Jordan

He's 13 and on the run with sports, girls, school, girls, friends and girls - so he doesn't have a ton of time for details. This is basic, but totally works.

Ingredients

• 1 can Albacore tuna in water, drained
• 2-3 tablespoons shredded cheddar
• Sour dough bread

Directions

1. Heat a non-stick pan on medium heat and add tuna
2. Heat through while breaking apart with a fork
3. Add cheese and allow to melt through
4. Toast bread, and put on the tuna
5. OK, so you could always add some mayo, or a little spice or potato chips - but if you don't... no biggy.

Grilled Tuna Burger

Makes 4

There are cheeseburgers, chicken burgers and even tofu burgers - so why not a fresh tuna burger?

Ingredients

• Four 6 ounce tuna fillets
• 4 burger buns, maybe something interesting like a good wheat or multi-grain
• Red leaf lettuce
• Olive oil
• Salt & pepper
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 tablespoons red onion, diced
• Juice of 1/2 lemon

Directions

1. Lightly drizzle tuna with oil and season with salt & pepper
2. Combine mayo, capers, onion and lemon juice - mix well and set aside
3. Heat grill to medium high and cook tuna until both sides are well marked, but tuna is still rare in the middle
4. Toast buns, spread on some sauce and top with lettuce
5. Place finished tuna fillet on top and have at it

"Whatever" Spring Rolls

Makes 10

Once you know how easy it is to use the supermarket readily available spring roll wrappers, you can make them with whatever you want - chicken, crab, lobster or just more vegetables. You're totally in the driver's seat.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces whatever - cooked chicken that's been shredded, crab meat, chili - it's up to you (ok, maybe not chili)
• 4 ounces bag-ready mixed coleslaw, the tri-colored kind without the dressing
• 4 tablespoons 'your favorite' spicy Asian stir fry sauce
• 10 large spring roll wrappers
• White and Black sesame seeds
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil

Directions

1. Heat wok until almost smoking, then add 1 tablespoon oil
2. Add coleslaw & 'whatever' and stir fry until coleslaw is slightly wilted - about 1 minute
3. Stir in sauce and remove from heat - let cool slightly
4. Place one wrapper on the counter, with a corner pointing at you
5. Put approximately 2 tablespoons of the filling in the center of the wrapper
6. Fold the nearest corner of the wrapper up covering the filling
7. Fold in the two sides and finish by rolling away from you and moisten the very end with a dab of water to help stick
8. Brush tops very lightly with oil, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and bake at 375 until lightly brown
9. Cut on diagonal and serve with extra sauce for dipping.

Ginger Scallops

Makes 12

The key to scallops is NOT to overcook them. The easiest way is to make sure your pan is HOT and turn them once they're nicely browned.

Ingredients

• 1 pound large fresh scallops, about 12
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons ginger, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons green onion, finely chopped
• Olive oil
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

Directions

1. Mix butter, ginger and green onion together in a small bowl - set aside
2. Put non-stick pan on medium/high heat
3. Lightly oil scallops and season with salt & pepper
4. When the pan is almost smoking, put half the scallops in the pan and sear until golden, 1 to 2 minutes
5. Flip over, put half the ginger butter in the pan and as it melts spoon it over the scallops
6. Remove when bottom is golden
7. Cook remaining scallops the same way, dig?

BBQ Shrimp PO Boy

Serves 3 - maybe 4, but probably 3

A classic New Orleans-type of sandwich. But instead of deep-fried, it's done on the grill or on a grill pan...

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound shrimp, 21/25's raw shell off and de-veined
• Kosher salt
• Fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne/li>
• 4 French Rolls
• Shredded Iceberg lettuce
• Sliced tomatoes
• Olive oil
• SAUCE
• 1/4 cup mayo
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons chili sauce
• 1 tablespoon prepared
• horseradish
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce

Directions

1. Heat grill or pan to medium
2. Combine mayo, onion, chili sauce, horseradish and hot sauce - mix well and set aside
3. Mix shrimp with cayenne, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt & pepper
4. Slice rolls lengthwise and drizzle lightly with olive oil
5. Grill shrimp until done
6. Place rolls on grill or gil pan and brown slightly
7. Build PO Boy with shrimp, sauce, lettuce & tomato
8. Eat it quick and then make another one...

Shrimp & Scallop Ceviche

How great is a little pre-dinner ceviche? Really great.

1/2 pound scallops, cut into a small dice

1/2 pound raw shrimp, peeled & de-veined & cut into a small dice

Juice of 6 limes

3-6 serrano chiles (depending on your heat tolerance), seeds/membrane removed and cut into a tiny dice

2 vine ripe tomatoes, de-seeded and diced small

3 avocados, diced small

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1/4 cup diced green onions

1/4 cup finely diced English or Persian cucumber

3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Kosher salt to taste

Potato/tortilla chips for serving

• Put scallops, shimp and lime juice in a medium bowl

• Mix well anmd pat it down so the lime juice covering the shrimp & scallops - cover and refrigerate overnight

• The next day, add all remaining ingredients, mix well and season to taste with salt & pepper

• Serve with some kind of crunchy chip to spoon the ceviche onto

Maple Salmon

Serves 4

If this takes more than 10 minutes start to finish - you've done something wrong.

Ingredients

• 4 salmon filets
• 1 tablespoon chili oil
• 1 bunch green onions - bottom 3 inches sliced matchstick thin
• 1 small red pepper, sliced matchstick thin
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup

Directions

1. Heat non-stick pan and add oil when very hot
2. Place salmon skin side up in pan and sear until nicely brown & crusted about 3 minutes
3. Flip and cook skin side down a couple more minutes - remove to plates and keep warm
4. Add green onions and red peppers to the hot pan and stir fry about 30 seconds, remove and place on salmon
5. Mix soy & syrup - add to pan, allow to thicken about 30 seconds and drizzle over salmon

Pepper Halibut with Salsa Cream

Serves 6

I know - it sounds fancy and I'm not fancy. So who cares, just make it and impress your friends. But heed my warning - if you use red salsa instead of green - this will become one of the most horrifyingly ugly dishes you've ever made - so don't.

Ingredients

• 1 red pepper, finely diced
• 1 yellow pepper, finely diced
• 1 Anaheim chili pepper, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 pounds Halibut
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/3 cup salsa verde (green salsa)
• 1 teaspoon each cumin, cayenne and chili powder
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Directions

1. Heat a non-stick pan to medium high, add olive oil, peppers and garlic and cook until just softened and just beginning to brown, about 5 minutes and set aside
2. While that's cooking, heat broiler
3. Combine cumin, chili powder and cayenne - and sprinkle over halibut
4. Broil halibut until done – about 5-7 minutes depending on thickness
5. While halibut and peppers cook, combine sour cream and salsa in a little pot and simmer until heated through
6. Plate it by putting some pepper mixture on plate, then halibut on top and spoon some of the salsa cream over the top
7. Garnish with a little cilantro

Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Makes 12

You're probably tired of me telling you that there are things you should keep in your freezer for last minute appetite supression. Scallops are one of them because they freeze really well and defrost quickly. Sea scallops are the big ones and bay scallops are the little guys - this recipe uses the big boys.

Ingredients

• 1 pound sea scallops, defrosted
• 12 slices 'ready bacon' - the already cooked and ready to go kind
• 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
• 2 long metal skewers - or 2 long wooden ones
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions

1. Preheat bbq or grill pan on high
2. Wrap each scallop with a slice of bacon and skewer - 6 to a skewer, make sure they stay tightly wrapped
3. Spray bbq or grill pan with non-stick spray, and lay down the skewers - don't move 'em
4. Let them get cook for 2-3 minutes until really good grill marks develop, then flip over
5. Brush top with sauce and grill 2nd side about 2 more minutes or until that side looks equally as cool
6. Remove and brush just cooked side with sauce
7. Put on a serving plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving

Mini Crab Cake Sandwiches

Makes 16 little sandwiches

Two things that have always bugged me about most crab cakes - they're fried in a bunch of oil and almost always have a ton of mayo in them. Mine are baked, not fried and have zero mayo. Plus these are easy to throw together, easy to cook and even easier to eat. Who loves ya baby?

Ingredients

• 1 pound crab meat
• 1/4 cup green onion, diced small
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/3 cup panko crumbs, Japanese bread crumbs available at most supermarkets
• 2 tablespoons Asian chili sauce
• 2 tubes (8 each) refrigerator buttermilk biscuits
• 1-8 ounce bag ready cole slaw (with the dressing included)

Directions

1. Make biscuits and cole slaw according to package directions and set aside
2. Heat oven to 400
3. Mix crab, onion, soy, panko and chili sauce well in a bowl and shape into 16 tight little pattys and place on greased baking sheet
4. Bake cakes until crispy brown then carefully flip, should be about 10-15 minutes each side
5. Cut biscuits in half and place one crab cake on each bottom half, add some cole slaw then top with other biscuit half

South of the Border Scallops

Makes 12

Who doesn't love a scallop? Now that I think of, a bunch of people don't. Go figure...

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup diced fresh mango
• 1/3 cup peeled and diced cucumber
• 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 pound sea scallops, rinsed and dried
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil

Directions

1. Mix all ingredients except scallops and set aside
2. Season scallops with salt and pepper
3. Heat non-stick pan over high heat
4. Put in oil & when just smoking add scallops and sear each side until nicely brown and a cool little sort of crust builds
5. Put on a plate and serve with the mango salsa

Shrimpy

Makes 2 pounds

It's butter and shrimp - ok, pepper, and garlic too. Okay...an ass load of butter - just don't eat the whole thing yourself.

2 cups butter (4 sticks)

2 pounds shrimp, shell on, but deveined

6 tablespoons ground black pepper

1/2 tablespoon Kosher salt, smoked salt if you have, if not no big

6-8 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika

Lemons for serving

• Heat oven to broil

• In a large cast iron pan or baking dish, thinly slice and spread out 2 sticks of the butter to cover bottom of pan

• Sprinkle half the pepper over the butter, then put in the shrimp in as much of a single layer as possible, use a couple pans if necessary, season with the salt

• Add the garlic, the paprika, the remaining butter and then the rest of the pepper

• Broil, about 6 to 8 inches away from the heat until shrimp are nicely pink, you don’t need to flip them - this could be anyway from 10-15 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don’t overcook

• Peel, eat, peel eat, peel, eat and serve with lots of warm, crusty bread for dipping and ice cold beers for, well that should be obvious

Chili Salmon

Makes 4 servings

Another example of 1 ingredient tasting like 5. This is really good, really simple and isn't too spicy.

Ingredients

• Four 6 - 8 ounce salmon fillets, skin off (that have been out of the fridge at least 20 minutes
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup sesame chili oil, approx
• 1/3 cup green onions, chopped fine

Directions

1. Put fillets on a plate, season well with Kosher salt and pepper and drizzle with the chili oil - being sure to get some on the bottom
2. Heat a non-stick pan really, really well until almost smoking
3. Turn on the fan and carefully add salmon
4. Cook until about 1/4 of the way done - and you can see this by watching the sides of the salmon change color
5. Carefully turn over, cook the same - remove
6. Serve topped with green onions

King Crab Legs

Serves 2

This is a great opening to a romantic meal for two. Don't be put off thinking crab is difficult to deal with - it's not.

Ingredients

• 1 pound King crab legs
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

Directions

1. Cut the stick of butter in half and put each half into a small bowl - don't do anything with it yet
2. Break each leg into 2 - 4 pieces - depending on how long they are (pieces should be about 5 - 6 inches long)
3. Fold 3 paper towels in half, so they're sort of 1 1/2 paper towels long and lightly dampen with water then wrap around the crab legs (these are already cooked...we're just warming them)
4. Place the bundle in the microwave for 2 minutes
5. Remove the crab, and while you're putting it onto a platter, put the butter bowls into the crow to melt - about 30 seconds I think
6. Remove bowls and add the pepper to one and the chili powder to the other
7. Open the shells, get to the meat and dip into your favorite butter sauce (but be sure to try both before you decide)

Shrimp BLT

Makes 2 large sandwiches

This is a great variation on your typical BLT. Messy but great. Go on...ignore the mess and just enjoy!

Ingredients

• 1/2 lb. peeled uncooked shrimp cut into smallish pieces
• Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste
• 1 head lettuce, the real head kind - don't substitute here
• 1 medium sized ripe tomato, sliced
• About 8 pieces ready bacon, cooked
• 2 nice sandwich (hoagie style) rolls
• Chili sauce, the ketchup kind (not the Asian kind)

Directions

1. Preheat a skillet on the stove, toss in the shrimp pieces and season to taste with salt and pepper (these will cook quickly)
2. Cook ready bacon per package instruction in the microwave
3. Preheat the broiler
4. Open the sandwich rolls, place on a baking sheet and toast lightly under the broiler (and I mean lightly!)
5. Cut the lettuce in half then quarters and shred about a quarter into thin slices
6. Spread the chili sauce to taste onto the toasted rolls
7. Top with 3 - 4 pieces of bacon, a pile of lettuce shreds and a couple of tomato slices
8. Finally top with 1/2 of the cooked shrimp in a pile on top of everything else
9. Put the top of the roll on and cut the sandwich in half
10. Forget how it falls apart - just make it and enjoy!

Grilled Big-Ass Shrimp & Steak with Chimichurri

Serves 6

Chimichurri is the garlic-parsley marinade that originated in Argentina- and it rules. Make sure you reserve some extra for dipping or drizzling.

Ingredients

• 18 large shrimp (U15's would be perfect here) shelled and deveined with the tail left on
• 1 1/2 pound skirt steak
• CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
• 6 cloves garlic
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon each Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 bunch flat leaf parsley, top leaves only
• 2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves
• Juice of 1 lemon
• Put everything into the food processor and process until fairly smooth

Directions

1. Place the Shrimp and the steak into a glass bowl or baking dish and cover with chimichurri sauce
2. Refrigerate and let marinate for 1/2 to 1 hour
3. Grill the steak on high about 5 minutes, then flip over and add the shrimp to the grill, basting both with some of the extra sauce
4. Grill everything until done - which should only be a few minutes
5. Slice the steak into thin slices and serve with the shrimp and extra sauce for dipping

Cap'n Crunch Seared Tuna

Serves 4-6 as an appetizer

Beautifully seared tuna that's been coated in the crushed Captain. Sounds stupid doesn't it? Well there's just something about the sweet crunchy outside and the tangy little mix you make for it. Honestly, the only stupid thing would be NOT making it.

Ingredients

• 2 cups regular Cap'n Crunch (don't even think of using the peanut butter or crunch berry version)
• 1/4 cup Kewpie, Japanese mayonnaise, or
• 1/4 cup regular mayo & 1/2 tablespoon yellow mustard, combined
• 1 pound sushi grade tuna, in 2 rectangular blocks
• Neutral oil, like avocado oil is excellent
• Kosher salt & fresh ground pepper
• Sriracha
• Green onions, chopped fine

Directions

1. Crush the Cap'n in a Ziploc bag until fine (or in a processor) and put in a large bowl
2. If not using Japanese mayo, combine regular mayo and mustard - set aside
3. Lightly coat tune with oil, season with salt & pepper then press down into the Cap'n making sure it's covered well on all sides
4. Heat a non-stick pan really well then add ¼ cup of oil
5. When it just starts to smoke, add both blocks of the tuna and sear quickly on all sides until just golden (depending on hot your pan is, maybe 5-10 seconds a side) and remove to paper towels and slice onto 1/2 inch
6. I serve it by spreading the mayo mix on a plate, drizzle of Sriracha, topping that with the sliced tuna and sprinkling with green onions - just be sure to get some of everything in each bite

WATCH ME COOK THIS

Panko Crusted Scallops

Serves 4-6 as an appetizer

I often hear people whining about ruining scallops. Well I've never been able to ruin this one - it's basically 'fail safe.'

Ingredients

• 12 large sea scallops - the U10 guys are great here
• 1 1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 1/2 tsp each kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup chili sauce (the American ketchupy kind - not the Asian hot chili kind)
• Juice of 1/2 lime

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450
2. Grease a baking sheet really well
3. Season the panko with the salt and pepper
4. Press scallops into the panko mixture one at a time so that all sides are covered with the crumbs and place on baking sheet
5. Make sure your oven is REALLY preheated - not on the way to 450...at 450
6. Bake for 10 minutes then carefully flip scallops with a thin spatula - be careful because they'll stick a little
7. Bake for another 10 minutes on second side
8. In a bowl mix the mayo with the chili sauce and lime juice
9. Serve the scallops with a little sauce drizzle over them or on the side for dipping

Ahi Tartare with Mango

Serves 6

Buy a good, sushi grade ahi for this - not some frozen chunk from a neighbor's fishing trip (that kind you'd use to grill). Just ask the dude behind the seafood counter.

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound sushi grade ahi, cut into small cubes
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions - white and light green
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger - 'minced' means really finely chopped
• 1/2 ripe avocado, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 - 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• Juice of 1/2 lime
• 1 small to medium sized ripe mango, diced

Directions

1. Mix soy well with sesame oil, lime juice & wasabi, set aside
2. combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and add soy mixture - mix well but don't mush
3. NOTE - the mango can either be mixed in with everything or served on top of the ahi
4. Serve with something crispy (like baked won tons)

Crab Bisque

Serves 6

I like to make some and serve it in small espresso cups as an appetizer kinda thing

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups whipping cream
• One - 8 ounce can crab meat
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup sherry (or scotch - you choose)
• Parsley, chopped fine to garnish

Directions

1. Heat a pot large enough to hold the soup and melt the butter in it
2. Add onion and cook until soft
3. Stir in the flour a spoonful at a time to make a roux
4. Add the chicken broth and stir really well until there are no lumps from the roux
5. Add the whipping cream and crab
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste
7. Add sherry and cook until heated through
8. Garnish with a bit of chopped parsley to serve