SPECIALTIES FROM THE SEA

Menus today offer a proliferation of seafood items, including freshwater and saltwater varieties of fish, as well as shellfish. What’s more, signature seafoods are presented in ways ranging from tiny tastes to hearty entrees. At Mark’s Mizner Park in Boca Raton (one of Mark Militello’s Florida-based Mark’s Restaurants), chef Roy Villacrusis’s new sushi menu highlights numerous seafoods. Appetizers feature marinated baby octopus, tuna-wrapped spicy blue crab salad, and fresh water eel. Villacrusis also offers various sushi, sashimi and maki items.

Presentation is a vital component of specialties, too. In Danville, Calif., at Blackhawk Grille, executive chef Daniel Amaya offers an appetizer of tuna tartare–diced ahi–served in lavash bread cups. At Tribeca Grill in New York City, executive chef Don Pintabona serves an entree of whole shrimp pappardelle with Manila clams and chorizo-saffron broth. At Le Francais in Wheeling, Illinois, executive chef Don Yamauchi offers entrees such as pan-fried snapper with red onion relish, asparagus and two pepper oils. On this month’s recipe pages, you’ll see other ideas featuring seafood that is crusted, smoked, wrapped or served with sauce.

In addition, among our recipes you’ll find menu ideas for serving red snapper, catfish, trout, crab, Arctic char, halibut, shrimp and squid.