SPICY CRAB SALPICÓN
(SALPICÓN DE JAIBA)
Serves 4
Salpicón is the Spanish word for “hodgepodge” or “medley.” Depending on where you order it in Mexico, you might get an appetizer of spiced shredded beef (in central Mexico) or a fiery onion and habanero chili relish (in the Yucatán). I’m partial to the coastal version, made with fresh sweet crab teased into tiny shreds and spiced up with celery, onions, cilantro, and chilies. This recipe makes a wonderful summertime appetizer or salad.
1 pound backfin crabmeat
2 red ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced
12 large basil leaves, washed and stemmed
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 stalk celery with leaves, finely chopped
1 to 3 serrano chilies, finely chopped (for a milder salpicón, seed the chilies)
1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and finely diced
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, plus 4 sprigs for garnish
1 tablespoon lime juice, or to taste
salt and black pepper
1. Pick through the crabmeat, discarding any pieces of shell. Tease large pieces into fine shreds. Line four salad plates with tomato slices (three or four slices to a plate) and arrange three large basil leaves in the center of each, points facing out.
2. Heat the oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the onion, garlic, celery, and chilies and cook over medium heat until the vegetables are soft but not brown, about 2 minutes.
3. Increase the heat to high and stir in the crab, diced tomato, and cilantro. Cook until the crab is hot, about 3 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Mound the crab mixture in the center of the tomato slices on top of the basil. (Let a little basil peek out from the edges.) Garnish each salpicón with a sprig of cilantro and serve at once.
161 CALORIES PER SERVING; 21 G PROTEIN; 5 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 8 G CARBOHYDRATE; 353 MG SODIUM; 67 MG CHOLESTEROL
LOBSTER FRA DIAVOLO
Serves 4
I’ve never seen lobster fra diavolo on a menu in Italy, but when I was growing up in Baltimore, no dish seemed more quinessentially Italian. Here’s an updated version of this childhood favorite. A professional chef would probably cut up the lobsters alive. This can be disconcerting to home cooks, so I’ve called for the lobster to be parboiled before cutting. I’ve also given instructions for making shrimp fra diavolo (see below), for people who are squeamish about cooking lobster.
2 2- to 2½-pound Maine or Florida lobsters (or 4 1¼-pound lobsters)
1½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
½ to 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes, or to taste
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded, and finely chopped
2 red ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
3 tablespoons good-quality brandy or grappa
½ cup dry white wine
about 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons tomato paste
2 bay leaves
¼ cup finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1½ cups reserved lobster cooking liquid (or chicken, fish, or vegetable broth)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Place the lobsters in a large pot with 2 inches of cold water (at least 2 cups). Cover the pot tightly and bring to a boil. Cook the lobsters until they begin to turn red, about 3 minutes. Transfer the lobsters to a colander and let cool, reserving the cooking liquid. When the lobsters have cooled, break off the claws, break into 2 sections, and crack each. Twist the tail and body in separate directions to remove the tail. Using a large knife or cleaver, cut the lobster tails in half lengthwise. Remove the vein running the length of the tail.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add the pepper flakes, onion, garlic, and green pepper. Cook the mixture over medium heat until it begins to brown, about 6 minutes, stirring often.
3. Increase the heat to high and stir in the tomatoes. Cook until the tomato liquid begins to evaporate, about 1 minute. Stir in the brandy and bring to a boil. Stir in the wine and vinegar and bring to a boil. Stir in the tomato paste, the bay leaves, half the parsley, 1½ cups of the lobster cooking liquid, salt, and pepper. Simmer this mixture until thick and richly flavored, about 10 minutes.
4. Add the lobster pieces. Gently simmer until the lobster is cooked (the meat will be firm and white), about 5 minutes. Season the sauce to taste, adding salt, vinegar, or pepper flakes. The mixture should be highly seasoned. Sprinkle the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley on top and serve at once. I like to serve lobster fra diavolo over cooked linguine or spaghetti.
Note: To make shrimp fra diavolo, start at step 2. Instead of adding lobster cooking liquid in step 3, add 1½ cups chicken, fish, or vegetable broth. Add 1½ pounds shrimp in place of the lobster in step 4.
540 CALORIES PER SERVING; 89 G PROTEIN; 8 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 18 G CARBOHYDRATE; 1,719 MG SODIUM; 305 MG CHOLESTEROL
VENETIAN-STYLE SQUID IN BLACK INK SAUCE
Baby squid simmered in a dark, rich ink sauce is a classic dish of Venice. The ink adds not only color, but a pleasing briny flavor that gives this dish a unique taste. Once you know how to clean squid (see below), the dish is a cinch to make. You could ask your fishmonger to clean the squid for you, saving the silvery ink sacs.
2 pounds small, uncleaned squid (or 1½ pounds cleaned squid, with ink sacs reserved)
1½ tablespoons olive oil
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 red ripe tomato, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped, with its juices
1 cup dry white wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Clean the squid, following the directions below. Cut the body crosswise into ½-inch rings. Cut the tentacles into 1-inch sections. Reserve the ink sacs.
2. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Add the garlic, onion, and half the parsley and cook over medium heat until golden-brown, about 6 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until most of the juices have boiled away, about 3 minutes.
3. Stir in the squid and sauté for 1 minute. Add the wine, salt, and pepper and simmer until the squid are very tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Halfway through, squeeze the squid ink from sacs into the sauce. Correct the seasoning, adding salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the remaining parsley over the squid and serve at once.
310 CALORIES PER SERVING; 36 G PROTEIN; 8 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 1 G CARBOHYDRATE; 108 MG SODIUM; 528 MG CHOLESTEROL
A QUICK CALAMARI SAUTÉ
Serves 4
As a foodie who came of age in Boston in the 1970s, I remember with fondness a postage-stamp-sized eatery called the Daily Catch. Located in the heart of Boston’s “Little Italy,” the North End, the Daily Catch specialized in calamari (squid) and almost single-handedly popularized this tentacled sea fare to Boston’s non-Italian community. It was the sort of no-frills eatery where the chef served his food right in the skillet in which it was cooked. This quick calamari sauté is a great way to get people to try squid—even if they think they don’t like it.
1½ pounds cleaned calamari
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ tablespoons all-purpose unbleached white flour
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon hot pepper flakes
¾ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons drained capers
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
1. Wash the calamari and blot dry. Cut the bodies crosswise into ½-inch rings. Leave the heads whole, but cut any long tentacles into 1-inch pieces. Season the calamari with salt and pepper and lightly dust with flour.
2. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick frying pan. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook over high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the calamari and sauté for 1 minute. Add the wine, pine nuts, capers, lemon zest, and half the parsley and simmer until the calamari are cooked and the sauce is reduced, thickened, and richly flavored, 2 to 3 minutes. Do not overcook, or the calamari will become tough.
3. Correct the seasoning, adding salt or pepper to taste: the mixture should be highly seasoned. Serve at once. The Daily Catch used to serve this dish over linguine.
Note: Instructions on cleaning calamari can be found in preceding box.
259 CALORIES PER SERVING; 28 G PROTEIN; 8 G FAT; 1 G SATURATED FAT; 0 G CARBOHYDRATE; 236 MG SODIUM; 396 MG CHOLESTEROL
BAKE-FRIED SQUID
Serves 6 to 8
If squid has gone from being a geek food to a chic food, it is largely thanks to a single Italian dish: calamari fritti (fried squid). My low-fat version uses a technique I call “bake-frying”: the squid is breaded as it would be for frying, but is then cooked in a hot oven rather than in oil. Instructions for cleaning squid are found in the box here.
2 pounds cleaned squid
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1¾ cups all-purpose unbleached white flour
1 egg, plus 2 egg whites
¾ cup very fine white cornmeal
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or spray oil
1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Cut the squid bodies widthwise into ¼-inch rings. Blot dry. Leave the tentacles whole. Season the squid with salt and pepper.
2. Place 1 cup of the flour in a shallow bowl and season with salt and pepper. Place the egg and whites in another bowl and beat well with a fork. Combine the remaining ¾ cup flour with the cornmeal in a third shallow bowl. Add salt and pepper and whisk to mix.
3. Use about ⅔ tablespoon of the oil to oil a large nonstick baking sheet. Dip each piece of squid first in flour, shaking off the excess, then in the egg mixture, and finally in the cornmeal, again shaking off the excess. Place the squid in a single layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle or spray the remaining oil on top.
4. Bake the squid until crisp and golden-brown, 8 to 10 minutes, turning with a spatula to ensure even browning. Serve at once.
385 CALORIES PER SERVING;* 31 G PROTEIN; 8 G FAT; 2 G SATURATED FAT; 44 G CARBOHYDRATE; 101 MG SODIUM; 388 MG CHOLESTEROL
