Brandywine Table: Summer Seafood Feasts
’Tis the season to plunge into seafood
Hot summer days call for fresh, bright flavors that tantalize the tastebuds and pair well with freshly picked produce. Basically, the perfect time to enjoy seafood. Whether you’re a master angler, fishing off a boat, spending a lazy day crabbing or taking the easy route and hitting the local fish market, seafood options this time of year provide endless inspiration.
And because seafood has the advantage of cooking quickly, it’s a great option for easy summer dinners. Cook it outside on the grill, quickly sear it in a hot pan or prepare your choice ahead of time and served chilled. Easy peasy summer meals.
“Fish is relatively easy to prepare — the key is to not overcook it,” said Michael McNutt, Executive Chef of West Chester Seafood Kitchen at West Chester’s Hotel Indigo. McNutt serves fresh fish daily in his restaurant — from lobsters flown in each morning to be picked for stuffed lobster rolls to seasonal catches from nearby waterways. “I grew up fishing and crabbing and always had a taste for seafood,” he said.
The options for seafood-centered meals can be highly local, such as sharing the Maryland tradition of feasting on bushels of blue crabs smothered in Old Bay. The crabs are served in piles on paper-covered tables, to be picked over for hours while laughing with friends and sipping cold drinks. At West Chester Seafood Kitchen, you’ll find local blue or jumbo lump crabmeat is served, when in season, in crab cakes, dips or other seasonal specials.
Seafood is also endlessly adaptable, making it perfect for home cooks wanting to experiment. Try using your favorite sauces and preparations on the most seasonal and freshest seafood available. “Incorporate a lot of good ingredients,” said McNutt. “Fish provides a nice blank slate to work with, and you can create healthy takes with seasonal produce.”
Remember, preparation is key for seafood. First, make sure you know where your seafood comes from and that it’s fresh. If you catch it yourself, clean it properly. Filleting, opening shells or picking crabs and lobsters are art forms, so it’s well worth investing in proper equipment and watching tutorials to learn the best techniques. When in doubt, a cut-resistant glove can be your best friend! Or, as many prefer, buy fish already scaled, cleaned and filleted from your local fishmonger.
To keep things simple, remember most types of seafood require little more than a quick grill or sauté, some oil or butter, salt and pepper, and maybe a squeeze of lemon. But the options are endless.
Take inspiration from these more elaborate restaurant recipes. This August, keep an eye out for seasonal, sustainable ingredients, and the world is your oyster (or seafood of choice)!