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Entries in Seafood (16)

Tuesday

Aug242010

Last Chance For That New England Crab Boil

August 24, 2010 |

Photo of kids: c/o Mike Von Wahlde, mvwstudio.comRecently, a CTbites reader, Mike Von Wahlde, commented on our Beach Picnic Shoutout, posting this hilarious and informative rant/recipe extolling the pros and cons of the Classic New England Crab Boil. It was too good not to repost, and with the summer winding down, why not celebrate our last days of outdoor cooking with this quintessential culinary experience?

Nothing says “I live in the North East” like mollusks and crustaceans swimming in a boiling pot in the yard or on the beach. The classic New England boil is the best thing going for large group gatherings if your picnic area allows for propane. You say "Of course, they're great, but..."

But what? Why you gotta be so afraid of everything? Let's look at the pros and cons.

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Seafood

Tuesday

Jul272010

Road Trip: Flander's Lobster Roll

Amy Kundrat |

July 27, 2010 |

My favorite culinary moment this week? That’s easy.

I got to savor (read: inhale) this year’s inaugural lobster roll at Flanders Fish Market in East Lyme, CT. It’s served simply at Flanders, warm with a bit of butter and scallions with a toasted hot dog roll. I love the DIY of the take-out lobster roll here because it means I can ignore the superfluous and focus on the main star. And that would be the glistening warm and buttery lobster.

A lengthy road trip, warm salty sea air and a toasted hot dog bun are essential components to the perfect lobster role, but that’s just my preference. I don’t know if subsequent trips will taste or feel quite as good as this one, but that’s okay. This one will stay with me all summer.

Flanders Fish Market 22 Chesterfield Road, East Lyme 860.739.8866

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Wednesday

Jul212010

Chef Nicole: Grilled Salmon w/ White Bean & Fig Salad

Nicole Straight |

July 21, 2010 |

It's summer, and most of like to cook outdoors in these hot months. If fish is what you crave, but you don't feel like cleaning up a messy grill, we've got a great solution. Why not pouch it? As the spokesperson for Norwegian Salmon, Chef Nicole is constantly inventing new preparations for this healthy and delicious seafood favorite. Today she has paired an aromatic pouch technique with a wonderful White Bean & Fig Salad. It couldn't be easier to prepare, and is amazingly nutritious.

You can find more salmon solutions on her blog at http://blog.salmoninseconds.com.

Greek Grilled Salmon With White Bean & Fig Salad

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Tuesday

Jun012010

Get "Baked"... The Perfect FC Clambake

Sarah Green |

June 1, 2010 |

It’s that time again, isn’t it? The moon is in the 7th House, and Jupiter is aligned with Mars. Summer’s comin’, dude. Relax, crack open a cold one and get “baked” - Clam Baked, that is. Invite your friends over for a typical New England summer culinary experience. Or head down to the beach and get “baked” by the shore. (Penfield 2 in Fairfield allows it, Compo Beach in Westport also, some others too!) A clam bake is a great way to enjoy the best of New England and the perfect way to entertain. Birthdays, rehearsal dinners, anniversaries, graduations, start of summer, middle of summer, end of summer, because it’s a Thursday, the list goes on and on. There is always a good reason for a clam bake and there are several great seafood suppliers in Fairfield County.

Here are some of your options:

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Holiday,

Seafood

Monday

May312010

Jfood & Roadfood on 25 Yrs of Westfair Fish & Chips

Multiple Eaters |

May 31, 2010 |

Photo Credit: Michael Stern, Roadfood.com

Is there anything better than fried seafood by the beach on a warm Summer day? I think not. Neither do jfood of Chowhound.com and Michael Stern of Roadfood.com. These are two serious foodies who are more than happy to drive that extra mile to satisfy their fried seafood craving at Westfair Fish & Chips. I'll let them tell you why....

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Lunch,

Tuesday

May182010

Chef Talk: Tuna Marinato From Morello Bistro

Stephanie Webster |

May 18, 2010 |

Photo Credit: Thomas McGovernThe beautiful dish comes from the Marches region of Italy and is typically prepared with salt cod. Executive Chef Townsend Wentz of Morello Bistro in Greenwich uses tuna, which has a richness and fattyness that is cut by the spicy tomato. The tuna itself is marinated in rosemary and orange zest, which is mirrored in the rest of the dish.

If you are wondering where to purchase your sushi grade tuna, check out our Sushi Party Primer. If you have a favorite local seafood resource, share it with the group and post a comment below.

Tuna Marinato

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Friday

May142010

GreenChic: Shrimp in Spicy Garlic Adobo Sauce

Jennifer Spaide |

May 14, 2010 |

I like to periodically check out the local blogs to see what culinary feats the Fairfield County home cooks are coming up with. One of my favorite places to browse for healthy recipes with seasonal ingredients is Jennifer Spaide's GreenChicLife.com. As a nutritionist, Jennifer uses her vast knowledge to create recipes that are both flavorful and packed with nutrient dense ingredients.

Here's what Jennifer has to say about why you should make this dish in your home (other than it just looks great): Shrimp are a healthy addition to any diet. Aside from being an excellent source of low-calorie, low-fat protein, shrimp boast a high concentration of many important nutrients including selenium, vitamin B12, and omega-3 fatty acids. Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that helps protect against cancer and other degenerative diseases. Vitamin B12 is a key factor in cardiovascular health. And the omega faty acids are anti-inflammatory as well as heart protective.

Enjoy her beautiful recipe for Shrimp in Spicy Garlic Adobo Sauce.

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Thursday

Apr292010

Green Food Tips To Reduce Your Footprint

Analiese Paik |

April 29, 2010 |

One of the easiest ways to make Earth Day every day is to green your kitchen. Here are some delicious and fun ways to reduce your family's "foodprint" while eating well. You can also view some of Analiese's tips on this Channel 8 news segment.

1. Buy locally grown food from a farmers' market and learn to cook with the seasons.

Michel Nischan's (of The Dressing Room) latest cookbook is perfect for anyone looking for inspirational ways to cook with the seasons

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Thursday

Mar042010

Chef Talk: Barcelona's Spicy Lobster Salad

Stephanie Webster |

March 4, 2010 |

Here is our second installment from the Barcelona Cookbook, Spicy Lobster Salad. This recipe will have you craving those Summer lobster runs to Massachusetts. It is simple, fresh and delicious, but has a little kick giving it that signature Barcelona flair.

Spicy Lobster Salad

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Sunday

Feb072010

Osianna Taverna: A Lunch Oasis with Great Value

Deanna Foster |

February 7, 2010 |

Going out for lunch carries specific expectations. If you’ve gone beyond the decision to just get a bite to eat, other desires come into play: In addition to good food, you want a certain atmosphere, efficient service, and ideally, a reasonable price. A recent mid-day visit to Osianna Mediterranean Taverna in Fairfield satisfied all our requirements for a delightfully laid back lunch with excellent food that nourished, but didn’t stuff us, and proved to be an exceptional value.

An energetic buzz greeted us when we entered the restaurant

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Lunch,

Seafood

Sunday

Jan312010

Bustling French Bistro & Seafood Fare @ 1020 Post

Amy Sarbinowski |

January 31, 2010 |

Don't let the lace curtains and stately brick entrance fool you. Behind the doors of this new French Bistro, named for its location on the Post Road in Darien, is an airy room with coffered ceilings and a sleek zinc bar that buzzes--loudly at times--with the chatter of locals every night of the week. Located within walking distance of the Darien train station, 1020 Post, which opened its doors a little more than a year ago, pulls people in like a magnet for dinner and drinks after work and lunch during the week.

On a chilly Tuesday night, I arrived with four friends to find packed tables and a bustling bar, which was lined with large glasses of Malbec and Pinot Noir. Nearby, people dined on bar stools at one of two tall community tables, where small groups can enjoy a quick bite without a reservation

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Thursday

Jan142010

Maine Shrimp Are Coming to Norwalk!

Analiese Paik |

January 14, 2010 |

The season for sweet, Maine shrimp is here but not much, if any, makes it to Fairfield County. That’s about to change.

Yesterday’s New York Times had an article about Maine shrimp that said the season is so bountiful this year that “the State Department of Marine Resources has extended it to May 1.” How crazy are foodies about these shrimp? According to the same article Community Supported Fisheries programs where consumers sign up to receive “frozen hand-peeled shrimp in five one-pound bags once a month for five months” are popular but the closest drop sites are in Brooklyn. The article’s end note states that the shrimp are sold “fresh in the shell in Manhattan for $9 a pound at Wild Edibles at Grand Central Market.”

Don’t go to Manhattan or ask your spouse or friend to do you a favor and pick some up at Grand Central, because you can get them at 1/3 the price of their Manhattan brethren this Saturday from 10-2 at the new Norwalk Indoor Winter Farmers’ Market at 61-65 Wall Street.

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Tuesday

Dec292009

Stay At Home Sushi: A Dinner Party Primer

Stephanie Webster |

December 29, 2009 |

Ok…Seriously…How good does that look?

Given the widespread adoration for sushi these days it has always amazed me that more people don't attempt to replicate this Japanese meal in the comfort of their own homes. What could surpass the pleasure of creating your own maki combinations with an endless supply of fish? Just think of the possibilities. My suspicion is an overarching belief that some meals are better left to the experts. The precision and foreignness of Japanese cuisine feels daunting to most. Surely there is some trick to obtaining the stunning entrees that arrive tableside when we eat out. Where in the world would one even get all of the ingredients, not to mention sushi grade fish?

It was with all this culinary baggage that I received an email from a CT Bites reader. "I'm hosting a sushi dinner…where in Fairfield County can I get sushi grade fish?" Aha..a brave soul. I led her to the appropriate fish market (Spolier alert: Fjord Fisheries) but now feeling implicated in this fish-fest, I had to see how this sushi dinner unfolded. I invited myself to dinner.

Here is how it went down, and how you can replicate this sushi smorgasbord in your own home.

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Monday

Dec142009

Chef Talk: Da Pietro's Chef Scotti's Grilled Calamari Salad

Christy Colasurdo |

December 14, 2009 |

Though better known around these parts for his inventive creations at DaPietro’s Restaurant in Westport, chef Pietro Scotti is all about tradition when it comes to the holidays. Leading up to Christmas, he bakes and decorates gingerbread houses with his kids, Tomaso, 7, and Lucia, 5, and sips festive hot cider with star anise, cinnamon and orange slices. He also bakes “Chicolino,” a bread with prosciutto and egg filling and a traditional sweet baked dessert that includes capellini pasta (go figure!), candied fruit, sugar, eggs and vanilla.

Hailing from Ischia, a tiny fishing village in Italy, Pietro recalls fondly his family shopping excursions to the waterfront dock. There, his mother chose fish so fresh it was literally splashing around in buckets for his family’s “Feast of the Seven Fishes” Christmas Eve meal.

When asked to provide CTbites with a favorite holiday recipe, Pietro chose this grilled calamari salad because it’s simple, clean and easy to prepare—a modern riff on a classic—but also because it reminds him of his childhood. Isn’t that what traditional holiday cooking is all about?

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Westport

Tuesday

Aug252009

Fabulous Fish Finds @ Fjord Fisheries

Deanna Foster |

August 25, 2009 |

I can deal with tomatoes that aren’t as good as I had hoped - there’s always tomato sauce; an inferior cut of meat can lead to a great stew. But fish that isn’t the highest quality or supremely fresh? That is just unacceptable in my book.

Fortunately, we have a number of fish market options in Fairfield County, many of which are very good. Markets like Pagano’s in Norwalk, and Superior Fish in Westport certainly have their followings, but after doing a thorough sampling, I have found that one stands apart from its peers: Fjord Fisheries. Fjord gets my vote on two counts: quality and selection.

I recently spoke with Jardar Nygaard, Fjord’s owner, who shared the secret to his outstanding product.

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