July 2, 2007
Summer Break Is Great Time To Teach Kids How To Cook Seafood
“There’s nothing to do.” How many times have you heard that during school breaks? Your creative parenting skills are never more challenged than when the children are bored and idle. You can turn mid-summer monotony into an opportunity to have some fun and at the same time teach skills that will stay with them throughout their lives.
Summer is always good for a trip to the beach just to cool off. It is also an excellent chance to educate children about foods that come from the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico and show them how to prepare a seafood supper for the family. To make it fun, while you help them cook share some seafood trivia. For instance, ask them if they know fish really do sleep and saltwater fish must drink seawater to keep from getting dehydrated? And, if they are aware medical research indicates eating seafood twice or more per week is good for their heart? Visit www.FL-Seafood.com for pictures and information about the various seafood species so you can make up your own trivia quizzes. You can also order a “Florida Seafood Activities and Coloring Book” on the site.
Cooking even the simplest recipe can be an exciting challenge for a child. They delight in a sense of pride and accomplishment when they are allowed to serve and eat their finished dish. Let your children try their hands at cooking some of these simple Florida seafood recipes. Emphasize safety prior to beginning and, of course, closely supervise each step along the way.
Heavenly Broiled Fish
2 pounds skinned Florida fish fillets, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons Florida lemon juice
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons Florida green onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash liquid hot pepper sauce
Thaw fish if frozen. Place fillets in a single layer on a well-greased bake-and-serve dish (15-by-10 inches). Brush fillets with lemon juice and let stand for 10 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients and set aside. Broil fillets about 4 inches from source of heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Fish cooks quickly, about 10 minutes per inch of thickness. Remove from oven and spread with cheese mixture. Return to the oven and broil 2 to 3 minutes longer or until lightly browned. Yield: 6 servings
Nutritional Value Per Serving:
Calories 368, Calories From Fat 226, Total Fat 25g, Saturated Fat 9g, Trans Fatty Acid 0.23g, Cholesterol 127mg, Total Carbohydrate .67g, Protein 32g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 2.21g
Microwaved Baked Fish
4 Florida fish fillets, 6 ounces each, fresh or frozen
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons Florida lemon or lime juice
1/4 teaspoon tarragon
few sprigs of Florida parsley
Arrange fish fillets on a microwave-proof platter. Place the thicker parts of the fish to the outside of the platter. Combine melted butter, salt, lemon or lime juice and tarragon. Brush mixture over fish.
Cover fish with wax paper and microwave on high for five minutes. Gently stick a fork in the center of the fish. It is done if it is flaky and no longer translucent. If it is not done continue microwaving and checking after 1 minute. Garnish with lemon or lime wedges and parsley. Yield: 4 servings.
Nutritional Value Per Serving:
Calories 280, Calories From Fat 140, Total Fat 16g, Saturated Fat 5g, Trans Fatty Acid 0.17g, Cholesterol 117mg, Total Carbohydrate .71g, Protein 33g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid 2.47g
Grilled Shrimp Kebabs
1 1/2 pounds Florida shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 wooden skewers
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup Florida orange juice
1 teaspoon ground Florida oregano
Thread shrimp onto wooden skewers. Use two skewers per kebab to make turning easier. One skewer should go through the meaty part and one skewer goes through the tail. Put as many shrimp on each kebab as possible, leaving part of the skewer exposed at both ends so you will have something to hold on to. Brush the grill rack with olive oil prior to placing kebabs over the heat. Combine the remaining ingredients in an 8-ounce container with a lid. Cover and shake well.
Place the kebabs on the rack over the heat. Brush frequently with the oil mixture. Grill until shrimp are tender and no longer translucent in the center, approximately 6-8 minutes on each side. Yield: 4 servings.
Nutritional Value Per Serving:
Calories 319, Calories From Fat 147, Total Fat 17g, Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fatty Acid 0, Cholesterol 259mg, Total Carbohydrate 5g, Protein 36g, Omega 3 Fatty Acid .84g
For more recipes and information, visit www.FL-Seafood.com.
For more information:
Phyllis McCranie
(850) 488-0163
mccranp@doacs.state.fl.us
