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| 1 cup prepared reduced fat mayonnaise | Salt and freshly ground pepper |
| 6 cloves roasted garlic | 4 softshell crabs, cleaned |
| 2 tsp. Spanish paprika, toasted | 2 Tbl. olive oil |
| Pinch of cayenne pepper | 2 cups watercress, washed |
| 1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice | 4 large crusty rolls |
Place the mayonnaise, garlic, toasted paprika, cayenne and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Preheat grill. Brush the crabs with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill 3-4 minutes on each side. Place 1 crab on each roll, spread with aioli and top with watercress. Yield: 4 servings. Serve with a good Pinot Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc.
Seafood & Vegetable Pasta Medley
| 1 Green Pepper | 1 tsp. lemon grass |
| 1 Red Pepper | 3/4 tsp dried sage |
| 1 Yellow Pepper | 1 lb. spiral pasta |
| 1 lb. asparagus or broccoli | 3/4 lb. shrimp, peeled & deveined |
| 2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil | 1/2 lb. sea scallops, quartered |
| 1 Tbl. garlic, minced | 1/2 lb. imitation crab meat, cut up |
| 1 10 oz can clam juice | salt & pepper only if needed |
Cut vegetables into bite sized pieces. Put salted water up to boil. Heat 1 Tbl. oil in a large skillet. Add 1/2 Tbl. garlic and cook over low heat for 1 minute. Add vegetables, raise heat to medium and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring, until barely tender. Remove with juices to large serving bowl. Rinse skillet and return to heat. Heat remaining oil and cook remaining garlic as before. Meanwhile, throw pasta in the boiling water. Add clam juice, lemon grass and sage to skillet. Raise heat. When juice comes to a boil, add the shrimp and scallops. Cook 3-4 minutes. Add “crab” meat. Warm through. Taste for seasoning. Drain pasta. Add to vegetables in serving bowl. Pour seafood and liquid over pasta. Stir and serve immediately. Serves 4. This would be great with any lightly oaked or unoaked Chardonnay or a Sauvignon Blanc based wine such as Sancerre. A dry rosé or a Vouvray Sec would also work very well.
Smoked Salmon with Watercress and Sugarsnap Salad
| 1/2 Lb. sugar snap peas | 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper |
| 3/4 Lb. thin sliced smoked salmon | 3 Tbl. olive oil |
| 1 Tbl. fresh lemon juice | 2 bunches watercress (10 oz, tough stems removed |
| 1/2 tsp. salt | 4 scallions including green tops, cut into thin diagonal slices |
In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook the snap peas until just barely tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water and drain thoroughly. Pat dry. Arrange the salmon down the middle of individual plates, overlapping the slices as necessary. In a large bowl, whisk the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Slowly add the oil, whisking. Add the snap peas, watercress and scallions. Toss. Mound the salad in the center of each plate and serve. The snap peas can be cooked a day ahead and refrigerated. The Watercress and scallions can be prepared several hours in advance, covered with damp paper towels and refrigerated. Serves 8 as an appetizer. Serves 3 as a main course (Just add some cooked, drained and cooled pasta to the dish. Serve with a crusty bread). Mixed greens or arugula can be substituted for the watercress. Broccoli or asparagus can be substituted for the sugar snap peas. Serve with a flavorful Chardonnay or a good white Burgundy.
Grilled Tuna with Sauce Vierge
| SAUCE: | Large handful of fresh herbs, such as a blend of chervil, chives, tarragon and parsley |
| 3 tomatoes, peeled, cored, seeded, chopped | TUNA: |
| 1/2 C extra virgin olive oil | 1 lb. fresh tuna steak, 3" thick |
| 3 Tbl. freshly squeezed lemon juice | 1 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil |
| salt |
Prepare the sauce:
Combine tomatoes, oil, lemon juice and garlic in a bowl. Stir to
blend. Season with salt to taste. Set aside for 1 to 2 hours to
allow the flavors to blend. Just before cooking the tuna, add the
herbs and stir to blend.
Preheat an outdoor grill or a broiler (in which case, heat a dry
cast iron skillet over high heat). Brush the tuna with the oil
and cook for just 1 minute on each side. The tuna will be very
rosy and rare on the inside and charred on the outside. Remove
the tuna to a large preheated platter and top with half of the
sauce. Cut tuna into thick strips and serve with additional
sauce. Serves 3. (This is delicious cold the next day or mixed
with warm pasta.) Serve with a flavorful crisp white such as a
Sauvignon Blanc or Loire Valley white, a rich Chardonnay or a
white Burgundy with good acidity, or a flavorful, yet elegant red
Cotes du Rhone such as La Fonsallette.
Green Olive, Tuna, Celery and Red Pepper Salad
| 1 C drained pimento-stuffed green olives, halved crosswise | 3 Tbl. extra-virgin olive oil |
| 4-5 ribs celery hearts with leaves, thinly sliced | 1 tsp best-quality red wine vinegar |
| 1 - 6 1/2 oz can imported tuna in olive oil (do not drain) | Fine sea salt to taste |
| 1 red bell pepper, minced |
With a fork, flake
the tuna in the can and transfer, oil and all, into a small bowl.
Add all the remaining ingredients and toss to blend. Taste for
seasoning. Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to
8 hours. Serve at room temperature with a platter of sliced red
tomatoes and good crusty country bread. Serves 4 as a luncheon
dish, 2 as a dinner dish. Serve with a good Sauvignon Blanc or a
light red Burgundy.
Notes: 1) If you can’t find tuna packed in olive oil, use
top-quality white tuna in water. Drain, discard the water, and
add one additional Tbl. extra-virgin olive oil when preparing
the salad. 2) If you need excellent vinegar, bring a small
container to the store and we'll provide some home brew.
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