Try Seafood Made On The Grill

Americans love to put beef, chicken, and pork on the backyard grill. But what about seafood?

It's easy to prepare fish and shellfish by grilling them, as chefs Marcus Samuelsson and Johan Svensson proved on The Early Show Thursday.

They're the executive chefs of New York's Aquavit restaurant, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this fall.

That's a long time for a restaurant anywhere, but especially in the competitive environment of New York.

Samuelsson and Svensson grew up in Sweden, and they make the food at Aquavit not only authentic, but modern and edgy. We're not simply talking about any old herring or Swedish meatball recipes! The food, rather than the flash, have made Aquavit a place to dine and be seen.

The menu Samuelsson and Svensson prepared Thursday allows for wonderful group entertaining — especially the grilled shellfish. It's a great, casual menu, perfect for a summer weekend party.

The same rule applies to grilling shellfish as to fish: don't overcook it. Shrimp are done when the shells turn uniformly pink. Lobster should be cooked only until opaque in the center. Oysters, mussels and clams, cook even faster. To prepare them, place them on the hottest part of the grill. They're done when the shell opens up. Remember to clean the shellfish thoroughly to remove any mud/debris from the shells.

RECIPES

Johan Svensson's Crayfish Recipe: Crayfish and Crown Dill

Crayfish 4-6 lb.
1 large bunch crown dill
4 bottle dark porter beer
1 cup brown sugar
2-3 cups of fine sea salt
1 quart water

Let the live crayfish into a sink and wash them in cold water. Let them sit in the water for about 1 hour if not longer to let them become cleaner. Bring all ingredients to a boil and when the crayfish is ready, dump all of them into the boiling pot, boil for about 2 minutes, take out and let cool down in a refrigerator. The cooking liquid should be cooled down and add more fresh crown dill into it and more salt if needed, let the crayfish soak in the brine for 2-3 days in refrigerator. Peel and eat, enjoy.

Seafood Platter with Grilled Tomato Soup

4 head-on shrimp
12 oysters
12 clams
2 lobsters
2 lemons, cut in half
2 limes, cut in half
one bunch of dill, chopped

Arrange on cutting board, salt & pepper sprinkled on top. Place the seafood on the grill. Place the oysters, mussels, and clams on the hottest part of the grill. Place oysters so that they're resting on their deeply curved halves of their shells so that their juices don't run out. Remove clams and mussels from heat when their shells open wide — after about 3 minutes. Remove oysters from heat when their shells just start to open — after about 4 to 6 minutes.

Serve seafood hot. Garnish with the lemons and limes plus the dill prior to serving. People can squeeze the citrus juice over the seafood if they wish.

Grilled Tomato Soup with Avocado

4 servings

2 tablespoons olive oil
6 tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic
1 red chili, seeds removed
juice from 2 limes
1 cucumber, peeled and seeds removed
1 teaspoon chopped basilica
1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
1 avocado, sliced

Brush the tomatoes, garlic and chili with the olive oil before putting them on the grill. Grill for 5 minutes, turning occasionally and then transfer to a blender. Mix well. Add lime juice, cucumber and the rest of the olive oil and mix until smooth. Fold in the herbs before serving, garnish with avocado. Serve on the side, or as a dip.

Grilled Potato Salad

Serves 4 to 6

1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
8 medium red or white waxy potatoes
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon grated fresh horseradish
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons finely chopped pickled ginger

Combine the olive oil and mustard seeds in a small saucepan and bring just to a simmer over low heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest possible level (use a flame diffuser if you have one) and let infuse — the oil should barely bubble — or 1 hour. Remove from the heat and let cool. Grill the potatoes for 18 to 20 minutes, or until fork-tender. Use a small, sharp knife to peel the potatoes, cutting away about a quarter-inch of flesh with the skins. Slice the skins in half, and set aside. Cut the potatoes into quarter-inch-thick rounds and put in a salad bowl. Put the mustard in a small bowl and gradually whisk in the cooled olive oil and mustard seeds. Whisk in the lime juice, balsamic vinegar, and grated horseradish (if using), and season with salt and pepper. Add the pickled ginger and the reserved potato skins to the potatoes, then add the dressing and toss well. Serve.

Tuna Burger With Cabbage Tzatziki

Makes 4 sandwiches

1/2 pound tuna steak, cut into 1/4-inch dice
6 large sea scallops, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 tablespoon finely chopped pickled ginger
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon Thai red chile dipping sauce or sweet chili sauce
1 teaspoon wasabi powder
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 small squares focaccia or small soft rolls
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for brushing
4 tomato slices
1 cup Cabbage Tzatziki (recipe follows)

In a medium bowl, combine the tuna, scallops, pickled ginger, garlic, cilantro, chile sauce, wasabi, and lime juice, mixing well. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand for 10 minutes, then transfer to a strainer set over a bowl to drain off any excess liquid. Split the focaccia in half and toast lightly. Brush the cut sides with a little of the olive oil. Shape the tuna mixture into 4 patties. Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add the tuna burgers, reduce the heat to medium, and cook, turning once, for 2 minutes on each side, or until golden brown; be careful not to overcook — the tuna should be medium-rare. Put a slice of tomato on the bottom half of each of four squares of focaccia and top with a tuna burger. Spread the tzatziki over the tuna, cover with the tops of the focaccia, and serve.

Cabbage Tzatziki

1 cup yogurt
3 garlic cloves
Juice of 1 lime
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
3 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
Kosher salt

Combine the yogurt, garlic, lime juice, dill, and parsley in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Put the cabbage in a bowl, add the yogurt mixture, and toss to coat. Season with salt to taste.

Lobster Skewers with Couscous-Avocado Salad

4 servings

Four 1-1/2 pound lobsters
1 cup couscous
3/4 cup olive oil, divided
2 grapefruits, peel and white pith removed, segments cut from membranes
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, divided
2 teaspoons chopped mint, divided
2 ripe avocados, pitted, peeled, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 tomatoes, cut into quarters
2 garlic cloves
Grated zest and juice of 2 limes
Salt

Soak 8 bamboo skewers in water for at least 30 minutes. Prepare a hot grill fire. Fill a lobster pot or large stockpot with salted water and bring to a boil. Working in batches if necessary, add the lobsters and boil for 5 minutes. Remove the lobsters from the water and let cool. Meanwhile, prepare the couscous according to the package directions. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then add the grapefruit segments, chili powder, half the cilantro, half the mint, and the avocados and toss again. Remove the meat from the lobster claws and tails and cut into 2-inch pieces. Alternate the lobster and tomatoes on the bamboo skewers. Set aside. Combine the remaining cilantro and mint, the remaining 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, the garlic, lime zest, lime juice, and salt in a blender and blend until smooth. Brush liberally over each skewer. Place on the grill and grill, turning once, for 3 minutes on each side, or until grill marks appear and the lobster is just cooked through. Serve with the couscous salad.

Grilled Open Faced Salmon Sandwich

Serves 4

4 4oz. salmon filets, cut on a bias
3 tablespoons olive oil
8 thick tomato slices
8 thick red onion slices
2 tablespoons Sweet Mustard Sauce (recipe follows)
1/2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste
4 slices dark rye or multigrain bread
Romaine lettuce leaves
1 avocado, sliced
1 lime, quartered

Preheat grill. Brush the salmon slices with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and place on the grill for 2 minutes on each side. Combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, 2 tablespoons Sweet Mustard Sauce, cilantro, and salt and pepper. Dip the tomato and onions in the oil mixture, and char for 1 minute per side. Grill the bread for 30 seconds. Brush the remaining Sweet Mustard Sauce on the bread slices, then top with the romaine, the charred tomato and onion, the avocado, and the salmon. Squeeze the lime juice over the top and serve with the Potato Ginger Salad.

Sweet Mustard Sauce

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Juice from 1 lime
1 tablespoon honey

Whisk together.