seafood traditions

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Chef Hallock Cooper Howard
Photo by: Jared Bell

In the fall of 1998, Hallock Cooper Howard, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, decided to open a restaurant with the help of her parents, Pam and Buddy Cooper, and a few long-time family friends. In April 1999, Amos Mosquito’s Swampside Café opened for business, serving lunch and dinner on the Morehead City waterfront.

Four years later, Hallock and her husband Sandy moved the restaurant from Morehead City to Atlantic Beach, renaming it Amos Mosquito’s Restaurant and Bar. In 2006, Hallock and Sandy hired an executive chef in anticipation of the birth of their first child. After the arrival of their second child in 2009, Hallock began working less and parenting more.

Hallock and Sandy brought on Luke Maguire as their executive chef when their first chef left in spring 2012. Luke comes to Amos Mosquito’s from the Wilson Country Club and has spent the past 14 years working in some of the finest restaurants in eastern North Carolina. He specializes in modern American cuisine with a southern flair, and enjoys cooking with local, sustainable ingredients.

Amos Mosquito’s is a member of Carteret Catch (http://carteretcatch.org/), a local-seafood educational organization dedicated to enhancing the public’s awareness of the Carteret County commercial fishing industry. The Carteret Catch brand is assurance that consumers are getting seafood direct from local fishermen. You will find fresh, local seafood at retailers and restaurants that proudly display the Carteret Catch logo in their windows and on their menus.

http://www.amosmosquitos.com/

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Check out these scallop and shrimp recipes and be sure to cook one!

• The Outer Banks Voice recommends a salad with a strawberry-enhanced scallop entrée : http://outerbanksvoice.com/2013/05/30/strawberry-meals-forever/

• The James Beard Foundation barbecues shrimp and serves them with pineapple chutney: http://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/barbecued-shrimp-pineapple-chutney

• News & Observer shares a 15-minute shrimp meal, perked up with pepper flakes: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/06/10/2952371/pepper-flakes-perk-up-shrimp-and.html

• News 14 Carolina features shrimp summer rolls with plum hoisin dipping sauce: http://coastal.news14.com/content/cooking/lets_cook/695039/shrimp-summer-rolls-with-plum-hoisin-dipping-sauce

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Wonderful seafood recipes this week include low-country shrimp boil, seafood-stuffed hush puppies, spicy seafood pasta, Indian-style snapper and lightly spiced fried fish. Enjoy!

• The Fresh Market shares a low-country shrimp boil for a family gathering: http://www.thefreshmarket.com/recipes/details/low-country-shrimp-boil/#.Ua81y5xNYmY

• James Beard Foundation features irresistible seafood-stuffed hush puppies: http://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/seafood-stuffed-hush-puppies-creole-tomato-sauce

• WECT heats up the kitchen with spicy seafood pasta: http://www.wect.com/story/585617/spicy-seafood-pasta

• News & Observer offers a simple Indian-style snapper recipe: http://www.newsobserver.com/2013/06/04/2936616/quick-fix-mango-chutney-spices.html

• Whole Foods North Raleigh panfries lightly spiced fish: http://northraleigh.wholefoodsmarketcooking.com/blog/7193_indian_food_rocks

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Fresh picked crabmeat comes in several forms. The four most common are lump, backfin, special and claw. Lump, or jumbo lump, is the large white lumps of meat that come from the area of the body adjacent to the back fin appendage. Backfin consists of some lumps plus other meat from the body. Special, also called regular or flake, is the white meat without any lumps. Meat from the claw is brownish in color and is used in recipes where a white appearance is not important. Many people think that the claw meat has the most flavor.

• 1 pound backfin crabmeat
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons chopped sweet pickle
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
• lettuce leaves
• tomato wedges for garnish

Combine celery, pickle, onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice and pepper in medium bowl. Mix well. Gently blend in crabmeat and eggs, being careful not to break pieces apart. Chill thoroughly. Serve on lettuce leaves. Garnish with tomato wedges. Serves 6.

From: Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas

Contributed by Joyce Taylor

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Seafood salads and grilled fish offer light and healthy springtime meals. Enjoy!

• Outer Banks Catch features a refreshing blue crab and avocado salad: http://www.outerbankscatch.com/localcatch/recipe/north-carolina-blue-crab-and-avocado-salad-ruby-grapefruit-vinaigrette

• James Beard Foundation grills a sweet and tangy mahimahi with portobello mushrooms, artichokes, black olives and spicy tomato sauce: http://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/grilled-mahi-mahi-portobello-mushrooms-artichokes-black-olives-and-spicy-tomato-sauce

• The Fresh Market serves up a shrimp and pear salad with pomegranate dressing: http://www.thefreshmarket.com/recipes/details/shrimp-and-pear-salad-with-pomegranate-dressing/#.UaYY4JxNYmY

• Whole Foods North Raleigh has an easy baked or grilled fish recipe: http://northraleigh.wholefoodsmarketcooking.com/recipes/14319_esay_bakedgrilled_fish

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Combine this seafood sandwich with a fresh vegetable salad or a bowl of soup, to make a filling and fantastic evening meal.

• 8 soft-shell crabs, cleaned
• salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• flour
• 1/2 cup margarine or butter
• 8 sandwich rolls, warmed
• mayonnaise or tartar sauce

Sprinkle crabs lightly with salt and pepper. Dust with flour. Heat margarine in large skillet over medium heat until sizzling. Sauté crabs until crisp and brown on one side, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and repeat on other side. Drain on paper towels. Serve on warm rolls with mayonnaise or tartar sauce. Serves 8.

From: Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas

Contributed by Joyce Taylor

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Softshell crabs, hard crabs and grouper are in season, so check with your local seafood market for availability.

• Our State magazine pulled a mahi-mahi recipe from the May 15, 1967, issue of The State magazine: http://www.ourstate.com/mahi-mahi-recipe/

• The Charlotte Observer shares how to prepare crusty scallops on spinach and coconut-carrot rice: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/05/14/4041660/crusty-scallops-bed-down-on-spinach.html

• “In the Kitchen with Ken” (http://www.inthekitchenwithken.com) by Ken Blevins from Star-News Online features fried shrimp burritos: http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20130507/ARTICLES/130509745/1224/living15?Title=In-the-Kitchen-with-Ken-Fried-shrimp-burritos

• Whole Foods North Raleigh makes a shrimp salad: http://northraleigh.wholefoodsmarketcooking.com/blog/7172

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We share recipes for shellfish and flounder this week on Seafood Sightings. Enjoy!

• James Beard Foundation shares a shellfish dish with lively flavors: http://www.jamesbeard.org/recipes/tajine-seafood-chermoula

• Winston-Salem Journal offers a comforting crabmeat with mac and cheese recipe:  http://www.journalnow.com/home_food/food/kitchen_scoop/article_f45721e2-bce1-11e2-93c4-001a4bcf6878.html

• Explore Asheville keeps it simple with a seared flounder recipe: http://www.exploreasheville.com/articles/view/Seared-Carolina-Pompano-Flounder-Recipe/22/597/

• Island Free Press features home-grown Hatteras professional cook Dee Callahan and her chilled crabmeat salad recipe: http://islandfreepress.org/2013Archives/05.14.2013-DeeCallahanAHomegrownHatterasIslandProfessionalCook.html

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Serve this dish as an appetizer or convert it to a full meal.

• 1 pound large shrimp
• 1/4 cup margarine or butter
• 1 teaspoon pressed garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley

Shell and devein shrimp. Melt margarine in large skillet. Add garlic, salt and pepper and mix well. Stir in parsley. Add shrimp to hot mixture and sauté on one side until done, about 2 to 3 minutes. Turn and repeat on other side. Serves about 15.

From: Mariner’s Menu: 30 Years of Fresh Seafood Ideas

Contributed by Joyce Taylor

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Chef Scotty Anderson started his culinary career while in college, beginning as a cook and working his way to management. After a few years, he realized his passion was not in management but in creating cuisine he knew his customers would enjoy. He returned to the kitchen as a chef and continued building his expertise in the culinary arts. Scotty oversees the development of all the dishes served at Boone Docks.

Boone Docks is a member of Brunswick Catch, a local-seafood educational organization dedicated to enhancing the public’s awareness of the Brunswick County commercial fishing industry. The Brunswick Catch brand is your assurance you are getting seafood direct from local fishermen. You will find fresh, local seafood at retailers and restaurants that proudly display the Brunswick Catch logo in their windows and on their menus.

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