The Wine Ladies

Aqua Star … fresh thinking in frozen seafood

Catch the wave of excitement with the colorful and creative Chef Darryl Fletcher of Aqua Star as he joins The Wine Ladies live on the air on 1050 CHUM.
 
Seafood will never be the same! Executive Chef Darryl Fletcher of Aqua Star shares tips and recipes on entertaining with ease from a quick and delightful appetizer to a full fledge scrumptious meal.

Unparalleled quality is our obsession. Aqua Star’s mission is to understand seafood and apply that expertise at every stage - from the moment it leaves the water to the time it reaches your plate. Our attention to detail, relentless focus on quality, and constant innovation yields seafood of exceptional standards. http://www.aquastar.com

Chef Darryl’s Recipies

• Grilled Olive Tapenade


• Pickled Shrimp


• Scallops, Shrimps and Clams on Saffron Mashed Potatoes


• Spicy Crab Wrap


• Spicy Wok Shrimp with Coconut Rice


• Warm Shrimp and Portobello Mushroom Canapé


• Crab and Herb Fettuccine


• Olive Oil Poached Shrimp Couscous Salad


• Jerk Shrimp and Avocado Salad


• Curried Shrimp


• Crab and Pear Salad

Grilled Olive Tapenade (serves 24)

Ingredients:
1-pkg Aqua Star Deep Cut Freshwater Shrimp
1 cup pitted kalamata olives
1 cup green olives
4 cloves roasted garlic
½ cup sundried tomatoes
1 cup roasted peppers
½ tsp chipotle pepper
¼ cup extra virgin
½ cup very good balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl peel the shell off the shrimp and place peeled shrimp in the bowl and pour balsamic over shrimp and put aside
2. In a food processor put all ingredients and using the pulse setting chop the ingredients just before the mixtures goes smooth
3. Pour Olive Mixture over the shrimp and mix well
4. Place shrimp and olive mixture in the refrigerator for 1-1/2 hours
5. Heat oven to 400 and place shrimp on parchment paper line oven tray and bake for 7-9 minutes

Pickled Shrimp (serves 24)

Ingredients:
1 cup cider vinegar or white wine vinegar
½ cup olive oil
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 onion thinly sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
4 bay leaves, each broken in half
2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp celery seeds
1 tsp chili flakes
2 lb Aqua Star 21/25 count, Raw Peeled Shrimp (thawed according to package directions)

Directions:

1. In a large bowl stir together vinegar, oil, lemon juice, onion, garlic and bay leaves, salt, celery seeds and chili flakes. 
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.
3. Add Shrimp.  Cook just until pink, 1 – 2 minutes.  Drain and immediately transfer to bowl with vinegar mixture. 
4. Cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap. Marinate overnight in refrigerator. 
5. When ready to serve, remove bay leaves.  Serve chilled.

Scallops, Shrimps and Clams on Saffron Mashed Potatoes (serves 4)

Ingredients:

Potatoes
11/2 lb Yukon Gold Potatoes
¼ cup cream
1 tsp saffron threads
¼ cup butter
salt and pepper to taste
Leeks
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cups leeks chopped, white part only
1 tsp chopped fresh garlic
½ cup white wine
1 cup fish stock
¼ tsp hot smoked paprika
Seafood
1 lb small clams
12 large Aqua Star Shrimp
6 fresh scallops
4 rounds pancetta, finely diced
2 tbsp unsalted
1 tbsp chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
 
Potatoes:

1. In a large stock pot cook potatoes until tender.
2. Once cooked, drain and add cream, saffron and butter. Whip until smooth.
3. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place in insert in steam table.

Leeks: 

1. In a large sauté pan, over medium high heat, add olive oil, leeks, pancetta, garlic and paprika.
2. Once leeks have wilted, add white wine and stock.
3. Bring to a boil, add seafood and cover cook for 4-6 minutes or until seafood is done.

Assembly: 

1. In a large pasta bowl place a scoop of mashed potatoes, then spoon chowder over potatoes.
2. Garnish with chopped parsley.

Spicy Crab Wrap (serves 6)

Ingredients:
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup finely chopped celery
1 tsp cayenne
1 lb Aqua Star  Salad Crab Meat
4 ripe Avocadoes, Peeled and Pitted finely diced
3 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
6 large wraps
4-6 leaves of Boston or green leaf lettuce
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine celery, crab meat, chopped avocado, cilantro and lime juice.
2. Add mayonnaise and mix until incorporated. Season with cayenne and salt and pepper.
3. To Order, lightly mark wrap on the grill then assemble crab meat mixture.
4. Add lettuce and roll tucking in ends and secure with tooth picks.

Spicy Wok Shrimp with Coconut Rice (serves 8)

Ingredients:
3 cups long grain white rice
3 cups water
3 cups unsweetened coconut milk, well stirred
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound broccoli, trimmed into florets
2 lb large Aqua Star shrimp, peeled
2 ½ tbsp hot Asian sauce
2 tsp cornstarch
1 cup chicken stock

Directions:

1. In medium size pot, combine rice, water and coconut milk, over medium high heat bring mixture to a bowl, reduce to simmer, and covered until rice is fluffy and tender. (Place in steam table.)
2. In a wok, over medium high heat, combine 4 broccoli, 6 shrimp and ½ tsp  hot Asian sauce. Cook for two minutes, and then add ¼ cup  chicken stock.
3. Continue cooking for 2 more minutes then add cornstarch to thicken.

Warm Shrimp and Portobello Mushroom Canapé (serves 24)

Ingredients:
4 medium Portobello mushrooms, stems discarded and gills removed
2 tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
24 31/40  Aqua Star cooked tail off shrimp
24 Carr’s Table Water Crackers
½ cup Hummus
4 oz feta cheese crumbled
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a medium stainless steel bowl, add chopped mushrooms and olive oil.
2. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Assemble cracker:  add 1 tsp hummus, ½ tsp mushroom mixture, place one shrimp on top, garnish with feta.
4. Repeat procedure until all ingredients are used up.
5. Place crackers under Broiler until feta is golden brown, about 1 minute.

Crab and Herb Fettuccine (serves 8)

Ingredients:
½ cup white wine
½ cup Tarragon or white wine vinegar
2/3 cups finely chopped shallots
20 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes
2 lb Aqua Star Snow Crab Meat
6 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
6 tbsp chopped fresh chives
2/3 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
3 tsp grated lemon zest
6 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 lb cooked dried egg fettuccine, cook according to package instructions
Salt and Pepper to taste.

Directions:

1. Boil white wine and vinegar together; reduce to 4 tbsp, approximately 2 ½ minutes.
2. Reduce heat to a simmer then whisk in butter, one cube at a time, until  all butter is incorporated.
3. Set sauce aside, using 3 tbsp of sauce, and 3 tbsp of crab, add 1 tsp of fresh herbs and 1 tbsp of fresh parsley.
4. Cook over medium high heat for 2 minutes. Add 10 oz pasta and ½ tsp grated lemon zest and 1 tsp lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Olive Oil Poached Shrimp Couscous Salad (serves 8)

Ingredients

1lb Aqua Star Raw Peeled Shrimp (thawed according to package directions)
3 cloves garlic
3 cups extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp salt and pepper

Couscous:
1 tsp mint, chopped
1 tsp fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
Juice from one lemon
½ cup celery, finely diced
½ cup red peppers, finely diced
½ cup cucumber, finely diced
1 pkg couscous (cooked according to package directions)
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350º F.
2. In an oven-safe pot (the deeper the better) add olive oil, bay leaves, garlic and shrimp.  Season with salt and pepper.
3. Place in preheated oven for 10 minutes or until shrimp are pink.
4. In a large bowl, assemble all couscous ingredients and mix well.  Chill until ready to serve.
5. To serve, place a spoonful of couscous in the middle of a plate and garnish with 5 shrimp.

Jerk Shrimp and Avocado Salad (serves 4-6)

Ingredients:
1-pkg Aqua Star Pure and Natural Shrimp
2 cups of cooked fresh corn or (you can use tinned or frozen)
2 Avocado’s diced
½ cup bacon bits
3 tbsp of extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 tbsp of White wine Vinegar or Fresh Lemon juice
Salt and pepper to Taste
4 tbsp of your favorite Jerk seasoning

Directions:

1. In a med/large fry pan cook shrimp according to instructions on the packages add jerk seasoning
2. In a med/sized bowl combine all other ingredients and mix well. (the salad can be made ahead of time)

Place salad in the middle of the plate and place warm shrimp over it.

Curried Shrimp (serves 8-10)

Ingredients:
1-28oz tinned diced tomatoes
1 pkg organic vegetable broth
1 tin coconut milk
½ cup mild curry powder
½ cup 35% crème
Salt and Pepper to taste
½ cup roasted sliced almonds
½ cup raisins
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup white wine
1 cup finely diced onions
1 tbsp olive oil
1-2lb bag of 21/25 Aqua Star reserve shrimp

Directions:

1. In a thick bottom stock pot  over med/high heat sauté olive oil, onions, curry powder until onions start to soften.
2. Once onions are starting to soften add tomatoes, vegetable stock, coconut milk, crème and wine bring up to a gentle boil and reduce curry by half  about 1 hour.
3. Add cilantro, raisins and almonds season with salt and pepper continue to simmer for another ½ hour.
4. Add shrimp and cook for another 10 minute until shrimp are cooked.
5. Serve over rice or Barley Risotto.

Crab and Pear Salad ( serves 4-6)

Ingredients:
6 cups baby arugula
2 cups slice oranges
2 cups julienned pears
½ cup olive oil
1/3 cup sherry vinegar
1 cup king crab meat

Directions:

1. Wash and dry arugula place on a large serving platter.
2. Place orange slices and pears together.
3. Pour  1tbsp of olive oil and vinegar over fruit.
4. Mix the olive oil and vinegar and pour over the arugula.
 
5. Place fruit on top of greens than garnish with crab.
6. You can use a medly of greens instead of  arugula.