Shrimp Po-Boys

I had a pound of shrimp that was burning a hole in my pocket freezer this weekend, but I wasn’t quite sure how I wanted to cook it.  So, off to Google Reader I went…didn’t stay there for very long, though, because the first recipe I found was from my friend Koko at My Adventures in Food.

These po-boys immediately caught my eye and I couldn’t wait to make them!

The cajun fish fry packet I picked up was delightful.  A little spicy and had a great crunch.  Can’t wait to make these again!

INGREDIENTS
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 egg whites, lightly beaten
1 package of Cajun fish fry (if you can’t find Cajun, plan fish fry is fine)
Oil for frying
Black pepper

French bread
Shredded lettuce
Tomato slices
Dill pickle slices
Remoulade Sauce (recipe follows)

DIRECTIONS
Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Place egg whites in a shallow dish; place fish fry mixture in another shallow dish. Dip all the seafood in the egg, and then dredge in the fish fry, coating completely. Place coated shrimp on a plate and let sit for 5 minutes while heating the oil.

Pour enough oil in a fryer or Dutch oven to reach a 2-3 inch depth. Heat to 350˚F. Fry seafood in batches for 1 minute. Remove to a paper towel lined plate. Season lightly with black pepper.

To prepare the po-boys, divide bread into sandwich-sized portions.  Slice bread open, and stuff with shrimp, lettuce, tomato, pickle and remoulade sauce.

Remoulade Sauce
1C. Mayonnaise
3T. Dijon mustard
2T. Prepared horseradish
1T. Chopped parsley
1 small Shallot, finely minced
1 clove of Garlic, finely minced
1T. White vinegar
1t. Lemon juice
1t. Tabasco sauce
½t. Paprika
Dash of cayenne pepper
¼t. Garlic powder
Dash of salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator.

Husband Rating – 5 out of 5 – “I want to put remoulade sauce on EVERYTHING now!

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Asparagus-Spinach Pesto Pasta with Blackened Shrimp

I just knew this recipe would be a winner the minute I read the title.  I mean, what’s not to love?  Lots of yummie green veggies with pasta and shrimp.  And best of all, it was very simple to convert to be a dairy-free recipe.

Adapted from Gimme Some Oven!

INGREDIENTS
1lb. Asparagus spears
3 handfuls baby spinach leaves
1/2C. Soy Parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
1C. Pine nuts (did not use)
1/4C. Olive oil, plus 1T. for cooking the shrimp
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1lb. Pasta
1lb. Raw shrimp, deveined and peeled
1t. Garlic powder
Kosher salt
Black pepper
2-3T. Blackening spice

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Cut the rough ends off of the asparagus spears and then cut the remaining spear into 3 pieces.  Place on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with kosher salt, garlic powder and pepper.  Toss to coat and bake 10-12 minutes.

When cooked, set aside the pretty asparagus tips and keep warm.  The bottoms will be pureed for the pesto.

Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions.

If using, put the pine nuts in a single layer in a large skillet. Heat on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned.  Remove and set aside.

Add the asparagus, spinach, garlic, Parmesan, and 3/4 cup of the pine nuts to a food processor. Purée and, with the motor running, drizzle in the 1/4 cup of olive oil until a paste forms. If too thick, thin it with a bit of the pasta water. Add the lemon juice, salt, and black pepper and continue pureeing until mixed.  Set aside.

In a medium-sized skillet, heat 1T. olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add in the shrimp, and immediately sprinkle with blackening powder.  Stir until it is mixed in, and then continue stirring occasionally until the shrimp are pink and just cooked.  Remove to a small bowl and set aside.

After draining the cooked pasta, toss immediately with the asparagus pesto.  Add in the shrimp and asparagus tips, and stir briefly until well mixed.

Serve sprinkled with the remaining pine nuts (if using) and some extra Parmesan.

Husband Rating – 4 out of 5 – “YUM!  This is delicious!”

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Shrimp and Asparagus Risotto

Last week in school we made 4 different kinds of risotto – saffron, spinach and parmesan, roasted red pepper and butternut squash and sage.  They were all amazing!  So, I decided that tonight I’d make one with two of my favorite ingredients – shrimp and asparagus.  It did not disappoint!

I’ve always been afraid of risotto because I thought it was so hard.  Not so!  The only hard part is standing there stirring almost constantly for 20-30 minutes.  The rest is pretty simple.

This is definitely not a busy weeknight kind of meal, but perfect for weekends and will be great during the winter – it is a very hearty and filling meal.

Recipe from my school textbook “On Cooking”.

INGREDIENTS
3/4lb. Shrimp, peeled and deveined
1lb. Asparagus
6-8C. Chicken or vegetable stock
1 3/4C. Arborio rice
1 large Shallot, diced
2 cloves Garlic
1/4C. White wine
3T. Butter (or Vegan margarine)
1T. Olive oil
1/4C. Parmesan cheese, shredded (I used soy parm, of course)
Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash and dry asparagus and lay out on small sheet pan.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and granulated garlic.  Roast 10 minutes (might take longer if your asparagus is thick).  Remove and cut into 1″ pieces – set aside.

In a small pot warm the stock and keep over low heat.

In a medium-large pot, warm the olive oil over medium heat.  Add shallot and cook 5-8 minutes until soft and translucent.  Add garlic and cook 2 minutes (be careful not to burn the garlic).

Add the rice to the pot and stir well to combine.  After 2 minutes, add wine and stir until completely absorbed by the rice.

Add the chicken/vegetable stock to the rice, one ladle-full at a time.  Stir each addition until it has almost entirely absorbed, then add another ladle.  The rice will take between 6 and 8 cups of stock and about 20-30 minutes.  Taste occasionally to determine when the rice is done and whether or not another addition is needed.

When you add your last ladle of stock, add the shrimp and butter to the risotto.  It will cook as the last addition of stock absorbs.

After 2-3 minutes, add the asparagus segments and Parmesan cheese.  Stir to combine and taste for seasoning.  Add more salt and/or pepper if necessary.

Husband Rating – 4.5 out of 5 – “Really delicious!”

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Shrimp and Spinach Noodle Bowls

You know how when you go on vacation you have that one meal that sums up the whole vacation and reminds you of being there whenever you have it? Well, this is going to sound nutso, but for me this Ramen dish reminds me of Paris.  I know, I know!  So wierd!

Here’s the story – The apartment we stayed in in Paris was surrounded by Japanese restaurants (there were at least 8 within a 3-block radius), and while on vacation we both got sick, and for two of our 7 nights in Paris all we wanted was soup…so we went down to one of the Japanese restaurants and had Ramen bowls with spinach and downed enough Green Tea to kill whatever was attacking our travel-weary bodies.

So, tonight I decided to bring Paris to CT with these Shrimp and Spinach Noodle Bowls (I had shrimp to use up and figured this would be a good way to do so).

These were great – simple and so cozy on this unusually cold May day.

INGREDIENTS
3 Packets, Ramen noodles (doesn’t matter what flavor, you’re not going to use the packet)
8C. Water
2T. Homemade Oriental Seasoning – recipe below (tastes just like the Oriental flavor packet that comes with Ramen, without the MSG or added salt)
1C. Fresh spinach
1/2lb. Shrimp (uncooked, thawed, de-veined and de-shelled, please)

Oriental Seasoning
2T. Onion powder
2T Ground ginger
2T. Garlic powder
2T. Black pepper
Salt, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Boil water.  Add seasoning and noodles.  Cook 3 minutes.

Add shrimp to the water and boil another 45 seconds to 1 minute.

Add a 1/2C. of raw spinach to the bottom of each serving bowl.  Ladle broth, noodles and shrimp over the spinach and let wilt 1 minute.

Enjoy!

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Roasted Red Pepper and Basil Pesto Pasta

Christopher and I love basil…like LOVE basil…and we’re always looking for new ways to use it so when I saw this recipe on Picky Palate I knew we had to try it.  Of course, we omitted the heavy cream and it was still very good!  I wish it was just a little ‘saucier’.  Next time I’ll reserve some of the pasta water to add to the finished dish.

I had some shrimp on hand that I wanted to use, so I just threw that in with the drained pasta and sauce and cooked for a few minutes.  Chicken would also be great with this.  I have a feeling this is going to be a regular in our house from now on.

INGREDIENTS
1/2C. Roasted red bell peppers from a jar or fresh
3 Cloves fresh garlic
1/3C. Parmesan cheese, grated
1/3C. Pine nuts (did not use)
1 1/2C. Basil leaves
1/2t. Salt
1/2C. Extra virgin olive oil
1lb. Pasta of your choice
1/4C. Heavy cream (optional)

DIRECTIONS
Place roasted red peppers and garlic into food processor.  Pulse until well combined.  Add the parmesan, pine nuts, basil leaves and salt.  With processor running, slowly drizzle in olive oil.  Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain and transfer to a large rimmed skillet or pot.  Pour in pesto and stir.  Stir in heavy cream if desired.  Heat for 5 minutes or until heated through.

Husband Rating – 3.5 out of 5 – Very good, but could be saucier.

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Pasta Primavera with Shrimp in a Garlic Tomato ‘Cream’ Sauce

As I’m sure you’re all aware by now, my darling Husband can’t eat dairy.  Poor guy.

About two weeks ago we went out to dinner and I ordered this dish.  It was so good and I kept wishing I could just give him a forkfull to taste how wonderful it was!  So, I decided to try my best to re-create the dish using dairy free ingredients.  I must say, it was quite good!  The trick is to use the silken tofu instead of the regular kind…it purees up nicely and was super creamy.

Of course, you can just substitute heavy cream if you don’t have any dairy issues.

INGREDIENTS
3/4C. Silken Tofu
3/4C. Plain Soy Milk
4 Cloves Garlic
2C. Tomato Sauce (I used one that had basil already in it)
3C. Veggies of your choice (I used shallots, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash and broccoli)
3/4lb. Shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1T. Olive Oil
1lb. Pasta of your choice (I like farfalle)
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS
In a blender mix garlic, tofu and soy milk until very smooth – about 45 seconds.  Stir in tomato sauce and set aside.

Prepare pasta according to package directions.

While the pasta is cooking chop all veggies into bite-size pieces and saute in olive oil until just cooked (do not overcook).

Add shrimp during the last 2 minutes of cooking.  Then, add half of the soy tomato mix and stir to warm completely.

Add the other half of the soy tomato mix to the drained pasta.  Then, add the pasta to the veggies and mix thoroughly.

Enjoy with a sprinkling of Parmesan cheese.

Husband Rating – 3.5 out of 5 – “All these veggies scare me…but the sauce is good!”

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Shrimp and Grits

I’ve always wanted to try shrimp and grits but figured it was impossible to do without cheese and/or heavy cream.  That is, until today.  I came across this recipe on Skinny Food by Amy and decided to give it a try.

Christopher and I both really enjoyed the shrimp and vegetable mixture.  The grits were…interesting.  I think I’d like to try them again, maybe at a restaurant, so I know how they’re supposed to taste.  The only thing I added to this dish was the pepper.

INGREDIENTS
3T. Fresh lemon juice
1/2 t. Hot sauce (I used Sriacha)
1 1/2lbs. Peeled and de-veined large shrimp
2  Bacon slices, chopped
1 C. Chopped onion
1/2C. Chopped green and red bell pepper
1 1/2t. Minced garlic
1C. Low sodium chicken broth
1/2C. Chopped green onions
5C. Water
1 1/2C. Uncooked quick-cooking grits
1T. Butter
1t. Salt
3/4C. Shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
Combine first 3 ingredients with a pinch of salt and pepper; set aside.

Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to drippings in pan; cook 5 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in shrimp mixture, broth, and 1/4 cup green onions; cook 5 minutes or until shrimp are done, stirring frequently.

Bring water to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually add grits, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low; simmer, covered, for 5 minutes or until thick, stirring occasionally. Stir in butter and salt.

Serve shrimp mixture over grits; sprinkle with cheese and remaining green onions.

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Husband Rating – 2 out of 5 – “The shrimp and veggies were great, the grits were weird.”

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Grilled Chicken and Shrimp Kabobs

Speak up now if you don’t love food on a stick.
**crickets**
Yeah, that’s what I thought.

I love kabobs.  They’re the perfect quick dinner.  Everyone gets what they want – grilled up nicely on a stick.  Perfect!

INGREDIENTS
Chicken, Shrimp, Steak – whatever suits your fancy (cut into chunks)
Veggies of your choice – we like peppers, onion, and mushrooms

Spices – sprinkle liberally all over kabobs before grilling
Paprika
Garlic Powder
Salt
Pepper

DIRECTIONS
Soak skewers in water for at least 20 minutes before starting to build your kabobs.  Meanwhile, dice all veggies, shell and devein shrimp and cube meat.

Sprinkle spices over meat and veggies. Build kabobs with ingredients of your choice.

Grill for 10 minutes, giving a quarter turn every 2-3 minutes or so to ensure even charring and cook meat to your desired doneness.

Serve over rice or pasta.  Enjoy!

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Husband Rating – 3.5 out of 5 – No comment

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Seafood Nachos

Today’s blog post comes from a special guest … my Dad!

While in Cape Cod last week he and my Mom saw a description for seafood nachos on the menu board in a cafe at Wood’s Hole.  They didn’t eat there, but he took the recipe home and recreated them this past weekend.

Holy moley, were these tasty!  I could have eaten the entire plate myself!  So good that I just had to share them on here.  Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2lb. Sea scallops, cleaned and coarsely chopped
1T. Olive Oil (or butter)
1/2lb. Shrimp (he used pre-cooked) cleaned, de veined, also coarsely chopped
1/2 Bunch green onions, sliced
1lb. Shredded plain Havarti cheese
1 Bag white corn chips
Salsa & Sour Cream (to serve on the side)

DIRECTIONS:
Barely cook the scallops in butter or olive oil.  (Of course multiple of taste tests were necessary.)

Spread seafood pieces, green onions and grated cheese over two single layers of chips and heat through (@350) to melt the cheese.

Serve with salsa and or sour cream on the side.

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Quick and Easy ‘Paella’

This recipe on Cooking This and That caught my eye while searching through my Google Reader. I had all the ingredients in the house and thought it looked like a delicious, quick meal. I made a few modifications, and it was very tasty!

INGREDIENTS:
1 Box Yellow rice
1 1/2T. Olive oil
1 Shallot, chopped
2 Clove garlic, minced
1/2lb. Shrimp, shelled and deveined
1/2lb. chorizo, sliced (I used keilbasa)
2C. Water
1T. Fresh parsley, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
Heat olive oil in deep skillet. Add shallot and garlic. Saute about 2 minutes. Add rice and water. Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to low. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.

Add chorizo/keilbasa. Stir and recover for another 8 minutes.

Add shrimp, stir and cook 2-3 minutes (until the shrimp has turned pink and is just cooked).

Add parsley and cook until heated through.

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