Here’s a twist on the meat-centric menus of late summer, a trio of lighter recipes featuring fish and seafood. A bonus is that all the recipes use short blasts of kitchen heat, or the outdoor grill, in order to keep kitchen cooking temps to a minimum, or outside the kitchen altogether.

September may mean that summer is officially over, but some warm days, even hot ones, beckon still. These light, fresh recipes can help buoy the spirit as well as titillate the tongue.

Seared Scallop Crudo


To serve 1; easily multiplied.

Most scallops that you see at market are “wet” scallops, soaked in very cold water at sea after harvesting (and, most likely, preservative solutions such as sodium benzoate or sodium tripolyphosphate to keep them glossy and white). When sautéed in the regular way, you might think that you merely are cooking them in, say, olive oil but you also are steaming them in those liquids. They’ll never sear well; they might not even brown at all.

For a sear, the best scallops to buy, if you can get them, are “dry-packed” scallops. You can obtain a crust on them in a way not possible with wet scallops because there is zero water added, much less all the other stuff.

Ingredients


2-3 dry-packed U-12 scallops (see note)

Canola or avocado oil, for searing

A fruity-nutty extra virgin olive oil

1/2 small lemon

2-3 medium-sized leaves of basil, in chiffonade

1/2 teaspoon preserved lemon (rind OK), minced

3/4 teaspoon Marcona almonds, toasted and crushed

Finishing salt, such as Maldon Sea Salt Flakes

Directions


From each scallop, pull off the small, fibrous, rectangular-shaped side muscle, if present, using the tips of your thumb and index finger. Discard them.

With a small amount of the searing oil, film a preheated heavy-bottomed skillet, such as a seasoned cast iron skillet, set over medium-high heat. In it, sear the scallops for 90 seconds to 2 minutes on each flat side, depending on size and thickness, until just a bit browned. Set aside to cool enough to handle.

Slice each scallop longways at its “equator,” forming two disks. Chop the disks into fourths, so that each scallop renders 8 pieces. Place all the pieces into a bowl and toss with a small amount of the extra virgin olive oil. (Do not douse; merely coat in a film.) Squeeze a small amount of lemon juice onto the pieces and again toss to coat.

Mound the scallop pieces in the center of a plate and onto them and the plate sprinkle the basil chiffonade, preserved lemon, almonds and a smidge of salt. Serve.

Note: U-12 scallops are among the larger available. The “U” stands for “under” and signifies that it would take fewer than 12 scallops to equal a pound. You may use other, smaller scallops, of course, but it is best for a sear, in any case, that they are “dry-packed.”

Skillet-Grilled Littleneck Clams


Adapted by Bill St John from Jamie Purviance at weber.com. Per dozen clams, easily doubled.

Nothing wrong with the typical manner of cooking clams, steaming them in a pot atop the stove—except for the added heat to the kitchen. Instead of steaming clams on a stovetop, doing so over a charcoal fire adds a nice whisper of smokiness. Plus, it looks way cool.

Ingredients


1 dozen littleneck clams

1/4 ciabatta, sliced longwise into thick “fingers”

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1/4 cup thinly sliced shallot

1 large garlic clove, slivered or minced

2-3 wedges lemon

1/3 cup dry white wine or “light” unsweetened apple juice

1/2 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

Freshly ground black pepper

Directions


Scrub the clams and rinse them in four rounds of cold water to remove any sand or grit. Prepare a grill with charcoal for direct-heat grilling over medium-high heat (450-500 degrees). When the coals are ready, grill the bread fingers quickly (30-40 seconds) so that they take up some char but do not burn. Set them aside.

Place a 10-12 inch cast-iron skillet (or other ovenproof skillet or wok) on the grill and to it add the olive oil and the butter. Immediately as the butter melts, add the shallot, stirring a bit. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds.

Add the lemon wedges, squeezing each a bit when adding them. Add the wine or juice and cook for 1 minute more.

Add the clams and cook over direct heat, with the grill’s lid closed, until the clams open wide, anywhere from 8-15 minutes, depending on the size and temperature of the clams, stirring every few minutes. (Discard and do not consume any unopened clams.)

Sprinkle on the parsley; season with freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Eat the clams from the skillet, sopping up the skillet juices with the toasted bread. Or serve the clams in their shells, with the skillet juices, in large deep bowls with the toasted bread to the side.

Alaska Halibut ‘en Papillote’

This piscine packet of pleasure roasts Alaskan halibut over a bed of bitter greens (such as brassica or Asian greens) which become like steamed spinach but with a kicker of more flavor and texture. Makes 1, serves 2, easily multiplied.

Ingredients

2 small, clean paper bags

1 piece of Alaskan halibut, 3/4 to 1 pound, skin-on if possible

Salt and pepper

2-3 large handfuls Asian or bitter greens (such as brassica greens)

2-3 very thin slices lemon

1 sprig fresh thyme

2 small pats butter

Directions

Heat the oven to 400 degrees and have at the ready a baking sheet to fit however many papillotes you prepare.

For each papillote, lightly and partially oil the 2 bags by rubbing (or spraying) the sides with a bit of vegetable or mild olive oil, then place 1 bag inside the other. Place the handfuls of greens inside the inner bag, patting it down on the wider side. Salt and pepper the fish and place it skin-side down over the greens.

Slide the lemon slices, the thyme sprig, and the butter pats over the fish and seal the bags, folding them together at the opening 2 or 3 times, crimping the crease tightly and seal with ovenproof metal paper clips or metal staples.

Place the bag, wider side down, on the rimmed baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, a bit more if the halibut is thicker than 1 inch. Open carefully to avoid being burnt by the heady steam within. Serve as an open packet.

Reach Bill St. John at [email protected]