• Scallops are a mild and tender seafood that takes on the flavor of what it’s given. Sauteed with a sauce of dry white wine, minced shallots and butter, it’s a delicacy, McNally said. But, maybe the cost-conscious shopper doesn’t want to spend $19.98 a pound for large, statement-sized sea scallops. A reasonable compromise is the smaller bay scallop at $8.98 a pound, he said. A trained chef, he warned that the bay scallops will cook much quicker (less than a minute per side in a hot pan – essentially “flashing them,” as opposed to about two minutes per side for sea scallops.) But both can be prepared by patting them dry, searing them in olive oil or clarified butter in a hot pan, and then pouring a shallot-white wine sauce on top of them.” You can finish with a pat of butter and a little fresh parsley for color. Whether you’re using sea scallops or bay scallops, “they’ll be delicious,” he said.
• Colossal Gulf shrimp at $14.98 a pound (to be shelled and deveined at home) are scrumptious sauteed in clarified butter for two to three minutes per side then served with a sauce of sauteed minced garlic, white wine and butter, McNally said. But, a nod to the pocketbook can be made by purchasing tiger or white shrimp at a cost of about $9.98 per pound. Known as easy-peels (the shell is on but can be easily pulled off and the shrimp already is deveined,) they take about 90 seconds per side to cook and can be served with the same sauce. The look is not as impressive as with the larger jumbo or colossal shrimp, but the taste is comparable, McNally said.
• Fresh ahi tuna at $21.98 per pound is luscious served medium-rare by searing in a pan with clarified butter after patting the fish dry. With a steak an inch-and-a-quarter in thickness, it’ll take three to four minutes per side. But, if that price is too dear, you can opt for frozen ahi tuna at $10.98 a pound. Thaw overnight in the fridge and it’s ready to go for dinner. McNally acknowledges the loss of some of that fresh-from-the-sea flavor but, again, deems it a reasonable compromise. The same kind of compromise can be had with cod: instead of buying fresh Atlantic cod at $10.98 a pound, you can get frozen Pacific cod at $4.98 a pound. McNally recommends baking uncovered in a pan with a few tablespoons of drawn butter and a couple of drops of water to create steam. After laying the cod in the pan and curling the tail to tuck underneath the thicker part of the fillet, sprinkle it with fresh bread crumbs, salt, pepper and parsley. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes.
Pan-Seared Shrimp With Sherry Vinegar Reduction
PG tested
The glaze of the sherry vinegar was perfect with the sweet shrimp, which I served with Parmesan polenta.