Corn and Seafood

These recipes will use up some of your corn and tomatoes.  The first one is great for the grill or your oven.  It is simple and beautiful.  If you love seafood, you’ll love these.  You can put what ever seafood you like in them.  

Seafood Packets

Clams if you can find them (trip to Hy-Vee)

Uncooked shrimp in shells (thawed if frozen)

Sea scallops  

Ears fresh sweet corn

Cherry tomatoes

Seasoning of your choice to taste

Lemon-Chive Butter

1/3 cup butter

2 teaspoons grated lemon peel

2 teaspoons chopped fresh chives

Heat grill or oven. Cut 18 x 12 inch sheets of heavy duty foil and spray them with your favorite cooking spray.  

Place the clams, shrimp and scallops in center of each sheet; topping them with 2 pieces of corn and 4 cherry tomatoes. In small bowl, mix butter ingredients and melt in the microwave. Drizzle about 2 teaspoons butter over seafood and vegetables in each packet.  Before sealing, you can sprinkle it with a little salt and pepper to taste or Old Bay seasoning.

Bring up 2 sides of foil so edges meet. Seal edges, making tight ½ inch fold; fold again, allowing space for heat circulation and expansion. Fold other sides to seal.

Place packets on grill over medium heat or in oven at 350 degrees.  Cook 15 to 20 minutes.  If you are grilling, rotating packets ½ turn after 10 minutes, or until clam shells have opened, shrimp are pink, and scallops are white and opaque. Your cooking time may vary depending on ingredients selected.  Discard any clams that don't open.

To serve, cut large X across top of each packet; carefully fold back foil to allow steam to escape. Top with chives. 

Serve it with some crusty bread to sop up the juices and you have a complete meal.

Crab Bisque

Which do you like….white or red?  I love them both, so am giving you both using the same recipe but just adding the red at the end if you wish to add the tomato flavor.   You may also substitute the crab with another seafood like shrimp, lobster or scallops for a completely different seafood bisque.  Any way it is heavenly. 

White Crab Bisque 

3 cups heavy cream or half and half

½ onion

1 carrot

1 cup milk

2 cups of crab meat  (use what you like, frozen, fresh, imitation, canned or you can substitute shrimp, lobster and/or scallops)

3 tbp. flour

3 tbp. butter

2 cup chicken broth or seafood broth

1 tablespoon lemon juice

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

2 tbp. green onion for garnish

Check through your crab with your fingers to make sure there is no shell.  I use the canned chunk crab.

Grate your onion and carrot.  Sauté onion and carrot in 3 tablespoons butter on medium heat until soft.  Add flour to make a roux.  Whisk roux and let cook 1 minute so your bisque doesn't taste like flour.  Slowly add in heavy cream and stock, whisking constantly until you bring it to a simmer. Allow to it simmer for 5 minutes.  If your soup is too thick just add up to a cup of milk.  Stir in your crab and lemon juice.  Heat and serve piping hot. 

When serving, chop some green onion or parsley for garnish.  You may also set some of the crab aside and pile it on top to show it is crab bisque if you like.  Serve it with some crusty bread or put croutons on the top for your presentation. 

White Variation - Add a bit of sweet corn for extra texture and a little more sweetness and color.  The sweetness of the crab, bisque and corn marry beautifully.

Tomato Crab Bisque - Using the same recipe just add 1 tbs. Worcestershire Sauce and a little tomato sauce.  Taste test it so it has enough tomato taste to your liking. You can also add a ½ cup of sherry if you like.  I leave it out.  The tomato flavor makes the bisque a brand new dish.  Simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.  As in the white variation, you can add sweet corn if you like.

Red Crab Bisque 

Have a great day, be happy and may God bless you and yours.