Salmon with Orange Cranberry Crust

2-3 pounds salmon fillet
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-2 organic oranges, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 cups cranberries
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, shredded or 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon cracked peppercorns

Preheat oven to 450° F. Rinse fish, pat dry and place skin side down in a large baking dish. In a food processor, combine garlic, orange, cranberries, tarragon, salt and pepper. Pat the grated slurry over the salmon.

Put fish in oven and reduce heat to 350° F. Bake until fish is opaque (about 20 minutes per inch of thickness). When done, cover with aluminum foil and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

Seafood a la Newburg

1 1/2 pounds scallops

4 tablespoons butter, divided

1 pound oysters

3 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 pound shrimp, cut in half if large

1 teaspoon paprika

2 tablespoons flour

1 1/2 cups cream

2 cups crabmeat

2 egg yolks

3 tablespoons sherry

Cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper

Cut scallops in half if large. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Saute scallops for 2 minutes. Add oysters, lemon juice and shrimp, and cook 1 minute more. With a slotted spoon, remove seafood from pan and set aside. Over medium-high heat, reduce pan juices to 2 tablespoons.

To the pan add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, paprika and flour. Reduce heat to medium. Stir constantly for 2 minutes, then pour in cream very slowly while continuing to stir and making sure that sauce stays below a simmer. (If you add the cream too quickly or the sauce is allowed to boil, the sauce may break.)

When ready to serve, add the reserved seafood plus the crabmeat to the pan. Lightly beat the yolks and add, and stir in along with sherry and good pinch of cayenne. Over low heat, cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. If sauce seems too thick, thin with a little cream. Adjust seasonings to taste with salt and black pepper.

Makes 8 servings.

Note: You can mix and match the seafood in this recipe to your favorites.

Boiled Lobsters

16 medium-size lemons, cut in half

12 tablespoons salt (use sea salt if you can find it)

2 1/2 tablespoons cayenne

8 Maine lobsters, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pounds each

3 sticks butter, melted and clarified

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Fill a boiling pot large enough to accommodate eight lobsters (or four if cooking in two batches), with cool water. (Don't fill it to overflowing because you'll be adding the lobsters.) Squeeze the lemons into the water. Add the salt and cayenne. Bring water to a rolling boil over high heat. Meanwhile, rinse the lobsters briefly under cool running water, then holding the body securely in your hands, carefully remove the elastic bands from their claws. Holding the lobsters by the tail, plunge them in the boiling water head first. Once the water returns to a boil, cook the lobsters until they are bright red, six to eight minutes. To check if a lobster is done, take hold of one of the long feeler antennae, and give it a slight pull. If it separates easily, it's cooked. Remove them from the water and let them rest for about five minutes.

They can be served warm, at room temperature or chilled. You might want to arm yourself with a nutcracker and a pick, a pair of kitchen shears, and of course, plenty of napkins. With a twist, you can break off the tail from the body like you would the tail of a crawfish. With kitchen shears you can cut open the tail on the underside. Crack the claws with the nutcracker and use picks to pull out the claw meat.

Mix clarified butter with lemon juice and serve in individual ramekins with the lobsters.

Serves 8

Lobster Cakes with Orange Chipotle Hollandaise Sauce

3 tbsp. butter
1 cup yellow onion, chopped
1/2 cup celery, finely chopped
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped
2 tbsp. garlic, minced
1 lb. lobster meat, chopped
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
2 tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
2 tbsp. Creole mustard
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 cups plain toasted breadcrumbs, divided
1/4 cup flour
2 eggs
Canola oil
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

Melt butter and add onions, celery and bell pepper. Cook until vegetables are soft, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic, cook 2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

In a bowl, combine lobster meat, scallions, parsley, mustard, mayonnaise, vegetables and 3/4 cup bread crumbs. Mix to combine. Form the mixture into 10, 1 inch thick cakes.

In a bowl, combine the flour with salt and pepper. In second bowl, beat the eggs. In a third bowl, add the remaining 3/4 cup bread crumbs. Dredge the cakes first in the seasoned flour, then into the eggs and finally into the breadcrumbs. Gently sauté the cakes, 3 to 4 at a time in the hot oil, until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Top with Orange Chipotle Hollandaise Sauce.

Orange Chipotle Hollandaise Sauce

2 tbsp. shallots, chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
4 egg yolks
2 tsp. chipotle, pureed adobo,
2 tsp. lemon juice

1 cup butter, melted

Salt and pepper

In a saucepan, combine the shallots, wine and orange juice. Bring to a boil and reduce to approximately 2 tbsp. Remove from heat and cool.

In a stainless steel bowl set over a pot of simmering water, whisk the egg yolks with the lemon juice, pureed chipotle and reduced wine mixture. Whisk until the mixture becomes slightly thick. Remove the bowl from the pot and whisking vigorously, add the butter, 1 tsp. at a time until it is all incorporated. Season to taste with salt and pepper and keep warm.

Lobster Strudel

1/2 cup onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup dry vermouth
4 each egg yolks, beaten
1/4 cup parsley, snipped
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
4 ounces cream cheese, cubed
12 ounces lobster meat
8 each phyllo dough sheets
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Cook onions in butter until golden. Add vermouth. Boil until reduced to 1/3 cup.

Whisk a tablespoon or two of butter mixture into beaten eggs. Slowly add egg yolks to butter and onion mixture. Add parsley, salt, and pepper. Add cream cheese and cook, stirring until cheese is melted. Fold in lobster.

Thaw phyllo dough according to package directions. Place 1 sheet phyllo on work surface; brush with butter and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon bread crumbs. Layer a second sheet, butter, and crumbs and repeat two more times, to end with a stack of 4 sheets.

Mound half of the lobster mixture lengthwise on phyllo 1 inch from the edge. Roll phyllo into 2 inch thick roll and place on a cookie sheet. Repeat process to make a second roll.

Brush roll tops with melted butter. With a serrated knife, make partial slices in roll before baking or freezing. Bake at 35O° for 15 minutes, then at 450° for 5 to 10 minutes. Let rest 10 minutes. To serve, cut in slices.

Serves 4.

Crab Stuffed Lobster

1 each 2 pound lobster
¼ cup butter or oleo
2 Tablespoons flour
2 Tablespoons parsley, minced
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 cup tiny soft bread cubes
1 package (6 oz.) frozen crabmeat thawed, drained and flaked fine
dry bread crumbs
grated Parmesan cheese
butter

Split lobster down the center. Crack claws and clean. Remove liver and coral and set aside for stuffing.

Melt 1/4 cup butter in saucepan. Stir in flour, parsley, lemon juice, mustard, horseradish and salt. Gradually add milk.

Cook stirring constantly, until thickened. Add bread cubes, crab, liver and coral. Heat and stir only until blended. Pack into and over cavity of lobster. Sprinkle with crumbs and cheese and dot with butter.

Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until dark golden brown.

Serves 2

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