Monthly Archives: March 2017

Mediterranean Shrimp –Roasted with Feta

Posted on March 12, 2017 | 2 comments

IMG_8507 IMG_8500IMG_8506IMG_8493 IMG_8497 IMG_8494 IMG_8498 IMG_8486 IMG_8487 IMG_8490Most outstanding shrimp recipe from Ina Garten. All the tastes of the Mediterranean in one dish. It’s roasted shrimp with feta, fennel, tomatoes, lemons, Pernod,  wine and other good things. This was really so very delicious we ate it 2 nights in a row. It doesn’t need rice or pasta but if you’re having 6 people you can stretch it by adding the starch.  I used 1 1/4 lbs.  of shrimp and we had dinner for 2 nights. It was the first time making recipe so I wanted to use the right amount of ingredients. You can easily cut this in half for two people. This recipe as is will generously serve 4.

There are a lot of ingredients and I had to buy a bottle of Pernod but don’t let this discourage you.  You’ll also need a 12″ heavy ovenproof skillet and there is a lot of prep but you’ll look like a pro when this dish comes out of the oven. It really wasn’t difficult and have your fish store prepare shrimp. (Peel and de-vein) if you’d like you can leave tails on but I didn’t and it was perfectly fine.

Ingredients:

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided into 2 tablespoons each

1 1/2 cups medium-diced fennel

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup dry white wine

1 14 1/2 oz. can diced tomatoes

2 teaspoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 Tablespoon Pernod ( available in most liquor stores)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 lbs ( app. 16 per pound) peeled and de-veined shrimp ( I prefer Mexican White and can usually obtain them) Talk to your local Fish Store.

4 -5 ounces good feta cheese, coarsely crumbled

1 cup fresh bread crumbs , yes I made them myself in the food processor–just throw 3 slices of white bread into food processor with crusts on and chop! it’s so much better than store-bought, just saying.

3 Tablespoons minced fresh parsley

2 lemons–1 for zesting and juicing and 1 cut into wedges to serve with dish

Directions:

Prepare shrimp and set aside, I like to place clean shrimp on paper towels to dry them before cooking.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Spray 12″ skillet with cooking spray for easier clean-up. Heat 2 Tablespoons of olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the chopped fennel and sauté for about 10 minutes, until the fennel is softened. Add the garlic and cook for a quick minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits for about 2-3 minutes and the liquid is reduced by about half. Add the tomatoes with their liquid, tomato paste , oregano, Pernod, Salt and Pepper to the skillet. Simmer over medium-low heat , stirring occasionally, for about 15 minutes.

While the shrimp is cooking combine the bread crumbs, parsley, and lemon zest with the remaining 2 Tablespoons of Olive Oil and set aside.

Turn off the heat and arrange the shrimp (see photo) in one layer over the tomato mixture in the skillet. Scatter the feta evenly over the shrimp. Then sprinkle the bread crumb mixture over the shrimp.

Bake in 400 degree oven for app. 15 minutes, until the shrimp are cooked and the bread crumbs are golden brown. (you can cut into a shrimp and make sure it’s opaque at this time)

Remove from oven and squeeze the juice of 1 lemon (I used zested lemon) over the shrimp. Serve hot with the remaining lemon cut into wedges.

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Tuna Ceviche

Posted on March 10, 2017 | Leave a comment

I struggled with the title for this recipe and finally decided to name it Ceviche because it is the interpretation of what this tuna really is. When a fish is denatured by a citrus juice, in this case lime juice it really is considered to be a ceviche which is very popular in Latin America. However the recipe that I got this from was titled Tuna Tartare. My resident “fish expert” wants it to be called Ceviche and he enjoyed it very much. This is the second time I made this recipe. The first was on New Years Eve and I made it with my friend, Susan. We made the amounts listed here, last night I made 1 box and cut the recipe by 2/3. You can play somewhat with ingredients, you might not want to use hot sauce or jalapeno and you can omit. I have to say I used both last night and would have liked it spicier. Next time I will add more hot sauce.

Also a little note after researching the topic of Tuna. The original recipe says to mix well so I did, but if you mix well with the fish in it you cause a lot of air to get into the fish and the fish will turn a browner color. It is just oxygenation of the fish and it is not harmful. So I recommend mixing the sauce well first and then add to the fish and stir gently and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour to allow flavors to marinate. The change in color is not harmful as long as you are starting out with very fresh tuna . I used a box of sushi grade frozen tuna available in my Whole Foods Market. You can purchase from your local fish store as well. The frozen one was very easy to work with but comes in very small blocks. (see picture) and is rather pricey.

It takes about 1/2 hour to prep. and is worth the effort. This recipe will probably serve 6-8 and maybe a little more as an appetizer. I served alongside some delicious tortilla chips but any chips will do. The layering of all these flavors is spectacular. If you don’t want to use toasted sesame seeds you can omit.

*I would eat any left-overs within 24 hours.

Ingredients:

1 1/4 lb. sushi grade tuna (see photo of the tuna I used or ask your local fish merchant)

3/4 cup good olive oil

3 limes, zest grated

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lime juice ( use the limes you just zested) you may need more so have a few extra on hand. I used a juicer because it’s impossible to hand squeeze limes.

1 teaspoon wasabi powder

1 1/4 Tbsp. Soy Sauce

1 Tbsp. Hot Red Pepper Sauce–I used Cholula Hot Sauce

1 Tbsp. Kosher Salt

1/2 Tbsp. Freshly Ground Pepper

app. 6 minced scallions, white and green parts

1/2 -1 Minced Fresh Jalapeno Pepper, seeds removed–wear plastic gloves and leave a few seeds if you like spicier.

3 ripe Haas Avocados or any ones you can get

1 Tbsp. Toasted Sesame Seeds, optional if you don’t want the seeds.

Directions:

Follow directions on the box of sushi grade tuna for defrosting

if you’re not using fresh. Make sure fish is dry and cut the tuna into small dice pieces about 1/4″and place in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the olive oil, lime zest, lime juice, wasabi, soy sauce, hot red pepper sauce, salt and pepper, use a whisk and whisk well then pour over the tuna , add the scallions and jalapeno and mix gently and quickly so as not to oxygenate tuna too much. Cut the avocados in half, remove the pit and peel. Cut the avocado into small chunks to your liking. Carefully mix the avocado into the tuna mixture. Add the toasted sesame seeds, if you are using and season to taste. Allow the mixture to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour for the flavors to meld together.

Serve with tortilla chips of your liking and Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

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Lemon Garlic Chicken with Mushrooms

Posted on March 9, 2017 | 6 comments

IMG_0586

IMG_0589I had chicken breasts in the refrigerator ready to go and had to figure out what I was doing with them using ingredients that I had in the house.  I had lemons, garlic, even had fresh rosemary in the house. I really threw this together and the next time out I would use thin chicken cutlets or pound the ones I had thinner.   I used 1 package of cutlets for the 2 of us, which is usually around the 1 lb. mark. This recipe would be perfect for 1 lb. of chicken cutlets. Double up for 2 lbs.

As I said this was a very thrown together recipe. I tried to keep track of what I was doing so I could duplicate recipe. It is one of those recipes that you sort of wing as you go. We really enjoyed this chicken and I hope you will too.

Ingredients:

1 package of thin chicken cutlets or app. 4 chicken cutlets

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. Grapeseed Oil, if no Grapeseed Oil use canola or sunflower

3 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice ( app. 1 average size lemon)

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour, if you’re gluten-free use gluten-free flour such as rice flour, or corn flour and it will be just fine

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 Tsp. fresh rosemary, chopped

1 Tsp. Kosher Salt and more to taste

1/2 Tsp. Freshly Ground Black Pepper and more to taste

1/4 cup dry white wine

Directions:

Whisk together in a large bowl the olive oil, lemon juice, rosemary and 1 tsp. kosher salt and 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper. Place chicken cutlets into bowl and place in the refrigerator for a 1/2 hour.

Remove chicken cutlets from marinade and place on a plate, discard the marinade. I sprinkled a little more kosher salt and pepper on the top side of chicken (shiny side) . Then dredge lightly in the flour, you should have more than enough flour with 2 Tbsp. but if you need more you can add it. Tap Breasts after you dredge to remove excess flour.

Turn oven on low or a warming drawer works well here , just to keep chicken warm after you cook it on stovetop.  Heat a large skillet over medium to high heat and add grapeseed oil. When oil is very hot, place one or two pieces of chicken in the pan–don’t crowd. Cook for a few minutes on each side, (try not to overcook or the chicken will be very dry) just until you see it browning up, this is why the thinner chicken works best here.  Transfer to a plate and blot the chicken with paper towel. Cook all the chicken. I placed chicken on a baking sheet and put in the oven/warming drawer while I cooked the mushrooms.

Turn burner down to medium high heat , add mushrooms to the pan and sprinkle with a little kosher salt and pepper. Let them sear for about a minute without touching them, then stir , scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. When the mushrooms start to soften add the wine, chopped thyme, and you can taste for salt and pepper. Continue to stir the mushrooms until the wine has evaporated and mushrooms are tender and ready , app. 10 minutes. I removed chicken from oven , plated it up over basmati rice and added the mushrooms over the chicken. That’s it and it was delicious.

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