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'Wich of the Week: Fried Oyster Po'boy

YumSugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 14:00:07 -0800

If you're a fan of oysters, you may be sneaking the seafood into your Thanksgiving stuffing. But the batter-fried bivalves are even more divine stuffed inside a sandwich — in this case, the famous New Orleans French-bread creation known as an oyster po'boy or oyster loaf.Just how divine is the oyster loaf? In the 1800s, the sandwich was nicknamed la mediatrice or "the peacemaker," because husbands brought them home to placate angry wives. Some skeptics wonder how a po'boy is different from a sub or a grinder, so for further insight and two great recipes,

Fast & Easy Dinner: Spicy Mussels and Chorizo

partysugar — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 06:45:15 -0800

Every year, the night before Thanksgiving, I like to treat my family to a luxuriously delicious dinner. I usually choose a dish (like pasta or seafood) that is simple to make, not too rich, and has nothing to do with the traditional flavors of Thanksgiving.

Tonight I'll be serving up a huge pot of mussels. The plump shellfish is cooked in a fragrant broth of crushed tomatoes and white wine. Spanish chorizo provides a spicy meatiness to the sauce that is so scrumptious you'll want to lick the bowl!

To get the recipe — I'm pairing mine with crusty bread and a green salad —

Monday's Leftovers: Roasted Cod With Sesame Mushrooms

YumSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 06:45:44 -0800

After a full weekend of birthday bashes and dinner parties, I'm feeling like something light for dinner tonight. I've got some leftover cod, and I'm going to roast it and serve it alongside sesame scented shiitakes and bok choy.

I'll be forgoing richness but not flavor, with fragrant sesame oil, loads of garlic, and lime packing a punch on my plate. To serve up this recipe, which is quick, elegant, and delicious,

Sunday Slow Cooker: Hearty Fish Chowder

YumSugar — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 06:00:18 -0800

Making seafood in a slow cooker can be tricky, but this hearty fish chowder is a rare gem.

The key is to add the fish in the last hour, so as not to overcook it. Cream of celery soup and milk powder add richness and body to the stew; chunky potatoes, stewed tomatoes, and legumes add texture.

To make this effortless meal,

Fast & Easy Dinner: Sole Fillets With Artichoke Pasta

YumSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 10:30:34 -0800

This dinner is just what you're looking for if you want something that's tasteful but not time consuming or fussy. Pair lightly skillet-fried sole with an almond sauce and a lemon-artichoke pasta, and you've got the perfect meal for a casual Friday night.

If you can't locate Petrale or Dover sole, try another mild-flavored flat whitefish, such as flounder, sand dabs, turbot, or halibut. Learn how to make it when you

Eat More Oysters, Fight Cancer?

YumSugar — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 03:00:44 -0800

The shellfish known as the oyster has long been thought to have aphrodisiac properties, but now researchers at Louisiana State University have come up with yet another reason to eat them: they may help prevent and treat cancer.

Oysters contain fat compounds called ceramides, which researchers found can restrict the growth of breast-cancer cells as well as prevent the formation of blood vessels, which inhibits cancer from spreading. In a seven-day study, cancer growth decreased by 57 percent.

In case you're wondering, both raw and cooked oysters apply. The only exception would be the use of fat-reducing grills, because ceramide is found in oil, which is lost when using a tilted grill. Does this finding make you want to eat more oysters?

Source

Noteworthy Nibbles — Nov. 11-17, 2008

YumSugar — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 14:00:57 -0800

Oenophiles, rejoice: This week is packed with wine tastings around the country. Perhaps everyone's gearing up for the holidays, or brainstorming early pairings for Thanksgiving. I'll take the wine, whatever the reason. In fact, we'll be at SF Wine Week — maybe we'll see you there!

Boca Raton, FL: Taste of the Grape — Nov. 11
San Francisco, CA: SF Wine Week — Nov. 11-15
Kona, HI: Kona Coffee Cultural Festival — Nov. 11-16
Springfield, MO: Wingapalooza — Nov. 12
San Diego, CA: San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival — Nov. 12-16

To see the rest,

Fast & Easy Dinner: Seafood Linguine

partysugar — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 06:45:08 -0800

Linguine with clams is one of my favorite recipes, so I'm constantly searching for new ways to recreate the classic Italian dish. This variation adds in scallops and white fish to make a robust, filling pasta. Diced tomatoes give the sauce a rich, red tint. The recipe is incredibly versatile. If you dislike scallops, add more clams, or substitute shrimp. Fresh marjoram can be pricey; luckily, parsley and basil are more affordable, just-as-fresh herb options. To check out the recipe,

Mussels Myths Debunked

YumSugar — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:15:36 -0700

When preparing mussels most people abide by the rule that any mussels still closed after cooking should be thrown away. However, some scientists claim this is simply an old wives' tale and that the rule is actually a myth. Nick Ruello, an Australian fisheries biologist, cooked and ate more than 30 batches of mussels for a seafood report. Of those mussels, 11.5 percent were still closed after cooking, but Ruello found he could safely eat each one of them after forcing the mussels open with a knife.

The abductor muscles in live mussels keep the two halves of the shell together. When the shellfish are cooked, the heat denatures the proteins of (pardon the pun) mussels' muscles, so they come unstuck from their shells. However, even if the abductor muscles refuse to disintegrate in the heat, the meat has been cooked at a high enough temperature that it is safe enough to eat.

The one exception? If mussels are open before they've been cooked (and don't close up tightly when tapped), then they're dead, and not fresh enough to eat under any circumstance. Have you ever pried open a cooked mussel that was closed shut? Will this new piece of information change the way you eat the shellfish?

Source

Noteworthy Nibbles — Oct. 28-Nov. 3

YumSugar — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:00:33 -0700

This week is all about quality over quantity: There aren't as many festivals on our radar, but all of them are can't-miss events. The Giant Omelette Celebration is sure to be an egg-cellent time. Now that we have yet another excuse to drink beer, let's enjoy some at the Great World Beer Fest. And a festival that's all about tamales? Who couldn't get behind that?!

Know of anything we've left out? Drop us a line in the comments below!

Denver, CO: Denver International Wine Festival — Oct. 29-Nov. 1
Terlingua, TX: International Championship Chili Cook-Off — Oct. 30-Nov. 1
New York, NY: Great World Beer Fest — Oct. 31-Nov. 1
Apalachicola, FL: Florida Seafood Festival — Oct. 31-Nov. 1

To see the rest,