Richard Lipton

Scallops

Let the grilling season begin in Louisiana!! Having personally witnessed a Stainless Steel grill in action this past week, I can honestly say that there is no better food than that which has been grilled or smoked (or both). You can cook anything on a grills; they add flavor to any food (especially charcoal and wood smokers), it is by far one of the healthiest ways to prepare your meal, and meal preparation very easily can be turned into a social gathering with group participation.

Be it beef, chicken, pork, seafood, or vegetables, there is a way to please everyone with grilled or smoked food. With most soon-to-be grilled items, a marinade is a must. Once you finish marinating your meat or vegetables, save the marinade for basting purposes. This will keep your food moist and keep the flavor that much more intense. The marinade can be very simple from dry herbs and spices with a touch of oil or in depth with teriyaki glaze and sesame seeds.

Sea scallops are very good grilled and need nothing more than a touch of oil on them to prevent them from sticking. While those scallops are grilling, you can make a simple sauce on the stove to accompany them afterwards. Even if it is a bit of clarified salted butter or a tantalizing champagne sauce, anything will compliment your scallops once they are grilled or smoked.

And, on those hot Spring and Summer days to come, who says the sauce has to be hot? A nice fruit salsa is just the way to cool things off while eating your favorite grilled foods. Enjoy these suggestions when dusting off the grill or unwrapping a new one and putting it together. Bon appetit and happy grilling.

Grilled Sea Scallops with Papaya Salsa
Serves 4

1 lb sea scallops
1 ripe papaya, diced
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1/4 cup (½ dl) cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp pepper
2 tsp vegetable oil

Rinse scallops and pat dry; remove adductor muscle from the sides and discard. Set aside. In a medium bowl, combine papaya, red onion, garlic, cilantro, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and pepper to taste. Mix gently to avoid mashing the papaya. Cover and refrigerate. Place scallops in a bowl and add 1 tablespoon lime juice and oil, rubbing on all sides to coat well. Heat grill to 400° F (200° C) and grill scallops 3-5 minutes per side, or until opaque. Serve immediately with salsa on the side.

Grilled Scallops with Coriander Sauce
Serves 2

2 Tbsp shallot, minced
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1/4 Cup (½ dl) water
1 tsp coriander
½ stick butter, in pieces
¾ lb sea scallops
Olive oil
2 Tbsp fresh coriander, minced

In a heavy saucepan, sauté shallot, vinegar, water, and coriander until liquid is reduced to 1 tablespoon. Whisk in the butter, one piece at a time, letting pan cool off a little from time by taking it off the heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste, transfer to a bowl with warm water underneath, and keep warm. Brush scallops with olive oil and grill on a preheated 350° F (175° C) grill, 3-5 minutes per side or until opaque. Whisk fresh coriander into the butter sauce and spoon sauce evenly between two plates. Divide scallops evenly between two plates and serve immediately with Garlic Bread, if desired.

Grilled Scallops with Garlic and Champagne Sauce
Serves 4

12 cloves garlic, halved
4 Tbsp butter
20 sea scallops
1/4 Cup (½ dl) maple syrup
¼ Cup (½ dl) apple cider
¼ Cup (½ dl) champagne
3 Tbsp shallots, minced
1 Tbsp olive oil

Put garlic in saucepan of water. Boil and drain. Return garlic to pan. Add fresh water and boil again. Drain and reserve garlic. Melt half the butter over high heat in a heavy skillet. Season scallops to taste with salt and pepper and rub with olive oil. Grill on a preheated grill 4-5 minutes per side or until opaque and cooked through. Transfer to warm serving platter until ready and keep warm. Add garlic, syrup, and cider to skillet; boil 2-3 minutes or until reduced to a glaze. Add champagne and shallots. Boil 4-5 minutes longer or until reduced to a sauce consistency. Remove from heat and add remaining butter and incorporate until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour over grilled and warm scallops, garnish with fresh chives if desired.

COMFORT FOODS
Chef Richard R. Lipton

OK, guys and gals, hopefully we made it through another romantic holiday without landing in the Shih-Tzu house (notice how the dog houses keep getting smaller). Now we can kick back, relax, and do something for ourselves for a change. Find our favorite spot in the house, grab our favorite food, something to drink, the remote, and let our minds wander for an hour or two.

Everybody has his/her own idea of the perfect comfort food. Basically, these are foods which settle your mind, relax your spirit, and makes all your troubles or stresses seem distant. For me, that would be any type of sushi placed in front of me. Give me a sushi roll, some wasabi, and soy sauce, and I am a happy Dragon. Others may consider chocolate the ultimate comfort food while still others may think that chips and dip are the end all and be all of comfort foods.

Whatever your favorite comfort food is at this particular time, find it, cook it, kick back and relax for an hour or two. Pat yourself on the back, culinary wise, with the food of your choice. Bon Appetit

Daufuskie Crab Cakes

2 pounds lump blue crab meat
1 medium green pepper, diced small
1 medium red pepper, diced small
1 medium Vidalia onion, diced small
3 stalks medium celery, diced small
2 eggs
2 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp basil
2 Tbsp oregano
2 dashes Tabasco
4 dashes Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp black pepper
1 Cup (2 dl) Japanese bread crumbs
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp garlic powder

Combine all ingredients. Scoop out desired size of cakes. Fry in butter or oil. Serve as desired.

Rosemary Salmon

16 oz (1 lb) salmon fillet
4 sprigs full fresh rosemary leaves
¼ Cup (½ dl) honey
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp mixed seafood spices of your choice

1. Sprinkle the seafood spices on each side of the salmon.
2. Press rosemary leaves into top of fillet.
3. Heat a large skillet or frying pan butter.
4. Place salmon, herb side down, into skillet.
5. Sear, allowing a light crust; turn; cut heat.
6. Pour honey (lightly) over salmon.
7. Finish in oven.
8. To serve: Place fillet on plate, pour honey from pan on top.

Chocolate Velvet Mousse

10 eggs, separated
8 oz (240 g) powdered sugar
1 -½ oz (45 g) rum
1-½ oz (45 g) kirsch
1 -½ oz (45 g) cream de cocoa dark
2 tsp heaping Sanka
1 tsp coffee
3 -½ lbs semi-sweet chocolate
½ lb butter
1-½ qt (1-½ liters) heavy cream

1. Melt chocolate and butter together in a double boiler
2. In mixer, beat sugar and yolks together.
3. Combine small amount of coffee with Sanka and liqueurs.
4. Add into yolks.
5. Whip cream until stiff; whip whites separately until stiff.
6. Fold whites into cream.
7. Fold in yolks, then chocolate.
8. Spoon into lined bowls and refrigerate 6 hours minimum

CHOWDERS
By Chef Richard R. Lipton

Chowders are the Northeast U.S.A.'s answer to Louisiana gumbo, Texas chili, or South Carolina's frogmore stew. Chowders are thick, hearty, mostly creamy soups that keep help keep you warm on below freezing nights or make for excellent one-pot meals on rushed dinner nights.

Chowders all have three basic ingredients. The first is pork of some sort. Originally, salt pork was used as it has a high fat content that could be rendered down to create the oil needed to sauté the other vegetables used in the chowder. This made it unnecessary to season the chowder with salt. Only black pepper was added to season the dish.

The second ingredient in all chowders is potatoes. The potatoes used can be red, yellow, gold, white, or blue, and serve to aid in the thickening the chowder as well as making it creamier. Cooking the potatoes in the soup itself acts as a natural roux, as the starch from the potatoes thickens the chowder.

Thirdly, and with the exception of Manhattan Clam Chowder, a milk product of some sort is used in chowders. Heavy cream is the most common, however, depending on your potato and starch content, milk can be used to thin your chowder to soup consistency rather than a thick wallpaper paste.

The meats or vegetables used in chowders are based on individual tastes and preferences. Whether a seafood, pork, chicken, beef, or vegetable chowder, following the guidelines below will produce a chowder worth serving at any dinner table as well as contributing to a sumptuous quiet night in front of the TV. Enjoy, stay warm and safe, and Bon Appetit

Scallop and Shrimp Chowder
Serves 4

3 oz (90 g) salt pork
1 medium onion
1/2 pound Idaho potatoes
1/2 pound red potatoes
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled
2/3 pound bay scallops
1 tsp dried thyme
1 bay leaf
¼ Cup (½ dl) dry white wine
2-½ Cups (5 dl) milk
1 Cup (2 dl) half-and-half (light cream)
¼ tsp hot red pepper sauce
Black pepper to taste

Remove the rind from the salt pork and cut into 1/8-inch (small) dice. Slice the onion and potatoes, thinly. Rinse and pat dry the shrimp and scallops. Sauté salt pork in a four-quart (four-liter) soup kettle over medium high heat to render the fat, until crisp. Transfer salt pork to a plate lined with paper towels; set aside. Add the onions, thyme, and bay leaf and sauté until the onions soften, about 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and sauté over high heat until they soften, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until the wine completely evaporates, about 3 minutes. Add the milk and half-and-half (light cream). Simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and scallops and simmer until seafood is just cooked through, 5 minutes maximum. Season to taste with hot sauce and black pepper. Serve immediately with the salt pork as a garnish.

Valentine’s Day

Does anyone really know where Valentine's Day started? Is it named for Valentino, the supposedly world's greatest lover? Or, was it named for Valentine, the patron saint of love?

Wherever or however the holiday started, it doesn't make any difference, right guys? It still means that we show our favorite ladies how much they mean to us by going out and buying something we know they either really like, really want, or both. Be it dinner, roses, a BIG box of candy, or their favorite "chick flick"(while we watch and pretend it is not boring).

And remember your Mom.; you wouldn't be here without your Mom. So you better let her know how much she means to you, or you will never get another Hanukkah card again, much less another visit from 1,300 miles away. My opinion, guys? Make dinner. Go find the least expensive cookbook or try some of our recipes this week and go shopping. Find the pot or pan in the dishwasher, break out the spices hiding in the far reaches of the pantry, search for the knives you got for your birthday 5 years ago and commence the cooking (Keep the fire extinguisher handy just in case).

Now, if you had forgotten what this Saturday is, then I can save you a step by giving you some suggestions on what to make for her (so long as your lady likes shrimp) . Follow these simple instructions and you have a better than average chance of sleeping in your own bed tonight rather than outside with the Border Collie. Good luck, guys, have fun, Happy Valentine's Day, and Bon Appetit.

P.S. I love you Mom and Beth.

Lovers’ Prawns
Serves 4

3/4 lb medium shrimp, peeled
2 tsp cornstarch
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp salt
Pinch white pepper
3 Tbsp ketchup
2 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp chili paste/sauce
1 Cup (2 dl) broccoli florets
1 Tbsp salad oil
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 Tbsp sherry

Rinse shrimp briefly; pat dry. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, sesame oil, salt, and pinch of white pepper. Add the shrimp and stir to coat. Cover and marinate in a refrigerator for 30 minutes.

In a small bowl, mix together ketchup, rice vinegar, and chili paste. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, bring 2 inches (5 cm) of water to a boil. Add broccoli and simmer until crisp tender, about 1-1/2 - 2 minutes. Drain, rinse under cold water to chill, and drain again. Arrange broccoli in the center of a serving platter and set aside.

Place a wok or frying pan over high heat. When wok is hot, add oil and swirl to coat the surface. Add the garlic and the shrimp and stir fry until shrimp turns pink, about 2 minutes. Remove half the shrimp from the pan; set aside. Add wine and another pinch of white pepper to the remaining shrimp in the wok. Stir shrimp to coat completely and place the shrimp on one side of the platter. Return reserved shrimp to the pan. Add chili sauce and stir to coat shrimp, heating through, about 1 minute. Spoon shrimp and sauce onto other side of serving platter and serve immediately.

Pickled Shrimp
Serves 8

1/4 Cup (½ dl) crab boil, in cheesecloth *
2-½ lb shrimp, peeled, tails on
3/4 Cup (1-½ dl) white vinegar
5 tsp celery seeds
2 tsp salt
1 Cup (2 dl) olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced

In a kettle, bring 6 Cups (1-½ quarts / 1-½ liters) water with the crab boil to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes, and then add the shrimp. Boil 5 minutes and drain.

In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, celery seeds, salt and pepper to taste. Add oil in a stream, whisking continuously, until emulsified (thickened). In a deep glass dish, arrange half the shrimp in one layer, arrange half the onion slices over them, and top with bay leaves, if desired. Arrange the rest of the shrimp over the onions, and sprinkle the remaining onion slices over them. Pour the dressing over all. Let marinate, covered and chilled, for 24 hours. Serve skewered, or with crackers.

*Crab boil - This can be a combination of spices such as paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, peppercorns, sprigs of basil, oregano, thyme or any other herb and spice you like for seafood.

Marinated Shrimp and Sun-Dried Tomato
Serves 4

4 bamboo skewers
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Cup (1 dl) olive oil
4 cloves garlic, pressed
Pepper to taste
4 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes
1-½ pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Soak skewers in water for at least 20 minutes; meantime combine all ingredients, except for shrimp. Let marinade sit at room temperature while you peel and deveine the shrimp. Remove tomato from marinade and set aside for garnish. Pour marinade into a zip-lock bag, add shrimp, and marinate for 15 minutes. Remove shrimp and discard marinade.

Thread the shrimp on skewers, piercing both shoulders and tail to form a "U" shape on the skewer. Grill shrimp on a well-oiled grill over high heat, 3-4 minutes each side, turning as needed. Shrimp are done, when they turn pink all over. Warm tomatoes on the grill. Remove shrimp from skewers and garnish with chopped sun-dried tomatoes and chopped chives. Serve immediately.