Seafood On Deck

There couldn’t be a better excuse for a seafood extravaganza than summertime on the East End. Try out this seafood grille, paired with a basmati and wild rice pilaf, and sugar snap peas, or substitute your favorite green vegetable. Add a tossed salad with mustard vinaigrette dressing, crusty whole grain bread, and round out the meal with ice cream or sorbet, fresh berries and cookies for dessert.

Pour a crisp sauvignon blanc, or slightly chilled pinot noir, with dinner. Bon appétit!

Seafood Grille(Serves 6)20 large dry pack sea scallops, tough tendon removed, patted dry

18 large shrimp, peeled and cleaned

Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing

2 lemons, cut into wedges, for garnish

Fresh chervil leaves, for garnish

8 tablespoons butter, for drizzling

For the marinade:

2 tablespoons dry sherry

2 tablespoons port

Few sprigs of fresh chervil

Juice of 1 large lemon

Freshly ground black pepper, to tasteTo prepare:Refrigerate seafood on a baking sheet lined with paper towels.

Whisk sherry, port, chervil, lemon juice and pepper together in a bowl.

Place scallops in one shallow dish and shrimp in another.

Drizzle equal portions of marinade over the seafood.

Refrigerate for 15 to 20 minutes.

Remove scallops from marinade.

Slide long, metal skewers through the centers, so the flat sides are aligned perpendicular to the skewer with a snug fit.

Remove shrimp from marinade

Skewer shrimp through the centers in the same fashion as the scallops.

Arrange on a jellyroll pan.

Discard the marinade.

Melt butter.

Let it rest for 5 minutes.

Skim milky solids off the top.

Discard.

Strain the clear butter into a pitcher.

Discard the accumulated milky solids on the bottom.

Reheat the clarified butter just before serving the seafood.

Preheat the grill, until very hot.

Lightly oil the grid with a wad of paper towels.

Cover.

Reheat.

Turn heat to medium.

Lay the skewers at an angle to the grid for grill marks.

Cook for 4 minutes on one side.

Turn and grill other side, about 2 minutes.

Cut into one scallop to check; it should be opaque in the center.

Shrimp timing will be a little less; the outside will turn pink with white centers.

Transfer skewers to a warm platter.

Drizzle with hot clarified butter.

Garnish with lemon edges and chervil sprigs.

Serve at once.Pass extra butter at the table.Organic Basmati And Wild Rice(Serves 6)1/2 cup wild rice, soaked overnight

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large leek, white part only, chopped

2 cups organic white basmati rice

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped, reserve some for garnish

1 quart good-quality vegetable stock, or chicken stock, boiling

4 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded and dicedTo prepare:Place wild rice in a bowl.

Completely cover the rice with cold water by 2 inches.

Cover the bowl.

Let stand overnight.

Drain off the water.

Transfer rice to a saucepan over moderate-high heat.

Cover rice with fresh cold water.

Bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat.

Simmer, until the rice is tender, about 20 to 40 minutes.

Drain off any excess water.

Preheat the oven to 375ºF.

Add olive oil to a heavy casserole over moderate-high heat.

Sauté leek, until it begins to soften.

Add basmati rice.

Season with salt, pepper and parsley.

Add hot stock.

Stir well.

Bring to a boil.

Cover.

Bake, until all the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

Fluff rice with a table fork.

Add the cooked wild rice,

Stir, until mixed well.

Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Stir tomatoes into the rice just before serving.

Garnish with parsley.Sugar Snap Peas With Herbed Lemon Butter(Serves 6)2 pounds sugar snap peas, trimmed and strings removed

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

3 tablespoons fresh chervil, chopped

1½ tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

1½ tablespoons fresh chives, chopped

Zest of 3 lemons, 2 grated and 1 cut into curls, for garnish

Fresh lemon juice

Freshly ground black pepper and kosher salt, to tasteTo prepare:Add butter to the bowl of an electric mixer.

Beat, until fluffy.

Add chervil, dill, chives, lemon zest and 2 tablespoons juice.

Beat, until well combined.

Add salt and pepper.

Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Set aside at room temperature.

Bring 8 cups of water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add snap peas.

Cover.

Cook, until crunch tender, about 4 minutes.

Drain.

Plunge into ice water to stop the cooking process.

Immediately drain again.

Lightly pat dry with paper towels.

Place the warm peas in a large serving bowl.

Top with herbed butter.

Toss to mix.

Garnish with lemon zest curls.