fish and seafood

I love smoked fish for breakfast, and one of my favorite ways to have it is mixed into a skillet of fried potatoes. I add dollops of smoked paprika aioli for a little extra smoke and tang. Since it's breakfast, I just mix up an easy aioli by adding garlic, lemon, and spice to mayonnaise, but you could absolutely make one from scratch if your arm is up for that kind of whisking early in the day.

Think of this as a fresh take on pasta salad. . . an elegant side to a summer buffet or an entree in itself. It derives from one of my favorite comfort foods - one I don’t make often: shrimp and grits. Shrimp and grits - Charleston-style - is a heaven-sent dish of creamy, buttery, cheesy goodness, topped with a spicy shrimp “gravy.”

A single mother with a flair for the dramatic, my mom specializes in quick and easy dishes with great presentation. The whole stuffed fish is easy to make and looks great on a platter. You can do it with small fish for individual portions, medium fish for smaller gatherings, or large ones for parties. For the holidays, my mom stuffs a large fish with oyster dressing. It travels well and it wows a crowd. Leftovers are a welcome treat.

Think of this as a romantic dish, because it is. Matelote is made from freshwater fish local to towns in Alsace, France, cooked in wine from the same region. There’s cognac and pancetta and a cornucopia of seafood, all served up in a buttery, boozy broth. Unless you live on a lake or river, however, chances are you’re unlikely to come across much freshwater fish. This recipe adapts matelote to use today’s more commonly available mussels, shrimp, and fish from the sea. Don’t worry about the combination—choose whatever is freshest when you shop, and it’ll turn out delicious. Poaching each fish on its own sidesteps the risk of any overcooking. Most often Riesling is the wine of choice, but sometimes, for a heartier stew, red wine such as Pinot Noir is used in its place. Beurre manié—literally translated as “kneaded butter”—thickens like a roux, but because the flour particles are suspended in the butter, all you need to do is pop it in the stew at the end and stir. Served in a welcoming pot, this is a perfect dish for a winter weekend supper.

This dish, which can be enjoyed as an appetizer with crusty bread or as a main dish with steamed basmati rice—will make you fall in love with Persian saffron. If you are serving it as a main dish for 4 people, I would double the recipe. You can use any herb you like—that's the beauty . Make sure to peel and eat the shrimps with your hands, without cutlery—it's more enjoyable that way!

The smell of cheese in many decent restaurants in France is what differentiates them from similar restaurants in the UK. In this recipe, it will be the smell of the bubbling emmental cheese on the seafood gratin. I thought the accompanying caramelised apple might be a bit too ‘Normande’ for foreign consumption but it was actually really nice.

This fragrant rice dish with seafood, tomatoes and golden raisins makes a wonderful summertime main, drizzled with a parsley, chilli and pine nut butter.

This is a simple fish pie of the kind beloved by children, but with an oaty, buttery cayenne topping. Can be served with cheesy garlic bread and a green salad.

A hearty and creamy seafood chowder brimming with tender fish, prawns, and shellfish, simmered with potatoes, sweetcorn, and aromatic herbs. A warming, comforting dish full of rich, ocean-fresh flavour in every spoonful.

If you can’t get hold of the deliciously meaty black cod fish, you can use a cheaper fish such as pollock. In the Hairy Bikers Far East programme Si and Dave didn’t have an oven on location, so they fried the fish. It can be either baked or fried.