Fish | Diva Entertains Blog

Red Curry Chicken & Shrimp

January 9, 2012 Leave a Comment

I had never made curry before, but thanks to an article in Fine Cooking magazine I had great success the very first time. They teach, as I’ll show you below, how to make a flavorful curry base. From there, simply add your choice of protein (meat, chicken, seafood or Tofu) and vegetables. I chose chicken, shrimp, asparagus and mushrooms but it is really up to you as to what you want to use.

Let me also say upfront that I quickly gave the chicken, shrimp and vegetables a quick stir fry because I wanted them to develop more flavor (and browning does that) than just by cooking in the curry base but you definitely don’t need to do that. If you choose not to, just add to the broth (I’ll tell you when in the recipe below) and simmer until cooked through (approximately 3- 5 minutes for the protein and vegetables).

Keys for success: 1) Have all your ingredients prepped and chopped prior to any of the cooking. This will make the entire cooking process much easier and organized. 2) If you are going to stir-fry your ingredients first, before adding to the curry base, make sure your pan is very hot. You want to quickly brown them a bit – but not necessarily cooking 100% through – you can finish them off while simmering in the curry base.

Red Curry Chicken and Shrimp (adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, Apr/May 2011)

Serves 4

For the curry base:

1 (13.5 to 14 oz) can of coconut milk (you can use light if you’d like)
1/4 cup red curry paste
1 cup lower stock chicken broth

Shake the can of the coconut milk well. This is important because shaking helps create a consistent thickness since the fat often solidifies at the top of the can.
In a 3 to 4 quart saucepan or wok, simmer 1/2 cup of the coconut milk, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half, 3 to 5 minutes. It will get very thick (light coconut milk will thicken but it won’t get very thick) and shiny and may or may not separate, either is fine.
Add the red curry paste whisk well and cook, continuing to whisk for 1 minute. Whisk in the broth and the remaining coconut milk and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
If you were going to add your protein and vegetable without first stir-frying – this is the time to do it. Also add the light brown sugar and fish sauce (see below). Cook for 3 to 5 minutes and taste or cut to ensure these ingredients are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper if desired; Serve!

The rest of the ingredients:

1 lb. chicken, thinly slices (1/4″)
1/2 lb. of shrimp
1 1/2 cups asparagus, cut into bite-size pieces
1 1/2 cups Shitake mushrooms, sliced (you can use any mushroom: button, cremini, oyster, etc.)
3 tsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. brown sugar, more to taste if desired
1 tsp. fish sauce, more to taste if desired

If you are going to brown your protein and vegetables prior to adding them to the curry base, start doing so when the coconut milk is reducing. Add 1 1/2 tsp. oil to a pan, get it very hot (over medium-high heat) and then add the shrimp and chicken and cooking for about 2 minutes, turning once. Remove to a plate. Add another 1 1/2 tsp. oil and then do the same thing with the vegetable.
When vegetables are done add them to the curry base. Also add the chicken and shrimp. Add the brown sugar and fish sauce and simmer for 1 minute. Taste to see if dish needs salt/pepper/more sugar (for sweetness) or fish sauce. Adjust seasonings and serve!

Turn to Diva Entertains when looking for exceptional party favors!

Scallops With Orange Sauce

December 19, 2011 1 Comment

I’ve been eying this recipe for quite some time but didn’t make it because my husband doesn’t care for scallops. But when my friend Sally from the Bewitching Kitchen blog posted it and raved about it – I knew my time had come. I love an orange sauce for fish, seafood and chicken and this recipe didn’t disappoint. Further – it is simple to make, taking only minutes. And you can even make it ahead of time. And, because of the way the sugar in the sauce is cooked, it also has a hint of caramel taste to it.

Quick enough for a week night dinner and elegant enough for weekend company!

Scallops In Orange Caramel Sauce from Dorie Greenspan

2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup orange juice
1 lb sea scallops
2 teaspoons olive oil
salt and freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon cold butter, cut into 3 pieces

First, make the sauce. Mix the orange juice and white wine in a small bowl and reserve. Sprinkle the sugar into a small saucepan. Place the pan over medium-high heat and warm the sugar until it starts to melt and color. As soon as you see the caramel in the pan turning brown, begin to gently swirl the pan. About 3 minutes into the cooking time, when the sugar is deep caramel in color, stand back and add the orange/wine mixture. It will bubble and spatter, just keep stirring with a wooden spoon, and boil until the sauce is reduced by half — you should have about 1/3 cup. Pull the pan from the heat and set it aside. If not using the sauce immediately, you can keep it for a couple of days in the fridge.

Pat the scallops dry between two paper towels. Put the saucepan with the caramel sauce over very low heat so that it can warm while you cook the scallops.

Put a heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat. When the pan is hot, pour in 1 tsp olive oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the scallops, season them with salt and pepper, add a little more oil if needed, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until the scallops are firm on the outside and just barely opaque in the center. Transfer the scallops to a serving platter.

Check that the caramel sauce is hot, remove the pan from the heat and toss in the butter, bit by bit, swirling the pan until the butter is melted and the sauce is glistening. Season the sauce with salt and pepper, then drizzle some over the scallops, serving additional sauce at the table.

Turn to Diva Entertains when only exceptional party favors will do!

Filed Under: Fish, Recipes Tagged With: orange sauce for fish, orange scallops, scallops with orange sauce

Crispy Salmon

October 10, 2011 1 Comment

My all time favorite way to cook salmon is what I call “Crispy Salmon”. As you can see, the flesh forms a succulent, crispy crust that is also incredibly flavorful. The amazing part of this pan-fried, healthful salmon recipe is that there is no oil (olive or otherwise) in this recipe. The only ingredients are salmon, salt and pepper! How can this be? Salmon is an oily fish (good oils!) and because of this, the oil exudes as it is cooked and the salmon actually cooks in its own juices.

Also – its a cinch to cook. The method employed also works for chicken and pork. Read on…..

Crispy Salmon Recipe

non-stick cooking spray
salmon fillets
kosher salt
freshly ground pepper

Spray a non-stick or metal pan with non-stick cooking spray. This is essential so that the salmon fillets don’t stick.
Season each fillet, flesh side up, with salt and pepper.
Heat the pan over medium-high heat. When very hot, place each fillet, seasoned side down, in the pan. Cook until until a pale border develops around the entire piece of fish – 3 to 5 minutes depending on the thickness of your pieces. Then flip the fillet over and continue cooking another 1 to 3 minutes (again – it depends on the thickness of your fish and how well you like it cooked. Best the first time or two of making this to make a small cut after 1 minute to text for doneness*.). Remove from pan; plate and serve.

*Although many like their salmon cooked through thoroughly (so the fillet flakes easily and there is no pink to the interior), others prefer there salmon cooked more to a medium with some pink on the inside.

Diva Entertains is your source for great party favors!

Filed Under: Entrees, Fish Tagged With: crispy salmon, crispy salmon recipe, easy scones, fried salmon recipe, healthy salmon recipe, heart healthy salmon recipe

Glazed Salmon Recipe with Asian Flare

July 25, 2011 1 Comment

I’m always looking for new ways to cook Salmon. Glazes are a quick way to add a lot of flavor and this glazed salmon recipe does exactly that. It combines many ingredients from the Asian aisle of your supermarket, as well as a bit of ketchup and brown sugar. Instead of the ketchup you can use all Hoisin sauce (4 Tbsp. instead of 2) if you’d prefer.

This recipe comes from Cooks Illustrated magazine and the original recipe includes searing the salmon first on the stove top and then finishing it in the oven. Searing the salmon creates a wonderful crisp crust but, quite honestly, you can skip that step, streamline your efforts and still serve a terrific dinner by just covering the salmon with the glaze and broiling it. That’s what I’ve done here. In a future post I’ll introduce crispy salmon that is best served on its own (no glaze or sauces).

Asian Glazed Salmon (glaze recipe from Cooks Illustrated, Jan/Feb 2011)

Serves 4

2 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
2 tsp. Asian chili-garlic sauce
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
4 salmon fillets, 6 to 8 oz. each

Whisk ingredients together in a small saucepan. Bring to boil over medium-high heat; simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
Meanwhile, spray a broiler pan with non-stick cooking spray. Place your oven rack 6 to 8 inches from the top heating element (in my oven that is the second to top rack).
Pat each salmon dry with paper towel and then place on the broiler. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon enough glaze over each fillet to cover completely, spreading with a knife or the back of a spoon.
Broil fish 6 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of your fillet (rule of thumb for fish is 10 minutes per inch). If you are unsure, check fish after 6 or 7 minutes, cutting into one fillet to check for doneness.
Plate and serve.

Diva Entertains offers exceptional party favors; most are exclusive to our site! Check out our custom Cupcake Wrappers!

Filed Under: Fish Tagged With: glazed salmon, glazed salmon recipe, hoisin salmon, soy salmon reciep

Orange Glazed Salmon with Carmelized Onions

May 9, 2011 Leave a Comment

We had this orange glazed salmon last night and it was a feast for the eyes and mouth! The caramelized onions, which sit atop the crispy fish, are so easy to make as well as the perfect accompaniment for the fish. Although easy enough for weeknight fare, I know this will fast become one of my ‘company dishes’.

This recipe, from 2008, came from a magazine called Cooking Pleasures. The recipe needed a few changes to give the glaze more sticking power and deeper flavor. The recipe below is the one I’ve adapted.

Keys to success for this glazed salmon recipe: 1) Caramelized onions are sweeter than sauteed because of the caramelization process which brings out an ingredient’s natural sugars. Sweet onions will work best in this recipe because of their naturally higher sugar content. But you can use regular cooking onions too. Simply taste it after they’ve been cooked and if they aren’t sweet enough add 1 tsp. of brown sugar to the pan, stir and cook for another minute or two, and then taste again. 2) Reducing the sauce is important, otherwise it will not be thick enough to adhere well to the fish. Reducing, like caramelization, is another technique to concentrate flavors.

Orange Glazed Salmon with Caramelized Onions

2 tsp. olive oil
2 1/2 cups thinly sliced sweet onions, such as Vidalia
1/4 tsp. salt
1/3 cup orange juice
4 tsp. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. grated orange zest
1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. honey
1 Tbsp. orange marmalade
4 salmon fillets

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Cook onions with 1/4 tsp. salt about 4 minutes until onions begin to turn golden brown, stirring frequently. Reduce heat and cook another 5 minutes or until tender. Taste for sweetness. If the onions aren’t sweet enough add 1 tsp. brown sugar and cook, stirring frequently, for another minute. Taste again and repeat if necessary.
Meanwhile, combine orange juice, vinegar, orange zest and rosemary in a small bowl; remove and reserve 2 Tbsp. for glaze. Add remaining mixture to onions, cook, uncovered 2 or 3 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated. Whisk mustard, honey and orange marmalade with the reserved glaze. Put glaze in a small saucepan and bring to a heavy simmer and let it reduce until it begins to thicken, about 2 or 3 minutes.
Turn on the oven to broil and set the rack about 6 to 8 inches from the heating element. Prepare a broiler pan or a baking sheet by spraying with non-stick cooking spray. Place fillets on the pan or sheet and, using a spoon or basting brush, cover the pieces with the glaze. If the glaze isn’t thick enough to stick, return the glaze to the stove top and reduce some more. Once the glaze is on the fish, broil for 6 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of your salmon (the rule of thumb is 10 minutes for a piece 1″ thick).
Put a piece of salmon on each plate and then top with a generous serving of the caramelized onions (they will need to be briefly reheated while the salmon is cooking). Serve and enjoy!

Diva Entertains has fun, Personalized Candy Bar Wrappers and Lottery Ticket Holders – both guaranteed to delight your guests.

Filed Under: Fish Tagged With: glazed salmon, orange glaze for fish, salmon recipe

Parmesan Lemon Tilapia with Capers

March 28, 2011 1 Comment

Diva Entertains Lemon Tilapia

We have tilapia quite a bit in our house. It is relatively inexpensive, the frozen fillets are usually of excellent quality and the mild flavor of the fish is complimented by whatever sauce is served with it.

This is a pan sauce meaning that it is quickly made right after the tilipia is pan-sauteed. You remove the fish, make the sauce, and then serve the fish with the sauce spooned over it. Or, after you make the sauce, you can return the fish to pan so that it is ‘sauced’ in the pan. I like to serve this meal with rice and spoon any remaining sauce over the rice.

Instead of dipping the fish in butter or an (whole) egg before dredging it in the Parmesan-flour coating, this recipe calls for dipping it in an egg white. Egg whites produce an incredibly crispy coating which is why I employ this method so often while pan-sauteing fish. Although this is a wonderfully quick dish for a weekday meal, it is also a great dish for entertaining. Simply double or triple the quantities listed below.

Parmesan Lemon Tilapia with Capers

Serves 2

zest and juice from one lemon
2 Tbsp. flour
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tilapia Fillets
1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. white wine
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 Tbsp. capers
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into two 1 Tbsp. portions
salt and pepper to taste

Combine zest, flour and Parmesan on a plate or in a food storage bag*. Add the egg white to a shallow bowl or pie plate.
Spray 12 inch skillet with non-stick baking spray. Add olive oil to skillet and heat on medium-high.
When oil shimmers, dip one fish fillet in the egg white, coating each side and letting excess drip off. Then place fish in bag or plate and coat each side with flour-Parmesan mixture. Shake excess coating off fillet and add fish to skillet.
Cook until sides of fish lighten considerably, about 3 – 4 minutes. Turn fish over and cook another 4 minutes or so depending on the thickness of your fillet. (To tell if the fish is done, gently cut into a thicker part of the fillet – if it easily flakes it is done.) Remove fish to plate and tent with foil.
Add wine to skillet and deglaze skillet for 1 – 2 minutes. Add chicken stock and cook for 2 minutes. Add lemon juice and capers and stir to combine well. Add butter and stir until melted and combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste
Remove fish from foil tent and place on two plates. Spoon sauce over each piece of fish. If there is remaining sauce put in small bowl or gravy dish and bring to the table to pass.

*I save the clear, plastic bags that I put fruit and vegetables in at the grocery store and use them for times like this. Anytime that I need to dredge something in flour (typically fish or chicken) I mix the coating in the bag and then add the the fish (or chicken) to the bag and shake to have the coating adhere to it.

It’s so nice to be given a party favor that you would actually use! Diva Entertains most popular, practical favor are our Wine Opener Favors. This key chain shaped like a mini wine bottle contains a corkscrew and retractable blade.

Filed Under: Fish

Salmon with White Wine Caper Sauce

October 14, 2010 Leave a Comment

Diva Entertains Salmon in White Wine Sauce

I wish I were a food stylist/photographer so that I could convey how incredible this recipe is. But alas – I never took a ‘real’ picture before this past January when I decided to blog and, well, my presentation skills are not the best. But this recipe is!

This recipe, from Erath Vinyards, has long been a favorite with the recipe group I’m a part of. But I never got around to trying it until recently. Dumb move. Because this could easily be one of the best fish recipes I’ve had. Perfect when you are having company and want a meal that your guests will take pleasure in (and hopefully rave about, at least a bit:).

The original recipe calls for Pinot Gris but any dry white wine will work beautifully.

Salmon with White Wine Caper Sauce (adapted from the original)

Serves 4

1 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 large garlic cloves, thinly slices lengthwise
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium red bell pepper, peeled, seed and 1/4″ dice
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 1/2 Tbsp. capers

1 Tbsp. olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.
1 1/2 to 2 lb. salmon fillet, skin removed, cut into four portions

Rub the salmon with soy sauce and refrigerate for 1 hour. Return to room temperature before cooking (30 minutes).
In a medium skillet, cook the garlic in oil over moderate heat until the garlic turns light brown; don’t let garlic burn. Remove and discard the garlic.
Add the peppers to the oil, and cook over low heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and bring to boil and reduced slightly, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and return to to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer until thickened, 6 – 8 minutes.
Season the salmon pieces with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to a large skillet and heat on medium-high. When very hot, add the salmon to the skillet. When the edge of the salmon turns a lighter shade and the fillet is nicely browned (4 – 5 minutes), turn over and finish cooking, another 3-5 minutes depending how you like your salmon done. Remove salmon to plates.
While salmon is cooking, rewarm the sauce over low heat. Stir in the mustard and capers. Spoon a generous serving of the sauce over each piece of salmon and serve, bringing extra sauce (if there is any) to the table.

Diva Entertains has a large selection of beautiful and Unique Baby Shower Favors including Baby Shower Tree Seed Favors, an eco-friendly gift to your guests.

Filed Under: Fish

Salmon with Honey Mustard Horseradish Sauce

September 20, 2010 Leave a Comment

Diva Entertains Grilled Salmon with Honey-Horseradish-Mustard Sauce

Honey mustard salmon has been a popular dish for as long as I can remember. The sweet of the honey mixed with mustard’s sharp bite – well, it just works. This honey mustard horseradish sauce is a bit of a different take on it, one that we really liked. The sauce calls for some chopped mint too – do include if you have access to fresh mint, it adds a wonderful flavor dimension to it. Best of all, you can pull the sauce together in a matter of minutes.

As for the salmon, you can bake, broil, or grill it. I’ll simply provide directions as to how to prep the salmon for the way you choose to cook it. The rule of thumb for fish is that it takes 10 minutes per inch to cook. However, some people prefer their salmon more translucent on the inside and others prefer it well done. So actually cook time could be anywhere from 6 – 10 minutes.

Salmon with Honey Mustard Sauce (recipe adapted from Bobby Flay)

1/4 cup Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. whole-grain mustard
3 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish, drained
2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh mint leaves
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lbs of salmon fillets
2 Tbsp. canola oil

Whisk together the mustards, honey, horseradish, mint and 1/4 tsp. of salt and 1/4 tsp. of pepper in a small bowl. Let sit at least 15 minutes before using. Can be made 1 day in advance but do not add the mint until just before using. Bring to room temperature before using.
To prepare salmon, brush with the oil and season with salt and pepper. Then cook your preferred way (bake, broil or grill).

Diva Entertains has an extensive line of Wine Favors. Her latest addition to her line is her Wine Centerpieces. These cork cages can be filled with candy, flowers, candles – you name it.

Filed Under: Fish

Pan Sauteed Fish with Carrot Ginger Sauce

September 2, 2010 Leave a Comment

Diva Entertains Pan Sauteed Fish with Carrot-Ginger Sauce
When I told my husband that I was making Pan Sauteed Fish with Carrot Ginger Sauce, well, let’s just say it did not go over well. He dislikes carrots. Really, really dislikes them. But I remembered having a similar sauce in a Japanese restaurant once and just loved it. And knew he would too. So I made it…and he loved it.

The carrots lend sweetness and and gives the sauce its vibrant color. But what it really tastes like is an Asian inspired sauce with a gingery sweetness to it. And its easy to make – the sauce can even be made a day or two ahead of time and kept in the fridge until needed.

The sauce would be great served with most any fish: red snapper, tilapia, tuna, grouper, etc. So choose your favorite and get cooking!

Pan Sauteed Fish with Carrot Ginger Sauce (adapted from Fine Cooking Magazine, June/July 2010)

Yield about 2 cups, serves 4 to 6

Carrot Ginger Sauce

1 Tbsp. canola oil
2 Tbsp. chopped shallot
1 3/4 cups lower-salt chicken broth; more as needed
6 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large dice (about 2 cups)
2 Tbsp. reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp. grated (or finely chopped) fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. Asian sesame oil

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over low heat. Add the shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not brown, about 2 minutes. Add the broth and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir in the carrots, return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer until the carrots are just tender, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool at least 15 minutes before blending.
Pour the carrot mixture into a blender and add the soy sauce, ginger, rice vinegar, honey, and sesame oil. Puree until smooth. Pour the sauce into a fine strainer set over a bowl and gently press it through the strainer with a spatula or spoon. Discard the solids. If the sauce seems thick, thin with additional broth to the desired consistency.
Return to saucepan and rewarm right before serving.

Pan Sauteed Fish

1 Tbsp. olive oil
4 fish fillets
2 Tbsp. flour
salt and pepper to taste

Spray large skillet with non-stick cooking spray. Heat olive oil in skillet on medium-high heat.
Put flour and salt and pepper on plate (or in a plastic baggie). Dredge fillets flour for a light dusting on each side.
When oil shimmers, add fillets to skillet. Cook until edges turn lighter in color about 1/4″ around the fillet. Turn over and cook another 1 to 2 minutes until fish is done (when the fillet flakes easily). Remove fillets to plate. If you weren’t able to fit all fillets into the skillet at once, repeat cooking process, adding a bit more oil to the skillet.
To serve, drizzle carrot ginger sauce over each piece of fish. Bring remainder of sauce to the table in a bowl for extra drizzling.

Everybody *loves* to receive a party favor that they can eat. And Diva Entertains large selection of Edible Favors includes cookies, chocolate, beverages and more!

Filed Under: Fish

Ravigote Sauce for Fish

August 2, 2010 Leave a Comment

Diva Entertains Ravigote Sauce for Fish

When onions and tomatoes abound at the farmer’s market (or in our own garden), this is a recipe we frequently make. Ravigote sauce is usually made with onions, capers, fresh herbs infused with olive oil and vinegar. But this Ravigote recipe is a bit different. It calls for the addition of tomatoes, one or two types of cured olives, and lemon juice instead of vinegar.

This “no bake’ recipe is basically some chopping of vegetables and herbs and a bit of seasoning. It’s fantastic with any type of fish (salmon, tuna, grouper, snapper, etc.) whether poached, baked, grilled or sauteed. Make it earlier in the day and keep it refrigerated until you need it – allowing for at least 30 minutes to 1 hour for it to come to room temperature before serving.

One last thing. The recipe below is more a concept than written in stone. If you want to add an ingredient, delete an ingredient, up the amount of an ingredient based on your tastes – by all means do so!

Ravigote Sauce for Fish

Serve 4

1/3 cup finely chopped onion*
1/3 cup coarsely chopped parsley
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 plum tomatoes** – halved, seeded and cut into 1/4″ dice
1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped cured olives
1 Tbsp. drained capers***
1 large garlic cloved, minced
3 to 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients through the olive oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Let stand at least 30 minutes at room temperature prior to serving.
To serve, either spoon a portion of the Ravigote sauce over each piece of fish or bring the sauce to the table and let others serve themselves.

*You can use any time of onion here. Spring onions or red onions are what we usually use.

**Plum tomatoes are recommended because they are firm and hold up to chopping best. But use whatever tomato you prefer or have available.

***Capers are very salty. I like to rinse them first to remove a bit of it and then season to my taste with salt and pepper once all the ingredients have been added.

Filed Under: Fish