Capt. Dick's Favorite Recipes Easy Rider Fishing Charters, Bokeelia, FL Capt. Dick writes a column for the Pine Island Eagle newspaper called Catch 'Em and Cook 'Em, and the recipes below are some of his favorites. Order "Capt. Dick's Florida Gulf Coast Cookbook, Seafood and Much More to truly enjoy your catch of the day. Mail $14 to Capt. Dick May, 7989 Judge Bean Road, Bokeelia, FL, 33922. Check or money orders only please.

Cajun Seafood Supreme with Pasta | Shark Steaks | Frogmore Stew | Steak Soup
Bronzed Red Fish Fillets
Sea Trout or Grouper Sauteed with Pecans and Lime-Cayenne Butter

Cajun Seafood Supreme with Pasta
Serves 4

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
4 tsp. Creole seasoning
1/2 cup green onions, minced

2 cups heavy cream
4 cups spiral noodles, cooked
2 cups shrimp, peeled
1/2 cup onions, chopped
1 1/2 cups mushrooms, fresh buttons

Cook noodles and set aside.
Melt butter in heavy skillet, add onions and Creole seasoning and cook over low heat for 3 minutes.
Add heavy cream and cook until it thickens. Stir continuously to avoid scorching.
Fold in shrimp and cooked pasta.
Cook until shrimp are done (pink) about 15 minutes.
Add mushrooms and cook 3 minutes more.

Serve with a crisp salad and crusty toasted French bread.

Shark Steaks

Small 2-3 foot Black Tip shark
Thick sliced raw bacon
Olive oil
Cajun style seasoning
Soy and Worcestershire sauce
Lime juice
Salt and pepper

Clean and skin the shark. Cut into 1 1/2" thick steaks. Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning and place in a plastic Ziplock bag. Season generously with Soy and Worcestershire sauce, Lime juice, Salt and pepper and marinade for 2 hours in the refrigerator. Remove from marinade and wrap each steak with a slice of bacon and fasten with a toothpick as you would for a steak filet. Brush each steak with olive oil and place on the grill. Cook on medium heat until fish is cooked all the way through.

Frogmore Stew
Serves 4

16 cups water
3 Tbs. Old Bay seasoning
8 small red potatoes, scrubbed
1 lb. Kielbasa sausage, cut in 1" chunks
4 ears of corn, broken into 2-3 pieces
2 lbs. unpeeled large fresh shrimp

Bring the water and Old Bay to a boil in a large covered stock pot. Add the potatoes, return to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Add sausage and corn and return to a boil. Cook 10 minutes until potatoes are done. Add shrimp and cook 3-4 minutes until shrimp turns pink. Drain and serve with cocktail sauce, a salad and French bread.

Steak Soup

This original recipe, developed in 1963 in Kansas City at the Plaza III Steak House really hits the spot on cool nights.

1 stick butter or margarine
2/3 cup flour
1 tsp. course ground pepper
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup carrots, coarsely cut
1/2 pound course ground hamburger
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 1/2 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet
1 quart plus 1 cup water
1/2 cup celery, coarsely cut
2 Tbs. beef stock
1/2 cup onions, coarsely chopped
1 cup canned diced tomatoes

Brown and drain hamburger.
Chop celery, onions and carrots very chunky and par boil.
Melt butter in 2-quart pot, add flour slowly and stir over medium heat with wire whip until smooth but do not brown.
Add water and stir until it thickens.
Add beef base, salt, pepper and tomatoes and cook one minute more, stirring constantly.
Add Kitchen Bouquet, mixed vegetables and hamburger. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently for 30 minutes, being careful not to scorch.
Serve with large chunks of French bread or biscuits.

Bronzed Red Fish Fillets
(not as spicy as blackened and can be cooked inside)

Boneless, skinless, red fish fillets
Chef Paul Prudhommes Blackened Redfish Magic Seasoning
Unsalted Butter
Fresh lemons

Melt enough butter in a heavy non-stick skillet to coat both sides of fillets.
Remove fillets to a platter and sprinkle fish with seasoning. (The more seasoning, the spicier the fish will taste.)
Add more butter to skillet and get skillet as hot as you can without smoking.
Cook both sides of fish as hot as you can without smoking skillet.
Try to turn only once with a large spatula. Cook until fish flakes easily with a fork.
Squeeze the juice of one lemon over each skillet of fish.
Remove to serving platter and pour a little of the remaining butter in skillet over fish.
Garnish with chopped parsely if you wish.
Serve immediately.

Raw uncooked shrimp are also good this way...Leave the shells on for best results and don't overcook.

Sea Trout or Grouper Sauteed with Pecans and Lime-Cayenne Butter

Four large or eight small fillets of fish
1 tsp. salt
1/2 stick of unstalted butter
1/4 cup flour for dredging
1/3 cup pecans
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tsp. honey
2 Tbs. julienne sliced red peppers
1 Tbs. lime juice

Lightly salt fish and dredge in flour.
Sautee in two tbls of the butter over low heat till done and keep warm in 200 degree oven.
Melt remaining butter in same skillet, add pecans and cayenne pepper till pecans are hot then stir in honey and red peppers, and cook until honey caramelizes.
Remove from heat and stir in lime juice then spoon over warm fish and serve.