Silly Thirty Cooking: Quick Seafood for Dinner

Hi everyone - hope you had a great weekend and enjoyed Halloween!

The holiday season has officially arrived - I know this because I heard Christmas carols while shopping this weekend.  The holidays bring many things: carols and shopping - as I just mentioned, beautiful decorations, and an abundance of holiday parties and get togethers.  The race is on to get everything in order for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all of the other events you have committed to for the season.  I'm sure the last thing on your mind during this hectic but fun time is what you are going to eat for dinner.  You probably want something tasty, that is also quick and easy to make.  I find that seafood - mainly filets of white fish or shrimp - will usually fit this bill.

These meals are easy to make (prep time between five to ten minutes) and everything you need is probably already in your kitchen:

1. Olive oil
2. Chopped garlic (shallots are a good substitute if you have an allergy to garlic)
3. Salt
4. Pepper
5. Lemon or lime

If you decide on fish, something like tilapia or mahi mahi, you can oven bake it in an aluminum foil steam packet for about 20 to 25 minutes at about 300 or 325 degrees.  You will need a square of aluminum foil large enough that you will be able to fold it into a packet.  You will need enough foil so that once you prep the fish, when you fold the sides together, your packet will look something like this:

(It doesn't need to look pretty, it just needs to cover the fish and have enough space for the fish to steam.  I'm sure none of us have Emeril or the Barefoot Contessa keeping us company in the kitchen, commenting on technique or appearance.)

To prepare the fish:

1. Preheat the oven to 300 or 325 degrees.  
2. Place the fish on the foil on an oven-safe baking sheet, and then add some salt and pepper to taste; 
3. Add a small drizzle of olive oil; 
4. Chop up some garlic or shallots and sprinkle that on top (I use one or two cloves); and 
5. Add a couple of slices of lemon (two to three slices).  

This is what my version looked like:

Fold up your foil packet and pop this in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes at 300 to 325 degrees.  I'm sure you can find something to do for the next 20 to 25 minutes while this cooks.  I personally like to drink wine and watch Access Hollywood sit quietly and reflect on my day.  This fish is delicious with a salad or some rice and vegetables. 

If shrimp is something you prefer, you can use the ingredients mentioned above, but you can make it spicier by adding some crushed red pepper flakes, or a little richer with a pat of butter.  You can use frozen shrimp or fresh shrimp - the preparation is basically the same.  I use about 15 to 20 shrimp which is about two servings.  I like to cook shrimp like this:

1. If I am using frozen shrimp, I will put it in a large pan that has not been preheated.  Turn your burner to medium-high heat and let the shrimp start to thaw, turning over as needed.  You don't want to fully cook the shrimp, just thaw it out for now.  The shrimp will start to turn pink and there will be water from the thawing.  Drain the water, keeping the shrimp in the pan and go to step two.  For those of you cooking fresh shrimp, your first step is to heat about a tablespoon of olive oil in your pan on medium-high heat and then jump to step three.
2. After draining the water from your (now becoming un-)frozen shrimp, add the olive oil.  If you want spicier shrimp, add some crushed red pepper flakes. 
3. After about a minute once the oil is warmer, add your garlic/shallots and saute for about another minute.
4. Fresh shrimp people: add your shrimp.  Frozen shrimp people, your shrimp is already in the pan so go to step five.
5. If you want a richer taste to the shrimp, add a pat of butter.  Otherwise, salt and pepper to taste, and add some fresh lemon or lime juice.  Finish cooking.
6. The shrimp will be pink and puffy when they are ready.

This is another dish that goes well with salad or rice and veggies - pasta also works too.  If you are feeling wild and crazy, about a minute or two before the shrimp is finished, add some fresh tomato or some asparagus. Just a suggestion.

I hope you enjoyed this post and if you decide to try one of these recipes - bon appetit and good luck!