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Judy Keegan posted an update
4 weeks ago (edited)
Mariscos del Mar with Mexican Rice & Refried Beans
The ocean meets the heart of Mexico on this plate. Inside soft tortillas, prawns and scallops are bathed in a rich, velvety cream sauce, wrapped and baked under a golden blanket of cheese until bubbling and irresistible. The seafood brings sweetness and brine, while the sauce ties it all together with indulgent depth.
But no dish stands alone in Mexican tradition — here it’s anchored with two staples that have carried generations: refried beans, silky and earthy, the essence of comfort food; and Mexican rice, vibrant and spiced, each grain infused with tomato and broth, cooked the way abuelas have perfected for centuries.
This plate is both humble and celebratory. It honours the coastal abundance of Mexico’s mariscos, while never straying from the grounding flavours of everyday peasant kitchens. It’s food that feeds the body and soul — rich, hearty, and deeply satisfying
CHEF SHELLY COLE, Lana Mihajlović and Mercedes Delgado de Miguel8 Comments-
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Stagier
What a beautiful harmony of sea and land on one plate
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@lanamihajlovic Thank you for your kins words.
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Scoolinary Team
Hi dear. Can you please upload again the pic?
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@soldamiani done
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Scoolinary Team
@judyrusselllive-com-au Thank you dear.
Now I can see these wonderful pics.
The bake has a nice, even golden crust that adds both texture and flavor, and the filling looks rich and creamy. In the plated photo, the color contrast is spot on—though smoothing out the beans a bit more could elevate the presentation. The fresh cilantro and lime are lovely, vibrant touches 🌿
Have you tried using a blend of cheeses to add more depth and texture to the gratin? And what kind of cream did you use for the sauce—were you aiming for something lighter or deeply indulgent?
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@soldamiani I got the recipe from a tiny cookbook that avlocal publisher put out many years ago, produced so you could buy each book in a series. To be totally honest, its probably one of my favourites, ive had it for over 20 years. Anyway, it was also inspired from my first time I went to a mexican restaurant, this was one of my first tastes of mexican cuisine, so its very special to me. It started a yearning to learn and indulge in Mexican cuisine. Sometimes its a struggle to get ingredients here in Australia. These days you can order most things from the internet, but its not instant.
Getting back to your question, the cream was a cooking cream but its all incorporated in a thick bachemel, flavoured with a little garlic and the incredible seafood thats cooked first in the butter and oil and removed before making the sauce.
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Scoolinary Team
@judyrusselllive-com-au
Oh wow, I love everything about this—both the dish and the story behind it! That little cookbook sounds like a true treasure… and I can totally feel how meaningful that first bite of Mexican food must have been. Isn’t it amazing how one plate can spark a lifelong craving for a whole culture?
That bechamel twist is super interesting—especially how you infuse it with the seafood flavors before building the sauce. So clever. 🧄🦐 I imagine it adds incredible depth.
What’s been the hardest ingredient to source where you are?
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scallops yum
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