Seafood Cakes With Creme Fraiche Dipping Sauce

SEAFOOD SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil and 3 sliced garlic cloves in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add a pinch of red pepper flakes, 1 cup white wine and 12 littleneck clams. Cover and cook about 5 minutes. Add 2 pounds mussels and 4 cups Perfect Marinara Sauce. Cook, uncovered, until the mussels open, 4 to 5 minutes. Toss with bucatini and 1/4 cup chopped parsley.
• Perfect Marinara Sauce:
• Combine 3 tablespoons olive oil, 6 thinly sliced garlic cloves and a pinch of red pepper flakes in a large skillet and cook over medium-low heat until the garlic is golden, about 6 minutes. Crush a 28-ounce can of San Marzano plum tomatoes into the skillet with your hands; rinse the can with about 1 cup water and add to the sauce. Add a handful of torn basil leaves and season with salt. Increase the heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, until thick, 20 to 25 minutes. Toss with 1 pound cooked pasta (makes 4 cups sauce).

CREAMY SEAFOOD STEW

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion and celery until soft but not coloured, about 10 mins. Throw in the garlic and cook for 1 min more. Pour in the wine and simmer on a high heat until most has disappeared.
• Pour in the stock and cornflour mix and simmer for 5-10 mins, stirring often until thickened. Season, then add the seafood and most of the dill. Simmer for a few mins until piping hot, then stir in the crème fraîche.
• Meanwhile, cook the garlic bread following pack instructions. Divide the stew into warm bowls and scatter with the remaining dill. Serve with garlic bread for dipping into the stew.

SEAFOOD CAKES WITH HERB SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; set aside 1/4 cup. Chill remaining sauce until serving., In a large bowl, combine the bread crumbs, peppers, onion, egg, parsley, chives and reserved sauce. Gently fold in scallops and salmon., With floured hands, shape mixture by 2 tablespoonfuls into 1/2-in.-thick patties. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook seafood cakes in butter in batches for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Transfer to ungreased baking sheets., Bake at 400° for 5-6 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with sauce. Garnish with additional peppers and chives.

ASIAN FISH CAKES WITH SWEET CHILE DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the Dipping Sauce: In a small bowl, combine all of the ingredients and stir to mix well. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Make the Fish Cakes: Put the fish in a food processor and pulse just until uniformly minced, about 10 times. Be careful not to overprocess or the fish will turn into a paste. Transfer to a large bowl and add the eggs, the 1/2 cup bread crumbs, the cilantro, green onions, ginger, lime zest, garlic, fish sauce, salt, and pepper. Using your hands or a rubber spatula, gently fold and toss the ingredients together until well combined.
• In a nonstick frying pan, heat a splash of oil over medium-high heat. Pinch off a small piece of the fish mixture and fry until cooked through, about 1 minute. Taste and adjust the seasoning of the remaining fish mixture if needed.
• Place the 1 cup bread crumbs in a shallow dish. Shape the fish mixture into cakes about 2 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Coat each cake thoroughly with the bread crumbs, shaking off the excess.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels. Pour oil to a depth of 1/2 inch into the frying pan and heat until hot and shimmering but not smoking. Working in batches as needed to avoid crowding, add the cakes, placing them about 1 inch apart, and fry, turning once, until golden brown and crispy, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to the paper towels to drain and season with salt while still warm.
• Transfer the cakes to a platter or individual plates and serve. Pass the dipping sauce at the table.

SEAFOOD CAKES WITH CILANTRO BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• FOR CAKES:
• Blend scallops, 1/2 cup panko, egg, cream, shallot, garlic, salt and pepper in processor until smooth. Add shrimp and herbs; process using on/off turns until shrimp is finely chopped (do not puree). Transfer to bowl. Cover and chill until cold, about 2 hours (mixture will be soft).
• Place 1 1/2 cups panko in bowl. Drop 1/3 cup seafood mixture into panko; turn to coat. Press gently between hands into 3-inch round cake. Transfer cake to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining seafood mixture and panko to form 6 cakes total. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• FOR SAUCE:
• Boil wine, vinegar and shallots in heavy medium saucepan until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, about 18 minutes. Add cream and boil until sauce coats spoon, about 3 minutes. (Sauce can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 3 seafood cakes and cook until golden, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to baking sheet. Repeat with 2 tablespoons oil and 3 cakes. Bake until cooked through, about 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring sauce to simmer. Remove from heat. Add butter 1 piece at a time; whisk until just melted. Immediately transfer to blender. Add cilantro; blend until cilantro is minced, about 10 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.
• Spoon sauce onto 6 plates. Top each with seafood cake and serve.

SEAFOOD CAKES

Steps:

• Make the crab cakes in advance so they have time to firm up in the refrigerator before you cook them.
• Saute onion & garlic then remove to cool.
• If fish was frozen, squeeze "gently" to remove excess water.
• If crab is cooked, rinse gently under cold water to remove excess salt then drain & dry.
• Dice fish & shrimp into peanut size chunks.
• Combine all ingredients & mix gently just until well blended.
• Shape the mixture into 6 fat crab cakes & shape into discs.
• Put them on a plate and stick them in the refrigerator, uncovered to chill & dry for 30 to 60 minutes.
• To serve, heat 3 tablespoons each of butter & olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
• Put the crab cakes with the top (dry) side down and cook for about 15 minutes, gently flip over & cook for another 15 minutes so each side is nice and crisp. Internal temp should hit 145F (62C).