Author: Jessica Dolson

Serves 4 (2 cups salad and 4 scallops each).

All you need:
For the vinaigrette:

• 1/4 cup tarragon vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp Hy-Vee Dijon mustard
• 3/4 cup Hy-Vee extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tbsp basil chiffonade
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

For the salad:

• 4 peaches, halved and pitted
• 16 sea scallops, patted dry
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 8 cups mixed greens, such as torn kale, Bibb lettuce, romaine or spinach
• 2 carrots, shredded
• Fresh basil, for garnish, optional

All you do:
For the vinaigrette:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, lemon juice, sugar and mustard.
2. Drizzle in olive oil while whisking to combine. Mix in basil and salt and black pepper, to taste. Set aside until ready to use.

For the salad:

1. On a preheated grill, grill peaches 3 to 4 minutes or until slightly soft and grill marks appear.
2. Season scallops with salt and pepper and grill about 2 minutes per side.
3. Slice the peaches while the scallops cook.
4. To serve the salad, toss greens and carrots together and place on a serving platter.
5. Top with a little of the vinaigrette, grilled sea scallops and peaches.
6. Drizzle with more vinaigrette and garnish with fresh basil, if desired.

**Chef’s note: Chiffonade means to shred or finely cut vegetables or herbs. To chiffonade, stack the basil leaves and tightly roll into a cylinder. Make thin slices to create ribbons. Don’t cut the basil too far ahead or it will blacken. This technique can be used for mint or any other leafy herb.

**Wine and beer pairing: I suggest a chilled Rose, such as Elk Creek Pinot Noir Dry Rose from California. I also suggest a Saison, such as Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale, made by Boulevard.

Serves 6 (2 oysters each).

All you need:

• Rock salt
• 12 fresh Responsible Choice oysters, on the half shell
• 2 tbsp Hy-Vee unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp Hy-Vee Select extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups chopped kale
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 (4 oz) pkg Hy-Vee herbs & garlic goat cheese
• 2 tbsp Hy-Vee panko bread crumbs, divided
• Lemon wedges, for serving
• Tabasco sauce, optional

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Spread enough rock salt in a baking pan to cover the bottom evenly. Arrange oysters in the salt to steady them; set aside.
3. In a sauté pan, heat the butter and olive oil until shimmering. Sauté kale for 2 to 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 30 seconds. Season with salt. Remove from heat and cool completely. Stir in goat cheese.
4. Top each oyster with 1 teaspoon filling and sprinkle each oyster with 1/2 teaspoon panko bread crumbs.
5. Bake 10 minutes.
6. Serve with lemon wedges and Tabasco, if desired.

Serves 4

All you need:

• 1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions, white part only, reserve tops for garnish
• 6 tbsp Hy-Vee unsalted butter, divided
• 3 cups fresh or frozen corn
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3/4 cup diced roasted red peppers, divided
• 1 tbsp Hy-Vee extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 16 Responsible Choice sea scallops

All you do:

1. In a skillet, sauté green onions in 2 tablespoons butter until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes.
2. Add corn to the skillet and sauté for about 3 minutes or until hot. Season with salt and black pepper.
3. Transfer to a food processor and process with heavy cream and 3 tablespoons butter. Add 1/2 cup roasted red peppers and process until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper. Pour into a saucepan and heat through.
4. In the same skillet, melt the remaining tablespoon butter with olive oil.
5. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season both sides with Old Bay seasoning.
6. Over medium-high heat, sear the scallops for about 2 minutes per side. Ladle chowder into 4 shallow bowls and arrange 4 scallops on top of each bowl. Garnish with reserved green onion tops and remaining 1/4 cup roasted red peppers.

Serves 4.
All you need:

• 4 (5 oz each) portions Responsible Choice Mt. Cook salmon, skin removed
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Cayenne pepper, as needed
• 2 cedar planks, soaked in water for at least an hour
• 8 oz white wine *
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp minced shallots
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• 12 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 1 cup (about ½ pound) King Crab meat, broken up slightly
• 1 to 2 tbsp fresh basil chiffonade
• Fresh seasonal vegetables and rice, for serving

All you do:

1. Preheat grill to 350 degrees.
2. Season salmon with salt, black pepper and a pinch of cayenne.
3. Place planks on grill to slightly char them and start to smoke, about 2 minutes.
4. Place two pieces of salmon on each plank. Grill until fish flakes easily with a fork, but still is moist, 6 to 8 minutes.
5. To make the sauce, combine wine, lemon juice and shallots in a non-reactive saucepan. Cook over high heat until mixture is reduced by 3/4 its volume.
6. Stir in cream. Bring to a bubble and reduce heat to low.
7. Add butter, one cube at a time, whisking first on the heat, then off the heat. Continue whisking butter into the sauce until fully emulsified and has reached a rich sauce consistency.
8. Add crab meat and season with salt and cayenne pepper, to taste. Add fresh basil and stir to combine. Serve over salmon. Serve with fresh seasonal vegetables and rice, if desired.

* In this recipe, I used Butter Chardonnay from JAM Cellars, Acampo, California. This wine is buttery, hence the name, and compliments the salmon nicely. Enjoy a slightly chilled glass with this meal. When you reduce wine, it is especially important to use a quality wine because you are concentrating those flavors. If it’s not good enough to drink, then it’s certainly not good enough to cook with.

Cooking Hy-Vee Responsible Choice seafood with wine can add a new dimension to the fish, enhancing flavors and adding new ones.

When I cook seafood with wine, I suggest to look for wine that cuts through the richness of the fish or one that has complementary flavors. Remember, it’s only the alcohol content that diminishes when cooking, not the flavor of the wine. A good rule of thumb: If you wouldn’t drink the wine, don’t cook with it. It’s best to avoid wines that are labeled as cooking wine because they are often salty and can incorporate some different herbs and spices that will make your attempts at more adventurous cuisine fall flat.

For Responsible Choice Shrimp Risotto, a Spanish Albarino is a great match. It has notes of ripe apples, apricots and peach aromas. This wine is rich, mellow and well-balanced. The fully rounded aftertaste of this Spanish wine is off dry on the palate with juicy fruit flavors, clean acidity, and a long mineral finish. One of my favorites is Burgans Albarino, which is the name of the hill where the winery Bodegas Martin Codax is located in Spain. It is open to the Ria de Arousa, the sea coming inside the land and offers seafood, like oysters, mussels, and shrimp. This wine is now rated 91 points by Wine Spectator. Cheers!

Shrimp Risotto with Peas and Parmesan

Serves 4

All you need:

• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 3 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 3 tbsp butter, divided
• 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine, divided
• 3 cups seafood stock, divided
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 2 cups frozen peas, defrosted
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 pound raw, peeled and deveined (16 – 20 count) Responsible Choice wild-caught Gulf shrimp
• 1 1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 lemons, 1 zested and juiced and 1 wedged
• Lemon thyme, for garnish

All you do:

1. For the risotto, sauté onion in 2 tablespoons oil and 2 tablespoons butter for 3 minutes. Add rice, cook and stir for 2 minutes.
2. Stir in 1/4 cup white wine and 1 cup stock. Continue cooking and stirring until liquid is absorbed. Gradually stir in the remaining stock, 1 cup at a time, cooking and stirring until liquid is absorbed before adding the next cup.
3. Once liquid is incorporated and rice is el dente, fold in the Parmesan and peas. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until shrimp are done.
4. To sauté shrimp, heat remaining tablespoon oil and remaining tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the shrimp. Season with lemon pepper seasoning and a little salt. Cook for about 2 minutes.
5. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Deglaze the pan with remaining 1/4 cup wine. Cook for 1 minute. Add the juice and zest of 1 lemon and continue to cook for another minute.
6. To serving, place a bed of risotto on each plate. Top each with 6 to 8 shrimp. Garnish with thyme and a lemon wedge.

Serves 4

All you need:

• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 (5.3 oz each) containers Hy-Vee plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
• Zest of 1 lime
• 2 tbsp minced fresh cilantro
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 cups cake flour
• 2 cups Hy-Vee club soda
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 4 (5 oz. each) Responsible Choice cod fillets, patted dry
• Salt, to taste
• 1 pound assorted seasonal vegetables, such as squash, portabella mushrooms and green beans, sliced into strips, patted dry if necessary
• Lime wedges, for serving
• Cilantro, for garnish, optional
• Thinly sliced radish for garnish, optional

All you do:

1. Preheat oil to 350 degrees in a Dutch oven or deep fryer.
2. To make the yogurt sauce, combine yogurt, lime juice, lime zest and cilantro in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
3. To prepare the tempura batter, whisk cake flour, club soda, beaten eggs and cayenne until just combined. Let rest for 2 minutes.
4. To fry the fish, dredge each piece of fish in batter and let excess drip off. Carefully place in hot oil and fry for about 4 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Season with salt immediately after removing fish from hot oil. For best results, fry in batches and keep warm on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a warm oven.
5. To fry vegetables, dredge vegetable in batter and let excess drip off. Carefully place in hot oil and fry until lightly golden brown. Season with salt immediately after removing vegetables from hot oil. For best results, fry in batches and keep warm on a rack set in a rimmed baking sheet in a warm oven.
6. Discard leftover batter.
7. Serve fried cod and vegetables with yogurt sauce and lime wedges and garnish with cilantro and thinly sliced radishes, if desired.

Serves 4

All you need:

• 2 packages whole wheat naan bread (4 pieces)
• 1 cup Hy-Vee roasted garlic Alfredo sauce, divided
• 1 cup shredded Asiago cheese, divided
• 1 cup roasted red pepper strips, diced, divided
• 24 Responsible Choice Belize shrimp, shells removed and cut in half down the center
• 1 lemon, cut in half, plus some for serving, optional
• 2 tbsp prepared pesto sauce
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, torn
• 3 radishes, thinly sliced for garnish, optional

All you do:

1. Preheat grill or grill pan.
2. Place the naan on a baking sheet. Spread 1/4 cup Alfredo sauce on each naan and top each with 1/4 of the Asiago cheese and 1/4 cup roasted pepper. Place 12 halves of Responsible Choice Belize Shrimp on each pizza.
3. Grill, uncovered, over medium heat for about 4 minutes, turning as needed.
4. While pizza is cooking, place lemons on grill and cook just until slightly charred.
5. After the bottom of the pizza is slightly charred, turn the grill off and close the lid just long enough to melt the cheese and finish cooking the shrimp, about 2 minutes.
6. To garnish each pizza, top with a drizzle of the grilled lemon and pesto, fresh basil and radish. Serve with extra lemon, if desired.

Chef’s Note: Responsible Choice Belize Shrimp cook very quickly. As soon as they turn pink, they are done. Don’t overcook, or they will be rubbery. To keep the radishes crisp, keep in cold water until ready to use.

Every month, the store dietitians and I host a cooking class for kids. My 8 year old loves to come to our class every month. He is the type of kid who gets up on Saturday mornings and watches cooking shows instead of cartoons. One day, he told me he watched a chef bake a whole fish in a sea salt crust. The next time we were in the kitchen, we created this similar recipe together. Teaching my son about Responsible Choice Mt. Cook Alpine Salmon – where it comes from, how it’s raised and how healthy this salmon is – made him want to eat even more!

Dill Pickle Potato Chip Encrusted Responsible Choice Mt. Cook Salmon with Chunky Tzatziki

Serves 6 (5 oz. each).

All you need:
For the salmon:

• 1 (2 pound) fillet Mt. Cook Salmon, thawed
• 3 tbsp Hy-Vee extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 tsp black pepper
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups crushed Lay’s dill pickle potato chips
• 2 lemons, sliced, for garnish
• 2 sprigs dill, minced, for garnish

For the tzatziki sauce:

• 2 cups Hy-Vee plain Greek yogurt
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 English cucumber, seeded and diced
• 2 tbsp minced fresh dill
• 1 tbsp minced roasted garlic
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

All you do:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. Place salmon on top of parchment, skin side down. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season with black pepper.
3. Carefully press crushed potato chips onto salmon in an even coating. Drizzle with remaining tablespoon of olive oil.
4. Bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until fish flakes with a fork and top is lightly browned.
5. While the fish is cooking, make the tzatziki sauce. In a medium bowl, mix yogurt, lemon juice, cucumber, dill and roasted garlic. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.
6. Serve salmon and tzatziki sauce with lemon slices and garnish with fresh dill.

The inspiration for this recipe came while enjoying a recent trip to Napa Valley. I was at the Culinary Institute of America for the National Pork Summit and decided to venture out and have dinner at Morimoto Napa. I enjoyed a dish similar to this recipe, but when I returned home I created this shortcut version using Responsible Choice salmon that can be made at home.

Thai Curry Responsible Choice Salmon with Banana, Asparagus and Coconut Ginger Rice

Serves 4 to 6.

All you need:

• 1 (7 oz) box A Taste of Thai coconut and ginger rice
• 1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, cut into thirds
• 4 (5 oz each) Responsible Choice Salmon portions
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• Hy-Vee Select extra-virgin olive oil, as needed
• 1 (11.09 fl oz) bottle Thai Kitchen Yellow Curry Simmer Sauce
• 2 firm bananas, cut into 16 (1/2-inch) slices on bias
• 1/2 small red pepper, seeded and diced
• 2 to 4 serrano peppers, sliced thinly
• 3 green onions, cut thinly on a bias, for garnish
• 1 lime, cut into wedges, garnish

All you do:

1. Prepare rice according to package directions. Set aside and keep warm.
2. Simmer asparagus 3 to 4 minutes or until bright green but still crisp. Immediately plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
3. In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Place salmon skin side up in the pan and sauté for 3 minutes or until cooked halfway through.
4. Turn salmon over, add curry simmer sauce and cook until salmon is cooked to medium, about 3 minutes more. Remove from skillet; set aside and keep warm.
5. In a medium skillet, add olive oil and sauté banana slices 2 minutes per side or until browned on both sides. Add the asparagus, red pepper and serrano peppers. Cook for an additional minute.
6. To plate, spoon some of the curry sauce on the center of each plate. Place salmon on the sauce. Arrange 1/4 of the rice, 4 banana slices and 1/4 of the asparagus and pepper mixture around the salmon. Garnish with green onions and lime wedge.