Healthy seafood recipes for the new year

CHICAGO (WLS) -- If your new Year's resolutions include eat healthier, you might want to eat more seafood. That can seem intimidating to prepare, but Mark Palicki, vice president of marketing for Fortune Fish & Gourmet, and John Manion, chef and owner of La Sirena Clandestina, came into our studio to take away our fears. They showed us easy recipes for seafood.

John Manion's recipe: Moqueca

Ingredients:

1 cup onion, diced

1 cup each red and green peppers, diced

6 malagueta peppers, finely chopped

6 cloves garlic, chopped

2 cups Roma tomatoes, chopped

1/2 cup malagueta vinegar

1 bay leaf

2 quarts shrimp or fish stock

2 cans coconut milk

4 limes, juiced and zested

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated

20 mussels

2 pounds sea bass, mahi or whatever fish looks good to you

16 head-on prawns

Dende oil

Canola oil

Cashews to taste

Green onion, thin slices to taste

Cilantro, chopped to taste

Preparation:

1. Heat the dende and canola oils in a large sauce pan (equal parts, enough to cover the bottom of the pan).

2. Saute the onions and pepper until tender, add the garlic and bay leaf and saute for another minute.

3. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until all their liquid has been incorporated, then add the malaguetas, malagueta vinegar and white wine and reduce until most of the liquid is gone. Add the shrimp stock and bring to a simmer.

4. Allow to simmer for 30 minutes then add the coconut milk, lime juice and zest and ginger. Do not season with salt; this is going to reduce in the pan later.

5. Season your fish and shellfish with salt. Pre-heat a large saute pan to medium high, add canola oil and sear fish.

6. Once you have turned the fish add the prawns, and once you have turned the prawns, add the mussels and the reserved broth.

7. Turn down to low and simmer until the mussels open (about 5 minutes) at which point all the seafood should be cooked through. Remove the seafood and taste the broth for seasoning.

8. Serve over white rice, garnish with a healthy handful of cashews, green onion and cilantro as well as a drizzle of dende oil.