Opah Teriyaki

Yesterday we made a trip out to one of our favorite specialty grocery stores in the area, Bristol Farms. They have an amazing selection of fresh meats, seafood, cheeses, produce....I could go on and on about my love of this store. I picked up a 6 oz. opah steak, while my husband went with ahi. Opah fillets are a nice pink color, turning white once cooked. I first tried this delicious Hawaiian fish at Duke's in Malibu, and loved the light, flaky texture. It is not as dense as say, swordfish, and does well with marinades. If you ever happen to have the opportunity to pick some up, definitely try it - you won't be disappointed!

I found this recipe and gave it a whirl. It was the perfect preparation for the opah.

Opah Teriyaki

1 opah steak (6 oz.)
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 clove garlic
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce*
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon honey
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

In skillet set at 250 or medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon butter; add garlic, saute until tender. Remove from heat. Stir in teriyaki, lemon juice, honey and sesame seeds. Pour over fish, marinate 30 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in skillet. Set at medium heat. Add Opah, saute 4-5 minutes on each side, basting with marinade. Do not overcook.

*I also didn't have any teriyaki sauce on hand, so I made my own from this recipe on Recipezaar:

Teriyaki Sauce (makes 1 cup)
1/8 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
fresh grated ginger (about 1 Tbs. or to your liking)
1 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/2 minced garlic clove
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup cold water

Combine 1/2 cup water, soy sauce, brown sugar, garlic, and ginger in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly.

Dissolve cornstarch in 1/4 cup cold water and add to sauce. Stir constantly to allow the sauce to thicken. If the sauce is too thick, add a little water or soy sauce to thin.

Shrimp Fra Diavolo

I am always on the lookout for a new yummy shrimp dish, and when I stumbled upon this recipe from Giada De Laurentiis from the Food Network, I knew it would be a winner in our house. Spicy + light sauce = delicious. We paired the Shrimp Fra Diavolo with penne pasta.

Photo courtesy of Nicholas Draney Photography

Shrimp Fra Diavolo
From Giada De Laurentiis at the Food Network

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 teaspoon salt, plus additional as needed
1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 1 to 2 teaspoons
1 medium onion, sliced
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup dry white wine
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (I omitted because I didn't have this on hand)
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Toss the shrimp in a medium bowl with 1 teapoon of salt and red pepper flakes. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for about a minute, toss, and continue cooking until just cooked through, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside. Add the onion to the same skillet, adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of olive oil to the pan, if necessary, and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the tomato mixture; toss to coat, and cook for about a minute so the flavors meld together. Stir in the parsley and basil.

We served our shrimp with penne pasta & a sprinkling of parmesan cheese on top.