Seafood Appetizer Recipes
Soft Shell Crab, Shrimp, Oysters, Clams

soft shell crab recipes

Martha's Vineyard has tremendous seafood and we've listed some Seafood Appetizer Recipes here for you to enjoy.

These recipes include some of the big favorites...shrimp, scallops in bacon, oysters, clams, crabs and more.

After viewing the recipes, scroll down to see places we recommend on Martha's Vineyard for buying fresh seafood, either for cooking at a rental house or for eating at the restaurant.

Try a seafood chowder recipe

Seafood Appetizer Recipes

Scallops Wrapped in Bacon

from theheartofnewengland.com

1 ½ pound dry pack large sea scallops
4 strips smoked bacon, preferably thick slices from a local smokehouse
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
1 cup dry white wine
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Slice bacon strips lengthwise into ½ inch strips, then slice across to make ¼ x ½ inch squares. Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat and cook bacon until golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off bacon fat, add 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil and turn heat to high.

Salt and pepper both sides of scallops, using less salt than usual because of the bacon. Place scallops in a single layer so that they are not touching and cook until nearly done and quite brown (3-4 minutes). Turn and finish cooking – middle is just opaque and scallops have a bouncy resistance. Remove from pan and set aside.

Add chopped shallots and cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly. Add wine and scrape brown fond from pan. Boil until reduced by half, turn heat to low and return scallops and bacon to pan. Swirl in the butter, sprinkle with parsley if you have it and serve on warmed plates. We served the scallops with pasta sauced with sautéed leeks and artichokes, but rice or a small pasta with butter would go well.

Soft Shell Crab Flavored with Lemon

from hometownannapolis.com

8 soft shell crabs, cleaned and patted dry with paper towels
Flour for dredging
10 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon juice from one lemon
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon drained tiny capers, chopped
1 ½ tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves
1 scallion, minced
Ground black pepper

Dredge crabs in flour, pat off excess. Heat two heavybottomed frying pans until quite hot, about 3 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons of butter to each pan, swirling pans to keep butter from burning. When foam subsides, turn heat to high and add four crabs, skins down, to each pan. Cover pans with splatter screen and cook, adjusting heat as necessary to keep butter from burning, about 5 minutes. Turn crabs with spatula or tongs and cook until second side is browned, about 5 more minutes. Drain crabs on paper towel-lined plate.

Try a great new england fish chowder recipe

Shrimp and Artichoke Dip Recipe

from yubbie.com

8 whole artichokes (you can substitute canned artichokes for ease of preparation)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of rosemary
2 – 4 1/2 oz. cans of shrimp
3/4 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons of tarragon
1 bay leaf
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup onion, minced

Wash and trim artichokes leaves. Cook artichokes in boiling water. About 1 inch deep. Add to the water lemon juice, salt, pepper, bay leaf, tarragon and rosemary. Cook for about 45 minutes or until leaves pull off easily.

To make shrimp sauce you add mayonnaise, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, onions and shrimp. Mix all ingredients well.

Oysters Casino

1 pint shucked oysters
1/2 cup minced red bell pepper
1/2 cup minced onion
3 bacon slices, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
Pepper to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Drain oysters and place intoa 13x9-inch baking dish or individual baking dishes. Sprinkle with bell pepper, onion, bacon, garlic, and pepper. Sprinkle bread crumbs over all and then sprinkle with lemon juice.
Baked and served in oyster shells.

Bake, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes or until edges of oysters begin to curl. Remove from oven and serve immediately.

Makes 2 servings.

Places on Martha's Vineyard to get Seafood

For fresh seafood...we highly recommend the Net Result in Vineyard Haven. This fish market has top quality, great service and outdoor picnic tables... if you decide you can't wait to drive home and do the cooking yourself ! Stock up here on seafood for your Seafood Appetizer Recipes.

lobster tail

Or, if you'd like a slightly more traditional sit-down restaurant, the Seafood Shanty in Edgartown has great fresh seafood meals and is right on the harbor...with fabulous views. Enjoy the seafood here and save your seafood appetizer recipes for another day