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Posts Tagged ‘seafood’

SHRIMP BURGERS

Posted: July 4, 2026 in Uncategorized
Tags: dinner, food, recipe, recipes, seafood, shrimp

These shrimp burgers are not only delicious, they’re pretty low in calories. The key to success is to use raw shrimp, not cooked. (Overcooked shrimp is never a good thing.)

I always use wild-caught American shrimp, not that nasty stuff from Asia. I’ve found wild-caught American shrimp almost everywhere, from supermarkets to membership clubs, and for a great price. You just have to make a bit of an effort to read the packages.

For this recipe, you don’t need to spend extra money for large shrimp. You’ll be chopping them up anyway…and I think the smaller shrimp are tastier. (A white fish, like cod, is also a good substitute for the shrimp.)

These patties hold together pretty well without a lot of breadcrumbs because the shrimp that goes in the food processor becomes a sticky paste that holds everything together. At around 1 calorie per gram, shrimp is a dieter’s best friend.

This recipe can be made gluten-free simply by using GF breadcrumbs. I make my own by buying frozen GF bread, like Udi’s. I toast it, then put it in the food processor to make breadcrumbs. They’re delicious, and you’d never know they’re gluten free!

1 lb. thawed, peeled and deveined medium wild-caught American shrimp
1/3 cup breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 small Vidalia onion or 1 scallion, finely chopped
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Splash of cayenne pepper sauce, like Frank’s Red Hot, or a pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)

Oil, for frying

Coarsely chop half of the shrimp. Place the other half in a food processor, and pulse it until smooth.

Combine all the shrimp in a bowl with the breadcrumbs, lemon juice, salt, garlic, pepper, onion, egg and optional cayenne pepper sauce.

I had a few radishes, so I chopped them up and mixed them with the onion. (That’s what the little red flakes are.) But that’s just me!

Refrigerate the mix for 10 minutes. Then remove it from the fridge and form the patties. (I like to use a 1/3 cup measure for this.) Once you’ve formed the patties, put them back in the fridge for another 10 minutes.

Heat the oil (I try to use as little as possible for calories’ sake) in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. I like avocado oil, but use your favorite. And if you’re not on a diet, use 1/4 cup of oil to get a nice fry going. Carefully place the burgers in the pan (they’re fragile!) and cook them about 3 minutes per side.

Getting a good sear on the first side before flipping them will help hold them together. You don’t want to undercook the burgers, but you don’t want to overcook shrimp, either.

Sometimes a piece will break off. That’s OK!

I make a simple remoulade using 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard to 1 tablespoon mayonnaise. Another option is to combine mayo with some Old Bay seasoning.

DEVILED EGGS WITH TUNA

Posted: June 26, 2026 in Food, Recipes, restaurants, tuna
Tags: cooking, deviled, DEVILED EGGS, dinner, EGGS, FISH, food, recipe, recipes, seafood, sushi, tuna

One of our favorite restaurants here in southern New England is The Back Eddy in Westport, Massachusetts.Great water views, great food, wonderful people.

One of their best-selling appetizers is deviled eggs, topped with raw tuna or without. My version has none of the finesse of their original dish, but it has a lot more tuna and all the flavor…which works for me!

6 hard-boiled eggs
1/4 cup + extra mayonnaise
8 oz. high quality raw tuna
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon chili oil
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
handful fresh spinach, or cucumbers (see below)

My newest favorite method of hard-boiling eggs (thank you, Alton Brown!) is to put them in a pot of boiling water, with a steamer basket inside. Place the eggs inside when it’s boiling, put the lid on, and steam for 12 minutes. Then plunge the eggs into an ice water bath for 3 minutes. Perfect every time, and they peel easily.

The official word on making sure there are no parasites in raw fish requires freezing and storing fish at a surrounding temperature of -4 degrees Fahrenheit or colder for seven days; or freezing at a surrounding temperature of -31 degrees or colder until the fish is solid and storing at the same temperature for 15 hours; or freezing at a surrounding temperature of -31 degrees until the fish is solid and storing at -4 degrees or below for 24 hours.

Since I don’t have the refrigeration equipment to do that, I buy high quality tuna already frozen into convenient bricks. Many supermarkets, like Whole Foods, carry them.

I always try to buy responsibly sourced, fair trade seafood, like this beautiful ahi tuna.

If the tuna is frozen, I let it thaw a little. If it has thawed, I return it into the freezer for about 10 minutes to firm up. That makes it easier to cut. I slice the tuna carefully into the smallest cubes I can make. Once done, I place the tuna in a bowl and put it back in the fridge until I’m ready to use it. If I feel the tuna is releasing a lot of water, I’ll put it on top of a paper towel in the fridge.

In a separate small bowl, I combine the soy sauce and the chili oil, and set it aside.

I finely chop the scallions, and set them aside.

Once the eggs have cooled, I peel them and cut them in half. I scoop out the yolks and place them in a bowl, starting with 1/4 cup of the mayonnaise, adding more if needed. I use a fork or whisk to get as many of the lumps out as possible. If I wanted to get serious, I could put them in a blender or food processor to make a creamy puree. An option is to place the puree in a piping bag and carefully squeeze it out into each egg half. I’d do that if I was serving guests. But otherwise, I simply use a spoon.

Once all the egg halves are filled, I place them on a plate and put them back in the fridge until ready to serve.

When it’s time to serve, I take the tuna out of the fridge, pouring the soy sauce/chili oil mix into the bowl with the tuna and I mix well. I let the tuna marinate for just 2 minutes, pouring off the excess marinade. I don’t want it to marinate too long, or it’ll get very salty.

I remove the plate of eggs from the fridge and carefully put a small spoonful of tuna on top of each one. I garnish with the sesame seeds and the chopped scallions and serve immediately.

It’s nice to have some crackers, toasted bread or even chips, on the side.

CHAR-GRILLED OYSTERS

Posted: June 21, 2026 in Uncategorized
Tags: cooking, dinner, food, grilling, oysters, recipe, recipes, seafood

Happy Father’s Day! I think it’s time to grill some oysters!

It’s been a few years since I visited New Orleans, and it was great to see that many of the old food destinations were still there: the Napoleon House, Café Dumonde, Acme Oyster House, and across the street from it: Felix‘s Oyster House.

My friend, Rick, told me I had to try the char-grilled oysters at Felix‘s. He hadn’t been there, but he read a lot about them and they were supposed to be amazing. Well, that’s all the encouragement I needed, and I made a beeline to Felix’s that very day.

When you think about it, it’s no great culinary feat to grill an oyster. But yet, I never thought of doing it on my own. The dozen oysters I devoured that day were buttery, garlicky, with a hint of char and smoke that made them absolutely delicious, quite easily the best oysters I’ve ever had in my life.

I knew that as soon as I came home from this trip, I would have to try to make these myself. I have to say I came pretty darn close!

If you don’t use a charcoal or wood fire to make these, you’re simply leaving out one of the most important ingredients to the entire recipe. A gas grill or a kitchen stove can cook an oyster, but the only way you can take it to the next level is by putting it on open flame, a wood-burning flame.

This recipe is good for about a dozen oysters. Using gluten-free breadcrumbs makes this recipe gluten-free.

The first step is to get your hardwood charcoal fire started. I use a charcoal chimney and newspaper–never any lighter fluid.

Once the coals are lit, head to the kitchen…

4 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated (I use Parmigiano Reggiano)
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs

Combine the butter, garlic, parsley, and cheese in a sauté pan over medium heat. All you’re looking to do is to melt the butter, so once it’s melted, take the pan off the heat and this mix is ready to use.

Shuck your dozen oysters. Remember: they will shrink a little bit while cooking, so don’t be afraid to go for bigger ones.

Lay the opened oysters in a pan, carefully trying to preserve as much of the oyster liquor (liquid) in each shell as possible.

When the hardwood charcoal has heated up, and you’ve spread the coals evenly on your grill, you are ready to cook the oysters. You want the grill to be hot.

You don’t need to put the oysters directly on the hardwood charcoal. Putting a grill over the coals is fine, and it keeps the oyster shells from tipping over.

Before placing the oysters on the grill, sprinkle each one with some of the breadcrumbs. Then place the oysters on the grill, being careful not to burn your hands!

Using a spoon, pour some of the butter mixture into each oyster shell. It will flame up! That’s OK. Use up the entire butter mixture for all 12 oysters.

The oysters are ready when you see that golden brown color all around the edges of the oyster shell, when most of the liquid in the shell has evaporated. Don’t let them dry out completely.

Using tongs, remove the oysters from the flame and enjoy! Just be careful…they can be lava hot!

CLAMS CASINO

Posted: June 17, 2026 in Food, Recipes, Rhode Island, seafood, Uncategorized
Tags: bacon, casino, CLAMS, cooking, dinner, food, recipe, recipes, seafood

I’ve had Clams Casino in many different forms. Back when I worked in Italian restaurants in New York, we would make a breadcrumb mixture, press it onto a freshly opened whole clam, and then place a small piece of bacon on top before it went into the oven. It was good, but the clam often stuck to the shell, and many people didn’t want to gulp down a whole clam like that.

Oyster knife (left) and a clam knife (right.) Different tools for different jobs.

When it was time for me to make my own recipe, I decided that I would chop the clams and mix them into the breadcrumb mix, so that every bite was the same.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/3 cup finely chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion (about a 1/2 an onion)
2 garlic cloves, squeezed through a garlic press
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup unflavored bread crumbs
1 tablespoon fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
Freshly cracked black pepper
2 dozen medium sized clams
1/3 lb. bacon, cut in small squares to fit the clam shells

Heat the olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions, and sauté them until they’re translucent. Add the garlic, and cook for 10 seconds. Add the wine and simmer for a minute. Add the bread crumbs, and stir the mixture until it becomes thicker, like a paste. Add the parsley and oregano. Season with pepper. (There’s going to be plenty of salt in the clam juice and bacon, so no salt is needed.)

Remove the pan from the heat and let it cool.

It’s time to open the clams. If you know how to do that, open them over a sieve with a bowl underneath so that the clam meats and juices are captured. Discard any broken shells, but save the good ones.

If you struggle with opening clams, this method makes it a little easier: Bring a large pot of water to boil, and drop the clams into it, about 10 at a time, for 30 seconds. Don’t let them open! Remove the clams with a slotted spoon and place them in a bowl to cool. Continue doing this in small batches until all the clams have been in the water. You’ll find this makes opening the clams much easier. Then proceed as above.

Once you’ve shucked all the clams, let the clam juice sit for a bit, so that any grit settles to the bottom of the bowl. Then pour off the clean clam juice and add it to your bread crumb mixture. (Don’t worry if it looks soggy at this point.)

I like to hand chop the clam meats instead of using a food processor. You want tasty clam chunks, not too big, but not mush. Add the clams to the the bread crumb mix.

At this point, if the clam mix looks very soggy, simply add a little more bread crumb to dry it out.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Line a large baking sheet with foil. Separate the clam shell halves and wash them, making sure you don’t have any shell fragments left in the clam shell. Fill them with the clam mixture, mounding them slightly, and placing each one on the baking sheet.

Cut the bacon in small squares to fit the clam shells. Place a small piece of raw bacon on the top of each clam.

Bake until the clams are just cooked through, the topping is golden, and the bacon is cooked, about 30 minutes.

This makes a great appetizer, but it’s hard to just eat a few!

SHRIMP AND ASPARAGUS SALAD WITH QUINOA

Posted: May 13, 2026 in Cucumbers, Food, garden, Recipes, seafood, shrimp, superfoods
Tags: dinner, food, quinoa, recipe, recipes, SALAD, seafood, shrimp, superfood

Grilling makes food taste great, but sometimes you don’t want to stand out there in a cloud of smoke while your friends are at the table, sipping wine and having a good time without you.

This is a great dish for those that want to pass on the grill for a day. It’s a delicious salad that you can serve warm or cool. You can make it the day before. Wrap it in plastic, and keep it in the fridge. Then, when your guests arrive, let it warm to room temperature. Taste for seasoning before serving. If you’re not a fan of quinoa, brown basmati rice works well, too. And use what’s fresh and in season. If you can’t find asparagus, some chopped and lightly sautéed squash works just as well.

1 1/3 cup dry quinoa (or 1 cup basmati rice)
Chicken stock
Juice of 1 lemon
2 lbs. wild-caught American shrimp, peeled and de-veined (16 to 18 count)
1 cup of asparagus stalks, cut into 1″ lengths
1/2 cup minced scallions, green part only
1 cup chopped fresh dill
1 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 English cucumber, peeled, seeded and medium-diced
1/4 cup red onion, small diced
1/2 cup seeded and chopped tomatoes
3/4 lb. good feta cheese, crumbled
Extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper

Prepare the quinoa according to the package directions, using chicken stock instead of water. Once it’s cooked, place it in a large bowl. (1 1/3 cups dry quinoa should give you about 3 cups of cooked quinoa.)

Place the chopped asparagus on a sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss them to combine and spread them out in a single layer. Roast them for just a few minutes at 350 degrees. Set them aside to cool to room temperature. (You can also simply sauté the asparagus in a pan on the stove top with olive oil, salt and pepper.)

Place the shrimp on the same sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss them to combine and spread them out in a single layer. Roast for 5 to 6 minutes at 350 degrees, until the shrimp are cooked through. Turn them once while cooking. Don’t overcook them! (again…you can simply sauté the shrimp in a pan on the stove top with olive, salt and pepper.)

Add the shrimp to the quinoa, then add the asparagus, lemon juice, scallions, dill, parsley, cucumber, onion, tomatoes, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Add the feta and stir carefully.

Set it all aside at room temperature for 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend…or, if you’re not serving soon, place the bowl in the fridge. Before serving, allow it to warm almost to room temperature. Taste it and season again, if needed, before serving.

MY VERSION OF NEW ORLEANS-STYLE BBQ SHRIMP

Posted: February 1, 2026 in barbecue, Food, Recipes, seafood, shrimp
Tags: BBQ, dinner, food, New Orleans, recipe, recipes, seafood, shrimp, wild caught

Mardi Gras is a couple of weeks away!! Here’s a great dish from New Orleans…

One of my favorite dishes to come out of New Orleans is Barbecue Shrimp, so on a visit to the Crescent City a couple of years ago, I had to make a stop at the place where it all started.

The first unusual thing you notice about the classic dish, New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp, is that it’s not cooked on a barbecue grill and it has no barbecue sauce.

So why the name?

Its origin goes back to the mid-1950’s, to an Italian restaurant in New Orleans called Pascale’s Manale. The story goes that a regular customer had just returned from Chicago, where he had dined on an amazing shrimp dish. He asked the chef at Pascale’s Manale to try to replicate it, and what resulted was actually better than the original. And though no barbecue grill or sauce was used, it is believed that they gave it the name “BBQ Shrimp” to cash in on the backyard barbecuing craze that was all the rage at the time. Whatever they call it, I have to say that it’s worth a special trip to have the dish!

The classic New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp is served with shell-on shrimp, so you have to make a big, buttery mess of yourself as you devour it. And it’s served with plenty of crusty French bread.

At home, sometimes I’ll leave out the bread and go for rice instead. And I’ll peel the shrimp completely, using the shrimp shells to make the stock I cook the rice in.

For the seasoning…

1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, very finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon granulated onion
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon white pepper

Mix all the seasoning spices and set them aside.

For the BBQ shrimp…

2 lbs. large wild-caught American shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 stick butter (4 oz.)
1/2 cup beer
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
olive oil

For the rice…

1 cup rice (I like jasmine rice)
2 1/4 cups water or seafood stock (see below)
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning

Cook the rice following the directions on the package. I like using stock instead of water when I cook my rice, so after peeling all the shrimp, I toss the shells in a saucepan full of water and I boil the heck out of it, strain it, and use that stock to cook the rice. I add the olive oil and the Tony Chachere’s (available online or at your favorite food store) to the stock before cooking the rice.

To cook the shrimp, I heat a little olive oil in a large skillet over moderate heat. Then I add the shrimp, and sear them on one side (about 30 seconds) and then flip them over to sear on the other side (another 30 seconds.) I’m not trying to cook them all the way through, just get them a bit caramelized. Then I remove the shrimp from the skillet and set them aside.

(I often serve the BBQ Shrimp over the rice with broccoli. If you want to use broccoli, add a little butter and olive oil to the same pan you seared the shrimp in. Cook until the broccoli is nicely caramelized, then remove from the pan and set aside.)

In the same skillet, I heat the butter until the foam subsides. Then I add the beer, Worcestershire sauce, and 2 teaspoons of the seasoning mix. I mix well, then add the shrimp and broccoli back in the pan, simmering for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serve over the rice!

COCKTAIL SAUCE WITH A KICK

Posted: October 3, 2025 in Food, Recipes, seafood, shrimp, Uncategorized
Tags: CLAMS, cocktail sauce, food, oysters, recipes, seafood, shrimp

I’m old school. When a cold seafood tray, filled with oysters, shrimp, clams and lobster arrives at the table, I always choose the cocktail sauce to go with it. Mignonettes are OK, but nothing makes me happier than a cocktail sauce with enough horseradish in it to curl my nose hairs!

We slurp down more clams and oysters here in New England than just about anywhere else in the country. Freshly shucked oysters and clams–or in this case–beautiful boiled wild-caught American shrimp, call for an equally amazing cocktail sauce…and this sauce kicks butt! And it features a key ingredient that you might not expect: vodka. The small amount of vodka in the mix keeps the cocktail sauce from freezing solid when stored in the freezer. Just scoop out what you need, let it thaw, and put the rest back in the freezer.

2 cups ketchup
4 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Frank’s Red Hot, or other hot pepper sauce
5 grinds of fresh black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon good quality vodka, like Tito’s

Combine all the ingredients. Store in a tight plastic container in the freezer. Scoop and thaw whenever you need it!

CHAR-GRILLED OYSTERS

Posted: June 1, 2025 in Uncategorized
Tags: cooking, dinner, food, oysters, recipe, recipes, seafood

I knew that as soon as I came home from this trip, I would have to try to make these myself. I have to say I came pretty darn close!

This recipe is good for about a dozen oysters. Using gluten-free breadcrumbs makes this recipe gluten-free.

The first step is to get your hardwood charcoal fire started. I use a charcoal chimney and newspaper–never any lighter fluid.

Once the coals are lit, head to the kitchen…

4 tablespoons salted butter
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated (I use Parmigiano Reggiano)
4 tablespoons breadcrumbs

You don’t need to put the oysters directly on the hardwood charcoal. Putting a grill over the coals is fine, and it keeps the oyster shells from tipping over.

Before placing the oysters on the grill, sprinkle each one with some of the breadcrumbs. Then place the oysters on the grill, being careful not to burn your hands!

Using a spoon, pour some of the butter mixture into each oyster shell. It will flame up! That’s OK. Use up the entire butter mixture for all 12 oysters.

The oysters are ready when you see that golden brown color all around the edges of the oyster shell, when most of the liquid in the shell has evaporated. Don’t let them dry out completely.

Using tongs, remove the oysters from the flame and enjoy! Just be careful…they can be lava hot!

GRILLED CLAMS WITH PASTA

Posted: May 18, 2025 in barbecue, CHARCOAL, Food, Recipes, seafood
Tags: barbecue, CLAMS, food, grilling, pasta, recipes, seafood

Who says you have to only cook burgers and steaks on the grill? This is one of my favorite ways to enjoy clams…and without the clam knife! I always use hardwood charcoal.

A couple of dozen (or more) little neck clams, washed and purged
1 stick (8 oz.) of unsalted butter
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

The clams should be stored in the fridge until ready to use…not in water, not on ice. Place the clams in a bowl and cover them with a wet dish towel.

About an hour before cooking, I like to purge my clams to remove as much grit as possible. I fill a large bowl with cold water, add sea salt and some corn meal to it, and mix it around. Then I add the clams to this bowl and let them sit in this liquid for an hour. They will suck up the corn meal and spit out sand and grit. After an hour, I pour off the water/salt/meal/grit mix, and thoroughly wash the clams. Now they’re ready to grill!

I start my hardwood charcoal grill and divide it in half: coals on one side, no coals on the other.

While the coals are heating up, I grab a disposable aluminum foil tray and place it on a burner on my kitchen stovetop over medium heat. I add the butter, olive oil, parsley, oregano, basil, garlic and salt, and stir it all to combine. Once the butter has melted and everything has blended, I bring the tray over to the charcoal grill and place on the side of the grill without coals. It will stay warm.

Once the coals are hot, just place the clams directly on the grill. (Use tongs, unless you want to remove all of your knuckle hair.) They’re done as soon as they open, but you can cook them as long as you like, from raw to more thoroughly cooked. As each one reaches its desired doneness, place it carefully in the aluminum tray, making sure you don’t lose any of that precious liquid inside the clam shell. Give it a swish in the butter and herb mix.

When all the clams have been cooked and are in the tray, serve them with that herby butter sauce on top of pasta…or simply eat them with a fresh baguette. A glass of great white wine is a must.

Really easy and really delicious!

POKE AND SOME DELICIOUS VARIATIONS

Posted: April 23, 2025 in Food, Recipes, seafood, Uncategorized
Tags: food, poke, recipes, salmon, seafood

When I gain some weight and need to go back on the diet, one of the major changes in my eating habits is to incorporate more seafood and less meat into my meals. Seafood has a lot more protein and fewer calories. In fact, shrimp, lobster and oysters are some of the most delicious low-calorie foods you can enjoy, running about 1 calorie per gram. It’s what you add to them–oils, melted butter, batter–that make them high in calories.

I’ve always loved sushi, but again, on a diet, I need to limit my intake of unnecessary calories, and rice is on that list. I’ve found that I can use a lot less rice, or maybe none at all, when I make poke…and I get all the satisfaction of sushi or sashimi.

My two favorite fishes to eat raw are ahi tuna and wild-caught Alaskan salmon, like sockeye. There are many great purveyors of this super-high quality seafood online, and I usually buy a decent amount of fish at one time–hermetically sealed and frozen in 4-ounce packages–to last me a long time. (The price is often much better when you buy in quantity, because they have to be shipped frozen overnight.)

Yes, please.

There are many ways to prepare poke, and the only limitations are what’s in your fridge. The first recipe, using salmon, is closer to a traditional poke recipe you’d find in a restaurant.

6.5 ounces wild-caught Alaskan salmon, in the refrigerator (thawed, if previously frozen)

1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup chopped raw cashews
1 scallion, green and white parts finely chopped

Keep the thawed salmon in the refrigerator. Remove the salmon from the fridge, and remove the skin if it is still on the fish. Cut the fish into half-inch cubes. I like to place the salmon cubes on a clean paper towel to absorb excess moisture from thawing. Then I place the salmon cubes in a bowl and put it back in the fridge while I combine the other ingredients.

In another bowl, combine the soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and lemon juice. Whisk them together.

Chop the cashews and add them to the bowl, mixing them in.

Cut the root ends off the scallions, chop the green and white parts finely, and add them to the bowl, mixing them in.

Add the salmon to the bowl, mixing gently, so that you don’t damage the fish.

Let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes, if you can wait that long, and then: eat!

My tuna poke recipes have also used similar ingredients…

More recently, I mixed up a batch of what I call my “Asian Mix,” a blend of five Asian flavors that really work well together: soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. I let my tuna or salmon marinate in this mix for about ten minutes before adding the other ingredients and feasting.

Tuna poke with lettuce, onion, pine nuts, black and white sesame seeds, rice and my “Asian Mix.”

But my proudest achievement was taking my favorite sandwich from my home town of New York, and making it into a bowl. The sandwich is an everything bagel with salmon and cream cheese, and my poke version uses just a bit of the bagel, yet you still get the flavor without all the calories. The secret is a seasoning you can buy already prepared.

3 oz. wild-caught Alaskan sockeye salmon, cubed
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 small Vidalia or sweet onion, sliced very thin
1/2 tomato, seeds removed, sliced thin
1/4 of a toasted plain bagel
1 tablespoon cream cheese
2 teaspoons Everything Bagel seasoning
1 chopped hard boiled egg

Cut the salmon into small 1/2″ cubes and place it in a bowl. Add the tablespoon of capers (including some of the brine), chopped onion and tomato. Mix gently.

Toast the bagel and use only 1/4 of it (I use that little for the sake of calories. But you can use more, if you like!) Spread the tablespoon of cream cheese on the toasted bagel, then carefully chop it up into small cubes. Add this to the bowl. Sprinkle in the Everything Bagel seasoning and the chopped hard-boiled egg, and give it all one last gentle toss.

Then take a forkful, close your eyes, and imagine you’re in your favorite New York deli!

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