This past weekend was my birthday and to celebrate, my husband suggested we go out to my favorite Brazilian steak restaurant. If you’ve never been to a Brazilian steak restaurant before, you really need to go as it is an unforgettable cultural experience and the food is incredible.
The truth is, though, having recently returned from vacation where we ate out every meal for over 10 days, I was tired of restaurants and really just wanted a quiet dinner at home – ideally with someone else doing the cooking!
I am fortunate that my husband is a sensational cook, although he doesn’t tend to put on his chef’s hat all that often. For special occasions and holidays, however, he will gladly don his apron emblazoned with the words “The Expert” and go to town in the kitchen.
I really was in the mood for some fresh seafood, so Richard suggested that he make his famous seafood casserole, which is one of my all time favorites.
I can’t believe I’ve never posted this recipe before in all the years hubby has been making this special dish for me!
The casserole turned out spectacular as it usually does, but the highlight of my birthday dinner was definitely the surprise post dinner show where the kids played “Birthday” on Beatles Rock Band with my youngest doing a shockingly proficient job on the drums. I geeked out with a few ’80s dance moves over on the side during the performance, and we were all howling with laughter by the end.
The great food and good fun made for a very memorable birthday celebration!
Seafood Casserole
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
1 lb of fresh, mild, wild caught white fish (Richard used orange roughy but snapper, cod, haddock, or halibut would be yummy too)
8 large or 12 medium shrimp (get whatever is freshest and wild from a cold water source)
1/4 – 1/2 lb crab meat (precooked is fine as long as it’s sweet but fresh is best)
1 clove organic garlic
1-2 Tbl grassfed butter
1 pint fresh or lightly soured raw cream
1 – 1 1/2 lbs mild, grassfed cheese (Richard used Monterrey Jack but a mild cheddar or farmer’s cheese would be fine too)
Instructions
Lightly saute garlic in butter. Line the bottom of glass casserole dish with the shrimp and lightly salt and pepper.
On top of the shrimp, layer the white fish and lightly salt and pepper. Sprinkle the crabmeat on top of the whitefish.
Drizzle in the sauted garlic and butter evenly. Pour in the fresh or lightly soured raw cream.
Generously cover the entire casserole with slices of mild, grassfed cheese.
Place in a preheated 400F oven for 25 minutes.
Check that the casserole is simmering throughout – it needs to have been simmering for a least 5 minutes to ensure all the seafood is cooked.
Broil for 5 additional minutes to brown the cheese on top.
Serve immediately.
Sarah, The Healthy Home Economist
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{ 48 comments… read them below or add one }
The recipe looks like something cheesy my kids would enjoy, but I didn’t think Orange Roughy was sustainable or healthy to eat – they are a very long lived fish slow to reproduce and have been over fished according to most sustainable seafood sites.. ?
http://apps.edf.org/page.cfm?tagID=15817
Says it’s the worst choice because of the mercury content. On the east coast, the only place you find this fish is in Asian restaurants and we never order fish there.
Hope you enjoyed it anyway – with a side of good vegge!
Erka
Gee, even my recipes are controversial!
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Sumptuous Seafood Casserole
LOL, never a dull moment!
When I started to make fish broth regularly, I used the internet to research which fish had high mercury content, and which fish were oily and not recommended for broth because the omega 3s would be cooked too much.
Thank you for the information about Orange Roughy.
For a once in a blue moon indulgence, I’m not worried. When I make something part of my diet on a regular basis, I would definitely research it and avoid heavy metals.
What a rude and insensitive comment Erika. You would never have said this if Sarah had told you this story in person.
It wasn’t that rude actually. Read it again;)
Thanks for sharing!!! I cannot wait to try it. What a simple and elegant recipe. Perfect for a celebration. Happy Birthday!
Thanks for all you do!
Thanks for posting this, Sarah. Sounds delicious! And thanks to Erika for the additional information that will help us make better choices. I’m always happy to know more (and I didn’t know that.)
Erika – that was a jerk thing to say about somebody’s birthday dinner. I feel for your husband (if you have one). Mercury in fish is an overblown problem and sustainability of one fish over another is open to debate and a matter of opinion.
http://chriskresser.com/is-eating-fish-safe-a-lot-safer-than-not-eating-fish
I agree that the mercury problem in fish is way overblown. I personally do not think one can be healthy and not consume seafood (and fish broth) given the deplorable and very worrisome state of our soils.
Thank you so much, Ben. I wonder about a lot of statement made these day. If we bought into everything we hear, we would be fearful to eat most everything. I’m sure Sarah know exactly what’s she’s doing. It’s obvious just looking at her.
Here’s the thing, Ben. Erika phrased her comment politely. You were rude. So the one apologizing should be you.
I thought it was a bit snarky myself, but Erika probably didn’t mean it that way.
Bingo.
Sarah, this looks yummy! Thanks for sharing the recipe!
Happy belated bithday wish to you!
That sounds so good! Thanks for the recipe. I love seafood.
Sounds like you had a fun birthday with your family!
This does sound really great! My husband is not always a fan of seafood – it just depends on his mood – but since this is covered in cheese I think he’ll go for it!
Cristina @ An Organic Wife\’s last post: Recipe: Homemade Cheese Ravioli
Happy Birthday, Sarah, and thanks for another year of sharing your wisdom, sparking discussion and inviting readers to forge a path to vibrant wellness!
How many people will this recipe serve? It sounds YUMMY!
Happy Belated Birthday!
As far as Seafood safety what is your take on this subject. I have always loved seafood more than “land”food
but with the recent polution developments that have happened in the Gulf of Mexico with the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe and then the Fukashima Nuclear Disaster both of which are yet to be fully contained how can I feel safe to eat any seafood that is caught in the Northern Hemishphere? Oh and Happy Belated Birthday!
Tomas
You need nutrient dense food more than you need clean food. If you can get both, that’s great, but if you can’t always opt for nutrition. Seafood contains valuable nutrients that are difficult if not impossible to get from soil based sources of meat nowadays given the poor state of the soil. If you are properly nourished, your body has the opportunity to deal with the toxins and eliminate them. If you are not nourished, you are going to fall apart anyway regardless of whether the food is pristine.
What a great rule of thumb, Sarah! Thanks for that!
From one Leo to another – make it a birthday week! Happy Birthday, Sarah.
Any excuse to have fun is good by me!
Yum, yummy! Thanks for sharing.
I’m suspicious the mainstream media warnings against mercury and PCB’s in fish, and the guilt tripping against overconsumption of dwindling fish populations is just another way to keep the sheeple sick and in debt. Just like the fear tactics against butter, saturated fats, and toxin accumulation in organ meats. Make sure we stay away from nutrient dense foods so that we continue to give all our wealth to insurance and pharmaceutical companies. And when we get really sick we can declare bankruptcy and give the rest of our wealth to the banks.
Pretty slick system.
Pretty slick system, indeed. If it weren’t so sad, it would be hilarious. The establishment certainly has us mesmerized with this puppet show – media puppets, political puppets, music industry puppets, hollywood puppets with their blah, blah, blah. Hahaha, sob.
Agreed.
I also think that the mercury is only considered in isolation. This article talks about how the selenium in fish protects against the mercury:
http://www.naturalnews.com/026729_selenium_mercury_tuna.html
Funny how we don’t hear warnings about the mercury in HFCS.
Sarah,
Happy Birthday to you. It’s great to celebrate at home now and then. I did the same for my birthday.
Question: I try hard to find and purchase Raw cheeses. I’d love your opinion on raw cheese versus the other. thanks so much,
Happy belated birthday – looks like it was a delicious one
An excellent resource is Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch list, which does list Orange Roughy as a fish to avoid due to overfishing and high mercury levels.
http://www.montereybayaquarium.org//cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_factsheet.aspx?gid=39
The website provides great info and is worth the time to explore and learn.
That looks delicious, healthy, and easy! My husband is allergic to shellfish, but not fish or mollusks. So I am going to be trying this with the fish and scallops instead of the shellfish. I am thinking it should work well that way!
Happy birthday!
That casserole sounds delicious. Orange roughy is my favorite fish, but the last time I asked for it at the store, I got a long lecture about overfishing. I still like it best, though.
Yum!
Also I saw this comment on another blog I read and was wondering if anyone has any facts to give me. I have a feeling that parts of it make sense , but I don’t agree with all of it. I couldn’t find Sarah’s e-mail but I get the sense from the message on the Contact page that she is very busy anyway. Information from anyone out there would be helpful:
“Milk is a good food source but you can get calcium etc. from many other sources too and milk is very high in calories. Part of the obesity problem in the US is that parents are of the mind if a little is good a lot is even better so they are filling their children with “healthy” calorie laden drinks – juice, milk etc. way more then they really need with the idea if it is healthy you can drink or eat as much as you want. I saw a thing recently where people were asked if healthy or organic food had less calories and most said yes and some even believed organic food had no calories!! We have really got to stop being brain washed by these things and do the “numbers – calories” and figure for ourselves.
As far as milk back then being fresh and more nutritious that is another major falsehood people have fallen for. During World War II when the soldiers were enlisting they found huge numbers of down home farm boys were malnourished so in order to help them they started fortifying things like cereal and milk. That is why people of my parents age and my generation have lived longer then their parents before them because they were feed this “horrible” food which this generation has started hollering about. Our main problem is we took a good thing and over indulged and decided like I said if a little is good even more is better so now we are having problems with diabetes, obesity etc.”
Happy Birthday!
Wishes for a wonderful year ahead.
This sounds delicious, as does nearly every recipe you post.
I’m a big fan of your column, keep up the great work!
Happy Belated Birthday Sarah!!!
Recipe looks great – I’ll have to try it in the next week or two
Happy Birthday Sarah! What a great casserole. I will certainly be trying it – with the shrimp and also another time with the scallops, as someone mentioned – sounds yummy. Might try some nice gouda on top. I think it would be good both ways. Sounds like you had a great time – always nice when someone else will make a nice homemade dinner and then provide entertainment to follow!
Hi all – Happy Birthday Sarah and thank you for sharing this recipe looks and sounds great.
Buying in to the Orange Roughy (Red Roughy, Deep Sea Perch) “sustainability” debate from an Australian perspective, our stocks were hit pretty hard when this fish was first targetted and Orange Roughy as a fish to eat in Australia is now on the “forbidden” list – because of its longevity, it is not a sustainable fish to target. This decision has been based on anecdotal evidence from the people at the frontline (the fishing people) and from surveys conducted by our national scientific organisation (CSIRO).
As far as other populations of this fish in other areas around the world – I don’t know but sources that I have found state that “alternative (to Australia) populations are already showing signs of unsustainability where fishing is concerned”. Sounds like the OR has a similar fate as the Patagonian Toothfish (Chilean Sea Bass to North American readers).
From a sustainability and Omega – 3 perspective, go for small fish such as herring and sardines.
Regards,
Mark
Happy birthday Sarah. I am glad that you had a wonderful one with your family. I really enjoy your web site!
Sarah, hi.
I made this last night, but without the crab as I didn’t have it in the house but had everything else…I just doubled the shrimp. It was a HUGE hit. I mean HUGE! However, it was very wet and your picture doesn’t look that wet. I used less than a pint (actually just a cup) of cream that had soured (love just holding on to soured dairy while waiting for the perfect time to use it!). Do you think substituting the shrimp had that much affect on the consistency?
Cynthia Calisch\’s last post: Enzymes to the rescue
Hi Cyn, I don’t think the substitution had much effect .. ours is almost like a thick soup too. You can serve over rice if you like to soak up a bit of the sauce and make it firmer if you like.
So glad you enjoyed it!
Sarah, TheHealthyHomeEconomist\’s last post: Couch Potatoes Rejoice! Repackaged Fen-Phen Approved
What ? Men do special things for mothers day? Im glad you are pampered:)
Mmmm…sounds delicious!!
Looks really good. What do you eat with it on the side?
That looks fabulous!
I made this once and it was inedible, I still don’t know what in the world I did wrong.
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