Category Archives: Seafood

Memories of Stone Crab Claws and A Food Gal Giveaway

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Now, that's a holiday seafood platter, wouldn't you say? (Photo by Carolyn Jung)

Now, that’s a holiday seafood platter, wouldn’t you say? (Photo by Carolyn Jung)

 

Having grown up in San Francisco, I am an avowed Dungeness crab gal through and through.

Some people may consider lobster the ultimate luxury ingredient. But I think Dungeness is far superior with its fluffy, sweet meat.

That being said, though, I have dabbled with stone crab claws.

When you worked in South Florida for four years as I did, you can’t help but fall for these big, meaty claws.

On a lowly newspaper reporter’s salary, pricey stone crab claws were a rare treat.

But the once or twice that I did splurge on them, I must say they sure satisfied, especially dunked in mustardy mayo.

Thanks to Anderson Seafoods, I got to relive that memory recently.

The Orange County seafood distributor, which overnights fresh and frozen seafood right to your door, sent me a sample of real-deal Florida stone crab claws to try.

They’re ready to eat once they arrive. All I did was whip up my own mustard-mayo sauce before digging in, happily.

I may be a California gal, but there just might be a little bit of Florida still in me. Just maybe.

CONTEST: One lucky Food Gal reader will win a $300 credit from Anderson Seafoods to enjoy whatever seafood you please. Entries, open only to those in the continental United States, will be accepted through midnight PST Dec. 14. Winner will be announced Dec. 16

How to win?

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Get A Taste of Jose Andres’ New Food Products

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Plump, wonderful mussels -- Galician-style -- by Jose Andres.

Plump, wonderful mussels — Galician-style — by Jose Andres.

 

Would you pay $18 for this tiny tin of canned mussels?

You just might if they carry the stamp of approval of renowned Chef Jose Andres.

With glam restaurants around the world, including The Bazaar in Beverly Hills, this Ferran Adria protege has introduced his own line of food products, Jose Andres Foods, that speak to his Spanish heritage.

Recently, I had a chance to sample a few of the products.

Spain takes its canned seafood seriously. Unlike in the United States, where tinned seafood is often thought of as a cheap pantry staple, Spaniards treat their canned seafood with reverence because the quality is high enough to serve in the best restaurants.

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Seafood for Father’s Day and a Food Gal Giveaway

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A dish with which to spoil any father.

A dish with which to spoil any father.

 

My Dad loved nothing better than scrambled eggs in the morning enfolded with salty chunks of SPAM.

Yup, that was his breakfast of choice, if given his druthers.

If he were still alive this Father’s Day, I’d change that up. I’d present him with pillowy scrambled eggs, all right. But topped with briny caviar instead.

I’m sure he’d be startled, thinking I’d lost my mind or was mortgaging my house to do so.

Nope, on both accounts.

Instead, I’d tell him that Southern California-based Anderson Seafoods provided me with a sample to try. The roe is from American Lake Sturgeon. The teeny-tiny, ebony-charcoal-hued eggs have a nice pop when you bite into them. At $38 for a 1-ounce jar, it’s relatively affordable, too, as far as caviar goes, especially because it takes only a smidgeon to make anything more luxurious tasting.

The company offers an array of fresh and frozen seafood, all of which can be delivered to your door overnight.

A precious jar of roe.

A precious jar of roe.

CONTEST: One lucky Food Gal reader will win a chance to sample $300 worth of seafood of your choice, courtesy of Anderson Seafoods. Entries, limited to those in the continental United States, will be accepted through 6 p.m. PST June 13. The winner will be announced June 14.

How to win?

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Maui Part IV: Eating Around the Island

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Dining in the open air at Merriman's Kapalua.

Dining in the open air at Merriman’s Kapalua.

Merriman’s Kapalua

Thanks to the Maui visitor’s and conventioner’s bureau, which invited me to be its guest on Maui, I was able to sample an array of island eats — from low-brow to high-brow.

Chef Peter Merriman is one of the original founders of Hawaii regional cuisine, and his restaurants have long been a favorite of any visitor to the islands. Ninety-percent of his ingredients are sourced locally, and the seafood is caught sustainably.

With its ocean-side setting, Merriman’s Kapalua restaurant is a great place to watch the sunset while you dine.

An assortment of fried root chips is set down on the table, accompanied by smoked taro hummus, and fresh, crunchy slices of cucumber and radish.

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Aida Mollenkamp’s Shrimp Simmered in Garlicky Beer Sauce

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Pour yourself a cold beer to enjoy this easy shrimp dish heady with your favorite bar food-flavors.

Does the thought of noshing on handful after handful of honey-mustard pretzels chased with a frosty beer sound like bliss?

Then, you’re sure to go wild for this dish from Food Network host Aida Mollenkamp that boasts all of those favorite bar-food flavors.

“Shrimp Simmered in Garlicky Beer Sauce” is from her cookbook, “Keys to the Kitchen” (Chronicle Books), of which I received a review copy. The host of “Ask Aida,” who studied at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, has created a reference book to put you at ease in the kitchen. The book includes 305 recipes for straightforward dishes that will take you through morning, noon and night.  Also included are primers on various cuts of protein, cooking equipment, spices to keep on hand, and illustrations on how to expertly cut up a chicken and fillet a whole fish.

This shrimp dish is simple enough to make on a weeknight as it cooks up in less than half an hour. Large shrimp are simmered in butter, loads of garlic, a pinch of cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, a drizzle of honey and some lager beer. Mollenkamp calls for light lager, but I just used regular lager.

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