Last night, I entertained The Amazing Matta. Matta was an incredible host to me while I was in Athens. She was like a mother, sister, and best friend all rolled up in to one! She is visiting here in Fort Wayne for a few days and it was important to me that I create a meal worthy of someone with her high rank and standing. I decided to make Moroccan roasted seafood. Let me just say this...... if you try this recipe, after you are finished finger-licking your plate, you are going to rush to your computer and email me a thank-you letter. It's very good; and oh, so simple! The original recipe comes from The Whole Foods Market Cookbook. Here is my version, with slight variations.
Marinade:
1/2 cup olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 T curry powder
1/2 t turmeric
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 T Indian chili powder (or cayenne pepper)
3 T soy sauce
1 t salt
Mix together all ingredients for marinade.
Seafood and Vegetables:
2 lbs seafood (I used 1 lb sea bass, 1/2 lb salmon, 1/2 pound large shrimp (peeled and deveined) and 1/2 lb bay scallops)
1 large red onion, cut into chunks
2 medium red peppers, cut into chunks
2 medium green peppers, cut into chunks
lemon juice and cilantro for serving.
1. place seafood in one large plastic bag and vegetables in another. Pour half of the marinade in with the seafood and the other half in with the vegetables.
2. Marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Dump the seafood out on a large baking pan. Separate the pieces as much as possible so they will roast nicely. Roast at 450 for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
4. Roast the vegetables in the same way for 20 minutes.
5. Combine the seafood with the vegetables, squeeze a little lemon juice over all and mix gently.
6. Garnish with cilantro.
7. Serve hot if desired but this is also fantastic at room temperature!
The seafood was amazing, but so was the rest of the meal. I started of with an Indian Mulligatawny soup that is creamy and delicious with dal, coconut milk, and spices; hummus with home-made pita chips; little dishes of antipasto purchased at Fresh Market; couscous with dried cranberries and almonds; portobella mushrooms stuffed with spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, and Parmesan cheese; and for dessert my to-die-for coconut creme brulée . I'll be sharing the recipes for the Mulligatawny soup and the stuffed mushrooms soon!
