Lobster Portuguese-Style - Prime Time Emeril

2 cups peeled and diced Idaho potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces smoked spicy sausage such as chorizo, removed from casings and chopped up
1 cup finely chopped yellow onions
3 tablespoons finely chopped red bell peppers
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced shallots
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup chopped pimiento-stuffed green olives
1/2 cup chopped pitted black olives
1 1/2 cups seeded and chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, or more to taste
One 1 1/2 pound live lobster, split lengthwise in half
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup chopped green onions (green and white parts)

Bring the potatoes and enough water to cover to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Cook until the potatoes are just tender, about 6 minutes. Drain.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the onions, red bell peppers, and bay leaves and cook until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, shallots, and parsley and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the olives, potatoes, tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes, stir well to combine, and cook for 1 minute.

Add the split lobster, shell side down. Add 1 cup water and the wine, cover and simmer until the lobster shells are deep red and the meet is cooked through, about 10 minutes.

With tongs, transfer each lobster half to a shallow soup bowl. Season the broth, if necessary, remove bay leaves, and spoon the broth over the lobster. Garnish with the chopped green onions and serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings.

Seafood Meatballs - Biba's Taste of Italy

3 large eggs
2 cups plus 2-3 tablespoons fine dried bread crumbs
2-3 tablespoons freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
1 small garlic clove, finely minced
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 pound firm fleshed fish fillets, such as sturgeon, monkfish, or halibut
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Olive oil for frying
Lemon wedges

Beat 1 of the eggs in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs, the Parmigiano, parsley, garlic and oil and mix well.

Chop the fish very fine, preferably by hand, or in a food processor. If using a food processor, pulse the machine until the fish is chopped to a granular consistency; do not puree. Add the fish to the bowl, season with salt and pepper, and mix with a rubber spatula until thoroughly blended. The mixture should be soft and a bit moist, but not wet. Mix in an additional 1 tablespoon bread crumbs, if needed. (The mixture can be prepared several hours ahead. Refrigerate tightly covered with plastic wrap.)

Line a baking sheet with parchment or wax paper. Spread the remaining 2 cups bread crumbs on a sheet of aluminum foil. Lightly beat the remaining 2 eggs in a shallow bowl. Divide the fish mixture into 12 equal parts and shape each one into a ball. Dip the balls in the eggs and roll each one in the bread crumbs, flatten lightly with the palms of your hands, and place on the baking sheet. Refrigerate the meatballs uncovered , for about 1 hour.

Heat 1 inch of oil in a medium heavy skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is quite hot, lower a few meatballs at a time into the oil with a slotted spoon and cook until one side has a light golden crust, 1-2 minutes. Turn them gently and cook the other side until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on towels to drain. Serve hot, with lemon wedges.

Makes 4 servings.

Fantastic Fish Pie - The Naked Chef Takes Off

5 large potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch squares
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
2 large handfuls of fresh spinach
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, halved and finely chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
Approximately 1 1/3 cups heavy cream
2 good handfuls grated sharp Cheddar or Parmesan cheese
Juice of 1 lemon
1 heaped teaspoon English mustard
1 large handful of flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
1 pound haddock or cod fillet, skin removed, pin boned and sliced into strips
Fresh nutmeg (optional)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the potatoes into salted boiling water and bring back to a boil for 2 minutes. Carefully add the eggs to the pan and cook for a further 8 minute, until hard boiled, by which time the potatoes should also be cooked. At the same time, steam the spinach in a colander above the pan. This will take only a minute. When the spinach is done, remove from the colander and gently squeeze out any excess moisture. Then drain the potatoes in the colander. Remove the eggs, cool under cold water, then peel and quarter them. Place to one side.

In a separate pan, slowly fry the onion and carrot in a little olive oil for about 5 minutes, then add the cream and bring just to the boil. Remove from the heat and add the cheese, lemon juice, mustard and parsley. Put the spinach, fish and eggs into an appropriately sized earthenware dish and mix together pouring over the creamy vegetable sauce. The cooked potatoes should be drained and mashed - add a bit of the olive oil, salt, pepper and a touch of grated nutmeg if you like. Spread on top of the fish. Don't bother piping it to make it look pretty- it's a homely hearty thing. Place in the oven for about 25-30 minutes until the potatoes are golden. Serve with some nice pease or greens.

Makes 6 servings.

Un-fried Catfish - In Kitchen with Rosie

Light vegetable oil cooking spray
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper
4 teaspoons blackening seasoning
Four 4-ounce catfish fillets
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray the vegetable oil over the baking sheet 3 times to coat.

Put the cornmeal, thyme, and basil on a large plate and mix. Sprinkle 1/8 teaspoon of the garlic powder, 1/8 teaspoon of the lemon pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the blackening seasoning on each of the catfish fillets. Coat the fillets thoroughly with the cornmeal mixture and transfer them to the prepared baking sheet. Dust each fillet with 1/8 teaspoon of the paprika. Coat the fish lightly with the cooking spray.

Place the baking sheet on the bottom shelf of the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for about 5 minutes more, until the crust is golden and the fish flakes easily.

Makes 4 servings.

Corn Risotto - Farmer's Market Cookbook

5 cups chicken broth
3 green onions
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups uncooked short-grain Arborio rice
2 cups fresh corn kernels (from about 3 ears corn)
1 1/3 oz (1/3 cup) grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Bring broth to a boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to low to keep broth barely simmering. 

Meanwhile, chop green onions, separating white portion from green tops. Reserve chopped green tops.

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat until hot. Add white portion of chopped onions; cook 3-4 minutes or until tender.

Add rice; cook and stir until thoroughly heated. Add 1/2 hot cup broth; cook and stir until almost all liquid is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, cooking and stirring for about 30 minutes or until rice is creamy but still firm in the center, adding corn during last 10 minutes of cooking time. There may be a small amount of broth remaining.

Stir in cheese. Sprinkle with chopped green onion tops.

Makes 8 (1/2 cup) servings.

Cumin Marinated Cauliflower and Carrot Salad - Farmer's Market Cookbook

1 head cauliflower, cut into bite-sized pieces
1 cup baby carrots, cut in half crosswise
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/3 cup oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt 
Dash ground red pepper (cayenne)

Fill large saucepan or Dutch oven with water; bring to a boil. Add cauliflower and carrots; cook 2 minutes to blanch. Drain; rinse with cold water to stop cooking.

Meanwhile, in medium nonmetal bowl, combine all remaining ingredients; mix well.

Add cauliflower and carrots; toss to coat. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving, stirring occasionally.

Makes 8 (1/2 cup) servings.

Herbed Potatoes - Jubilee Cooking

8 small new potatoes
3 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons finely snipped parsley 
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/8 teaspoon salt
dash white pepper

Scrub potatoes with a coarse brush; prick several times with a fork. Place paper towels in bottom of 10x6x2 inch baking dish. Arrange potatoes on top of towels about an inch apart. Micro-cook potatoes, uncovered, until tender 8-9 minutes; give dish a quarter turn every 3 minutes. Remove paper towels; add butter to dish with potatoes. Melt butter in microwave 30-45 seconds. Add parsley and remaining ingredients; stir potatoes to coat. Turn into serving bowl.

Makes 4 servings.