head start.

Lay out 4 sheets of foil, 15″ long. Divide the ingredients evenly on the 4 sheets. Be sure to place the shrimp on top so they don’t burn. Drizzle with olive oil (1-2 tbsp. per packet) and sprinkle with Old Bay.

To make the packets, bring the long sides of the foil together and fold over twice to seal. Fold over the ends. You can prepare in advance up to this point and refrigerate.