09.15.07

Football Frenzy: Seafood Recipes For Tailgate Parties

You can feel the excitement and almost hear the rumbling of fans and bands in stadiums across the country as the college football season kicks off. Besides being a sports lover’s favorite time of year, it is also a special social time when many friends and family reunite after traveling and chilling out over the summer. Of course, the inevitable question when people gather for fun is, “What’s to eat?”

When planning to tailgate at the stadium or in your own back yard, you’ll need some quick, easy and delicious hors d’oeuvres to keep your guests happy while they watch their favorite teams battle it out on the field. Florida seafood and aquaculture products can be the ticket to happy sports fans because they are tasty, fast and easy to prepare. Here are a few unique recipes to kick off a winning season.

Spicy Jalapeno Cheese and Bacon Oysters

36 Florida oysters, shucked, on the half shell
rock salt
12 ounces low-fat mozzarella cheese, grated
1/2 cup cooked bacon, crumbled
4 Florida jalapeno peppers, chopped

Arrange oysters on rock salt in a baking dish. Top each oyster with 1/2 teaspoon of the cheese, crumbled bacon and chopped jalapeno, to taste. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes or until edges of oysters begin to curl. Yield: 6 servings.

Grilled Shrimp and Dill Canapés

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon Florida lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound Florida shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Florida red onion, chopped
3 tablespoons fresh Florida dill, chopped
2 tablespoons deli-style mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped fine
24 party slices rye or pumpernickel bread, toasted

Combine oil, lemon juice and salt; mix well. Baste shrimp with oil mixture and place in well-greased, hinged wire grills, 6 to 8 inches over medium coals. Cook 3 to 4 minutes; baste with oil mixture. Turn and cook 4 to 5 minutes longer. Remove shrimp from grill and chop fine. Combine shrimp with mayonnaise, onion, dill, mustard, Worcestershire sauce and jalapeno pepper. To assemble canapés, spread equal amount of the shrimp spread on top of each slice of bread. Yield: 24 canapes.

Exotic Florida Gator Bites

2 pounds Florida alligator meat, cut into bite-size pieces
2 tablespoons rice wine or apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup vegetable oil for frying
1/4 cup self rising flour
1 cup cornmeal
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Dipping Sauce (optional-recipe follows)

Place alligator meat in a medium bowl. Mix together vinegar, salt and pepper and pour over alligator meat. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Pour vegetable oil in large skillet to a one-inch depth and heat. Combine remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Squeeze excess liquid from the alligator meat and coat with flour mixture. Fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot, alone or with dipping sauce. Yield: 8 appetizer servings.

 

Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon smoked sesame oil
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients and serve with Exotic Florida Gator Bites. Yield: 8 servings

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