As summer's heat fades into fall's chill, keep your family happy with a delectable variety of dishes prepared from the sea and garden. No scurrying around collecting exotic ingredients or fancy cookware, the seafood recipes contained in the Seafood Delaware Style cookbook, written and produced by Delaware Sea Grant, use basic ingredients, and the easy-to-follow instructions will keep dinner preparation from interfering with busy fall schedules.
Seafood Delaware Style is a collection of over 30 recipes favored by Delaware seafood lovers -- many of which have been prepared by Doris Hicks, seafood technology specialist with Delaware Sea Grant, in various seminars. Recipes for seafood appetizers, entrées, salads, and soups are included as well as the information needed to not only easily prepare the seafood, but also to serve it with style. In addition, each recipe has been analyzed for calories, protein, fat, sodium, and cholesterol per serving.
"The cookbook also contains tips on purchasing, handling, storing, and preparing high-quality seafood and a section on the role of seafood in the diet," says Hicks. "After all, when it comes to successfully capturing the best flavor, texture, and aroma of Delaware seafood, your skills in seafood selection and knowledge of good handling practices are as important as your cooking expertise."
If you've already filled your freezer with zucchini bread, why not use any left over zucchini in a crab and zucchini casserole? This easy-to-make casserole also uses tomatoes, which lend a spot of color to your dinner table, and Swiss cheese along with a variety of herbs. The nutritional information will help you decide whether to use real or imitation crab meat.
"This casserole is especially good for bringing to a covered-dish supper," says Hicks. "You also can experiment with the ingredients -- use yellow squash instead of zucchini, any type of shredded cheese or combination of cheeses, and fresh herbs from your garden."
Another tasty meal takes advantage of the warm fall nights to use the barbeque to grill that piece of fresh fish that just looked too good to leave behind in the fish market. In just a few minutes, your family could be sitting down to enjoy a grilled seafood steak. The cookbook provides serving suggestions as well as nutritional information for grilled tuna and shark. It also includes a simple marinade with a light Italian flavor to enhance the flavor of the fish. This recipe also is an ideal way to cook the fish that your fishing-frenzy family just brought home.
Seafood Delaware Style is a 54-page spiral-bound booklet. It costs $4.00 and is available from the Marine Public Education Office in Newark at (302) 831-8083 or the Sea Grant Marine Advisory Service in Lewes at (302) 645-4346.
CRAB AND ZUCCHINI CASSEROLE
2 medium zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon basil
1 pound crab meat or imitation crab meat
1 1/2 cups shredded Swiss cheese
1 cup soft bread crumbs
3 medium tomatoes
Cook zucchini, onions, and garlic in butter for about 5 minutes until tender. Add seasonings, crab meat, Swiss cheese, and bread crumbs. Chop tomatoes, removing seeds. Add tomatoes to mixture and toss lightly. Place in a glass casserole dish, and put in a 375° oven for 30-35 minutes or until heated through. Makes six servings. Preparation Time: 1 hour.
GRILLED SEAFOOD STEAKS
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, or 1 clove minced
1 pound seafood steaks (tuna, shark, or swordfish)
Mix ingredients, and marinate steaks for 1 hour. Grill 4-5 minutes on each side for 1-inch thick steaks. Can be served with baked potato and corn-on-the-cob. Makes two servings. Preparation Time: 15 minutes, but allow 1 hour for marinating.