Seafood helps make for a cool summer

This Recipe Swap column is being read around the globe. We received an email from Clare Gorman in Manchester, England who reads this recipe column and would like to swap recipes with readers here in our area. She has, what she called, "Good ol' fashioned British recipes". She is studying for a degree in Neonatology and has four children. I wonder how she has time to read anything at all for pleasure. If you would like to swap recipes with her, I have her email address and will share it if you contact me through email.

Rob Weeks of McClure, Ill. has developed some great summer seafood recipes and would like you to enjoy them this summer. Rob is a wonderful cook and has won many recipe and cooking competitions so I think you will be delighted to try these original recipes.

Deviled Scallops

1Ú4 cup dry white wine

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1Ú4 teaspoon thyme

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons chopped shallots

1 clove garlic, chopped

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon sage

1 pound scallops

Mix wine, mustard, thyme, sage and salt, set aside. Melt butter in frying pan, sautZ shallots, garlic, and scallops over high heat briefly. Pour wine mixture over scallops and boil rapidly for one to two minutes to reduce liquid. Serve immediately. Serves two to three.

Herbed Lobster

1 medium lobster

2 tablespoons butter, melted

Rosemary, or other fresh green herbs

If lobster is uncooked, steam or boil until bright red. Split in half lengthwise. Drizzle butter on halves, and top with herb sprigs. Reheat briefly under broiler or on barbeque grill. Serves 2.

Beer Battered Salmon Sticks

1 pound salmon filet, skin removed

1 egg

1Ú2 cup flour

Beer, any type or brand

Cut salmon into four or five sticks. Combine egg and flour with enough beer to moisten. Mix into thick batter. Preheat oil fryer to 350 to 375 degrees. Fry sticks until brown. Use as appetizer or entrZe. Serves two as a main course.

Scallops with Spicy Orange Sauce

1 pound scallops

1Ú2 cup orange juice

Dash paprika

Brandy, 1 to 2 tablespoons

Combine orange juice with brandy over low heat. Add paprika, using more if more heat is desired. Heat over medium until thickened. Add scallops and cook three to five minutes until opaque. This is great served over rice. Serves four as a main course.

Yellowfin Tuna Burgers

1 1Ú2 pounds yellowfin tuna

2 teaspoons minced garlic

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1Ú2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1Ú4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1Ú4 cup olive oil

Grind or chop tuna to texture of hamburger meat. Combine with garlic, mustard, cayenne, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Divide into four equal portions; flatten into patties. Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat, sear until browned and medium rare, about three to four minutes per side. Serve on a buttered, toasted hamburger roll. Serves four. Serve piping hot with ginger mustard sauce.

Ginger-Mustard Dipping Sauce

1/3 cup teriyaki sauce

2 teaspoons fresh minced ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1Ú2 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Combine all ingredients in saucepan, bring to a boil, cool and serve.

In keeping with the seafood theme, I had this recipe sent to me by a friend and it sounds great to me.

Maine Lobster Fra Diablo

Yield: 2 servings

1 live Maine lobster (2 pounds)

1/3 cup olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1/2 cup white wine

1 1/2 cups basic tomato sauce

Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Salt

1/2 pound linguini, cooked

Cut the lobster in half lengthwise. Remove the small, opaque clumps of tissue located next to the eye. Do not remove anything else from the lobster; the juices and the roe are what give the sauce its flavor. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and garlic and cook for a few minutes. Do not let the garlic burn or it will leave a bitter taste. Add the lobster flesh side down and cook until the roe is firm, about one minute. Add the white wine, tomato sauce, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook a few minutes more until all the ingredients blend together. Add the chopped parsley and salt, to taste. Do not overcook the lobster; it will become tough. Add the sauce and lobster to the cooked linguini and serve immediately.

With tomatoes so abundant now, this salad is very good on hot summer days.

BLT Salad

1/4 cup olive or salad oil

3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar or white wine vinegar

3 tablespoons mayonnaise or salad dressing

2 teaspoons coarse-grain mustard

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning

2 cloves garlic, minced

8 1/2-inch-thick slices Italian, French, or sourdough bread

5 cups torn mixed salad greens

2 medium tomatoes, cut into thin wedges

1/2 cup chopped cucumber

1/2 cup cubed smoked cheddar cheese or Swiss cheese (2 ounces)

8 slices bacon or turkey bacon, crisp-cooked, drained and crumbled

2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion

For dressing, in a screw-top jar combine oil, vinegar, mayonnaise, mustard, and salt. Cover; shake well. Set aside. Preheat the broiler. In a small bowl, stir together butter, lemon-pepper, and garlic. Lightly brush one side of each bread slice with some of the butter mixture. Place the bread slices, buttered side up, on a baking sheet. Broil four to five inches from the heat for one to two minutes or until the bread is toasted. Cut the slices lengthwise into one-inch wide strips. To serve, stack bread strips on each of four salad plates log-cabin style, leaving a space in the center. Arrange the lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, and cheese in the center of the bread strips. Sprinkle with bacon and green onion. Shake dressing well; drizzle over salads. Makes four side-dish servings. Cut calories by using turkey bacon and low fat salad dressing.

I am all out of room for this week. Be sure to send in your favorite recipes so others might enjoy them as well. Have a great week and until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.