Cooking with Tammy Kelly: Quick and Easy Summer Seafood Suppers

Enjoy the bounty of the season without spending a lot of time cooking over a hot stove with these quick and easy seafood recipes.  From shrimp to scallops and salmon to crab, these recipes will make using the seasonal harvest from our crystal coast, a breeze!  Hope you will enjoy your dinner and support our fishermen!!

Shrimp and Grits Casserole

(This is way simpler than doing individual bowls)

2 cups whole milk

2 ¼ cups heavy cream, divided

1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits

¼ cup butter

1 large egg, lightly beaten

8 ounces sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded (about 2 cups)

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt, divided

5 thick-cut bacon slices, chopped (about 1 cup)

½ cup finely chopped red onion (from 1 small onion)

½ cup finely chopped red bell pepper (from 1 small bell pepper)

2 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tbsp.)

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

1 pound medium peeled, deveined raw shrimp

½ cup (4 oz.) dry white wine

1 cup chicken broth

1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves

½ teaspoon black pepper

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

¼ cup sliced fresh chives

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 11- x 7-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Bring milk and 2 cups of the heavy cream to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high. Stir in grits and butter; let mixture return to a boil, whisking often. Reduce heat to medium; cook, whisking constantly, until grits are tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in egg, cheese, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Spoon mixture into prepared baking dish. Cover; bake until mixture is set, 35 to 40 minutes. 

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large saucepan over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until crisp, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels, reserving 3 tablespoons drippings in pan. Add onion and bell pepper to pan. Cook over medium-high, stirring often, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic; cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds. Add flour; cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add shrimp; cook, stirring constantly, until shrimp are pink, about 3 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, 2 minutes. Stir in broth, parsley, thyme, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and remaining ¼ cup heavy cream and ½ teaspoon salt. 

Spoon shrimp mixture over baked grits casserole using a slotted spoon; sprinkle with chives and cooked bacon. Pour shrimp gravy from pan into a serving bowl; serve alongside casserole.  Serves 6.  

Marry Me Salmon

(Even better than Marry Me Chicken)

For the Salmon

1 pound salmon filets

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning

Salt and pepper to taste

For the Sauce

3 tablespoons butter

1 clove garlic, minced

3 tablespoon flour

1 ½ cups chicken broth

¾ cup heavy cream

½ cup Parmesan, freshly shredded works best

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, drained

1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning

Fresh basil for garnish

Brush each salmon fillet with olive oil, then season with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and place the fillets in the pan. Cook for about three minutes per side until the exterior is golden and crisp. Once done, remove the salmon from the skillet and set it aside.

In the same skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in the flour, mixing until a paste forms. Gradually pour in the chicken broth while whisking continuously, then add the heavy cream and parmesan cheese. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until it thickens.

Stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and an extra sprinkle of Italian seasoning. Allow the sauce to simmer briefly to let the flavors meld together.

Return the salmon fillets to the skillet, placing them in the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let everything simmer for about 10 minutes, allowing the salmon to absorb the flavors while remaining tender.

Before serving, garnish with freshly chopped basil. Serve warm over rice, pasta, or roasted vegetables to enjoy the full depth of flavors.

Shrimp and Lemon Pasta

8 oz spaghetti

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

3 tablespoons olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 lemon, juiced and zested

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)

Cook the pasta by boiling a large pot of salted water and cook spaghetti al dente. Drain, reserving a bit of pasta water.

Prepare the sauce in a skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter and add lemon zest, lemon juice, garlic, white wine, cream, and Italian seasoning. Let it bubble for about 5 minutes.

In order to thicken the sauce gradually whisk in flour to avoid lumps, then stir in the Parmesan. Continue simmering for another 5 minutes until the sauce thickens.

Add shrimp to the sauce, cooking for an additional 5 minutes until the shrimp turn pink and are fully cooked.

Toss the cooked spaghetti in the sauce, adding reserved pasta water if needed. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve immediately!

Serves 4, each serving contains; Calories 643, Carbohydrates 28g., Fat 24g., Fiber 1g., Protein 38g.

Deviled Crab Recipe

4 tablespoons butter

½ medium onion, finely diced

1 celery rib, finely diced

½  green bell pepper, finely diced

1 pound lump or backfin crabmeat

½ cup mayonnaise

1 egg, lightly beaten

3 tablespoons heavy cream

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce  

½  teaspoon Old Bay

½  teaspoon paprika

¼  teaspoon garlic powder

Pinch of cayenne pepper

¼  teaspoon pepper

¼ teaspoon salt

24 Saltine crackers   

Melt butter over medium heat in a large pan. Add onion, celery and bell pepper and cook until soft. Remove from heat and let cool.

Pick through the crab to remove any pieces of shell and place crab in a large bowl.

Add remaining ingredients to bowl along with cooked onion, peppers, and celery. Gently mix it all together.

Pack mixture into crab shells or a small ramekin, or you crab shells, if you do not have access to crab shells, you can order them on line.  You will need about 10.  Sprinkle with a little paprika if desired.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Serves 10, each serving contains;  Calories 212, Carbohydrates 7g., Protein 10g., Fat 16g., Sodium 643mg., Fiber 0.5g.

Scallops Casserole

(Adapted from My Delicious Seafood Blog)

For the Scallops

1 pound scallops, they can be small or large scallops

¼ cup dry white wine

For the Garlic Butter

2 Tb. unsalted butter

1 bay leaf

1 clove garlic, minced

For the Panko Topping

½ cup Panko 

½ cup Parmesan cheese, grated

Zest of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons olive oil

Juice of ½ lemon

⅛ teaspoon salt

Dash freshly ground black pepper, or more to taste

2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley (for serving)

Lemon wedges (for serving)

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Rinse scallops and gently pat dry with a paper towel. Place equal amounts of scallops in 4 serving dishes, or one casserole dish. Sprinkle with a dash of salt.  If using separate dishes, spoon 1-2 teaspoons wine over each dish. If using a larger casserole dish, pour wine over entire amount of scallops. Set aside.

Add butter, bay leaf and garlic to a small sauté pan. Heat over low for a few minutes to melt butter and allow the bay and garlic to add flavor. Turn off heat and allow to cool.  When the butter is moderately cool, spoon an equal amount over each dish of scallops (or one larger casserole, if using).

In the same sauté pan, combine Panko, Parmesan cheese, lemon zest & juice, olive oil, salt and pepper over medium heat. Keep stirring so the mixture browns (this should take a few minutes). Turn off heat and spoon mixture over scallops.

Place ramekins (or single casserole dish) on a baking sheet. Place in oven and cook for about 10 minutes. Remove from oven, sprinkle with lemon and minced parsley and serve.  Serves 4.

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