Seafood Recipes - Seafood & Freshwater

The best fish is, of course, the one you just caught. The first thing you need is someone to clean it, and I have always arranged to fish with one such person.

Below you will find seafood recipes for boiled lobster, shrimp and fried oysters and freshwater fish recipes for southern fried catfish and crappie...better known as white perch.

The most important part of cooking seafood and fish...don't overcook. Cook just until flesh can be easily flaked.

Southern Fried Catfish

Southern Fried Catfish served with cole slaw, hushpuppies, french fries, and a slice of lemon. It's a southern tradition.

  • 2 lb. dressed catfish
  • 1/4 c. evaporated milk
  • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
  • pepper to taste
  • 1/2 C. flour
  • 1/4 C. corn meal

Clean fish, wash and pat dry with paper towel.

Roll fish in flour-meal mixture. Fry fish in hot oil for 4-5 minutes or until fish is browned and done. Drain.

Kitchen Hint - To Remove fish odors from dishes and utensils add a tablespoon of vinegar or ammonia to washing water.

Stuffed Crappie

Stuffed Crappie or Bass is delicious served with spinach salad, french fries, a lemon slice and hot bread.

  • 3/4 lb. crappie, boiled, meat pulled off bones
  • 2 Tbsp. parsley, chopped fine
  • 3 Tbsp. onions, chopped fine
  • 2 buttons garlic, minced
  • 1 c. bread crumbs
  • 4 Tbsp. vegetable oil or enough to mix preceding ingredients to make a firm mixture
  • 2 sticks oleo, melted
  • 4 oz. vinegar
  • 4 oz. Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 button garlic minced

Scale and clean fish cutting head and tails off, leave cavity for stuffing.

Mix parsley, onions, 1 button of garlic, minced, bread crumbs, the boneless boiled fish, with 4 tablespoons of the vegetable oil making a fairly firm mixture.

Score fish on one side only. Salt and pepper fish. Rub fish with 1 button of minced garlic. Fill cavity of fish with mixture.

Put foil in bottom of baking dish, lay fish in pan uncovered.

Bake in 325 degree oven until meat lifts from bone. Baste periodically with Butter Sauce.

Butter Sauce

Melt oleo, add vinegar, worcestershire and garlic. Keep mixture warm, serve with fish.

Shrimp Jambalaya

Shrimp Jambalaya, is a delicious meal to serve your family. Add some hot bread and sweet tea to the menu and you have a meal that is sure to fill up the whole family.

  • 3 Tbsp. shortening
  • 2 Tbsp. flour
  • 1 1/2 cup onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup green peppers, chopped
  • 1 cup celery, chopped
  • 1 clove garlic
  • salt to taste
  • red pepper to taste
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 2 lb, raw peeled shrimp
  • 1 can whole tomatoes
  • 1 small can tomato sauce
  • 2 cups raw rice

Heat shortening, add flour and let it cook slowly - until golden brown, stirring constantly.

Add onions, peppers, garlic, celery. Cook slowly until transparent, stirring often.

Then add tomatoes and let cook until oil rises to top. Stir in raw rice, raw shrimp and 2 1/2 cups water.

Cook uncovered, over low heat until rice is tender. Add more oil and water if mixture appears to be too dry.

Garnish with minced parsley and green onion tops. Serve hot.

Boiled Shrimp

Boiled Shrimp, delicious served with a green salad, corn on the cob and garlic bread.

  • 5 lbs. fresh shrimp, not shelled
  • 1 small can red pepper
  • 2 bags crab boil, weighted so it will not come to top of water
  • 1 small bottle Tabasco sauce
  • 1 lg. bottle lemon juice
  • 1/2 box non iodized salt
  • 4 or 5 garlic cloves, halved
  • 4 or 5 med. onions, sliced

Use large kettle to hold amount of shrimp being used, allow for enough water, about 3/4 full after other ingredients have been added.

Bring all above ingredients and water to a boil and let simmer for 5 minutes.

Add shrimp and cook until done. About 10 minutes are depending on size of shrimp, but do not overcook.

No sauce necessary. Serve Chilled.

Shrimp Quiche

Delicious Shrimp Quiche is great served for a brunch, lunch or dinner. Add a simple salad and a slice of lemon. Simply Delightful.

  • 6 oz. peeled, deveined shrimp or 1 C. shrimp
  • 1 c. shredded, processed cheese
  • 1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 c. grated onions
  • 1-2 oz. pimento (optional)
  • 2 c. milk
  • 1 c. bisquick
  • 4 eggs
  • 3/4 tsp. salt
  • Individual pie shells or unbaked pie shells

Layer peeled shrimp into unbaked shell.

Break cream cheese into pieces, placing on top of shrimp.

Add onions, pimento, salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle grated cheese over other ingredients.

Mix Bisquick, milk and eggs together and pour into pie shell over all other ingredients.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30 - 40 minutes. Do not overcook. Should be lightly browned but still soft in middle.

Marinated Shrimp

This marinated shrimp is excellent as an appetizer, they can be used for a shrimp salad, or as a main dish course.

  • 5 lbs. raw shrimp in shells, cooked and cleaned
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 1/2 cup vinegar
  • 1 1/4 cups finely chopped celery
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped green pepper
  • 4 tablespoons grated onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 5 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 4 tablespoons paprika
  • 3/4 cup horseradish

Place shrimp in large deep bowl.

In a large mixing bowl combine remaining ingredients, mix thoroughly and pour over shrimp.

Cover and marinate in refrigerator for 24 hours before serving, stirring occasionally.

Serve chilled

Fried Oysters

These fried oysters will be a hit when served with cole slaw, hushpuppies, french fries, and a slice of lemon. it's a southern tradition.

  • 6 medium oysters, per person
  • very fine bread crumbs
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 egg slightly beaten
  • 1 tablespoon of milk

Drain, wash 6 medium oysters per person under cold water. Dry between towels. Use very fine bread crumbs, seasoned heavily with salt and pepper.

Dip oysters into bread crumbs, then into 1 egg slightly beaten with 1 tablespoon of milk, then into the crumbs again. Have the fat very hot.

Use 2 parts bacon fat to 1 part butter. Fry oysters until golden brown, drain on absorbent paper and quickly transfer to a hot platter. Serve immediately!

Fried oysters can be delightful or they can be soggy with grease and they can easily be overdone. This is not always due to poor cooking, mostly it is because the oysters are fried too far ahead of serving time. Avoid this!

Oysters Rockefeller

Oysters Rockefeller, great dish to serve at a dinner party. Be sure to choose the freshest oysters you can

  • 2 pkg. frozen spinach
  • 4 green onions
  • 2 large stalks celery
  • 1/4 bunch parsley
  • 1/4 head lettuce
  • bread crumbs
  • 1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp. anchovy paste
  • salt
  • Tabasco sauce
  • Parmesan Cheese

Cook spinach and drain

Chop onions (tops and all), celery, parsley and lettuce.

Blend spinach until well pureed in blender.

Add all chopped ingredients. Blend well. Add enough bread crumbs to absorb any moisture.

Blend in Worcestershire sauce, anchovy paste, salt and tabasco to taste.

Place sauce on oysters on half shell.

Sprinkle tops with grated Parmesan cheese.

Bake in 400 degree oven until tops are brown, about 30 minutes.

This recipe makes enough sauce for about 5 dozen oysters. Serve with sliced lemon.

Crawfish Etouffee

Crawfish Etouffee, an old friend of mine gave me this recipe and I will never try another.

  • 2 lbs. crawfish tails
  • 2 lg. onions
  • 1 stalk celery
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 med. green peppers
  • 1 stick butter
  • chopped parsley
  • chopped onion tops
  • salt
  • red and black pepper
  • fat from crawfish
  • 1 tbs. flour
  • 1 cup water

Mince onions, celery, bell peppers and garlic. Cook, minced vegetables in melted butter over low heat. Cook slowly for 30 minutes or until vegetables are golden brown.

Stir in 1 tablespoon flour. Add crawfish tails and crawfish fat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add one cup of hot water according to desired thickness of gravy. Let simmer in a covered pot until tails are tender.

Add onion tops and parsley. Serve over a bed of hot rice.

Baked Red Snapper

This Baked Red Snapper recipe, is delicious served with a corn salad, steamed broccoli, cherry tomatoes and cauliflower and a baked potato. Garnish with parsley and a lemon wedge.

  • 1 (2 1/2 pound) dressed red snapper, head and tail intact
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 tsp peeled and minced ginger root
  • 1 tsp. reduced sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 tsp. white vinegar wine
  • 1 tsp sesame oil
  • 1 tsp sesame oil

Make 3 deep diagonal slashes on both sides of snapper.

Combine garlic, ginger root, soy sauce, vinegar and oil in a bowl; rib mixture on inside and outside of snapper.

Place snapper in a 15 1/2 x 10 1/2 x 1 inch jellyroll pan coated with cooking spray.

Cover tail loosely with aluminum foil and bake at 325 for 30-40 minutes, or until snapper flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Transfer to a platter and garnish with parsley and a lemon wedge.

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