Fresh Seafood Ideas for Your Holiday Party

Seafood is a great way to take your holiday festivities to new culinary heights. Here are some fresh ideas from our chefs.

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Big Seafood A Big Hit

Hi, Chef Michael LaDuke here. The chefs and I have been busy traveling to our restaurants across the country getting ready for the new items appearing on our menu. It's always great to travel and see new places, meet new people, and talk with fellow seafood lovers.

We've received an especially great response to our current promotion, The Big Seafood Festival. I won't go into a full blown commercial for you, but I will tell you we're very excited to offer Colossal Shrimp and Scallops - the biggest shrimp and scallops Red Lobster has ever served.

We're also offering a new Today's Fresh Fish preparation, Parmesan Crusted Tilapia. This great dish was created by our chefs here in the Red Lobster Culinary Center, and features creamy and crunchy Parmesan topping over a great piece of fresh tilapia. Don't visit without trying it!

With all the new food news going on, I also had an opportunity to take the chefs to Napa Valley recently to work on future menu items, as well as learn a little more about wines. Our new menu features a new wine list, so if you love great seafood paired with great wine, Red Lobster is the place to be.

Happy holiday season to everyone. If you're out Christmas shopping, or getting ready for your favorite holiday, stop by and see what's fresh today at Red Lobster, The shrimp are big and the fish is fresh. Also, stay tuned to the Red Lobster Chef's Blog. Chef Darryl and I will soon be releasing our next video about great holiday dishes you can prepare using seafood.

Spicing Up Your Fish

Hello, Chef Darryl Mickler here and recently a guest wrote in and mentioned how much she had enjoyed the grilled Tilapia on our Today's Fresh Fish menu.

While grilled fish is a pretty simple dish, good technique and adequate seasoning will help ensure this simple entree is delicious.

The first thing you want to do is to make sure your grill and grill grates are clean. Food will stick to a dirty grate and pick up unwanted flavors. Remember to preheat the grill (about 30 minutes for charcoal and 15 minutes for gas). Before grilling, brush the grates lightly with vegetable oil or spray with non-stick cooking spray.

Another key to successfully grilling fish is choosing the right species to grill. Tilapia is firm and grills very well. Other species such as grouper, snapper and salmon also work very well. In general, firm-fleshed species are the best choice for the grill. Exceptionally flaky or soft-fleshed species (such as haddock, cod, whitefish or sole) are more likely to stick to even a perfectly prepared grill.

Seasoning is the next step. Sea salt and freshly ground pepper are a great choice but don't be afraid to make your own seasoning blends.

At Red Lobster, we use a special seasoning for our simply grilled fresh fish, but you can make some great varieties on your own. Try the recipe below, always start with fresh spices and make sure to keep the blend in a cool, dark place to preserve the flavor.

Brush the fish with olive oil and place it on the grill. Season it evenly on both sides while cooking. A quick squeeze of fresh lemon as you serve the dish is really all you need to create delicious grilled fresh fish.

Thanks for stopping by and please stop by and see what's fresh today at Red Lobster. Bon Appetit!

Grilling Spice Blend - makes 1 cup

1/4 cup Paprika
1 tablespoon Ground Cumin
1/4 cup mixed Black and White Ground Pepper
1 tablespoon Ground Coriander
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons Sea Salt

Celebrate Shrimp

Shrimp is America’s favorite seafood. But you don’t have to just serve it as shrimp cocktail. Here are some ideas for fresh, flavorful ways to enjoy this great protein.

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