Shrimp Scampi

“Anyway, like I was sayin’, shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it. Dey’s uh, shrimp-kabobs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo. Pan fried, deep fried, stir-fried. There’s pineapple shrimp, lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich. That- that’s about it.” Bubba

 

 

Yes, I know.  Shrimp Scampi is not rocket science.  But I’ve been asked in the past for the recipe.  If cooked correctly, this is one quick but succulent dish.  A great starter to a fancy date night meal, maybe?  Or you can take it to another level and throw it over some pasta for a quick, but satisfying dinner.  Just one thing…don’t over cook the shrimp.  Please.

Serves 2

Ingredients

4 tbsp unsalted butter

2 tbsp olive oil

3-4 large garlic cloves, minced

Pinch of salt

1 lb extra large shrimp

2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

1 tbsp *real* lemon juice

4 lemon wedges

Directions

In a large sauté pan, melt the butter with the olive oil over medium low heat.  When up to temperature, stir in the garlic.  Stir occasionally until the garlic is lightly golden.  Don’t let it brown.

Sprinkle the salt in the pan, then add the shrimp.  Cook for 2 to 3 minutes turning once.  When the shrimp just turn pink, add the parsley and lemon juice.  Cook or an additional minute.

Serve with the lemon wedges and crusty bread.

Baked Stuffed Fish

The best way to a fisherman’s heart is through his fly.  ~Author Unknown

There’s nothing I love more than stuffed ‘anything’.  A tasty something, inside a vessel of another tasty something is really kinda cool.

I remember the 1st time I saw this dish, or a variation of it.  It was decades ago and I went on lunch break with a co-worker.  She was lucky enough to have her girlfriend bring her a homemade dish that consisted of baked stuffed fish.  When she unwrapped the  fish, the steam came billowing out…and the smell!

Oh-em-f’ing-gee!

Then she lifted that first bite with her fork…really, if food porn daily included video…this would be the most viewed, I’m sure. Yes.  I think I totally forgot about my lunch, altogether.  As we all sat and chatted with each other, the conversation was on a variety of subjects.  Gossip, laughing…etc.  But I don’t think I contributed much, being hypnotized and all.  I kept trying to tell her, through mental telepathy, to give me her fish.  All of it.  But I wasn’t even offered a bite.  Sad.

As we were heading back to the office, I was rehearsing the recipe in my head.  I went to the store after work, and made this version when I got home.  Yay me!

Ingredients

1/4 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped green onion

1/4 cup green bell pepper

1 clove garlic, minced

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 lb shrimp, coarsely chopped

3/4 cup-1 cup breadcrumbs

2 tablespoons real lemon juice

1/2 lb lump crab meat, picked through for cartilage

2 tbsp chopped parsley

1 egg, beaten

2 tbsp mayonnaise

1/2 tsp mustard

salt & pepper

1 lg whitefish (3-5 lbs), scaled and cleaned (keep the head on)

3 tbsp melted butter

1 lemon cut into wedges

Directions

Saute the celery, onion, and bell pepper in the butter over medium heat until soft, about 2-3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and garlic; cook for 1 minute stirring constantly.  Remove from the heat and let cool.

Butter a shallow baking dish and pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees f.  Pat the fish dry, liberally salt the inside and place the fish in the baking dish.

After the vegetables have cooled, add the breadcrumbs, crab, parsley,egg, mayo, mustard and lemon juice.  Mix well, but try not to break up the crab too much.  Loosely stuff the fish, and brush the top with melted butter.

Bake for 45-55 minutes.  When the fish is done, divide it into portions and serve with lemon wedges.

Fried Oysters

“I prefer my oysters fried; That way I know my oysters died.”
Roy Blount, Jr.

 

 

The first time I had Fried Oysters was about 13 years ago when I was visiting my Mom and Dad in S.E. Texas.  We went to one of those small town shack like eateries that consisted of walking up to the counter, placing your order, and sitting at one of the few rickety old tables with overused plastic tablecloths.

The extensive menu was hanging on the wall behind our cashier.  It was one of those big black felt menu boards with the white letters that you push in, I’m sure there’s a technical name for them.  Some of the letters were missing, so with some of the items you had to kind of figure out what it said.

Example: Fr ed Catfi h=Fried Catfish.  You get the idea.

Anyway, not being from the south, though raised on alot of southern dishes, I saw F ied Oy ters on the menu, and was immediately kinda turned off by the whole idea.  Why the heck would anyone want their oysters fried?

I ordered one of the many Seafood Platters, I think it was fried shrimp, fried catfish and hushpuppies…or something like that.  My Mom ordered the Fried Oysters.  Bottom line, I tried one and ended up trading my catfish for her oysters.

They were that good.  How have I not known about these before?  Dammit.

If I’m really into what I’m eating, I’m not only eating it, I’m figuring out how to recreate it.  It really wasn’t that hard figuring out how to make these.  It’s not like trying to figure out a cake recipe or something.

If you like fried southern food, then you’ve probably had these.  If you haven’t had them before; give them a try.  I’m sure you’ll love them!

Ingredients

16 oz shucked oysters, drained well

enough buttermilk to cover the oysters

Tabasco Hot Sauce, to taste

3/4 cup Wondra flour

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

salt

pepper

Canola Oil, for frying

Directions

Soak oysters in a bowl with buttermilk and hot sauce.  Combine the cornmeal and flour, then season with the cayenne, salt and pepper.

Heat 2-inches of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the oysters in the cornmeal/flour mixture, coating evenly.  Once dredged, allow oysters to sit for about 10 minutes. When the oil is up to temperature, lay the oysters, a few at a time, in the skillet without crowding them. Cook until golden on both sides, about 2 minutes per side. Remove and let drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining oysters.

Serve hot with tartar or cocktail sauce.

Lobster Rolls

Oh boy.  I love Lobster Rolls.

These should be made with as little fuss as possible.  There are Lobster Rolls out there that have so much shit on them that you end up not even being able to appreciate what is buried underneath.  Or sometimes, they are served looking more like tuna salad…ugh.

The lobster should be served in nice sized chunks.  Not mush.

I might sound a little bitter, but these sandwiches can run anywhere from $16 to $30 at some restaurants!! (depending on what part of the country you’re eating them)  That’s a pretty penny.

Make these with love.  Dress them up a bit, then leave them alone.  Don’t go adding stuff that’s not needed.  They’re called Lobster Rolls for a reason. The lovely lobster flavor should dance in your mouth.  And it can’t do the 2 step across you’re tongue if it’s got to contend with needless ingredients.

This recipe has been adapted from a recipe I found on Epicurious.com quite a while ago.

Ingredients

8 oz cooked lobster meat (knuckle & claw meat is the best), chopped into 1 inch chunks

3 tbsp mayonnaise

1/2 celery stalk, chopped into 1/4 inch chunks

1 tbsp butter, room temperature

2 new england style hot dog buns

shredded lettuce

lemon juice

Directions

In a medium bowl, combine the lobster meat and mayonnaise.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.

Butter the outside of the hot dog buns and toast each side to a nice golden brown.  Place a small bed of lettuce on each bun, then place the lobster on top.  Top with a bit of the chopped celery, then squeeze a bit of lemon juice on top of each sandwich.

Shrimp Toast

The first time I had Shrimp Toast, it was from a very well known Chinese Restaurant in the Denver metro area.  I ordered delivery with some co-workers, and one of them ordered this fabulous appetizer.  When our food arrived she offered me one, and I graciously declined.

I love shrimp.  I love toast.  But both of them together….??  I don’t think so, thank you very much.

Well, as she sat there, enjoying her Shrimp Toast, dipping it in her sweet & sour sauce, I have to say that I was very intrigued.  It smelled good.  It crunched good.  And really, is there anything that’s not tasty when dipped in Sweet & Sour?  I think not!!

So I gave them a try.  Wow.  The sweetness of the shrimp, along with another level of toasted bread.  Along with the sauce??  It was nothing I had had before, and I loved it.  Totally awesome!!  And that is when I asked the restaurant for the recipe.  And they gave it to me.

Imagine that!!  Anyway, I hope you give them a try the next time you have a dim sum party.  Or any other kind of party for that matter.

Ingredients

1 lb shrimp, cleaned

4 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped

1 small shallot, coarsely chopped

1/2 tsp ginger, coarsely chopped

2 1/2 tbsp water

1 tbsp sugar

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

25 pieces bread

2 cups oil

sweet & sour sauce, or asian chili sauce for dipping

Directions

Heat the oil in a deep fryer to 350 degrees f.

Place the first 8 ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.  Evenly spread the mixture on the bread; it should adhere nicely. Cut the bread slices in quarters.

Place the quarters in the oil, shrimp side down.  Only fry 5 or 6 at a time.  Flip over when the shrimp side is golden, and brown the other side.  Remove with a slotted spoon, and drain on a paper towel lined platter.

Serve with the sweet & sour sauce or the chili sauce.

Seafood Fra Diavolo w/ Lemon Parmesan Pasta

 This is a light, refreshing pasta dish that’s sure to please anyone that likes spicy, seafood, and pasta.  You can adjust the amount of red pepper flakes to your liking.  I personally add a bit more than the recipe states but when you’re cooking for younger kids, I’d ease up a bit.  I found that this amount was perfect for the whole family.  

Also, don’t hesitate to experiment with other seafood!  Mussels, white fish, calamari all go fantastically in this dish!!

Have an Italian loaf ready for some serious dipping!!

Ingredients

1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined

1/2 pound little neck clams

Salt

1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper flakes

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, sliced

3 cloves garlic, sliced

1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced Italian tomatoes

1 cup dry white wine

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

3 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

2 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions

 Heat the olive oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and season with salt and the red pepper flakes.  Saute for about 1 to 2 minutes, constantly moving the shrimp around the skillet. Transfer the shrimp to a large plate; set aside. In the same pan, reduce the heat to medium and add the shallot and garlic; add additional olive oil if needed, and saute until the shallot is translucent (don’t let the garlic burn please). Add the can of tomatoes with the juice, wine, and oregano. Simmer until the sauce thickens slightly, about 10 minutes. Add the clams to the sauce, cover the pot and cook an additional 7 minutes until the shells open.  Uncover and discard any clams that failed to open.  Add the shrimp back to the pan and gently stir to incorporate.  Top with the parsley and basil. Re-season if necessary.  Serve over the Lemon and Parmesan Pasta, if desired. (recipe below)

 __________________________________________________________

For this dish, I’ve adjust it just a bit from the original recipe to go along better with the Seafood Fra Diavolo. 

If you’re enjoying this pasta alone, or with another dish, instead of the white pepper, use red pepper flakes.  Also, when draining the pasta, reserve about a half cup of the pasta water and when you’re mixing all the ingredients together add a bit of the water to add a bit of moisture to the dish.  Enjoy!! 

Lemon and Parmesan Pasta

 

Ingredients 

  

1 pound fettucine (or your favorite pasta)

1/2 cup clarified butter

1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

1 lemon, juiced

2 tablespoons lemon zest

Kosher Salt

White Pepper

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

  

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettucine and cook until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain.

Stir the butter, parsley, lemon juice and lemon peel in a large serving bowl. Add the cooked pasta and toss. Season the pasta with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and serve.

Lo’ Country Boil

This is a dish that’s huge in the southern states!  My mom has made it for me a few times when I’ve visited them down in S.E. Texas, and it’s always been something I’ve looked forward to.

 

This is best served with a thick layer of newspaper covering your table, plenty of napkins, and alot of cold beer!!

 

Ingredients

6 quarts water

3/4 cup Old Bay Seasoning, or to taste

5 pounds new potatoes

4 onions, cut in half

3 (16 ounce) packages cooked sausage (kielbasa, smoked…etc) cut into 2 inch pieces

 5 pounds blue crab, cut in half

6 ears fresh corn, husks and silks removed

5 pounds fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined; or 3 lbs of shrimp and 2 lbs of crawfish

3 lemons, cut in half

 

Directions

Fill a large pot with the water and heat over medium-high.  Add the Old Bay Seasoning, and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and onions cook for about 15 minutes. Add the corn, crab (and crawfish if using), lemon and sausage; cook for another 5 minutes, then add the shrimp turn off the heat.  Stir and let sit for about 5 minutes. 

Drain off the water, and pour the contents out onto a table covered with a thick layer of newspaper., and sprinkle a bit more seasoning on top of the pile if needed.  Have everyone grab a plate, and help themselves to the feast!!

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Gumbo

There’s one thing about Gumbo that you should know.  There are so many versions, it’s utterly ridiculous. 

 

You can leave in or delete many of the ingredients below.  The roux (the shortening/flour mixture), is pretty much a staple in gumbo, but some people leave that out and use a tomato base.  I personally have never had a Gumbo with tomatoes, and I probably never will.  I know I said you can change things up, but I could never imagine making a gumbo with tomatoes.  My great grandmother, cajun as you can get, told me that a good gumbo should look like dirty mop water.  No, it doesn’t sound appetizing, but that’s pretty much the way it looks.  Now, back to the different ways to make gumbo.  The recipe below calls for a shortening/flour mix for the roux.  But many people use vegetable oil. Also, if you don’t want to use water, you can use shrimp stock, chicken stock, vegetable stock…  You can leave the chicken out, and substitute it for duck, rabbit, squirrel,  nutria, raccoons and opossums.  You can substitute the Blue Crab for Dungeness Crab (though don’t let my mom know you did that, cuz that’s not new orleans), you can use a different type of sausage (a more cajun one, or andouille).  Leave the oysters out if you want!   

The bottom line?  No two families make gumbo the same.   

But this is THE way my mom always makes her gumbo.

Serves 12-14

1 cup shortening
1 cup flour  (the flour and shortening combo make the roux.  add more roux to make your gumbo thicker, and less for a thinner gumbo)
1 large onion, chopped 
3 ribs celery, chopped 
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 1/2 gallons water or chicken stock 
1 chicken, cut up 
1 lb smoked sausage, cut in 1/4 inch slices 
Salt, freshly ground black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
2 bay leaves  
2 (8 oz) can oysters, with the water (boiled, not smoked)
3 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined 
3 pounds blue crab, cracked down the middle 

Heat the shortening on medium high in a large cast iron skillet. Once melted add the flour and combine. Cook the roux, stirring constantly, to a dark peanut butter color. This takes quite a while, just go with it.
***disclaimer: roux needs to be stirred constantly, if you walk away for even a minute, it will burn. If this happens, throw it away and WASH YOUR SKILLET. Wiping it won’t do because the taste and smell will still be there***
When the roux reaches a color just a bit darker than peanut butter, add the vegetables, combine and continue cooking and stirring. (be careful not to spatter yourself when you add the veggies). When the vegetables are tender and the roux reaches the chocolate color, carefully transfer it to a heavy bottomed large pot. Add the water (or stock) and stir until the roux incorporates with the water. Add the chicken, seasonings and bay leaves. Simmer for about a 1/2 hour, then add the sausage.  Continue cooking for an additional 1/2 hour. BTW…it should have a stew like consistency.

Add the oysters, shrimp and crab about 10 minutes before serving.  Re-season with salt, pepper if needed
Serve in large soup or gumbo bowls over about 1/2 cup of cooked rice per serving.  Sprinkle a little gumbo file (fee-lay) on top before serving, if you so desire
Oh!! Don’t eat the bay leaves!!!

Hot n Bubbly Crab Dip

I loooove Crab!!  Ohhh…and I looove Cheese!!!  So whats better than a ooey, gooey, cheesy, crabby dip with some nice crusty bread. 

This is great for a get together, or just for a family snack on the weekend. 

Think movie night, crab dip, and some nice pita chips.  Or toasted french bread.  

Serves 4

Ingredients

 

1 tbsp butter

4 tsp onions, minced

4 tsp green pepper, minced

2 ounces cream cheese

1 tbsp mayonaise

1/4 cup sour cream

1tbsp butter, softened

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp white pepper

1/8 tsp paprika

1/4 cup mozzarella, shredded

6 oz good quality canned crab meat (I know that sounds like an oxymoron, but there really is good canned crab meat)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees f. 

In a medium saute pan, heat butter until melted and bubbly.  Add the onion and green pepper and cook until softened. 

In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese, mayo, sour cream and butter until smooth.  Blend in salt, pepper and paprika.  Stir in the onion, green pepper, cheese and crab meat. 

Put in a oven proof dish and cook in pre-heated oven for 10-15 minutes, or until bubbly.

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Fried Soft Shell Crab & Remoulade

I LOVE soft shell crab!!  Besides being succulent, soft-shells are clean: they stop eating three days before molting, so their digestive systems are purified when the watermen retrieve them from the floats where they’re kept.

Where I live, there’s pretty much no way that I can get fresh live Soft Shell Crab.  Subsequently, that means that I’ve never had to clean them, because where I get them, they’ve been cleaned and flash frozen.  Honestly, I don’t even know the first thing about cleaning, or ‘dressing’ a soft shell crab.

But, for those of you who are lucky enough to have access to fresh seafood,  after doing a  bit of research on the internetz, I’ve found some pretty good instructions on cleaning Soft Shell Crab via the  Cooking Light website.

1. To clean soft-shell crabs, hold the crab in one hand, and using a pair of kitchen shears, cut off the front of the crab, about 1/2 inch behind the eyes and mouth. Squeeze out the contents of the sack located directly behind the cut you just made.

2. Lift one pointed end of the crab’s outer shell; remove and discard the gills. Repeat on the other side.

3. Turn the crab over and snip off the small flap known as the apron. Rinse the entire crab well and pat dry. Once cleaned, crabs should be cooked or stored immediately.

(after that description, I’m very happy that I get them cleaned and flash frozen)

Now, I’ve heard that some people get kinda grossed out by eating the intestines…etc.  It’s never bothered me, but if it bothers you, then I’ve been told of a simple solution.

After cleaning, using the directions above, simply cut the body in half from the eyes (or where they were positioned) to the back.  Then gently remove them innards.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 soft shell crabs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup panko bread crumbs

1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning

1/2 tsp pepper

1 cup clarified butter

Directions

After the crabs have been cleaned, and before cutting in half (if you’re doing it that way), soak the crabs in the buttermilk for about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, mix together the flour, panko, old bay, and pepper in a platter for dredging.

Heat the butter for frying.

After the crabs are done marinating (if you’re cutting in half to gently remove the intestines, this is the time to do it); working with 1 crab at a time; remove and let the excess buttermilk drain off then dredge in the flour mixture.  Make sure they’re coated well.

Add each crab to the butter and cook until the shell looks pink, and the coating is nicely browned.  If cooking more than 1 at a time, don’t overcrowd the pan.

Now…you can either make yourself a ‘po boy and dress it up nicely… or simply plate the crab and eat it with a little remoulade sauce.  Recipe below.

Remoulade

Ingredients

Yields about 2 cups

1/4 cup lemon juice

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup green onion, minced

1/4 cup celery, minced

3 tbsp creole mustard

3 tbsp yellow mustard

3 tbsp ketchup

3 tbsp chopped parsley

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Directions

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend for about 30 seconds.  Let flavors marry in the refrigerator before using.

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