5 Sizzling Summer Seafood Recipes

1. Tropical Grilled Tuna Salad

This salad makes a great summertime lunch or light dinner. The fresh ginger makes all the difference. If you can’t find apricot preserve, orange marmalade will work instead.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup apricot preserve
• ¼ cup crushed pineapple
• ¼ cup hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 bag baby spinach
• 2 large mangos, peeled and diced
• ½ cup fresh papaya, chopped (optional)
• 16 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
• Bottled raspberry vinaigrette
• 4 tuna steaks

In a zip-top bag, combine preserves, pineapple, hoisin sauce, lime juice, cilantro, ginger, and oil. Shake to mix well, and add tuna. Allow to marinate in the fridge for about an hour, and then grill over medium heat to desired doneness.

In a large bowl, toss together the spinach, mangos, papaya (if using), and tomatoes. Top salad with tuna and dress with the raspberry vinaigrette. Add a zesty kick to the tuna marinade with one finely diced jalapeño pepper and ¼ teaspoon each ground cumin, red pepper flakes, and dried thyme.

2. Refreshing Shrimp Ceviche

Serve this light and flavorful ceviche with tortilla chips or on tostadas with shredded lettuce.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound small or medium shrimp, peeled and de-veined
• 1 cup fresh lime juice, plus the zest of one lime
• ¼ cup fresh lemon juice
• 10 ripe plum tomatoes, deseeded and diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded and diced
• 1 medium cucumber, deseeded and diced
• 2 avocados, diced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper

Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl or large zip-top bag. Let the ceviche marinate in the fridge overnight. Toss gently before serving. You can find different versions of ceviche throughout Mexico and South America. Mix it up by replacing the shrimp with finely diced tilapia filets, and adding a rib of celery (diced) and two chipotle peppers, drained and diced.

3. Baja Fish Tacos

A California favorite, these delicious tacos will quickly become a requested meal at your house.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound fresh cod or Mahi Mahi filets, cut into 3 ounce pieces
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 1 beer, any kind (Mexican beers work great–try Corona or Modelo)
• ½ cup Mexican crema
• ½ cup mayonnaise
• Juice of one lime
• 1 jalapeño pepper, deseeded and finely diced
• ½ teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 bag shredded cabbage mix
• Corn tortillas
• Oil, for frying

Make the fish batter by mixing together flour, salt, and cornstarch. Add egg and beer and gently stir. The batter will be lumpy. Dip fish into batter and fry in a deep fryer set at 375, or in a deep frying pan on the stove. Fry until a deep golden brown, and set on paper towels to drain until ready to serve.

While the fish is cooking, pour mayo into a glass bowl and mix in the crema, lime juice, jalapeño, cumin, and cayenne. Assemble the tacos by placing one or two pieces of fish in a warm tortilla and topping with shredded cabbage and a dollop of sauce.

You can lighten these tacos up by skipping the batter. Marinate the fish in a combination of extra virgin olive oil, orange juice, cilantro, and chili powder. Then grill or sauté, wrap in warm tortillas, and top with cabbage and sauce.

4. Juicy Grilled Salmon

Quick and delicious, this recipe takes the fish to the grill, keeping your kitchen clean and fresh. Serve with a fresh salad and grilled corn on the cob for a complete meal.

Ingredients:

• 4 salmon steaks
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¾ cup lemon juice
• 3-4 green onions, chopped (white and green)
• 1½ tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• ½ teaspoon chopped fresh basil
• Salt and pepper

Combine oil, lemon juice, green onions, parsley, rosemary, thyme, and basil in a glass bowl. Whisk well. Set aside ¼ cup of the marinade and pour the rest over the salmon. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

Remove salmon and discard used marinade. Grill over medium-high heat, basting often with reserved marinade, for about 10 minutes per side, or until fish flakes easily when cut with a fork.

Not a salmon fan? Use swordfish instead! Its meaty texture lends itself well to this marinade. Add ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper and the zest of one lemon to your marinade.

5. Unstuffed Red Snapper

Stuffed fish is scrumptious but tedious. This recipe captures those flavors without the work. Don’t want to heat up the kitchen? Skip the oven and take this hearty fish to the grill instead.

Ingredients:

• 6 red snapper fillets
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¾ cup Italian seasoned bread crumbs
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 rib celery, diced
• 1 cup cooked shrimp, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• ½ cup jumbo lump crabmeat
• 1½ tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter and add bread crumbs. Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously until the bread crumbs are toasted. Immediately remove the bread crumbs to a large mixing bowl. In the same skillet, melt another tablespoon of butter and cook the onions, celery, and garlic until soft but not browned.

Add the onion mixture to the breadcrumbs and gently fold in shrimp, crab, cilantro salt, and pepper. Season snapper fillets with salt and pepper, place in a baking dish, and top with bread crumb seafood mix. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Make an equally delicious, but a bit more budget-friendly, version of this tasty dish by replacing the lump crab meat and shrimp with oyster mushrooms and canned shrimp. The cooking time remains the same.