Kasey Wilson: Simply delicious seafood and dip recipes

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When my son Jeff and his fiancé Kim arrive from North Carolina in a few weeks, I know the first thing they’ll do is head out to lunch for a bowl of Vietnamese pho (pronounced “fuh”) in Kerrisdale, followed by a late dinner of calamari at per se Social Corner (891 Homer St.).

They just can’t get enough seafood when they visit.

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If they’re lucky, we’ll be invited to friends in Point Roberts for a Pacific Northwest crab feast. The neighbours get together after a successful day of crabbing at the beach and we enjoy the catch, simply boiled and served with a variety of sauces for dipping and plenty of napkins.

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Here are a few recipes inspired by just such a feast:

Crispy calamari with lemon aioli

Aioli

1 egg

1 egg yolk

3 roasted garlic cloves (see below)

3 garlic cloves

1/3 cup (80 mL) fresh lemon juice

1 cup (250 mL) good olive oil

Salt to taste

Place egg, egg yolk, garlic and lemon juice in a blender or food processor and process for three minutes, or until smooth and creamy. While machine is running, gradually drizzle in olive oil. After aioli thickens, stir in salt and lemon zest. Refrigerate for at least one hour before use so flavours can marry.

Calamari

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1 cup (250 mL) all-purpose flour

1 tbsp (15 mL) cornstarch

1 tsp (5 mL) salt

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) ground white pepper

Peanut oil for frying

2 lb (907 g) small squid, cleaned and cut into 1/4-inch rings

Lemon wedges for garnish

Blend flour, cornstarch, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. In a deep, heavy skillet, heat oil to 350 F. Dredge squid rings, a few at a time, in the flour. Shake off the excess flour and saute squid rings, a few at a time in hot oil until barely golden, about two minutes. With tongs or slotted spoon, remove squid and let drain briefly on paper towels. Repeat until all the squid is cooked. Serve on warm plates with wedges of lemon and the aioli.

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Pacific Northwest crab pot with dipping sauces

6-8 live Dungeness crabs

Salt (optional)

Herb butter sauce

Cucumber-yogurt sauce

Louis dressing

In a large pot bring to a boil enough saltwater or fresh water to cover the crabs. Add 1/4 cup of salt for each gallon of fresh water. Plunge the live crabs into boiling water and cover. Return to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on size of crabs.

Remove crabs and plunge them immediately into cold water. Pull off the top shells and either discard or scrub for use as serving containers. Lift the gills on wither side of the back of each crab and discard. Turn the crab on its back and break off the mouth parts and the tail or apron, and scrape out the entrails. Rinse thoroughly in cold water.

Break the body shell in two and pick or shake out the meat. Break off the legs. Pull out the movable small claws or pincer claws and the sharp cartilage. Break the legs apart at the joints, using a nutcracker to gently crack the hard shell of each section.

To serve the cracked crab, place meat into the cleaned top shell and arrange the cracked legs attractively around it. Serve with one or more of the dipping sauces.

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Serves 6-8. 

Herb butter sauce

1 1/2 cups (375 mL) unsalted butter

4-5 tbsp (60-75 mL) minced fresh herbs such as dill, basil, cilantro, tarragon or chives

Juice of 1 lemon or lime

Grated zest of 1 lemon or lime

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add herbs, juice and zest. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups.

Cucumber yogurt sauce

1 cup (250 mL) grated and drained cucumber

1 cup (250 mL) yogurt

1/4 cup (60 mL) mayonnaise

1 tbsp (15 mL) green (spring) onion

1 tbsp (15 mL) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lime juice

1 tsp (5 mL) Dijon mustard

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients. Mix well and chill.

Makes about 2 cups.

Louis dressing

1 cup (250 mL) mayonnaise

1/4 cup (60 mL) chili sauce

3 tbsp (45 mL) chopped black olives

2 tsp (10 mL) minced fresh parsley

1 tbsp (15 mL) green (spring) onion

1/2 tsp (2.5 mL) Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp (15 mL) fresh lemon juice

1 tsp (5 mL) cider vinegar

1-2 dashes Tabasco (hot pepper) sauce

2 tbsp (30 mL) sweet pickle relish

Salt to taste

In a small bowl, combine all the dressing ingredients and blend, set aside.

Makes 1 3/4 cups.

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