Last year, while visiting my parents in Florida, I finally decided it was time to try lobster. I know what you're going to say, "what?! You've never had lobster before?" The truth is, though, I had a really bad experience with some awful chewy lobster that made me sick early on in college and I've stayed away ever since. Then last summer my dad went on a fishing trip, brought back some Florida lobsters and my mom decided to make enchilado de langosta (Cuban-style lobster). And I absolutely LOVED it!
Since June is officially Seafood Month, I've started to dream about that delicious lobster dish and decided to share some of my other favorite recipes with you, to help you celebrate the deliciousness of this month. First there the grilled Yucatán shrimp and then black rice calamari, which is a dish I first had in Michelle Bernstein's Sra. Martinez and fell in love with. Take a look at all the delicious seafood recipes to celebrate Seafood Month this June!
Readmore ¿Qué más? 5 Latin drinks to cool down in this record heat!
Grilled Yucatán Shrimp (recipe courtesy of Food & Wine)
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons achiote powder (see Note)
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds large shelled and deveined shrimp
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
Summer Vegetable Rice and lemons, for serving
Directions:
1. Light a grill. In a large bowl, blend the achiote, garlic, orange and lemon juices, chile powder, cayenne and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Whisk in the oil. Add the shrimp and toss. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Thread the shrimp onto six 12-inch skewers. Season with salt; reserve the marinade. Grill the shrimp over a hot fire, basting with the marinade, until barely cooked through, 2 minutes per side. Transfer to plates, sprinkle with the cilantro and serve with Summer Vegetable Rice and lemon wedges.
Notes: Achiote powder is ground from achiote (annatto) seeds. It has no discernible flavor and is used in Latin cooking to give dishes a reddish-orange color. Achiote powder and seeds are available at Latin markets and some supermarkets.
Enchilado de Langosta, ak.a. Cuban-style Lobster (recipe courtesy Food Network)
Ingredients:
1 small onion, 1/2-inch dice
1 large red pepper, 1/2-inch dice
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 tablespoons Spanish olive oil
1 cup Sherry
1 (10-ounce) can whole tomatoes, chopped
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup (1/2-inch dice) roasted red peppers (from about 2 peppers)
1 dried ancho chile
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
4 spiny lobster tails, cut into 1 1/2-inch rounds and steamed
Directions:
1. Saute onions, peppers, and garlic in olive oil for approximately 4 minutes. Deglaze with the Sherry.
2. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, and bay leaf, and cook for 5 minutes. Add roasted peppers, ancho chile, Worcestershire, cilantro, and lobster, and cook for 6 minutes. Serve in a shallow bowl.
Arroz con Calamari, a.k.a. Black Calamari Rice (recipe courtesy of Just a Pinch)
Ingredients:
2 can(s) 4 onces each can, squid chunks in their ink. brands goya, or iberia, or palacio de oriente.
1 lb cleaned squid cut in rounds, as if for frying. you can buy frozen squid cut in circles and ready for frying.
1/2 lg fresh sweet green pepper, diced small
1 md sweet vidalia onion or sweet onion diced small
3 clove fresh garlic smashed or put through a garlic press
1/4 c good white dry table rwine (not a sweet wine)
1/2 sm can of tomato sauce such as hunts or delmonte
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground cumin powder
2 sm sprigs parsley diced small
1 sm packet goya sazon with culantro & achiote
1/2 tsp garlic powder ( not garlic salt)
2 1/2 c long grain white raw rice rinsed twice in cool water
1 tsp all natural asian fish sauce
1/4 c olive oil
3 c water or fish broth if available
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 or 2 tsp salt or to suit your taste
Directions:
1. Heat olive oil in heavy pot add and saute garlic, onions, green peppers, parsley, until onions and pepper are limp. Next add white wine, and stir for one minute then add tomato sauce, and two cans of squid complete with ink sauce in the cans. Stir again gently.
2. Next add all the dry seasonings oregano, cumin, packet of Sazon seasoning, garlic powder, and black pepper, Reduce flame and let simmer 2 minutes. while sauce is simmering rinse your rice in cool water twice draining all the water when done.
3. Now add Asian fish sauce, to the sauce and put in the rinsed squid rings in the sauce cover sauce and cook for 2 minutes only. (Time 2 minutes only) Any longer and your squid will be tough.
4. After two minutes add the rinsed raw rice, and 3 cups water or fish broth. Stir well add a teaspoon of salt or taste if salt is enough. Cover & lower flame to simmer and cook for 35/45 minutes. After done uncover fluff rice and serve with fried fish or just a nice salad. This dish is delicious some people might be put off because of the squid ink but it truly is a delicacy. Pass the chilled wine Enjoy.. Buen Provecho
Note: When my husband catches fresh fish I take the fish bones after he has filleted the fish. Head and skelton rinse good and put into a pot with a bouqet of garni, spice in a piece of cheese cloth tied together and dropped in the pot for added flavor. Also add a carrot an onion and 5/6 cloves garlic smashed, sprigs of parley, a cup of white wine and simmer for at leat three hours. I then let cool and strain. I discard the fish bodies and bones. I freeze in pint containers and use when I am making Paella, or Mariners Soups or Seafood rice dishes like this dish. Also great for French Bouliabase. But thats another recipe. Enjoy..
Want to find other moms como tú? "Like" MamásLatinas on Facebook!
What is your favorite Latin seafood recipe? How do you prepare seafood in your house? Share with us in the comments below!
Images via Smaku/flickr, Foodie Buddha/flickr, BH301.A7/flickr
