Category Archives: Healthy Seafood

Old School Maine Lobster Dinner: As Good as Ever

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Lobster is undoubtedly the most consumed seafood around the world. There are various types of lobster dishes that one could prepare on special occasions or even on the normal days.

The Maine Lobster-Stuffed Chateaubriand with Bearnaise Sauce is one of the old school lobster dishes that might have fallen out of favour but their taste and health benefits remain supreme and missed by many people.

There was a time when this dish was included in almost every Maine lobster menu for special dinner with loved ones, whether at restaurants or in their own home.

The fork-tender, perfect medium-rare chateaubriand is delicious and if you stuff steamed Maine lobster tails and bacon into it, the outcome is even better. Cover it in a sauce made from egg yolks and butter to take the taste to a new level.

Here is the recipe for Maine Lobster-Stuffed Chateaubriand with Bearnaise Sauce

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                                           Image Courtesy: bit.ly/1f9C9WU

Ingredients for the Roast

  • Steamed and picked with whole meat Maine lobster, 1 to 1 ¼ pounds
  • Chopped bacon, 3 strips
  • Chopped medium-sized shallot, ½
  • Minced celery, ½ rib
  • Minced garlic, 2 cloves
  • Sliced cremini mushrooms, 2 ounces
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Sliced green onion, 1
  • Dry white wine, 3 tablespoons
  • Chopped fresh parsley leaves, 1 tablespoon
  • Trimmed and centre-cut beef tenderloin, 1 of about 2 pounds

For Bearnaise Sauce

  • White wine vinegar, 1/3 cup
  • Dry white wine, 1/3 cup
  • Sliced shallot, 1 of medium size
  • Leaves removed and finely chopped fresh tarragon sprigs, 5
  • Black peppercorns, 10, whole
  • Egg yolks, 3, large
  • Unsalted butter, 1 stick
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper

How to prepare Roast

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                                                   Image Courtesy: bit.ly/1f9C9WU

  • AT first, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
  • Place a large skillet over medium heat and cook bacon, by stirring, until it turns crisp. The process takes about 5 minutes. Now, transfer to paper towels and use a slotted spoon to drain. After that, you can add shallots and celery and cook, keep stirring until the mixture is soft. Then, add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Now you should mix in mushrooms and a pinch of pepper and salt and cook till the time liquid is out from mushrooms. Now, add green onions and keep stirring. Mix in wine, increase the heat and cook until wine is completely evaporated. Now, add parsley and stir. After that, take away from heat and stir in the cooked bacon and allow the mixture to cool.
  • Now, you have to slice about 3/4 of the roast and butterfly the beef roast. Make sure that you do not cut the way through the roast. After that, put the sliced beef on a flat surface and cut side up.
  • Place the bacon-vegetable mixture in a line, crossways the meat. Now, keep the cooked lobster meat on top of mixture and roll the roast up and fasten with the twine.
  • Now, rub olive oil all over roast and season with salt and pepper. Put it in a heavy cast iron skillet or roasting pan and lightly burn all the sides. Put it in the oven and roast to the temperature of your choice. For medium-rare, roast for about 20 minutes.
  • Then, transfer to the cutting board. Cover and allow it to rest for 10 minutes prior to carving. Get rid of kitchen twine and thickly slice the roast. Place on a plate and drizzle Bearnaise sauce over it. Serve straight away with roasted fingerling potatoes and asparagus.

For Bearnaise Sauce

  • Take a small saucepan and put two inches of water to a simmer. Keep low heat so as water does not start boiling.
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                                 Image Courtesy: bit.ly/1oGd0al

  • Combine vinegar, wine, shallots, tarragon stems and peppercorns in a small skillet and place it over medium heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook till the time all liquid is evaporated, except two tablespoons. Pour carefully in a large bowl to cover the opening of saucepan.
  • Now, add the egg yolks to the vinegar mixture and combine by whisking. Place the mixture over simmering water and cook until the yolks thicken.
  • Then, add the butter pieces, one at a time and make sure that one piece of butter is melted before placing the next. Now, take away the sauce from heat and add chopped tarragon leaves. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Serve warm

There are several other traditional dishes that you will like to include in Maine lobster menu, at your next party. To know more about Maine lobster recipes, you can visit GetMaineLobster.com.

Cook Delicious and Nutritious Salmon Dishes in Your Own Kitchen

According to some medical bulletins, eating two or three servings of fish each week is one of the best ways to stay healthy and ward off certain types of diseases and illnesses. Salmon is one of the most nutritious varieties of fish that you can add to your diet. They are rich in iron, niacin, vitamin B12, zinc and vitamin B6, in addition to a host of nutrients you require for maintaining good health.

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                                    Image Courtesy: bit.ly/1dTRjub

So, if you are considering giving salmon a try, go for wild-caught, clean and freshwater salmon only, as they are harvested through sensible fisheries management. However, it is not easy to find wild salmon, as market today is dominated by artificial salmon. You can visit some online stores, as chances of you catching some wild salmon are high on these stores.

Salmon makes a host of delicacies that are cooked in different ways. Here is salmon dish that you could prepare in your home effortlessly. To help you cook delicious salmon dish with greater ease in your home, recipe is also being presented along with the dish.

Pan Seared Salmon with Avocado Remoulade Recipe

Ingredients

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                      Image Courtesy: bit.ly/1kq4Yzc

  • Cut and peeled avocados, 2, large
  • Freshly squeezed lime juice, 3 tbsp
  • Light olive oil, 3-4 tbsp
  • Minced shallots or green onion, 1 tbsp
  • Minced parsley, 1 tbsp
  • Dijon mustard, 1 teaspoon, or to taste
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • Salmon fillets, 1 – 1 ½ pounds
  • Grape-seed or canola oil

Cooking Instruction

  • Into a food processor or blender, add pieces of avocado and lime juice. Pulse the mixture until properly blended. Now, add olive oil, keep pulsing until the desired consistency of sauce is achieved. After that, you need to add minced shallots and parsley, and combine them well by continuing to pulse. Remove the sauce to a bowl and add mustard, salt and pepper according to taste.
  • Now, take a sauté pan and coat its bottom with oil, put it on medium high heat until it’s almost smoking. Season each side of salmon fillets with salt and pepper and carefully place the salmon into the pan by keeping the skin side down. Continue to cook until the medium doneness is achieved, it will take about 3 to 4 minutes each side.
  • And now, serve the salmon with avocado remoulade sauce.

There are several other salmon dishes that you can try cooking in your home.

How to Cook Live Maine Lobster in Own Home?

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Lobster is one of the most sought after seafood in present times. There was a time when lobsters were not so popular, but with the rise in production and marketing, lobster these days enjoys huge popularity among seafood lovers around the world.

Nowadays, more and more people are turning to seafood because of their health benefits. Live lobster contains lots of nutrients and vitamins that are good for human body. People these days like to consume lobster tails more than whole lobster because they are easy to cook, less expensive and contain a large amount of meat. However, for the best quality lobster dishes, one should always go for Maine lobster, as they are considered to be the superior in quality and taste.

Here are some cooking tips to help you prepare delicious lobster tails to please your taste buds.

If you are planning for a lobster dinner at your home, it is suggested to buy fresh lobster online, as they guarantee you of best-quality lobster. You should at first thaw the lobster by placing them in the refrigerator for about 10 hours before cooking.

Broiling or Baking Maine Lobster Tails

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                            Image Courtesy: bit.ly/1hE7TTk

  • At first, preheat the oven to 375 degrees
  • With a sharp and heavy chef’s knife, cut small amount of the meat from the shell, place it on top of lobster’s shell by lifting up. Keep in mind not to cut the entire length of shell. You can leave the tail flap and about an inch above the shell intact.
  • Take apart all of the meat content from shell but do not separate the meat of intact area at the tail.
  • Now, allow the meat to rest on top of shell by closing it under the meat
  • You can season the tail the way you like it, whether by olive oil or butter, or lemon and dill.
  • Cook the lobster tails according to the quantity of meat, 1 ½ minutes for every ounce, at 375 degrees. It means that you need to cook for 12 minutes for 8 ounces, 15 minutes for 10 ounces, 18 minutes for 12 ounces.
  • Prefer warm olive oil or warm butter with lemon for serving. You can also eat plain.

Grilling Maine Lobster Tails

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                       Image Courtesy: bit.ly/19X878y

  • At first, you require to set the grill to medium heat. If you are using charcoal, spread out the coals to create intense heat on one area and one cooler area.
  • Place butter or olive oil on the lobster tail and brush evenly. You may also use your favorite seasonings like minced garlic, pepper, lemon, salt for seasoning.
  • Place the meat side down first and grill for about three to five minutes. Now, you can flip over the tail for another three to five minutes. Make sure to take away the tail from open flames to avoid burning. When the meat turns opaque, consider lobster tails as done.

Lobster tails can also be prepared through other processes, such as boiling and pan searing. However, for cooking through any process, make sure to find fresh lobster only, you can buy them at online stores.

Seafood is good for Health if eaten in Moderation

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Recently, studies revealed that fish or different types of seafood should not be consumed everyday as they may contain mercury which may lead to mercury poisoning. However, research also reveals that fish and different types of seafood are also rich in nutrients like omega 3 fatty acids, selenium, vitamin D, protein and is also extremely low in fat. It was also debated that if people are so afraid of mercury poisoning, then they should also stop breathing and eating vegetables as traces of mercury is also found in the air, water, plants and soil as mercury is an element that exists naturally.

How much is fine?

Eating fish and other types of seafood in moderation, like twice a week, is considered to be absolutely fine and harmless. Even children and pregnant women can consume moderate portions of fish like trout, catfish, bass, and many more at least twice a week without any worries. If an excessive amount of it is consumed then obviously, mercury will have adverse and toxic effects on lungs, kidneys, eyes, skin, nervous system, immune system and the digestive system.

Who are most at risk?

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                             Image Credit: yhoo.it/1f9v5ri

Small children and unborn babies have the highest risk of damage caused by mercury as they go through fast neurological development in the years from the last trimester of pregnancy till the first two year of birth. These years are most susceptible to any kind of damage that mercury can cause. Other than this, fish and other types of seafood is the healthiest form of animal protein one can consume as it is low in fat and calories and have high protein content.

The Good Points

Seafood is also full of omega 3 and selenium that is very good for the heart and helps keep, coronary heart diseases at bay and the selenium also helps in the development of the brain. Therefore, if eaten in moderation fish and other types of seafood, is extremely good for health.