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Grilled Diver Scallops

Oct 19th, 2008
by mmayer.
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Grilled Diver Scallops

I made this one during the summer, but left it unposted as I’ve been lazy for a bit; consider this my return until I decide to be lazy again.

This is one of my favorite meals, and it’s an incredibly simple one. It’s so simple that I doubt very many of you need a recipe for it, so I’ll just talk about it a bit this time.

We’re looking at all sorts of grilled goodness: grilled diver scallops, grilled artichoke, and even a grilled lemon. The salad is a simple one: romaine lettuce with avocado, grilled scallions, and a honey vinaigrette. To drink was a chilled pinot grigio.

We’ve talked about the grilled artichokes before, but the scallops are new. To grill scallops like this, and I would certainly recommend it, just follow these few simple steps:

  1. Select large, fresh diver scallops. I buy mine at a fresh fish market; that seems to be the only place to reliably get fresh diver scallops.
  2. Rinse the scallops briefly under cool water, and pat them dry.
  3. Using a mister, spray the scallops lightly with olive oil. Some might suggest using an oil with a higher smoke point, but I like the color that results using the olive oil.
  4. Lightly salt and pepper the scallops.
  5. Grill them at high heat for just a few minutes per side. The scallops should become just opaque, and they should have nice grill marks like you see in the picture.
  6. Drizzle the scallops with grilled lemon, and enjoy!

Grilled Diver Scallops

Look for my next post this coming week. I’m not sure what it is yet, but I’m cooking it on Tuesday.

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Experiment: Simple Fish Soup

Jun 10th, 2008
by mmayer.
2 comments

A few weeks ago, I made my first trip to Max Fish in Glastonbury, CT. As a huge fan of the Max Restaurants, I’m surprised it took me 6 months to visit the newest member of the group. And while I’m not in the business of writing reviews, I would certainly recommend adding Max Fish to your list of must-try seafood restaurants in CT. They have a great menu, extensive wine list, and are fairly eco-minded (they recycle their menus, bottle their own water, etc.). In my mind, the louder and more casual Max Fish is no replacement for Max’s Oyster Bar in West Hartford, CT, but I’ll certainly be back.

This week’s entry was inspired by my visit to Max Fish. My entree was a delicious fish stew called Cioppino. Cioppino is a rustic stew that originated in San Francisco. Fishermen in the early days of San Francisco would come back with their catch, and each would donate a bit of fish to the large pot of stewing vegetables on the wharf. The result: a mix of various fish, shellfish, and vegetables in a delicious tomato broth. I’ll be documenting my own Cioppino-inspired (still experimental) fish soup today.

When I first tasted the Cioppino at Max Fish, I knew I had to develop my own. But then I realized that Cioppino would be a rather expensive dish to prepare for just one person. For many, I could simply ask everyone to bring their favorite fish or shellfish and add it to the pot. For myself and a few friends, that would be a rather meager pot. I’ve included some pictures of my attempt below. There is no recipe this time around, but I’ll follow up with one when I’ve hammered it out a bit more. Enjoy the pictures!

Cooking down the veggies

I started off by cooking down a mix of vegetables: carrots, celery, red onions and leeks. I seasoned it with salt and pepper, a bit of old bay seasoning, crushed red pepper flakes, and garlic.

Finished Cioppino

After cooking down the vegetables, I added fish stock, white wine, tomato paste, lemon and lime juice, scallops, and halibut. To serve, I just ladeled it into a bowl, and topped with a bit of parmesan cheese. It was delicious, but next time I’ll be adding more seafood.

Check back soon! I’ll be posting a recipe for grilled diver scallops shortly.

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Mother’s Day Ahi Tuna

May 12th, 2008
by mmayer.
4 comments

Mother's Day Ahi Tuna

It’s become a tradition that I make dinner for my family on mother’s day. Today was no different, and I think the meal was worthy of an appearance on “Foodie by Night.” This meal will certainly be a make again for me, and not just on mother’s day. Now, on to the food.

This year, I treated my mother to grilled, marinated Ahi tuna with wasabi mayonnaise. On the side, I served spicy wonton chips and a baby spinach salad with strawberries, walnuts, and gorgonzola cheese. In this blog post, I’ve focused on the tuna because it was absolutely delicious. I know my mother appreciated it, and I hope you will too when you get a chance to try it.

This meal will serve about four people.

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 lbs Ahi Tuna steaks, fresh, sushi-grade
  • Pepper to taste

For the marinade

  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • juice of half a lemon
  • 1 Tsp sesame oil
  • 1 Tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 1 Tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp chinese five spice
For the mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup low fat mayonnaise
  • 2 scallions (white & green parts), chopped
  • 1 Tsp freshly grated ginger
  • 1 tsp lemon zest
Cooking tools
  • A sharp knife
  • Plastic cutting board
  • Plastic gallon-size freezer bag

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Rinse the tuna under cold water, and pat dry.
  2. Combine all of the ingredients for the marinade in the freezer bag.
  3. Shake the bag to combine the ingredients.
  4. Add the tuna steaks, and coat with the marinade.
  5. Seal the bag, and store in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning the bag over every 10 minutes.
  6. While the tuna is marinating, combine the ingredients for the mayonnaise in a bowl, and mix to combine.
  7. Once the tuna is done marinating, remove it from the bag.
  8. Sprinkle each tuna steak liberally with freshly ground black pepper.
  9. Transfer the steaks to a hot grill for 1-1.5 minutes per side.
    Tuna on the grill 
  10. Remove from the grill, slice into strips, and serve immediately with a dollop of wasabi mayo.

OTHER THOUGHTS

Keep an eye on the blog for more great dishes as the summer rolls on. I’ve had a few requests, and will certainly try to do them justice. In the meantime, keep sending your comments, questions, and suggestions. Thanks for reading!

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Recipe: Mediterranean Fusion on the Grill

Apr 30th, 2008
by mmayer.
1 comment

Mediterranean FusionThis week, I decided to write up a whole meal rather than a recipe for one dish. I often find myself looking at recipes for ideas, but rarely do I see recipes for an entire meal, and the sides can be the hardest part! This post should equip you with the knowledge to put together a quick, easy, and delicious Mediterranean fusion meal on the grill. I hope you enjoy it! And as always, I’d love to hear your feedback and suggestions in the comments.

When I think of Mediterranean cuisine, I think seafood, rough cut vegetables, olive oil, and bold natural flavors. That’s what this meal is all about. We’ll be heading out to the grill again to prepare shrimp and scallop skewers, artichokes with a butter and oil dipping sauce, and tomatoes with feta cheese. While you’re preparing the meal, enjoy some kalamata olives and bread with quality olive oil for dipping with your guests.

Servings: Expect to feed four hungry people with this meal

The Main Attraction

Shrimp & Scallops

Shrimp and Scallops

Ingredients

  • 1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 lb bay scallops
  • 1/2 c. olive oil
  • the juice of one lemon
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of pepper
  • 1 tsp Italian seasoning
Cooking Tools
  • 4 skewers
  • A grill, preheated to about 400 deg F
Instructions
  1. Combine all of the ingredients, except the shrimp and scallops, in a mixing bowl
  2. Whisk the ingredients together until the oil starts to emulsify
  3. Add the shrimp and scallops, and toss to coat
  4. Skewer the shrimp and scallops. I alternate shrimp then 4-5 scallops a few times, and cap the skewer with a shrimp. The shrimp on the ends will help hold the scallops on.
  5. Throw them on the grill for about 3-4 minutes per side, just until the shrimp are pink and the scallops are opaque.
  6. Serve immediately.

And now the sides…

Grilled Artichokes

Artichokes

Ingredients

  • 2 Artichokes
  • A pinch of salt and pepper
  • 2 Tsp Olive Oil
Cooking Tools
  • Kitchen Shears
  • Sharp, heavy knife
  • Hot grill
Instructions
  1. Trip the top 1/3 off of the artichokes, and a bit of the stem, using your knife
  2. Quarter each artichoke; I find it easy to stand them up on the cut sides, and slice through the remaining stem
  3. Using your kitchen shears, trim each of the pointy leaves so that the top of each is flat
  4. Drizzle the artichokes with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper
  5. Throw the artichokes on the grill for about 10 minutes, turning once
  6. Remove from the grill and serve with melted butter for dipping, and lemon juice for drizzling
Artichoke Preparation

Artichoke Preparation

Tomatoes with Feta Cheese

Ingredients

  • Two large hot house tomatoes
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • A pinch of salt and pepper
  • Spray oil
  • 1/4 cup of crumbled feta cheese
Cooking Tools
  • Sharp knife
  • Spatula
  • Hot grill
Instructions
  1. Cut the ends off of each tomato
  2. Lightly squeeze and shake the tomatoes over the sink to get some of the juice and seeds out
  3. Slice the tomatoes into 4 thick slices each
  4. Spray both sides of each slice with a bit of oil
  5. Sprinkle one side of each slice with oregano, salt and pepper
  6. Cover the seasoned side of each slice with feta cheese crumbles equally
  7. Transfer each slice to the hot grill carefully
  8. Cook for about five minutes with the lid closed
  9. Serve warm

Mediterranean Fusion

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Recipe: Beer Can Chicken on the Grill – Yeah Summer!

Apr 20th, 2008
by mmayer.
20 comments


If you haven’t had a beer can chicken, you don’t know what you’re missing. When done right, beer can chicken is the most flavorful whole chicken you can imagine; it’s crispy on the outside, and incredibly juicy on the inside. And the best part: after only about 10 minutes of prep., you throw it on the grill (or in the oven for some winter beer can chicken), and ignore it for 30 minutes at a time. It doesn’t get much easier than this.

My recipe below will serve about four people (myself and three of my friends). For information about how I come up with serving guidelines, check my serving guidelines post.

Ingredients 

  • 1 Whole Chicken, about 4lbs
  • Salt & Pepper
  • 2 Tsp. of your favorite poultry seasoning
  • 2 Tsp. of olive oil, preferably in a mister
  • 1 12oz. can of beer (get one you don’t mind drinking half of)
Cooking Tools
  • Kitchen shears
  • Plastic/Glass/Silicon cutting board (this is chicken we’re dealing with!)
  • A couple pairs of strong tongs
  • Paper towels
  • Instant read thermometer
  • A grill, preheated to about 350 deg. F

Instructions

First, let’s prep. the chicken as follows:
  1. Remove it from its packaging
  2. Trim excess skin around the cavities with your kitchen shears
  3. Rinse the chicken inside and out with water
  4. Pat dry with a paper towel
  5. Move the chicken to a plastic/glass cutting board
Next, spray the chicken liberally with olive oil; this will help the seasoning to stick, and it’ll help to crisp the skin. Now that the chicken is oiled up, rub with your favorite poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper. It should look something like this:

Finally, let’s move to the grill. Bring the seasoned chicken, your can of beer, and a couple of pairs of strong tongs. Stand the chicken on the grill as follows:
  1. Crack open the beer can and drink half of it
  2. Place the beer can in the center of the grill. Be careful; the grill is hot!
  3. Rest the chicken on the beer can such that the can is inside the cavity of the chicken; the can and the chicken’s legs should form a tripod (see below)
  4. Be sure that the chicken is not under direct heat; I typically turn on only the side burners
  5. Close the grill
Check on the chicken after about twenty minutes to make sure that its crisping evenly all over. If it’s not, rotate the chicken or adjust the burners so that it is. After about 1-1.25 hours, check the chicken with your instant read thermometer. The chicken is done when the thermometer reads 165 deg F in the breast and 180 deg F in the thigh.
Let the chicken rest for about 10 minutes before carving. I like to rest it breast side down so that the white meat stays nice and juicy.
Enjoy! And as always, I’d love to hear your success stories and any suggestions for improving this recipe.

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