Pork Chops with Ginger Pear Sauce

Method

1 Salt the pork chops well and let them sit at room temperature while you chop all the vegetables and the pear. Make a few cuts in the outer fat layer of the pork chops, all the way through to the meat, to prevent them from curling up when you cook them. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
2 Working in batches as to not crowd the pan, when the oil is hot, pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and lay them in the pan. Sear the chops until nicely browned, about 3-5 minutes depending on how hot your burner is. Turn the pork chops over and sear on the other side for a minute or two. Then lower the heat and cook until done, 5 to 15 minutes, depending on the thickness of the chops. Remember you no longer need to cook pork well done. The recommended minimum temperature for cooked pork is now 145°F in the U.S.  (Use the finger test for meat if you don't have a meat thermometer.) When done, remove the pork chops from the pan to a plate to rest.
3 When the pork is done, remove all but 1 tablespoon of the oil from the pan. Add the butter, shallots and ginger and toss to combine. Cook this for 1 minute, then add the chopped pear and toss to combine. Cook another minute. Add the chicken stock, vinegar and honey and bring to a rolling boil. Boil vigorously until the liquid is reduced by 2/3, about 4-6 minutes. Turn off the heat and add the rosemary and some black pepper. Add salt to taste.

Ingredients

• 4 pork chops
• Salt
• 2 Tbsp canola or other vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup minced shallots
• 2 Tbsp minced ginger
• 1 large pear (anjou, bartlett, or bosc), peeled and diced
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 3 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
• Freshly ground black pepper

Tuna Salad Sandwich

Method

Mix all of the ingredients. Serve on toast, either open faced, or in a regular sandwich with lettuce and tomatoes. For a low carb option, serve on sliced lettuce.

 

Ingredients

• 1 (6 ounce) can of tuna fish (if packed in water, drain it, and add a teaspoon of good quality olive oil)
• 1/3 cup of cottage cheese
• 2 Tablespoons of mayonaise
• 1/4 purple onion, chopped finely
• 1 celery stalk, chopped finely
• 1 Tablespoon of capers
• Juice of half of a lemon
• Pinch or two of dill
• 2 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

• (optional - lettuce and sliced tomatoes)

• Slices of French bread, lightly toasted

Tuna Patties

Method

1 Drain the liquid from the tuna cans. If you are using tuna packed in water, reserve a tablespoon of the tuna water, and add a teaspoon of olive oil to the tuna mixture in the next step.
2 In a medium bowl, mix together the tuna, mustard, torn white bread, lemon zest, lemon juice, water, parsley, chives, and hot sauce. Sprinkle on salt and freshly ground black pepper. Taste the mixture before adding the egg to see if it needs more seasoning to your taste. Mix in the egg.
3 Divide the mixture into 4 parts. With each part, form into a ball and then flatten into a patty. Place onto a wax paper lined tray and chill for an hour. (You can skip the chilling if you want, chilling just helps the patties stay together when you cook them.)
4 Heat the olive oil and a little butter (for taste) in a cast iron or stick-free skillet on medium high. Gently place the patties in the pan, and cook until nicely browned, 3-4 minutes on each side.
Serve with wedges of lemon. You can also serve with tartar sauce on slider buns for a tuna burger.

Ingredients

• 2 6-ounce cans tuna
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup white bread torn into small pieces
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp water (or liquid from the cans of tuna)
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives, green onions, or shallots
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• A couple squirts of Crystal hot sauce or tabasco
• 1 raw egg
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon butter

Tuna Macaroni Salad

Method

1 In a saucepan, add 1 cup of elbow macaroni to 1 quart of boiling water with an added teaspoon of salt. Simmer either covered or uncovered for about 10 minutes until the macaroni is just a little more cooked than al dente. When ready, remove from heat, drain and rinse with cold water.
2 While the macaroni is cooking, assemble the other ingredients. In a large bowl mix the green onion, bell peppers, parsley, tuna, celery and lemon. Add the cooked and drained macaroni. Fold in the iceberg lettuce and mayonnaise until well mixed. Add the paprika. Add fresh ground pepper to taste.
Eat up. This salad does not make good leftovers as the lettuce will eventually get soggy.

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 quart water

• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1 cup chopped red, orange, and or yellow bell peppers, seeded and de-stemmed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, packed
• 2 cans of tuna, packed in olive oil (do not drain), or if you get tuna packed in water, drain the water out and add 2-3 Tbsp olive oil.
• 2 stalks of celery, chopped
• Juice of 1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed
• 1/4-1/3 a head of lettuce (preferably iceberg lettuce), sliced first and roughly chopped into 2 inch long strips
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (we use sweet Hungarian)
• Fresh ground pepper

Tilapia with Pimento Sauce

 

Method

1 In a large skillet heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about a minute more. Add tomatoes, mushrooms, olives, oregano, salt, and pepper. Bring sauce to boiling.
2 Gently place the fish fillets in the pan and scoop some of the sauce over the fillets. Return to boiling. Reduce the heat and cover. Simmer for 8 to 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. With a wide spatula, lift fish from skillet to a serving dish. Spoon sauce over fish. Serve with rice, and/or crusty bread.

 

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 small onion, cut into thin wedges
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 cup sliced cremini or button mushrooms
• 3/4 cup pimiento-stuffed olives, coarsely chopped
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano or 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 4 6-8 ounce tilapia fillets

Tempura Squid

Method

1 Slice the squid tubes into rings about 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch wide. Leave the tentacles whole.
2 This recipe was designed for a deep-fryer, but you can also fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot (keep a lid nearby, for safety reasons) halfway with oil, about 3 inches deep. Heat the oil to 360-370°F.
3 While the oil is heating, mix all the dry ingredients together well.
4 Once the oil has reached 360°F, take the sparkling water out of the refrigerator and mix it with the egg yolk. Immediately mix it in with the dry ingredients. Mix quickly. Do not worry if there are clumps or lumps. Over-mixing may cause the batter to become chewy when cooked.
5 Working in small batches at a time (about 8 pieces), dip the squid pieces in the batter. Pick them up one by one and gently put them in the hot oil. (Note if your fingers are coated with the batter, it will help protect them from splatter.) When the squid pieces are in the oil, use a chopstick or the handle of a wooden spoon to dislodge any squid pieces that may have become stuck from the bottom of the pot or fryer. Fry for 45 seconds to 1 minute, and remove to paper towels to drain. Note that when done, they will NOT be golden brown, but more of a pale yellow or tan. Repeat with the rest of the squid. Working in batches will help keep the oil temperature from falling too far while you are frying the squid.
Serve immediately with lime or lemon wedges, soy sauce, ponzu sauce, Tabasco or another hot sauce.
Once the cooking oil has completely cooled (after about 2 hours), strain it through a paper towel-lined sieve, and save it to reuse the next time you want to deep fry seafood.

Ingredients

• 1 pound cleaned squid
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 cup ice cold sparkling water (the colder the better)
• 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 3/4 cup rice or regular flour
• Canola oil or peanut oil for frying (high smoke point vegetable oil)

Special equipment recommended:

• A deep fryer

Swordfish with Smoked Paprika

Method

1 Remove the skin from the swordfish and cut it into cubes. Salt the fish well and dust the cubes in flour. Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan large enough to hold all the swordfish chunks in one layer. Sear them well on at least two sides. Give the first side 1-2 minutes, then sear other sides for 30 seconds to 1 minute each.
2 When the swordfish is cooked, remove it to a bowl and reserve. Add the garlic slices and sauté 30 seconds or so — the second it begins to brown, add the tomatoes, parsley, white wine, pine nuts and paprika. Toss to combine and cook 1 minute, then add the swordfish back to the pan, toss to combine and cook another 30 seconds or so. Serve at once.

Ingredients

• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 pound swordfish or other firm, white fish
• Salt
• Flour for dusting
• 2 garlic cloves, sliced thin
• 1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
• 2 Tbsp white wine
• 4 Roma or other paste tomatoes, seeded and diced
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 2 teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika
• Black pepper

Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Coconut Rice

Method

1 Start cooking rice, following package instructions.
2 Pulse garlic, water and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender, just a few pulses, so you can still see chunks of garlic. Pour over shrimp to marinate. Marinate for 10 minutes.
3 Strain the water from the shrimp and garlic mixture. Add the lime juice (or finely sliced lemongrass), jalapeño, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the shrimp mixture.
4 Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in high heat in large sauté pan. Add shrimp. Cook one minute. Add 1 small can of coconut milk. Cook 30 seconds more. Mix in a teaspoon red chili powder or sauce.
5 Put rice into a large bowl. Mix in the second 5.6 ounce can of coconut milk to the cooked rice.
Serve shrimp on rice. Garnish with chopped fresh cilantro (optional).

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups long grain white rice
• 1 pound, about 20 large jumbo shrimp (peeled with tail on or unpeeled, but veins removed)
• 6 large garlic cloves
• 1 1/2 cup of water
• Salt
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded, de-ribbed, julienned
• Juice of one lime (or 2 inches of white tender end of lemongrass, finely sliced)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 small cans (5.6 ounces) coconut milk
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of red chili powder or red chili sauce (to taste)
• Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Spicy Crab Cakes with Horseradish Mayo

Method

1 Tear up the bread and pulse in a food processor to make fine, soft crumbs (about 4 cups). Transfer the bread crumbs to a shallow pan and mix in 1/2 cup of the parsley.
2 In a food processor, combine the egg yolk, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, mustard, paprika, thyme, celery seeds, and black pepper. Pulse to combine. With the motor running, add the oil through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream until the mixture emulsifies and forms a mayonnaise-type sauce. Transfer sauce to a bowl.
3 In a large bowl, combine the onion and bell pepper with the remaining 1/4 cup of parsley. Add the mayonnaise-type sauce and crabmeat and mix lightly. Using a rubber spatula, fold in 1 cup of the bread crumb mixture. Do not overwork the mixture. Gently form 6 cakes and flatten them into patties about 1/2 inch thick. Dredge the patties lightly in the remaining bread crumb mixture. Cover the crab cakes with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour or longer.
4 Heat a large non-stick skillet on medium heat and add about 2 Tbsp of butter to the pan. Working in batches, fry crab cakes gently 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until they are golden brown and heated through. Add more butter to the pan if necessary.
5 To prepare the horseradish mayo, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate.

Ingredients

• 4-5 slices white sandwich bread
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• 2 Tbsp plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh or dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 5 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 pound cooked fresh Dungeness crabmeat, picked over and drained

Horseradish Mayo:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tbsp prepared horseradish (see how to make horseradish for a scratch version)
• 2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Kosher salt

Smoked Paprika Shrimp Skewers

Method

1 Soak the skewers in water for half an hour before grilling.
2 In a large bowl whisk together the spices—the paprikas, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper—and the lime juice and olive oil. Add the shrimp and toss to coat with the marinade. Keep chilled for half an hour to an hour.
3 Prepare grill for medium-high direct heat, or heat a grill pan. Thread the shrimp onto skewers. Baste the grill grates with some vegetable oil so that the shrimp don't stick. Grill or cook a few minutes per side (2-4, depending on the size of the shrimp), until the shrimp are just cooked through. Remove from grill and serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp sweet paprika
• 2 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 lb of large shrimp, cleaned and peeled, tails on

• Bamboo skewers

Smoked Salmon Pasta

Method

1 Heat to boiling a large pot with at least 4 quarts of water in it. While the water is heating, brown the pine nuts. Put the pine nuts in a single layer in a large skillet. Heat on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and lightly browned. Remove pine nuts from pan and set aside.
2 Once the water is boiling, salt it with 1 Tbsp of salt for every 4 quarts of water. Once the water returns to a boil add the pasta to the pot. Leave uncovered, on high heat and let cook with a vigorous boil. Put the timer on for 8-10 minutes, or whatever your pasta package says is appropriate for al dente (cooked but still a little firm).
3 While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a large skillet heat olive oil on medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic, cook for 2 minutes, then add white wine, lemon juice, and 1 Tbsp of lemon zest. Increase the heat and let boil down by half. If you want a slightly creamy sauce, add the cream and let boil a minute more.
The sauce should be done about the same time the pasta is done. If you get done earlier with it than the pasta, take it off the heat.
4 Once the pasta is done, and before draining the pasta, scoop out one cup of the pasta cooking liquid and reserve. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet with the sauce. Add back some of the pasta cooking liquid to the pasta if it is a little dry. Add the smoked salmon, toasted pine nuts, parsley, and the remaining lemon zest. Season with freshly ground black pepper.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces spaghetti (or other) pasta
• Salt
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/3 cup chopped shallots (can substitute onions)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup dry white wine (can substitute pasta cooking water with a Tbsp of lemon juice)
• 1/4 cup cream
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp lemon zest (divided into 1 Tbsp and 1 Tbsp)
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley or dill
• 4 ounces smoked salmon, cut into bite sized pieces
• Fresh ground black pepper

Smoked Salmon Hash

Method

1 Heat the oil in a large cast iron frying pan on medium heat. Add the potatoes and onions, stirring to coat with the oil. Spread the potatoes and onions out in an even layer in the pan. Sprinkle the potatoes with a little salt. Cook, using a metal spatula to scrape the bottom of the pan and turn the potatoes over every 2-3 minutes, until the potatoes are mostly browned and cooked through, about 15-20 minutes.
2 While the potatoes are cooking, mix the salmon, sour cream, horseradish, mustard, chives and parsley into a bowl. When the potatoes are done, turn off the heat and fold in the salmon mixture until it is well combined. Add salt and pepper to taste. Let this sit in the pan for 5 minutes before serving; the carryover heat in the pan will heat everything through.
Sprinkle with a little lemon juice if you want, and serve with a little extra sour cream on the side. Serve with runny eggs.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp grapeseed or olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 4 ounces hot-smoked salmon, broken into flakes
• 2 Tbsp sour cream
• 2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 2 Tbsp chopped chives or green onion greens
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• Lemon wedges and extra sour cream for serving

Shrimp Scampi

Method

1 Heat a sauté pan on high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high and add the olive oil and butter. Once the butter melts, foams up and subsides, add the garlic and red pepper flakes. If using unsalted butter, sprinkle with salt. Sauté for a minute, or until you see the edges of some of the garlic just beginning to brown.
2 As soon as the garlic begins to brown, add the shrimp to the pan. Then add the white wine and stir to combine and coat the shrimp with the butter, oil, and wine. Spread the shrimp out in an even layer in the pan. Increase the heat to the highest setting and let the wine boil vigorously for 2-3 minutes.
3 Turn the shrimp over, or toss them so the cooked sides are mostly facing up, and boil the wine for another minute. Remove from the heat, add the parsley and toss to combine. Add the lemon juice and black pepper.
Serve alone, with crusty bread, over pasta, or over rice (for gluten-free version).


 

Ingredients

• 1 pound large (16-20 count) shrimp, shelled* and de-veined, tail-on for presentation if you want
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2-3 tablespoons butter
• Salt
• 3-4 garlic cloves, slivered, or 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice

* Whether you prepare the shrimp shell on or off is really up to you. Cooking the shrimp with the shells still on will impart more flavor, but they are much messier to eat. Shelling the shrimp before cooking them will make the shrimp a lot easier to eat and you can save the shells for shellfish stock if you want.

Shrimp Risotto

Method

1 Add the clam juice to 4 cups of water in a pot, heat until steamy. Do not let it boil.

2 In separate pot (thick-bottomed), heat 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat, and sauté the minced shallots for 2-3 minutes, until just translucent.
3 Add the rice to the pot. Stir-fry the rice for 2-3 minutes, until all the grains are well coated in butter and are beginning to toast.

4 Increase the heat to high and add the white wine. With a wooden spoon, stir the rice vigorously. Once the wine boils, turn the heat down until the wine is just simmering gently. Stir almost constantly. You are doing this to agitate the rice, which releases its starch and creates the creamy sauce you want in a risotto.

5 When the wine is almost cooked away – under no circumstances should you let the rice sizzle on the bottom of the pot – pour in two ladles of the hot clam broth-water mixture. Stir well to combine, and add a healthy pinch of salt.
6 Stirring almost constantly, let this liquid reduce until it is almost gone, then add another ladle of broth. Continue this until the sauce coats the back of a spoon. Taste the spoon and see if the risotto needs salt. If so, add a small pinch.

This much risotto rice should need about 4-5 cups of liquid total (including the wine) to come together, so start tasting the rice at the 3rd cup. If it is almost there – firm in the center but translucent on the outside, and fully surrounded with a creamy sauce – add one more cup of broth, stir well, and taste one more time for salt. (If not, you have old rice and you’ll need to go one more cup and let it cook away.)
7 Now add in the shrimp, the parsley, and the remaining tablespoon of butter. Stir constantly until this last cup of broth is about half gone: Remember you want this risotto to be loose and creamy.

Right before you serve, add in the lemon zest and serve at once. Best served with bowls and spoons rather than plates and forks.

Ingredients

• 1 cup risotto rice (Arborio or if you can get it, Carnaroli or Vialone Nano)
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 large shallot, finely chopped
• 1 cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc)
• 8 ounces clam juice or fresh seafood stock
• 2 cups of the smallest pink shrimp you can find
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
• Salt

Shrimp Pasta Salad

Method

1 Cook the pasta in well salted water (like sea water) until al dente, a bit firmer than you would normally eat. (The pasta will absorb some of the salad dressing and soften further after cooking.) Rinse the pasta in cold water to stop the cooking. Drain well and put into a large bowl.
2 Rinse the shrimp and drain well. Add them to the bowl and mix. Add the remaining ingredients and gently mix until well combined.
Serve chilled.

 

 

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound bow-tie (farfalle) or orecchiette pasta, or other short pasta
• Kosher salt
• 2 pounds small pink shrimp (also called Maine shrimp or boreal shrimp, comes already cooked)
• 1 diced red bell pepper
• 1 diced red onion
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1 cup chopped basil leaves (loosely packed)
• 1/3 cup high-quality olive oil
• 1 teaspoon of lemon zest
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon red chile flakes
• Black pepper to taste

Shrimp Fried Rice

Method

1 In a bowl, toss the shrimp with the salt, pepper and cornstarch. Let marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature. Heat a wok or large sauté pan on high heat. When the pan is hot enough for a bead of water to instantly sizzle and evaporate, add just 1 tablespoon of the cooking oil and swirl to coat pan.

2 Add the shrimp, quickly spreading out around the cooking surface area so that they are not overlapping. Let fry, untouched for 30 seconds. Flip over and let the other side fry for 30 seconds, or until about 80% cooked through. Remove the shrimp from the pan onto a plate, leaving as much oil in the pan as possible.

3 Turn the heat to medium, let the pan heat up again. Add the eggs, stirring in a quick motion to break up and scramble the eggs. When the eggs are almost cooked through (they should still be slightly runny in the middle), dish out of the pan into the same plate as the cooked shrimp.

4 Use paper towels to wipe the same wok or sauté pan clean and return to high heat with the remaining 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, swirling to coat. When the oil is very hot, add the green onions and fry until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add in the rice and stir well to mix in the green onions throughout. Spread the rice all around the wok surface area and let the rice heat up, untouched until you hear the bottoms of the grains sizzle, about 1-2 minutes. Use the spatula to toss the rice, again spreading the rice out over the surface of wok.

5 Drizzle the soy sauce all around the rice and toss. Add the peas and carrots, the cooked eggs, shrimp and sesame oil, tossing to mix the rice evenly with all of the ingredients. Let everything heat back up again, until the rice grains are so hot they practically dance! Taste and add an additional 1 teaspoon of soy sauce if needed.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces small raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil, divided
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 stalks green onion, minced
• 4 cups leftover rice, grains separated well
• 3/4 cup frozen peas and carrots, defrosted
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce if you are making a gluten-free version)
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil

Shrimp Etouffee

Method

1 Pour 2 quarts of water into a pot and add all the remaining stock ingredients. Bring to a boil, drop the heat down and simmer the stock gently for 45 minutes. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve into another pot set over low heat. You will have extra stock, which you can use for soup, risotto, etc. It will last in the fridge for a week.
2 To make the etouffee, start by making a roux. Heat the vegetable oil or lard in a heavy pot over medium heat for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the flour well, making sure there no clumps. Let this cook, stirring often, until it turns a pretty brown; this should take about 10 minutes or so.
3 Add the celery, green pepper, jalapeno and onion, mix well and cook this over medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes.
4 Slowly add the hot shrimp stock, stirring constantly so it incorporates. The roux will absorb the stock and seize up at first, then it will loosen. Add enough stock to make a sauce about the thickness of syrup, about 1 pint. Add the Creole seasoning, celery seed and paprika and mix well. Add salt to taste, then mix in the shrimp. Cover the pot, turn the heat to its lowest setting and cook for 10 minutes.
5 Add the green onions and hot sauce to taste. Serve over white rice with a cold beer or lemonade.

Ingredients

Optional Shrimp Stock:

• Shells from 2 pounds of shrimp
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• top and bottom from 1 green pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 5 bay leaves

Étouffée

• 2 pounds shrimp, shell on (remove shells for use in the shrimp stock, if not making your own stock, you can get shrimp already shelled)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil or lard
• Heaping 1/4 cup flour
• 1/2 large onion, chopped
• 1 bell pepper, chopped
• 1-2 jalapeno peppers, chopped
• 1 large celery stalk, chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 pint shrimp stock (see above), or clam juice or pre-made fish or shellfish stock
• 1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon celery seed
• 1 Tbsp sweet paprika
• Salt
• 3 green onions, chopped
• Hot sauce (Crystal or Tabasco) to taste

Shrimp Cocktail

Method

1 To prepare the cocktail sauce, mix all the cocktail sauce ingredients together in a medium bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2 Have a large bowl of ice water ready and set near the sink. To a 8-quart pot of water, add the Old Bay, lemon, granulated garlic, garlic, chili powder, and salt. Bring to a boil. Add the shrimp to the pot and when the water returns to a boil, the shrimp should be done! The shrimp should be bright pink.
3 Immediately drain and place the shrimp into the ice bath to cool for 2 minutes. Peel the shrimp (leaving the tail-on.) Drain and serve with the cocktail sauce.

Ingredients

For the shrimp:

• 2 tablespoons Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 lemon, halved
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 24 extra large tail-on raw shrimp (more if you are using smaller shrimp)

For the cocktail sauce:

• 1/2 cup Heinz chili sauce*
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon horseradish
• 1 dash Worcestershire sauce
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 teaspoon Tabasco
• 1/2 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

* The chef specifically recommends Heinz chili sauce – it’s not very spicy and has a nice sweet taste. If you use other type of hot chili sauce, just start with a couple tablespoons first, then taste and adjust.

Shrimp Ceviche

Method

1 In a large pot, bring to a boil 4 quarts of water, salted with 2 Tbsp salt. Add the shrimp and cook for 1 minute to 2 minutes max, depending on size of shrimp. (Over-cooking the shrimp will turn it rubbery.) Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and place into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking.
2 Drain the shrimp. Cut each piece of shrimp in half, or into inch-long pieces. Place shrimp in a glass or ceramic bowl. Mix in the lime and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate for a half hour.
3 Mix in the chopped red onion and serrano chile. Refrigerate an additional half hour.
4 Right before serving, add the cilantro, cucumber, and avocado.

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound medium-small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 Tbsp salt
• 3/4 cup lime juice (juice from 4-6 limes)
• 3/4 cup lemon juice (juice from 2-3 lemons)
• 1 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1 serrano chile, ribs and seeds removed, minced
• 1 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cucumber, peeled diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 avocado, peeled, seed removed, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

Shrimp and Avocado Salad

Method

1 Combine oil, vinegar, and green onions in a bowl. Chop shrimp into 1/2 inch pieces and add to oil mixture.
2 Arrange leaves of lettuce on individual plates. Cut avocados in half and remove pits. Remove some of the avocado around the pit area and mix in with the shrimp. With a spoon, carefully scoop out avocado halves from their skins in one piece. Place avocado half on plate with lettuce.
3 Spoon shrimp mixture on to avocado. Sprinkle with walnuts and cilantro (optional).
Serve with lemon slices for garnish.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup of white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 green onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 lb small or extra small shrimp, cooked, peeled, and de-veined
• 2 ripe avocados
• Lettuce - preferably butter lettuce or red leaf lettuce

• Optional - 2 Tbsp chopped roasted walnuts or pistachios
• 1 Tbsp chopped cilantro
• Lemon slices for garnish

Shrimp and Artichoke Pasta

Method

1 Heat to boiling a large pot with at least 4 quarts of water in it. Once the water is boiling, salt it with 1 Tbsp of salt for every 4 quarts of water. Once the water returns to a boil add the pasta to the pot. Leave uncovered, let cook on high heat with a vigorous boil. Put the timer on for 8-10 minutes, or whatever your pasta package says is appropriate for al dente (cooked but still a little firm).
2 Once the pasta is done, and before draining the pasta, scoop out one cup of the pasta cooking liquid and reserve. Drain the pasta. Toss the pasta with the pesto and keep it warm.
3 Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shrimp and cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes, until the shrimp is just pink. Add the peas and artichokes, lower the heat to medium, cover and cook for an additional minute. Add the green onions and parsley, reduce the heat to low. Add the pasta and about a third of a cup of the reserved cooking water. Toss to coat evenly. Add more cooking water if the pasta is still a little too dry.
 

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound linguine, fettuccine, spaghetti, or other pasta
• 2 Tbsp prepared basil pesto
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 16 large shrimp, peeled, deveined
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 20 frozen artichoke heart quarters, thawed, cut in half lengthwise
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onion greens
• 1/3 cup minced fresh parsley
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Sesame Fish Sticks

Method

 1 Rinse the fish fillets in cold water. Cut them into approximate 1 inch by 5 inch pieces, following the lines of the fillets. Remove any bones that may remain in the fillets. Lay out 3 separate dishes for dredging, one with flour that has salt and pepper sprinkled and mixed in, one with beaten egg, and the last with sesame seeds. Dredge the fish sticks first in flour, then in beaten egg, then in sesame seeds. Reserve to a plate.
2 Put enough vegetable oil in a large skillet to generously coat the bottom of the pan (about 1/4 cup). Heat the skillet on medium high until the oil is shimmering. Test the oil by dropping a bit of flour into the pan, if it sizzles the pan is ready. Working in batches, add the fish sticks to the pan, leaving enough room around them so that they aren't crowded. Cook for a few minutes on each side, until they are well browned on all sides. Remove the fish sticks to a plate lined with a paper towel. Keep warmed in the oven at 160°F while you finish frying the other batches of fish sticks. Add more oil as necessary to the pan to keep the bottom of the pan coated as you fry subsequent batches.
3 To make either of the dipping sauces, put the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, let cook for 4 minutes, uncovered. Remove from heat and let cool a little before serving.
 

Ingredients

Fish Sticks

• 1 1/2 lbs fish fillets (cod, tilapia, red snapper, halibut)
• 3/4 cup flour
• Salt and pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup sesame seeds
• Vegetable oil

Orange marmalade dipping sauce

• 1/3 cup orange marmalade
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon of powdered ginger or 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
• Pinch of salt

Spicy sweet and sour dipping sauce

• 3/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoons red chili pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 large clove garlic, minced

Seared Tuna with Avocado

Method

1 In a bowl, combine the cilantro, jalapeno, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, sesame oil and olive oil. If you want, you can purée the sauce in a blender or food processor.
2 Heat a large skillet on high heat for one minute. Coat the pan with the grapeseed or canola oil and let heat up for 30 to 45 seconds. Sprinkle the tuna pieces with salt. Sear the tuna for a minute on each side.
3 Transfer the seared tuna to a bowl and coat with some of the sauce. Pour some sauce on the plates, top with the tuna and serve with the sliced avocado and a wedge of lime.


 

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 jalapeño chiles, seeded, de-ribbed, minced (if very hot, use only 1 chile)
• 2 tablespoons of peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 4 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (from 2 to 4 limes, depending on how juicy your limes are)
• 1/3 cup soy sauce (use gluten-free soy sauce if you need to avoid gluten)
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons grapeseed or canola oil
• 4 (6 ounce) blocks sashimi-quality tuna
• 2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted, peeled and sliced

Sautéed Shrimp with Warm Tropical Fruit Salsa

Method

1 To toast the coconut flakes, heat a large frying pan or sauté pan on medium heat. Add the coconut flakes and stir constantly, until the flakes are slightly browned at the edges. Immediately spoon onto a plate to stop the cooking and prevent burning. Set aside to cool.
2 Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Return the same frying pan to the stove and heat on medium high heat. Pour in 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and swirl to coat. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp and cook for 2 minutes each side or until cooked through. Spoon out the shrimp to a serving platter.
3 Use the same frying pan, heat to medium-high heat, pour just 2 teaspoons of cooking oil and swirl to coat. When the oil is shimmering, add the diced onion and sauté for 1 minute. Add the mango and the kiwi and cook for 1 minute until bubbly and softened. Add the fresh mint, sugar, chili powder and just a pinch of salt. Finish with a light squeeze of lime (if needed) and pour on top of the shrimp.
4 Sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes.

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 mango, peeled and diced
• 2 kiwi, peeled and diced
• 1/4 cup finely diced red or sweet onion
• 1 teaspoon sugar, or to taste
• 1/4 lime
• 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• salt and pepper
• 3 fresh mint leaves, julienned
• 1 cup sweetened coconut flakes
• cooking oil

Sautéed Petrale Sole in Herb Butter Sauce

Method

1 Pat the sole fillets dry with paper towels. There is a lot of moisture in petrale sole, so you might have to pat them dry twice. Lightly salt the fillets on both sides.
2 Heat oil in a large, stick-free skillet on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, carefully add the fillets to the pan. Brown the fillets gently on both sides. Fish is cooked when it flakes easily and is no longer translucent. Sole fillets will cook up very quickly, no more than a few minutes on each side, so don't walk away from the pan while cooking. Once done, remove the fillets from pan and place on a warm plate.
3 Add shallots to the pan and sauté until soft. Deglaze the pan with white wine and scrape up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan. Add butter and gently swirl to make a sauce. Add herbs, and squeeze a little lemon juice into the sauce. Spoon over the sole.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds fresh petrale sole fillets
• Salt, to taste
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp minced shallots
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 Tbsp, cut into 4 pieces, cold, unsalted butter
• Fresh thyme leaves (or any fresh herb for flavor)
• Minced fresh chives
• Lemon wedges (use Meyer lemons if available)