Tag Archives: Seafood

Teriyaki Shrimp Stir Fry

February 9, 2021

My kids are have polarized opinions on Asian cuisine. One will eat just about any of it- from noodles to spicy curries to anything rice. The other only claims she ONLY likes sushi. The one-year-old is somewhere in the middle. But ALL 3 enjoyed this simple shrimp stir fry, as did my husband and I! And since it’s quick and flavorful (the homemade teriyaki sauce is just right), it’ll be a recipe we return to.

When I buy shrimp, I go for frozen and uncooked and definitely peeled and deveined. We prefer them on the smaller side so they’re less chewy and more bite-size. They thaw quickly in the fridge or run under some warm water. I used mostly frozen veggies and a bag of frozen rice as well this time for an ultra-convenient weeknight dinner! It’s not as economical but rice I can throw in the microwave and have perfectly steamed in minutes is the best invention ever!

Teriyaki Shrimp Stir Fry

INGREDIENTS

Stir Fry:
~1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
~3 cups of mixed vegetables (I used a 16 oz. bag frozen vegetable mix + a few fresh mushrooms)
salt and pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided

Teriyaki Sauce:
¼ cup soy sauce (I used low-sodium and added a pinch of salt)
½ cup water
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 tsp. minced ginger
1 Tbsp. of honey
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp. cornstarch
pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)

steamed jasmine rice, for serving
sliced green onions, for garnish
toasted sesame seeds, for garnish

DIRECTIONS

  1. For the sauce: Place the soy sauce, water, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, honey and sesame oil in a small pot over medium high heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 3 minutes. Turn up heat to high and bring to a boil. Mix the cornstarch with 2 tablespoons of cold water until dissolved. Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce and boil for 1-2 minutes or until sauce has thickened. Season with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, to taste. Set sauce aside.
  2. For the stir fry: Heat 1 teaspoon vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add the vegetables and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until vegetables have started to brown and soften. Add 2 tablespoons of water and cook, until water has evaporated. When your vegetables are crisp tender remove them from the pan and set aside.
  3. Wipe out the pan. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of oil in the pan over high heat.
    Place the shrimp in the pan and season generously with salt and pepper. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until just cooked through (shrimp should be pink and opaque). Add the vegetables back to the pan. Pour the sauce over the top and cook for 1-2 minutes over medium high heat until warmed through. Garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions if desired.

Serves 4.

(Adapted from Dinner at the Zoo)

Teriyaki Salmon (with Easy Teriyaki Sauce)

December 18, 2020

There’s a teriyaki place around every corner here and we’ve become fans of chicken or salmon teriyaki as a quick take-out option. I’ve attempted making it at home before and tried a few bottled teriyaki sauces but never been super impressed (Trader Joe’s Island Soyaki- with pineapple!- is the best I’ve found). But after trying this recipe I won’t be going back to bottled! This quick and easy homemade teriyaki sauce is just so good- and paired with salmon (chicken would work as well), steamed rice, and veggies, it’s a win.

Have I shared my secret to keeping fresh ginger on hand? Freeze it! Whenever I buy ginger root I throw it in a ziplock bag (I don’t even bother peeling it first) and keep it in the freezer until needed. I just chop/grate off the amount I need for a recipe and then it goes back into the freezer until next time. It should stay good frozen for up to about 6 months!

Teriyaki Salmon

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
~1 lb. salmon filets (skinless)
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. fresh ginger, grated or minced
1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp. water
2-3 Tbsp. brown sugar (3 Tbsp. for a sweeter Teriyaki sauce)
1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. water
sliced green onions, for garnish
toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
steamed rice, for serving

DIRECTIONS

  1. Add garlic, ginger, soy sauce, water, brown sugar, rice vinegar and sesame oil to a medium bowl. Add half of the marinade to a ziplock bag and the other half to a small saucepan and set aside. Place salmon filets in the ziplock bag and marinate for 30 minutes.
  2. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add salmon filets making sure not to overcrowd pan. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side until desired doneness. (OR salmon can be grilled over medium-high heat OR baked in the oven at 400 F for approx. 10-15 min until just cooked through/flakes easily with a fork.)
  3. Meanwhile, heat the reserved marinade in the saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Add cornstarch and water to a small bowl and whisk to combine.
    Slowly whisk in the cornstarch mixture to the marinade and simmer until thickened.
  4. Serve immediately over steamed rice with the teriyaki sauce drizzled on top and garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

(Adapted from Chef Savvy)

Broiled Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia (or Halibut)

November 6, 2020

We LOVE halibut and have had it at restaurants and fish and chip stands around the Northwest but I’d never bought it to prepare myself before because it’s usually so $$$ and I was afraid I’d ruin such a fancy fillet of fish. Hah you’d think I’d have more confidence in my cooking by now. But then I found fresh halibut for a relatively reasonable price at Costco and bought it. And then I found this recipe that promised heavenly halibut so I give it a shot…

I did reduce the amount of butter and mayo quite a bit because I knew it wasn’t necessary and I wanted to actually taste the fish! And the recipe was right, it was heavenly. And easy. And now we want to eat halibut every night (though can’t afford it.)

The second time around I made this recipe with tilapia (as pictured), which is much cheaper and I had some in the freezer. And guess what? Still absolutely delicious! Use high quality mayo and freshly grated Parmesan for the best flavor. A bit of lemon juice and green onion/chives balances out the richness. And a pinch of dill and cayenne to taste make it more interesting.

Broiled Parmesan-Crusted Tilapia (or Halibut)

INGREDIENTS

~1 lb. tilapia, halibut, or another flaky white fish
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. mayonnaise
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp. chopped green onion or chives
pinch fresh or dried dill (or another herb such as parsley)
dash cayenne pepper, to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper
extra lemon or herbs for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Line a large baking pan or dish with aluminum foil. Lightly coat the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Place the fish fillets on the foil (making sure to pat them dry if needed), and season the fish with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
  2. In a medium bowl, stir to combine the Parmesan, butter, mayonnaise, lemon juice, green onion/chives, dill (or herb of choice) and cayenne pepper. Add a dash of salt and pepper.
  3. Spread the Parmesan mixture over the tops of the fillets, coating them evenly.
  4. Adjust the oven rack depending on the thickness of your fish fillets: If they are very thin the rack can be close to the top. If they are thicker, move the rack lower down so the tops don’t burn before the fillets cook through.
  5. Turn on the oven broiler to high.
  6. Place the pan under the broiler and cook until the topping is golden brown and the fish is just done and flakes easily with a fork. It should take anywhere from about 4-10 minutes, depending on the size of the fillets. (My thin tilapia fillets only took 4 minutes. When I’ve made halibut it takes a few minutes longer.)

Serves 3-4.

(Adapted from Spend with Pennis and AllRecipes)

Pan-Seared Salmon

September 16, 2020

I’ve made salmon so many ways- roasted/baked, grilled, smoked, and broiled, but I’ve never pan-fried it before. And this recipe was just perfect! Searing the salmon in a bit of olive oil on a hot skillet creates a wonderful crust on the top and bottom and then you reduce the heat a bit and cook it until the middle is just cooked through and flakes easily. All you need to season the fish is some kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. As the original recipe promised, it really is as delicious as the salmon you’d find at a fancy restaurant!

Pan-Seared Salmon

INGREDIENTS

1 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 (6-oz.) salmon fillets, ~1-1/4 in thick (you can remove the skin, but it’s fine to leave it on)

DIRECTIONS

  1. Season the salmon with the salt and a few grinds of pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot and shimmering. Cook the salmon, without moving, skin side up, until golden and crisp, about 4 minutes. Carefully flip the fillets and reduce the heat to medium. Continue cooking until done to your liking, 4 to 5 minutes more. Transfer to a platter and serve.

(Adapted from Once Upon a Chef)

Crispy Pan-Fried Tilapia

July 13, 2020

I’m not above buying frozen fish sticks for an easy quick dinner. But I had some frozen tilapia on hand and figured this recipe was worth a go. As written it was very simple: dredge the fish fillets in some flour, egg, and panko to coat. Then fry them in some oil on a hot skillet. Serve with lemon and tartar (this homemade recipe is THE BEST). I decided to kick up the flavor a notch by adding Cajun seasoning. I didn’t have that on hand so I found a recipe and mixed it myself. (It makes more than you’ll need but will store in an airtight container for a least a year.) The fish was tender and flakey, crisp on the outside from the lightly fried panko crust, and so delicious with that tartar sauce.

You could definitely opt to bake the tilapia fillets instead. They just won’t be quite as rich or crispy. Preheat an oven to 400 F, place the prepared fillets on a baking sheet lined with foil, coat them in nonstick cooking spray, and bake until they’re golden and the centers flake easily.

Crispy Pan-Fried Tilapia

INGREDIENTS

Tilapia:
2 lbs. tilapia fillets
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Cajun seasoning, to taste (I used 2 tsp. of the recipe below and it had a kick but wasn’t too spicy for my kids)
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
olive or vegetable oil (I used grape-seed oil), for frying

lemon wedges, for serving
tartar sauce, for serving

Cajun Seasoning:
1 Tbsp. paprika (I prefer smoked paprika)
2 tsp. fine kosher salt
2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. ground white pepper
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. dried thyme

DIRECTIONS

To make the Tilapia:

  1. Cut the tilapia into “fingers” by first cutting the fillets in half. Leave the thin sides long, then cut the thicker sides in half on a diagonal so they appear longer. (I just cut my fillets in half.)
  2. Set up three large shallow bowls in an assembly line. Put the flour in the first bowl; the beaten eggs in the second; and the panko (and the Cajun seasoning, if using) in the third.
  3. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Dredge the fish fingers in the flour mixture, shaking excess into the bowl so just a light coating remains; dip in the eggs and turn to coat evenly; then dredge in the panko, turning several times to coat evenly. (This can be a messy job…it’s best to use one hand for the flour and eggs and the other for the panko.) Set the breaded tilapia fingers on the prepared baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook (this can be done several hours ahead of time).
  4. Line a plate with 3 paper towels and set by the stove. Coat a large non-stick sauté pan generously with olive oil and place over medium heat. When the pan is hot, place the first batch of tilapia fingers in the pan (do not crowd) and cook until the first side is golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until done, about 2 minutes more. Transfer the fish fingers to the plate with paper towels and let sit for a minute to drain any excess oil. Remove any brown bits out of the pan, add more oil if necessary and continue to cook the fish in batches until done. Season the cooked tilapia fingers with more salt if desired. Serve with lemon wedges and tartar sauce.

To make the Cajun Seasoning:

  1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl or spice jar until evenly combined. Use immediately, or store in a sealed container for up to 1 year.

Serves 4-6.

Tilapia adapted from Once Upon a Chef and Cajun seasoning from Gimme Some Oven