Chili Los Mariscos

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This chili is a great way to use frozen shrimp and scallops. In the grand scheme of things, it's not hard to do and its a great way to waken tired taste buds. I am always leery of recipes that put delicate seafood in heavy or spicy sauces that are bound to overwhelm its lovely briney taste. This is a mild chili and you can add heat using pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, hot sauce or chipotles in adobo sauce. I prefer to use red pepper flakes or a bit of mashed chipotles in this dish. There is a harshness to cayenne and hot sauce that I find unpleasant when used with seafood. There is a bit of chopping and some wait time required to make this dish. The fish is marinated in a seviche type dressing for about an hour. While it stews the chili in which the fish will cook can be made. Any type of firm fleshed fish can be used to make this dish. I prefer to use shrimp and scallops because I love their texture. The only trick to making this dish work is to have the vegetables and seafood in pieces that are approximately the same size to ensure even cooking. I serve this over a mound of white or yellow rice in shallow soup bowls. I think you'll like this dish. Here's the recipe.

Chili Los Mariscos...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1/2 pound large raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2 pound sea scallops
2 limes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon chili powder, divided use
1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, divided use
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided use
4 teaspoons minced garlic, divided use
1 fresh serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided use
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 large red bell pepper seeded and roughly chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Pinch of cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes or 1/2 teaspoon mashed chipotle in adobo sauce
Salt and pepper
1-1/2 cups fish stock
1 (14-oz.) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (14-oz.) can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 cups hot cooked rice

Directions:
1) Place shrimp, scallops and lime slices in a large bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon chile powder, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 2 tablespoon cilantro, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, chopped chile and 2 tablespoons oil and toss to coat. Cover. Let sit at room temperature for one hour. Set aside.
2) Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet set over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add onions, reserved 2 teaspoons garlic, red and yellow peppers
and cook over low heat until soft, about 5 minutes. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, reserved 1 tablespoon chile powder, reserved 1 tablespoon cumin, cloves, and pepper flakes or mashed chipotle. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add stock and stewed tomatoes and cook, partially covered, for 25 minutes.
3) Add beans to tomato mixture and spoon fish or shell fish on top. Cover and cook for 10 minutes longer, or until fish is cooked through. Divide rice between four bowls. Spoon chili over rice. Sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Yield: 4 servings.

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Camarones a la Mexicana - One Perfect Bite
Chocolate and Black Bean Chili - One Perfect Bite
Vegetable and Black Bean Chili - One Perfect Bite

Scallops Provencal

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love scallops. Of all the things we take from the sea they are my hands down favorite. They have a history that dates back to Marco Polo who talked about them being sold in the markets of China. Not only are they rich, sweet and tender, they're also affordable. The name, by the way, comes from the French word escalope which means shell. Scallops need to move in order to stay alive, so we won't find them in their shells at the fish market. The part we are sold is actually the "adductor" muscle. Their color can range from pale beige to pink and they should look moist and smell fresh. They should never look pure white. White scallops usually have been sitting in water which causes them to lose nutrients as well as color. To assure freshness, I actually prefer to buy them flash frozen at the market and thaw them in the refrigerator. There are three basic sizes of scallops. The sea scallop is the largest; it's followed in size by bay and, finally, the tiny calico scallop. They have the advantage of cooking quickly and adapting themselves to various sauces. This recipe comes from Ina Garten. I think you'll enjoy this dish.

Scallops Provencal...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 pound fresh bay or sea scallops
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour for dredging
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
1/2 cup chopped shallots (2 large)
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, cut in half

Directions:
1) If you're using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you're using sea scallops, cut each one in half horizontally. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, toss with flour, and shake off the excess.
2) In a very large sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter over high heat until sizzling and add a single layer of scallops. Lower the heat to medium and allow scallops to brown lightly on one side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes total. Melt remaining butter in the pan with scallops; add shallots, garlic, and parsley and sauté for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Finally, add wine and cook for 1 minutes longer. Pan sauce will thicken slightly. Adjust seasoning to taste to salt, pepper and lemon juice. Serve immediately: Yield 3 to 4 servings.

Recipe adapted from the Barefoot Contessa in Paris by Ina Garten.