I know, I know … I’ve been over dosing on seafood lately, but it is the “period” for it. Also, we’ve been going to way-too-many parties lately. Health food you say? absolutely not! delicious food? yes, alcohol? plenty, and deserts? galore. I kind of like to make up for it the next few days by sticking to “healthy” food. Doesn’t always work, but I try. Yesterday’s salmon recipe, was on one such health-oriented-promise-to-be-good day.

But, talk about parties, here is a seafood salad that is absolutely delicious and a great & welcome contribution to any party invitation.

Again, no specific quantities or weights please, just use your own imagination.

Ingredients:

1 frozen squid

1 small onion chopped

1 bay leaf

1/4 white wine

2 handfuls frozen shrimps (medium to small)

some paprika

pepper flakes

2 handfuls frozen mussels

1 small onion chopped

1 bay leaf

1/4 white wine

2 boiled potatoes cut into small cubes

1 small red onion chopped

½ red pepper chopped small-ish

some chopped parsley

Method:

Defrost all your seafood.

Start with the mussels:

saute the chopped onion is some olive oil, add the mussels, the bay leaf, and stir a bit, then add the wine and simmer until the mussels are tender

in a big salad bowl:

put your cooked mussels

put your cut potatoes & the chopped onion

set aside and start your squid

chop the squid up into small bite size squares, also cut the tentacles into smallish pieces

saute the chopped onion is some olive oil, add the cut up squid, the bay leaf, and stir a bit till the squid starts shrinking, then add the wine and simmer until squid is tender

add to your salad bowl

now the shrimps:

put in a frying pan, a tiny bit of olive oil, paprika, pepper flakes, and stir around till the shrimp becomes pink and firm-ish. You need to try a couple so as to not over cook (sometimes I feel like I’ve already eaten, with all the tasting I do!)

add to your salad bowl

add the chopped pepper and the chopped parsley, some lemon juice, some olive oil (a few drops of Tabasco if you wish), mix well with your hands, and set it aside till its cool.

Taste in order to adjust the flavours to your liking, then cover and put it in the fridge.

Beyond yummy!!!!!!!

OK guys, no uhh and eehh please. Octopus is absolutely delicious! And its not that you’ve never seen it before, anyone who’s been to a Greek island has seen tons of octopus hanging out to dry in front of almost every restaurant and taverna by the sea. Chances are you’ve taken many pictures with it and sent back home to your friends & family to see. And if you are courageous and adventurous, chances are you’ve even tried it. At least once.

I’m not sure however that you’ve liked it, if its not cooked right it can be chewy and rubbery. But I can assure you that it doesn’t have to be. Just trust me on this, and try it if you’ve got the chance. You will not regret it!

These Lent days you’re surrounded by seafood from every possible direction; in supermarkets, in restaurants, in mezze places, even on television. You just cant escape it. And I’m not sure that I’d want to. It is all super healthy and so… yummy. Not to mention a refreshing change from the traditional beef, pork, lamb, or chicken.

Jiji, I hope your octopus salad was successful the other day??

My sister-in-law Kathleen, was a huge octopus fan. She used to eat big hunks of it as I was cleaning and chopping it. Its a wonder I was left with any to add to the chopped veggies! After a few times, I learned to use 2 octopus instead of one whenever she was around! I miss you girl!

Ingredients:

I always use frozen octopus, as I don’t know how to cook the fresh one; it always ends up rubbery. I’m sure there is a clever way to cook it in order to avoid that, I just don’t know it.

1 frozen octopus

2 bay leaves

oregano

¾ cup white wine

2 boiled potatoes

1 red pepper

1 red onion

some capers

some chopped parsley

Method:

defrost octopus

place in pressure cooker

add bay leaves & oregano

add white wine

Close lid well and cook for 45 mns.

While the octopus is cooking chop your veggies and place in a large mixing bowl. Add some salt, lots of lemon, and some olive oil. Mix well & set aside.

When you’re satisfied that the octopus is tender: place a sharp knife through the thick part, if it goes in easily, then your octopus is cooked.

Place your cooked octopus on a chopping board, separate legs, take away as much as you can of the loose skin and tentacles with your hands, chop the rest in fairly decent size bites and add to your mixed veggies. Adjust seasoning: salt, oil, vinegar, maybe some Tabasco, mix well, put in a clean bowl and serve.

I do hope you like it. Be adventurous and try it: it is really delicious!

Enjoy!

I love this recipe! It is delicious, easy, and quick. The only trouble is that you can not do the stir frying until you’re ready to eat, i.e. its got to be done while your guests are already there!

It doesn’t present a problem for me, as I have an open kitchen, and I can work while still chatting with my guests. Asking for the occasional help from your guests won’t hurt either, just keep the wine flowing and the conversation going, and you’ll be done before you know it!

I usually serve this dish with Sayaddeya Rice w/shrimps. You will find the recipe in the Rice section.

Ingredients:

1 kg fish fillet (I find Perch fillets readily available in the frozen section of our supermatket, and I like the fact that Perch doesn’t smell very “fishy”. But you can use any of your favourite kinds as long as its meaty, firm, and doesn’t tend to fall apart easily).

a small piece of ginger grated

grated rind from 1 lemon

pepper flakes (I didn’t measure, I just sprinkled! Same for the paprika and the salt.)

sweet Paprika

salt

juice of 1 lemon

2 tbsps fish sauce

1 medium onion cut in wedges

1 red pepper cut in medium size pieces

Method:

Cut the fish in fairly decent size cubes

sprinkle all the spices including the lemon juice & the fish sauce

add some olive oil

mix well with your hands and everything is nicely combined

add the cut onions & peppers

mix, cover, and place in the refrigerator

(You can do all this ahead of time, as the fish tastes better when its been left to marinate for a few hours. You will need to get it out of the fridge about an hour or so before you anticipate using it).

when ready, heat your frying pan, add a tiny bit of olive oil, and place the fish kebabs & vegetables in smallish batches, making sure not to crowd the pan. Shake to stir as its cooking, try not to use the spatula too much so as not to brake the fish

when you’re satisfied with the colour, add a tiny bit of white wine in the corner of the pan (not directly on the fish), and “shake” the pan to de-glaze and coat the fish

remove to your serving dish, and continue with your batches until all the fish is done

tare some parsley pieces on top and serve.

Enjoy!