Cooking with Carafoli: Gifts From the Sea

Grilled, Baked, Steamed, Sauced & Marinated

Summertime on Cape Cod is always about the sun, the sea, and fun. It is also about entertaining guests and dining on fresh food. Here are five of my favorite seasonal recipes. The giant lobster is dinner for two, but the basic procedure and flavoring can also be suitable for smaller crustaceans. Also, read the sidebar to see what to do with the lobster shells. The salt-encrusted whole haddock makes for a spectacular presentation for summer dining. Harvesting mussels from our shores can become a fun family or friend affair. Afterward, try them steamed in a coconut curry sauce. If the flavor of curry is not to your taste, steam them in white wine, garlic, and fresh herbs. The striped bass ceviche is always a winner and can be used as a starter with any of the recipes below. Enjoy our gifts from the sea!

Menu

Grilled Lobster

Salt-Encrusted Whole Fish

Mussels Cooked in a Coconut Curry Sauce

Grilled Striped Bass

Striped Bass Ceviche

Preparing a Live Lobster for Baking or Grilling

Place the lobster on its back. Take a sharp, pointed knife and quickly insert it between the eyes to a depth of at least ½ inch. This will sever the spinal cord and kill the lobster instantly. Then, continue drawing the knife down the length of the lobster to the beginning of the tail, leaving the back shell connected. Spread the lobster as flat as possible on a baking pan. Remove the gravel sac (between the eyes), the stomach, the intestinal tract and the green tomalley (liver). If it is a female lobster, leave the dark coral. The coral will turn bright orange when cooked and is quite delicious. Crack the claws with the back of a knife. They will cook more evenly.

Why Dry Roast Spices?

It is essential to dry roast all spices before using them. Doing so brings out the oils in the spices, adding a more fragrant flavor to your cooking. Otherwise, they will have a raw taste.

Add all the spices needed in a particular recipe to a skillet over medium-high heat. Start with whole spices, then add the ground spices, so they don’t burn in the time it takes to roast the whole spices. Shake the pan so they toast evenly until they release their fragrant aromas, being careful not to burn them; this takes 1to3 minutes. Add the spices to your recipe when needed.

Wine & Beer Suggestions

Summer dining on Cape Cod is typically a relaxed and casual affair following a day of outdoor activities.

As the temperature is higher and the sun is at its brightest, your beverage choices should reflect this festive and fun season.

A natural choice for hot summer evenings is well-chilled beer. From Belgium, Duvel, with its smooth flavor and high alcohol content, will pair well with grilled fish or lobster and also with the creamy coconut milk in the steamed mussels.

Scattered Peaks Fumé Blanc 2022, around $18 a bottle. This Sauvignon Blanc from Napa, California, is an ideal wine for any of the seafood recipes here. With just a touch of oak, a bright floral bouquet and its light lemon color, this is sure to please you and your guests. Be sure to pick up two or three bottles, just in case. There is nothing worse than running out of wine at a party.

If purchasing your pairings from one of our local breweries or wineries, ask them to guide you to comparable local options.