The holiday season is upon us. This means extra cooking, more entertaining opportunities, and parties where bringing a dish is common. But how many more basic cheese balls and fruit or veggie trays does one really want to see? This year, stand out from the crowd with a delightful seafood appetizer.
For those who have spent a day aboard the Finest Kind, chances are good that you have some great fish on hand for creating seafood appetizers that are delightful for both the taste buds and the eyes -after all, we eat first with our eyes! So, get out your calendar and start deciding which dish(es) to make for what party – you know you can’t wait. J
Seafood Appetizers to Tantalize the Taste Buds
From grouper and snapper to shrimp and crab there are many ways to incorporate seafood into a holiday event. Here are a few to get you started.
Crab Mushroom Caps
Shrimp & Cucumber Bites
Seafood Phyllo Cups
Bacon-Wrapped Snapper
Cajun Grouper
Cheesy Seafood Dip
Seafood Cream Cheese Ball
Seafood Salsa
Crab Mushroom Caps
Ingredients
2 lbs. mushroom caps (can be Portobello or Bellas)
1 lb. crab meat
1 Tbs. minced garlic
1/4 cup finely diced bell peppers (any color)
2 tsp. onion powder
1 Tbs. Italian seasoning
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1 Tbs. Worcestershire
2 eggs
Salt & Pepper to taste
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350* F
Gently clean mushroom caps using a damp paper towel. (Do not run them under the water!) Take off the stems and spoon out any gills. (opt. you can also cut off the end of the stems and dice them to go into the filling mixture).
Place the prepared mushrooms caps “bowl-side” up on a baking sheet.
Mix the remaining ingredients together thoroughly. If the mixture seems to wet, add a bit more Parmesan cheese or some bread crumbs.
Spoon filling into the mushrooms.
If desired, sprinkle some extra parmesan on top.
Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes.
*These are great for entertaining as the filling and prep work can be done ahead of time, then the dish can be put together just before the event starts.
Shrimp and Cucumber Bites
Although this calls for shrimp, it could easily be done with grouper, snapper or any other white fish that you have caught while fishing aboard the Finest Kind!
Ingredients
2 English cucumbers – sliced into ¼” rounds
1 lb. shrimp (26-30 count)
4 oz. cream cheese – softened
½ tsp. garlic
½ tsp. parsley
½ tsp. oregano
Package of Old Bay
(If you wish to save a step, use the herb infused Boursin cheese spread in place of the cream cheese and seasonings.)
Directions
Steam shrimp in Old Bay, drain well and let cool. When the shrimp is cool enough to handle, peel the shrimp, taking off the tail.
If not using Boursin, mix garlic, oregano, and parsley into cream cheese. Feel free to adjust seasoning levels based on preference.
Spread cheese mixture on to cucumber rounds, and top off with a piece of shrimp.
****If you choose to use a white fish in place of shrimp, follow the instructions for the Cajun Grouper recipe below.
Seafood Phyllo Cups
Ingredients
1 lb. seafood (ideally crab, shrimp or even scallops)
½ lb. bacon
8 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese
16 oz sour cream
2 tbs. cream cheese softened
1 Tbs. Worcestershire (or to taste)
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 pkg. ranch salad dressing mix
5 – 2.1 oz. pkgs. frozen phyllo cups
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper (opt.)
Directions
If you opt to use shrimp or scallops, cook, cool then cut them into small pieces. If using crab, then no advanced prep is necessary.
Cook the bacon -be careful not to overcook as it will be baked again. Drain off the grease, let cool, then crumble.
Mix all ingredients-except phyllo cups- together. (This can be made a day in advance and stored in the fridge, to save time on party day.)
On party day, place the phyllo cups on an ungreased baking sheet, and put a spoonful of the filling in each cup.
Bake at 350* F for 15 minutes.
Best served warm, but are also good room temp.
***If you want to add a bit of color into the mixture, dice a red bell pepper into small pieces and add to the mixture.
Bacon-Wrapped Whitefish
Like many recipes, this one has a great deal of flexibility. whether your Finest Kind excursion resulted in amberjack, grouper, snapper, sea bass, etc. this is a great way to serve it- be it as part of holiday entertaining or a family dinner this is sure to be a hit.
Ingredients
1 lb. fish fillets
1 lb. smoked bacon
Olive oil
Garlic Powder, Salt & Pepper – to taste
Directions
Pre-heat oven at 400*
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Lay the raw bacon on the paper-lined sheet, so that each piece slightly overlaps the one before.
Lay the fillets down the center of the bacon strips. Drizzle with the olive oil, then sprinkle with seasonings.
Wrap the bacon around the fish, then carefully turn the bacon-wrapped fillets over so that the “seam” is on the paper. Drizzle with a bit more olive oil, and seasonings.
Place in oven and bake 20-30 minutes. Check periodically to be sure that fish isn’t getting dry.
When finished cooking, take out of the oven and allow to cool slightly. Then using a sharp knife cut into slices.
It can be served as is, or pairs great with a Ritz cracker.
Cajun Grouper
Ingredients
2 lb. grouper, cut into cubes
2 sticks butter
1 package Old Bay seasoning
1 Tbs. minced garlic
½ tsp. crushed red pepper
2 lemons, sliced into ¼ inch slices (don’t worry about the seeds!)
1 Tbs. Worcestershire
Directions
Heat oven to 350*F
Place sticks of butter on a large baking sheet, and place in the oven. Watch closely, and remove from oven when melted (typically 3-5 minutes).
Place the baking sheet on a hot pad, then add the Worcestershire sauce, garlic, Old Bay, and crushed red pepper to the butter, stir carefully to distribute around the pan.
Then lay down the lemon slices on the butter “sauce”.
Top with the grouper.
Place back in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until grouper is finished cooking.
Provide toothpicks for “skewers” to make eating easy.
Cheesy Seafood Dip
The great thing about this seafood appetizer is it is made in a single skillet – no need to have an abundance of dishes to wash!
Ingredients
1 lb. seafood (Diced shrimp or scallops, lump crab, or even finely ‘shredded’ white fish)
¼ cup celery
1/2 cup diced bell peppers (any color will work)
½ cup finely diced onions
1 Tbs. minced jalapeno
½ cup chopped spinach
2 Tbs. butter
¼ tsp. parsley
½ tsp. paprika
½ tsp. garlic
¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
4 oz. cream cheese softened
½ cup gruyere
Directions
Pre-heat oven to 350* F.
Prep seafood as needed, then chop up; ideally, seafood pieces and diced veggies need to be close in size.
In an oven-safe skillet (best choice would be a cast-iron one), sauté the veggies in the butter, EXCEPT the spinach.
When these veggies are tender, add in spinach. Sauté until spinach begins to wilt, then add in seafood and all of the dry seasonings. Only cook until seafood begins to turn opaque – about 1-2 minutes.
Remove from heat, then stir in the cheese.
Place the skillet in the oven and bake for 15 minutes, or until bubbly and golden.
Serve with toasted baguette slices.
Seafood Cream Cheese ‘Ball’
Ingredients
1 block of cream cheese, softened
1 lb. diced, cooked seafood (Shrimp is perfect for this but any seafood could be used)
1 tsp. crushed garlic
1 Tbs. Cajun seasoning
1 tbs. liquid smoke
1 tp. Lemon juice
1 small red onion, diced
1 cup crushed pecans
2 Tbs. parsley
Directions
In a skillet, sauté onions until translucent.
Mix all ingredients, EXCEPT pecans and parsley, together until everything is evenly distributed.
Roll mixture into a ball. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until slightly firm.
In a bowl, mix the parsley and pecans.
Roll cheese ball in the mixture until the ball is covered then place back in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
Can be served with crackers, and/or raw veggies such as bell peppers, pea pods or celery,
Seafood Salsa
Ingredients
1 lb. seafood, cooked (Shrimp, scallops, white fish, crab, etc.)
1 cup (packed) fresh cilantro
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp. cumin
2 jalapenos, finely diced
1 lime (juiced)
1 lb. tomatoes, diced small
1 white onion, diced
1 cup kernel corn
1 avocado, diced (opt.)
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Cook seafood of choice, and dice into pieces approximately ½ inch in size. Set aside.
Finely chop the cilantro into a medium to a large bowl.
Add in crushed garlic, cumin, jalapenos, onion, tomatoes, and kernel corn. If using avocado, dice it, and douse well with lime juice (this minimizes the avocado turning brown), then add to bowl.
Add in seafood and stir gently.
Serve with lightly toasted tortillas, nacho chips or for a fun presentation, opt for the Scoops chips and let people make their own seafood salsa cups.
So What Seafood Appetizers Will You Make?
A deep-sea fishing excursion aboard the Finest kind is a great way to get some fantastic cuts of fish for your freezer, making it easy to have some of the key ingredients for several of these easy appetizers. Whether it’s the seafood cups or the cheeseball, these are just a few of great seafood appetizers available. They are easy to put together, making them the perfect additions to all your holiday parties (and beyond). If you have recipes for seafood appetizers of your own, we would love to hear about them. Feel free to share them below.
And, if you find your freezer lacking in the fish department, now is the time to book a saltwater fishing trip on the Finest Kind with Captain Jason and his crew. Give us a call today!
Thanksgiving is the perfect time to grab those fish fillets from this year’s catch out of the freezer, and channel your inner Martha Stewart for a feast that your guests will never forget. Bring the taste of coastal living into your home this Thanksgiving with our favorite recipes for Destin’s local harvest.
Thanksgiving is a time when we all come together to recognize the blessings that we’ve been given throughout the year. Dating back to November of 1621, when Wampanoag Indians and Pilgrims shared a feast at Plymouth, a celebration of harvest evolved into the Thanksgiving tradition that we continue still today.
Turkey, dressing, cranberry sauce, sweet potato casserole, and pumpkin pie are some of the ingredients that make the Thanksgiving holiday special for many families across America. But before you make that mad dash to the supermarket to pick up all of the must-haves to make your Thanksgiving feast fit the American tradition, let’s look back at the first harvest celebration.
The menu for that very first meal at Plymouth was a symbolic moment of being thankful for the fruits of the land, and sharing the gift of fellowship with neighbors who were willing to recognize the abundance of valuable resources nearby. In short, they were thankful for what was already available.
Turkey, geese, ducks, swans, deer, and fish are believed to be present at that very first Thanksgiving meal, as these meat sources were plentiful in the local area. Sides consisted of corn, cabbage, squash, onions, beans, carrots, spinach, and possibly peas, as the autumn season was a time of harvest for domestic crops. Instead of pumpkin pie, it is believed that the pumpkins were hollowed and filled with spices, milk, and honey, then roasted for a custard dish.
You can learn more about the first Thanksgiving meal here.
Destin Thanksgiving
Much like the Wampanoag Indians and Pilgrims who were thankful for the gifts of the land during that first Thanksgiving meal, Destin locals show an immense appreciation for the resources that built the city from a desolate land to the thriving city that it is today.
Destin is historically recognized as a blessed coastal community with an abundance of harvestable fish. This dates back to the seventeenth century when Leonard Destin settled in what we all know now as the “World’s Luckiest Fishing Village.” Throughout the years, fishermen have come from all over the world to fish the waters just off the coast of Destin.
Though the once sleepy fishing village has now grown into one of America’s favorite tourist destinations with the largest fishing fleet in the state of Florida, locals continue to acknowledge what started it all. The blessings of bountiful catches are recognized as the most valuable resource to the area. Annual traditions like the Blessings of the Fleet and the Destin Deep Sea Fishing Rodeo are celebrated throughout the year to recognize the gifts of harvest given to the fishermen, the community, and visitors who partake in the tradition of deep sea fishing out of Destin’s famous harbor.
Around the tables of Destin’s fishing fleet captains and crew members, you’ll find more than turkey and dressing. Most of these families are giving thanks for a great year of fishing with goods harvested from the waters just off the Destin coast. If you pop in on a Destin fisherman’s Thanksgiving dinner, you’re likely to find snapper, amberjack, mackerel, tuna, shrimp, and oysters with all the trimmings that go perfectly with a coastal living Thanksgiving meal. After all, what all fishermen are most thankful for after their families is the abundant harvest of this year’s catch.
Our Favorite Saltwater Fish Recipes for Thanksgiving Dinner
In the spirit of being thankful for what you have readily available this Thanksgiving, we encourage you to grab those fish fillets from this year’s catch out of the freezer, and celebrate the harvest feast with some local recipe favorites.
1. Let fish marinate in a bowl for 30 minutes before placing entire contents on pan in a single layer.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, or until fish is flaky.
1. Mix together paprika, cayenne, salt, garlic salt, onion salt, thyme, oregano, and pepper. Sprinkle over each side of the red snapper.
2. Oil grill grate and preheat grill.
3. Bring lemon juice to a boil.
4. Remove from heat and add butter.
5. Mix well.
6. Grill red snapper until done. (About 4 minutes per side.)
7. Remove fish from grill. Add parsley to lemon butter.
8. Spoon about 1 1/2 tablespoons of butter mixture over each piece of fish.
(Garnish with parsley)
1. Cut fillet into 4 equal pieces. Combine paprika and next 6 ingredients in a small bowl; stir well. Dredge fish in spice mixture; let stand 5 minutes.
2. Coat a large cast-iron skillet with cooking spray; place over high heat until very hot.
3. Add fish, and cook 3 minutes. Turn fish, and cook 3 to 4 additional minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Fish should look charred.
(You may prefer to do this procedure outside due to the small amount of smoke that is created.)
Grilled Triggerfish with Escarole and Roasted Peppers
1. Prepare the roasted peppers.
2. Preheat a grill surface. Brush the triggerfish with olive oil and season to taste with salt and black pepper.
3. Grill the triggerfish filets until thoroughly cooked.
4. Prepare the escarole and place on the base of four dinner plates. Place the grilled triggerfish filets on top of the sautéed escarole.
5. Top the triggerfish filets with the roasted peppers and drizzle balsamic vinegar over each triggerfish filet.
6. Garnish the triggerfish with chopped basil.
Florida King Mackerel Steaks with Herb Citrus Butter and Garlic Snap Beans
1 cup flour, lightly seasoned with salt and pepper
Olive oil for cooking
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Citrus Butter
1/2 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp. orange zest, chopped fine
1 tsp. lime zest, chopped fine
1 tbs. fresh parsley, chopped fine
Garlic Snap Beans
1/2 pound Florida snap beans, stems trimmed
2 tsp. olive oil
1 red or yellow bell pepper, seeded and julienne
1 sweet onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Preheat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat.
2. Lightly dredge each fillet in the seasoned flour.
3. Add the olive oil to the preheated sauté pan.
4. Carefully add the coated fillets to the sauté pan.
5. Cook fillets for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until completely cooked throughout.
6. Remove cooked fillets from pan and serve with green beans and citrus butter.
Citrus Butter
1. Mix all ingredients into a small bowl and stir to combine.
Garlic Snap Beans
1. In a large sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.
2. Carefully add the bell pepper and onion; cook for about 1 minute.
3. Add the beans and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Add the garlic and continue cooking for another minute or until crisp and tender.
5. Add lemon juice and toss before serving.
Guava Glazed Mahi Mahi with Coconut Bamboo Rice, Tempura Baby Bok Choy & Coconut Curry Sauce
1 small jalapeno pepper, seeds removed then chopped
Coconut Bamboo Rice
2 cups of bamboo rice
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
Mahi Mahi and Tempura Bok Choi
4 (7 ounce) pieces fresh mahi mahi
1 quart plus 1 tbs. vegetable oil
4 pieces baby bok choi
2 cups tempura batter mix, homemade or store-bought
Ice water
Preparation
1. In a medium saucepot gently sauté the green onion, shallot, ginger, garlic, and lemongrass with the peanut oil over medium heat for a couple of minutes until fragrant.
2. Add in the curry paste and chili and continue to cook for a few minutes more, stirring to incorporate.
3. Put in the herbs, spices and brown sugar and cook for two more minutes. Deglaze with vermouth and continue to cook. When it has cooked completely dry, add in the chicken stock and simmer for 10 minutes, or until reduced by half.
4. Pour in the coconut milk and increase heat to high and bring it to a boil then remove sauce from the heat and let it cool at room temperature.
5. Puree the sauce in a blender and strain it through a fine sieve.
6. Reheat the sauce when needed and finish it with fresh cilantro, lemon juice, and salt.
1. Blend the soy sauce, vinegar, ginger, water, crushed red pepper and chopped chives. Let the sauce stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. (The sauce is available at Destin Ice Seafood Market already prepared.)
2. Press the black pepper into both sides of the tuna steak.
3. Heat the canola oil in a sauté pan until very hot.
4. Sear the tuna steaks for 10 seconds on each side and remove from pan.
5. Place the spinach in the sauté pan and toss until wilted.
6. Transfer the spinach to 4 large dinner plates.
7. Thinly slice the tuna across the grain.
8. Arrange the tuna slices over the spinach in a star shape. Garnish the tuna with diced red pepper, whole chives and finish with prepared sauce.
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 (14.5 ounce) can chicken broth
Preparation
1. Melt the margarine in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bell pepper, onion, celery crabmeat and shrimp; cook and stir for about 5 minutes. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the stuffing, bread crumbs and 1 tablespoon of sugar.
3. Mix in the vegetables and seafood from the skillet.
4. Stir in the cream of mushroom soup and as much of the chicken broth as you like.
5. Spoon into a 9×13 inch baking dish.
6. Bake for 30 minutes in the preheated oven, or until lightly toasted on top.
Baked Coconut Shrimp
Recipe contributed by Jan Slagell
1 pound uncooked large shrimp peeled and deveined
1 tbs. lime juice
¼ tsp. crush red pepper flakes
1/2 cup pineapple preserves
2 egg whites
2 tbs. cornstarch
2 cups sweetened flaked coconut
Preparation
1. Combine lime juice, pepper flakes and pineapple preserves in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a small bowl beat egg whites with a hand mixer until soft peaks form.
4. Place cornstarch and coconut on two separate plates. Hold shrimp by the tail and dip and coat the shrimp with cornstarch.
5. Next, dip the shrimp in the egg whites and finally in the coconut coating well.
6. Place shrimp on the cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until coconut is a golden brown. Make sure to turn it once halfway through (around 8 minutes into cooking time) to make sure both sides are brown.
7. Serve with pineapple dipping sauce.
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise (can use more or less depending on your preferred consistency)
1 tbs. black pepper
1 tbs. garlic powder
Hot sauce to taste
Preparation
1. Combine salt and water. Soak tuna steaks in a salt water brine for one hour before smoking.
2. Transfer to a smoker and smoke until cooked through (do not overcook).
3. Chop smoked tuna steaks to your desired consistency (rough chopped or finely chopped – Harbor Docks chops fine).
4. In a stainless steel mixing bowl, combine smoked tuna, mayonnaise, pepper and garlic powder and mix well.
1. Arrange oysters on rock salt in a baking dish.
2. Top each oyster with ½ teaspoon of the cheese crumbled bacon and chopped jalapeno to taste.
3. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or until edges of oysters begin to curl.
1. Heat the oven to 200 F.
2. Set a cooling rack in a large, rimmed baking sheet.
3. In a deep, heavy saucepan, heat about 2 inches of vegetable oil to 370 F. Or heat the oil in an electric deep fryer to 370 F.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar. Stir the chopped onion into the dry mixture, and then stir in the cream-style corn. (If the mixture is too thick, add a small amount of milk.)
5. Use a tablespoon or small cookie scoop to drop the batter into the hot vegetable oil.
6. Fry the hush puppies in small batches of 4 or 5 until golden brown, or about 2 minutes, turning to make sure all sides are evenly browned.
7. Remove the hush puppies to paper towels to drain for a minute or two and then move them to the rack in the prepared pan. Place the pan in the oven to keep fried hush puppies warm while you fry subsequent batches.
Tips and Variations
Use neutral-flavored oil for deep-frying, such as vegetable oil, canola, or peanut oil.
Add finely chopped green onion to the hush puppies in place of the onions.
Add 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of onion powder for extra onion flavor.
Add a few tablespoons of crumbled cooked bacon to the batter.
Add about 1/2 cup of shredded cheddar cheese to the batter
Fried Corn
Recipe contributed by Jessica Baggett
2 cans of white creamed corn
6-10 Slices of your preferred bacon
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Fry bacon on medium high heat in a cast iron skillet, and then set bacon aside to cool.
2. Pour both cans of creamed corn into hot bacon grease.
3. Crumble bacon and add to the corn mixture.
4. Cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes.
5. Serve warm.
Preparation
1. In medium bowl, combine milk, lemon juice, and zest; blend in egg yolks. Pour into cooled crust.
2. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
3. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks from. Gradually beat in the sugar until stiff.
4. Spread over filling; seal to edge of crust.
5. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown.
1/2 cup key lime juice (from about 25 small key limes or 4 large regular limes)
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
For the Icing:
1/2 cup (1 stick butter), room temperature
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, room temperature
1 (1 pound) box confectioners’ sugar
Preparation
For the Cake:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease and flour one 9-by-12-by-2-inch cake pan.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix the gelatin, granulated sugar, flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Stir to mix well. Add the oil, orange juice, lemon juice, vanilla, and eggs. Mix until well combined.
3. Pour the batter evenly in the pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. Test for doneness by lightly touching the tops or inserting a toothpick.
4. Cool the cake in the pan for 5 minutes then turn out onto a cooling rack.
For the glaze:
1. While the cake is still hot, mix the lime juice and confectioners’ sugar together well.
2. Pierce the cake with a fork to allow the glaze to soak in better and pour it over the cake on the cooling rack.
3. Allow cake to cool completely as you prepare the icing.
For the icing:
1. Cream the butter and cream cheese.
2. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until mixture is smooth and easy to spread.
3. Spread the icing on the top and sides of the cake.
Cook’s Note: you can also use three 9-inch round cake pans and make this into a layer cake.