Summertime Seafood Celebrations

When seafood meets summer, you can be sure that there are delicious meals on the horizon. There are options for everything from the long-planned Fourth of July backyard barbecue to the impromptu picnic in the park. Whatever your outdoor dining pleasure, seafood will help fill the bill.

Here we'll show you three such ways (recipes by Carol Foster, CCP) to celebrate summer and seafood. We start off with a barbecue that features a change of pace, not a big elaborate operation, but a casual and tasty meal you can put together anytime. Rather than just tossing a piece of fish on the grill (which, granted, can be delicious), we semi-smoke some Simply Seafood® Boneless Wild Keta salmon. The fish marinates briefly in a flavorful brine before grilling with wood chips to accentuate the flavor. Suggested accompaniments include a smoked corn and potato salad and raspberry-walnut salad.

Then, let's head for the water. Even if you don't have a boat, it's easy to appreciate the mix of sun, breeze and salty sea air that whets the appetite. And you don't need a boat to enjoy this menu. Take a ferry ride, rent a canoe or just set up a kiddie pool in your backyard and use your imagination. Hibachis are a favorite boat-top cooker, so no one has to overheat the galley for this menu, which features smoke trout rillettes and lemon-garlic grilled cod, with roasted vegetables and bruschetta alongside.

Now, back to that picnic. You can be on the banks of a rippling mountain stream or in a haven of green within the cityscape. It doesn't matter. All you need is a loaf of bread, a jug of wine and thy seafood. Maybe try some smoked fish or cold poached shrimp, with a piece of cheese and some fruit. With just a little more effort, you can have a great spread that includes lemon-mustard shrimp and some lightly seasoned sesame noodles, as you'll find in our suggested menu. So, grab a basket, grill and beach blanket. Toss together some of these tasty, easy, seafood-on-the-go recipes and head outside for some delicious summer fun.

Summer Shrimp Picnic

Whether your picnic spirit leads you to a favorite secluded hideaway or merely to a neighborhood park, summer's warm sun is enough to inspire a picnic under almost any conditions.

Whether your picnic spirit leads you to a favorite secluded hideaway or merely to a neighborhood park, summer's warm sun is enough to inspire a picnic under almost any conditions. But that same sunshine does mean that you need to take special care with your menu selection. Seafoods that are fully cooked are the best choice, and they should be kept chilled until eaten (to be safe, foods should spend as little time as possible between temperatures of 40 F and 140 F).

After cooking the noodles, chill them thoroughly in cold water (add a handful of ice cubes if your water is tepid) or in the refrigerator. It's best to chill the shrimp overnight. Ideally, chill foods in the container in which you'll be taking them. Just before leaving, pack them in an insulated chest or bag with plenty of ice stored in large resealable plastic bags tucked under, over and all around food containers. This ice stays clean and can be used to chill drinks or allowed to melt into drinking water.

To finish the meal, take along some fresh, sweet melon accented with zesty ginger. Cut peeled, ripe melon into wedges, chunks or balls; for color and flavor contrast, consider a mixture of cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelon. Mix the melon with finely crystallized ginger and sprinkle with finely shredded mint or basil just before serving.

Menu

• Lemon-Mustard Shrimp
• Sesame Noodles

Semi-Smoked Salmon Barbeque

This menu revolves around the grill as a light smoker. For the accompanying salad, you can smoke/grill some potatoes and corn before the salmon goes on.

The salmon cures for two hours in a dry brine of salt and brown sugar, like the first step before smoking salmon over very low heat. In this version, however, the salmon is grilled over hot coals just as you would ordinarily grill fish fillets or steaks. Smoke chips are added for a light smoky flavor. The brine and smoke cause several subtle changes in the fish: the outer surface becomes a deep, rich, orange, and the flesh inside is a slightly brighter pink-orange, still very moist. The brine lends a saltiness to the outer surface (it does not penetrate the flesh) that complements the smoky, rich flavor of the interior.

For an interesting twist on green salad, make a simple vinaigrette dressing with raspberry vinegar, walnut or olive oil, Dijon mustard and honey. Add crumbled goat cheese, toasted chopped walnuts and fresh raspberries to salad greens, toss with the vinaigrette and enjoy.

Lemon and fresh berry tarts make a spectacular finish to a barbecue. Make individual tarts or a standard-size tart and fill with either homemade or purchased lemon curd. Top with fresh berries such as sliced or halved strawberries, raspberries, blueberries or blackberries.

Menu

• Simply Seafood® Semi-Smoked Boneless, Pre-Portioned Whole Wild Keta Salmon Fillet

Marine Cuisine

Nothing whets the appetite for food and camaraderie faster than glorious sea air. Unfortunately, the same conditions don't entice us to cook, particularly in cramped galley quarters where space is slim. For pursuing the pleasures of both the palate and the water, some strategies follow.

This savvy menu gets the host out of the galley to savor the great outdoors while cooking

This savvy menu gets the host out of the galley to savor the great outdoors while cooking, starting off with hors d'oeuvre that is prepared at home. The rest of the menu is cooked on deck.

Versatile smoked seafood rillettes, similar to a pâté, can be made up to two days before cruising. Left over, it's delicious served as a warm sauce for pasta, a flavored butter or a sandwich spread. Make a sumptuous Caesar salad easily with romaine lettuce, pre-shredded Parmesan cheese, packaged croutons and bottled Caesar dressing. Just before serving, combine the ingredients in a resealable plastic bag and toss until well blended.

Depending on your schedule, marinate the Simply Seafood® Boneless Wild North Atlantic Cod quickly at room temperature or refrigerate it up to three days ahead. Brush asparagus, green beans, halved tomatoes, or sliced zucchini, summer squash, onions, or red potatoes with olive oil and grill them alongside the fish. Turn the vegetables at least once, cooking until just tender, and season with salt and pepper. For the bruschetta, brush thick slices of Italian bread with garlic butter, olive oil or pesto and grill until golden on both sides.

Drunken strawberries make a sophisticated, no-cook, after-dinner delight. In a bowl or resealable plastic bag, sprinkle trimmed strawberries with sugar to taste. Toss gently and let rest during dinner. Divide the berries among bowls or acrylic wine glasses and pour red wine over the. Sit back and savor a no-fat dessert and after-dinner drink in one.

Menu

• Smoked Trout Rillettes
• Simply Seafood® Lemon-Garlic Grilled Boneless Wild North Atlantic Cod

Smoked Corn and Potato Salad

These few steps can be done just before putting the salmon on the grill. You may need to add a few more briquettes and another handful of smoked chips to the grill before cooking the fish.

Boil or microwave small red potatoes until tender. Let cool, then cut in half. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper; set aside until ready to grill.

When the grill is hot, toss some soaked wood chips on the fire and grill the potatoes until golden, 4 to 6 minutes (grilling them in a grill basket can make it easier). Oil husked ears of corn and place them on the grill after grill after the potatoes are cooked. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, turning occasionally to grill evenly.

Cut the kernels from the cobs and put them in a large bowl with the potatoes. Toss with sliced green onions and a basic vinaigrette (2 Tbsp. olive oil, 1 Tbsp. vinegar, 1 tsp. Dijon mustard).