Recipes by JOYCE TAYLOR

These recipes — from Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas by Joyce Taylor — use finfish and shellfish that are available from North Carolina waters in September, October and November. Check with your local fish market for their freshest offerings.

For information on seasonal seafood, go to: www.ncseagrant.org/seafood or check the Mariner’s Menu blog at www.marinersmenu.org. The Mariner’s Menu seafood resource book is available at many bookstores, or to order from North Carolina Sea Grant, call 919/515-9101.

Steamed Clams in Wine Broth

• 4 pounds cherrystone or littleneck clams
• 6 tablespoons margarine or butter, melted
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco sauce

Discard any clams that are open or do not open when tapped. Under cold, running water, scrub clams thoroughly with a stiff brush.

Bring margarine, wine, water, parsley and Tabasco to boil in bottom of steamer. Arrange clams on rack and place in steamer. Cover. Steam until clams open, about 8 to 10 minutes. Discard any that do not open.

Divide clams into 3 or 4 serving bowls. Ladle broth over them. Serves 4.

Baked Grouper with Basil-Parmesan Butter

• 1 large grouper fillet, about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds
• 4 tablespoons melted margarine or butter
• salt
• freshly ground white pepper

Prepare Basil-Parmesan Butter and set aside.

Brush fillets with melted margarine.

Lightly salt and pepper. Bake at 450 F until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 30 minutes. Cut into serving-size pieces. Serve with Basil-Parmesan Butter. Serves 6 to 8.

Basil-Parmesan Butter:

• 1/4 pound margarine or butter, softened
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In small bowl, mix together margarine, basil, parsley, Parmesan, pepper and lemon juice. Spread over warm fish.

Heavenly Seafood Casserole

• 1/2 pound small shrimp in shell
• 1/2 pound bay scallops (or sea scallops quartered)
• 1/2 pound cooked, flaked flounder (or other white fish)
• 1/2 pound crab meat
• 6 tablespoons margarine or butter
• 6 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups milk
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

Remove any shell or cartilage from crab meat. Cook shrimp in salted or seasoned water until pink, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove shrimp, reserving water. Cook scallops in same water about 2 to 3 minutes, just until tender. Drain well.

Peel shrimp.

Melt margarine in medium saucepan and blend in flour. Add milk gradually and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Add sherry, Worcestershire, 1 tablespoon Parmesan, salt, pepper and paprika. Blend well. Add shrimp, scallops, flaked fish and crab meat. Pour into 1 1/2-quart casserole.

Mix remaining Parmesan with bread crumbs and sprinkle over top. Bake at 375 F about 20 to 25 minutes, or until heated and bubbly. Serves 8 to 10.

This article was published in the Autumn 2010 issue of Coastwatch.

For contact information and reprint requests, visit ncseagrant.ncsu.edu/coastwatch/contact/.