The temperature’s rising and the sun’s staying out longer. It’s finally warm outside, but not too hot. May’s the perfect month for outdoor entertaining. So fire up the grill and invite some friends over for a gastronomic get-together over seafood small plates.
Why small plates? If you frequent the Richmond restaurant scene, you’ve probably noticed a proliferation of tapas, small plates, heavy starters and small bites that allow you to sample a variety of dishes that you can share rather than having to choose only one entrée. If you’re cooking at home, you can offer your guests the same multi-flavor delight with an enticing combination of dishes that encourage conversation and sharing.
When you make small plates, you can time all your menu items to be finished at once or stagger your preparation throughout the evening and place items out for guests to nibble on at a leisurely pace. The tasting atmosphere encourages guests to socialize and graze, making for a much less stressful environment for the host!
Seafood lends itself to the tapas style because you can buy just the amount you need. Whether it’s one fish filet or a quarter of a pound of shrimp, you can purchase as much or as little as you want. Seafood is also perfect for outdoor preparation because fishy aromas will float away with the summer breeze. If you’re new to cooking seafood, small plates are an easy, inexpensive way to experiment because you can make smaller portions of a few dishes without spending lots on large quantities of fish.
If you don’t have actual small plates, don’t fret. Use saucers. Skip the silverware and stick to fancy cocktail toothpicks and napkins. You can even use newspaper in place of tablecloths for a “fresh-from-the-market” casual look. Talk about easy setup and cleanup!
When you’re creating your menu, make sure to include a range of fish and shellfish to please everyone’s taste buds. If you’re inviting guests who may be hesitant to sample fish, Ukrop’s executive chef Tom Pearce suggests serving a dish with mild white flaky fish like sole, flounder or tilapia.
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How to choose fish in-store:
- Fish fillets and steaks should look moist, bright and translucent. Ukrop’s has fresh seafood delivered daily to ensure the best quality.
- Fish should have a fresh smell like the beach or sea, not an unpleasant fishy odor.
- If you’re buying a whole fish, look for shiny, bright skin, bright eyes and moist, red gills.
- Make sure lobsters are alive and look lively.
- The shells of clams, oysters and mussels should be tightly closed.
- Shrimp should not have an ammonia odor or black spots.
Storage:
- When you buy fish, refrigerate it as quickly as possible. If your fish is sitting in its own juices, rinse before refrigerating. All seafood is best eaten the day you buy it. If you aren’t going to use it within two days, you can freeze fish. Make sure to wrap it tightly and store it in a cold freezer.
- Store live shellfish in the refrigerator. Do not wrap them in plastic because they need to breathe. You can loosely wrap them in a damp dish towel and set them in a bowl or pan.
Go forth and grill:
- Cooking fish on the grill may seem intimidating, but it’s actually pretty simple. Here are some tips to get you started.
- Make sure your grill is clean. You may want to lightly brush it with oil or nonstick cooking spray to prevent the fish from sticking.
- Ukrop’s executive chef Tom Pearce says the key to grilling fish is to make sure your grill is extremely hot: “You should hear a sizzling noise when you put something on a grill.” Fish will be more likely to stick to a lukewarm grill.
- Oily fish is less likely to stick to the grill. Whole fish with the scales still on also will not stick. You can remove the skin and scales after cooking.
- If you’re using a marinade, soak the fish for at least two hours. A marinade that’s heavy in sugar can cause fish to stick to the grill as the sugar caramelizes, so marinades with little or no sugar are easier to work with.
- Before putting fish on the grill, drain off excess marinade. You can make extra marinade and use it to baste the fish as it grills. Just don’t baste with the marinade the fish was soaking in as it may contain bacteria.
- Season fish and brush with a thin film of oil. Chef Pearce’s favorite way to flavor fish is with a simple blend of olive oil, salt and pepper. “The fresh fish flavor is so great by itself that you don’t even need lemon juice,” he says. If you do want more flavor, Pearce suggests skipping the popular bottle of Italian dressing and making a marinade with salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco. Place the fish on a hot grill and grill both sides until they’re well charred. Flip fish once it’s cooked about 60 percent of the way through.
- You can remove fish from the grill when it’s cooked to medium rare because it will continue to cook as it sits. Chefs call this term carryover cooking. “You will traditionally gain 5 to 10 degrees in internal temperature with carryover cooking,” Pearce says.
- You can place clams, oysters and mussels directly on the hottest part of the grill. Cook them until the shells open then discard any unopened shellfish.
- Place shrimp on a skewer and watch them closely because they cook fast. Chef Pearce enjoys serving shrimp as a “tasting off the grill” during a party as guests wander by and smell all the delicious cooking aromas.
- When you grill scallops, place them on a skewer and put them flat side down on the grill. This way they will pick up more flame-grilled flavor.
- You can also cook fish on the grill in aluminum foil. This will prevent it from sticking, but will also prevent it from picking up the flavors from the grill. It will taste like fish that’s been cooked en papillote. If you want to try this style, chef Pearce suggests using your favorite fish filet, salt, pepper, olive oil and your choice of fresh herbs. “It actually steams the fish,” he says.
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Seafood Selection
If you’re new to the seafood case, choosing a type of fish may seem intimidating. Here are some tips and suggestions for our premium seafood varieties.
[1] Fresh Tuna
Ukrop’s fresh tuna is premium, sashimi-grade fish. Alan Warren, director of meat and seafood calls it “the best tuna money can buy.” Because tuna is often cooked rare, quality is important to ensure fresh flavor. Cook tuna just until the flesh changes color on the outside. For an easy, tasty meal, pick up pepper-crusted tuna with teriyaki butter in the chef-crafted ready-to-cook meat section.
[2] Tilapia
Tilapia is a flaky fish with a light, mild flavor. It’s an ideal choice for anyone who’s new to seafood. The delicate flavor tastes delicious cooked simply with lemon juice. If you marinate it, do so for a short time as tilapia picks up flavor quicker than some other fish.
[3] Salmon
Salmon has recently experienced a surge in popularity because of its high amounts of omega 3 fatty acids and low amounts of mercury. Cook salmon with the skin on. Once it’s cooked, the skin is easy to peel off. Salmon is done when the color begins to change and the texture becomes flaky. Our salmon is fresh all year long, but our customer-favorite Copper River wild salmon will be arriving in stores in the beginning of June!
[4] Fresh Swordfish
Our fresh swordfish is of the same premium sashimi-grade quality as our tuna. The firm, steak-like quality of this fish makes it perfect for preparing on the grill. When selecting in-store, look for fish that ranges in color from white to pinkish beige without any brown. When cooking, you’ll know swordfish is fully cooked when the outside is opaque but the inside is moist.
[5] Scallops
Our wild-caught scallops are some of the biggest you’ll find. Their soft texture and sweet flavor make them another good option for those who are new to seafood. Cook scallops lightly for the best flavor and texture.
Time Saving Tip: If you’re in a pinch, pick up our pre-made marinated seafood kabobs! Our chefs make tuna, shrimp and scallop kabobs every morning and marinate them in our delicious Joe’s Market Grilling Sauces for you to take home and enjoy. All you have to do is pop them on the grill and serve. They make an easy addition to any party or tasty dinner when you’re in a hurry. Joe’s Market makes it simple to go gourmet every day. |
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Seafood Small Plates Worth Sampling
Tuna Sliders with Chives
Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 pound fresh tuna steaks, minced
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup fresh chives, chopped
2 eggs
1/3 cup panko crumbs
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
garlic salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 Ukrop’s Artisan bread rolls or White House Rolls
Preparation: Mix tuna, carrot, onion, chives, eggs, panko crumbs and mayonnaise together in a bowl. Season with garlic salt and black pepper. Form into about 8 patties. Place on a hot grill and cook for about 5 minutes per side or until golden. Serve on rolls topped with wasabi mayonnaise or Joe’s Market Honey Ginger Teriyaki Grill Sauce. |
Mexican Swordfish Kabobs
Serves: 4 | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
1 garlic clove, halved
2 6-ounce swordfish steaks, about 1 inch thick
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1 jar Joe’s Market Roasted Pineapple Poblano Salsa
Preparation: Rub garlic over fish. Cut steaks into bite-size cubes and place in a small ziploc bag. Add lime juice, salt, pepper and cumin to the bag and seal. Marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning once. Remove from marinade and thread on skewers. Cook on a hot grill for 3 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily. Remove from grill and spoon salsa on top of skewers or serve on the side for guests to drizzle. Serve over Spanish rice if desired. |
Barbecue Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp
Serves: 8 | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
4 slices Ukrop’s bacon
8 large Ukrop’s All-Natural Shrimp
1 bottle Joe’s Market Classic Southern Barbecue Sauce
Preparation: Cut bacon strips in half. Wrap each shrimp in a piece of bacon. Place on a hot grill and cook for about 4 minutes per side or until shrimp are cooked through. Brush with barbecue sauce or serve sauce on the side for dipping. |
Honey-Ginger-Teriyaki Grilled Scallops by Joe’s Market Chef Eugene Peay
Serves: 5 | Prep Time: 30 minutes | Cook Time: 4 minutes
Ingredients:
10 jumbo-size scallops
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 bunch chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 bottle Joe’s Market Honey Ginger Teriyaki Grill Sauce
Preparation: Combine all ingredients and let stand for 30 minutes. Grill scallops for about 1 minute per side and allow to rest. Serve with sweet corn bread if desired. |
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Calendar of Events and UVC Discounts
Ukrop’s Day at The Diamond UVC Discount - May 4
Receive half priced tickets to Richmond Braves seating when you show your UVC card OR receive one General Admission ticket for free if you bring two or more cans of food to donate to the Central VA Food Bank. (804) 359-4444
or www.rbraves.com.
Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure - May 10
Join the fight against breast cancer and be a part of the 11th Annual Komen Richmond Race for the Cure at Kanawha and Dominion Plazas (8th and Canal Streets). For more information,
visit www.komenrichmond.org.
Greater Tuna at Barksdale Theatre at Hanover Tavern UVC Discount Through - June 15
Offer: Save $3 off of the $38 single ticket price with your UVC Card. Donate canned goods at each performance to the Hanover County Department of Social Services and help families in need. 13181 Hanover Courthouse Road. For more information, call (804) 282-2620 or visit
www.barksdalerichmond.org
Maymont - UVC Discount Throughout May
UVC members can enjoy free tram rides (save $3 for adults and $2 for children) and receive Maymont member discounts on programs. Just show your UVC card to the tram driver or mention that you are a UVC cardholder when reserving your program.
Richmond Kickers UVC Discount
When: 2008 Richmond Kickers
Regular Season Home Games
Where: University of Richmond Stadium
Offer: Show your UVC card at the gate for $2 off each general admission ticket. G.A. tickets are regularly $12 for adults and $7 for youth (4-17). Kids under 3 are admitted free.
More info: Call (804) 644-KICK or visit
www.RichmondKickers.com.
Luray Caverns UVC Discount Through October 31
A U.S. Natural Landmark, Luray Caverns features paved walkways, cathedral-sized rooms, towering columns and crystal-clear pools. Come hear the haunting sounds of the world’s only Stalacpipe Organ. Show your UVC Card and save $4 off each adult ticket (13 years and up) to Luray Caverns. Not valid with any other discount. Limit of 6.
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Learn more about Outdoor Kitchen Creations
and receive a $50 coupon. Click here.
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