First an apology. I haven’t been posting as many new recipes these last few weeks because, well, I’ve been busy being Mrs. Santa. I’m sure most of you will fully understand. The rest of you, well, it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to get permission. (Words to live by, BTW. Especially when it includes serving a cruciferous veggie at the Carr table!) But I digress….
The other evening both of us had just about eaten all the rich food we could stand. So, I suggested a simple salad. Mr. C. thought that was a good idea. And since Mr. C. is very fond of tuna, I thought a nice crunchy tuna salad would hit the spot. But Mr. C. is also enamored with a creamy salad dressing. So, I decided to mix up a ranch style dressing to slather on the greens. And boy was the salad good. Just what was needed.
So, if you too are a bit tired of rich food, give this salad a try. I promise it will be a nice change from leftover turkey or ham.
As always peace and love to all. And a special thank you to all of you who are fully vaccinated. Getting a covid shot is such an easy way to help stop the spread of this horrid disease. And for any of you who resent wearing a mask while grocery shopping or entering a restaurant, imagine that you were in the service industry and had to wear one every single moment you were at work.
It should be an honor to help stop the spread of this deadly pandemic. And a simple gesture like wearing a mask should not be construed as an attack on an individual’s freedom. But rather as a kindness shown to others to help keep everyone healthy.
HAPPY NEW YEAR
For the tuna salad:
⅓ c. light mayonnaise
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. seasoned salt
freshly ground black pepper
pinch granulated garlic
2 T. minced dill pickles or dill pickle relish
1 T. finely minced onion
½ c. finely chopped celery
1 can (5-oz.) water packed albacore tuna, drained
Mix all together.
For the dressing:(and yes, you need a bit of dressing for the greens, etc.)
½ c. sour cream (I use Mexican style)
⅓ c. buttermilk (I use Bulgarian style)
1 T. mayonnaise (I use Best Foods light)
1 garlic clove, finely minced
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. dried dill weed
1 tsp. dried parsley
¼ tsp. seasoned salt, or more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. Refrigerate until needed.
For the salad part:
romaine lettuce (or lettuce of choice)
any combination of the following: (or anything else that sound good)
cucumber slices, tomatoes, black olives, hard-boiled egg slices, grated carrot, pepperoncini slices, frozen peas (thawed and uncooked), sunflower seeds
To serve the salad, lay down a bed of greens and other assorted yummies on a dinner plate. Dollop on a big old scoop of the tuna salad, then drizzle on as much or as little of the dressing as you like. That’s it! Tuna salad salad.
The first thing you might notice after a cursory glance at the ingredients for this recipe, is that there are no potato chunks in this chowder. And I know, many of you don’t consider chowder to be chowder if it doesn’t contain potatoes. And don’t get me wrong, I love potatoes too. But I have eaten far too many chowders (seafood chowders especially) that were half potatoes to the exclusion of other veggies that might actually have given the chowder a lovely flavor base. So, frankly, I’m done with potatoes in my chowders. (That sound you hear is Mr. C. applauding in the background?) In fact, until the other evening when I ordered a cup of crab and corn chowder at the Brown Lantern Ale House in Anacortes, I hadn’t had a taste of chowder in years. But this crab chowder was so delicious, and to my delight, nary a cheap filler like potato in the entire mixture. Just a lovely creamy chowder filled with real crab and corn. So, my faith in chowders renewed, the next day I glommed together a recipe for (you guessed it) crab and corn chowder.
So, why is this recipe for a shrimp chowder you might be asking yourself? Simple answer. I didn’t have any crab on hand. But I did have bacon, shrimp, and 2 ears of corn. So, the crab and corn recipe is pending. In the meantime, you’ll just have to settle for this recipe. Which by-the-way is delectable. Easy to prepare, and a lot lower in fat than many chowder recipes.
As always, be creative in your kitchen. Trust your instincts, especially if you’ve been cooking for a long time. You know what spices go together. You know what to put in a good spaghetti sauce. And what to throw into meat loaf. And that bacon is it’s own food group! So, yes, of course, if you can’t imagine a chowder without potatoes, serve it up! I won’t know, and even if I did, I’d be the one you heard in the background clapping my hands together in celebration of your knowledge of your families preferences. Because, more than anything, I want you to love cooking. And to feel pride when you feed not only yourself but your family and friends with fantastic food. And if that means potatoes in the chowder you serve, good on you! You’re doing it right!
Peace and love to all.
5-6 slices thick-cut lean bacon, cut into small pieces
½ lb. lg. shrimp, peeled, de-veined, tails removed and cut into small pieces
2 T. unsalted butter
½ c. finely chopped onion
⅓ c. shredded carrot
1 c. thinly sliced celery, plus chopped leaves, if possible
½ red, orange, or yellow bell pepper, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
¼ tsp. seasoned salt
freshly ground black pepper
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
¼ tsp. dried thyme
¼ tsp. paprika
2 T. unbleached all-purpose flour
1½ c. chicken stock or 1½ c. water and 1½ tsp. chicken base
1 c. whole milk
½ c. half and half
cooked kernels from 2 ears of corn (or 1½ cups frozen)
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced, for garnish
hot sauce, for table
Fry the bacon in a Dutch oven or large, deep saucepan over medium heat until crisp, about 6 minutes. With a slotted spoon, remove the bacon to a small bowl. Set aside.
Add the shrimp and cook just until done. With a slotted spoon, remove to the same bowl with the cooked bacon.
Add the butter to the pot and let it melt. Stir in the onion, carrot, celery, and bell pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies are tender, about 5 minutes. Next stir in the garlic, seasoned salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, dried thyme, and paprika. Cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Sprinkle the flour over the top of the onion mixture, then cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Slowly stir in the chicken stock, milk, and half and half until no flour lumps remain. Stir in the corn kernels and bring to a gentle boil. Let bubble until thickened, about 5 minutes. (If the chowder is not as thick as you like, make a beurre manié (paste made with equal partsflour and soft butter mashed together) and stir into the soup. (I would suggest starting with 1 tablespoon each of soft butter and flour. Then if the soup is still not thick enough, repeat the process.) Taste and adjust seasoning.
When ready to serve, stir in the cooked bacon and shrimp and continue cooking just until the shrimp is hot.
Serve the chowder hot, sprinkled with sliced green onions. Pass hot sauce at table. Great served with Soft Sourdough Rolls. (Recipe to follow in the near future.)
I have this tendency (a holdover from earlier years spent carefully watching my bank account balance), to see a leftover ingredient in my refrigerator and build a new dish around that ingredient. So, after making Baked Crab Rangoon with Sweet and Sour Sauce (recipe on site) a couple days before and having both leftover wonton wrappers and Sweet and Sour Sauce, I decided to try my hand at shrimp wonton cups. And boy am I glad I did!
I started with a recipe for wonton cups I found on the anerdcooks.com site. Then of course, I played with the recipe because I simply can’t help myself. But the result was terrific, so as in many cases, asking for forgiveness is so much easier than asking for permission. But Lauren, I do apologize for the changes I made to your perfectly fine recipe without your permission.
Anyway, the result was much better than expected. And even though there are still unused wonton wrappers in my refrigerator, I have reduced their number by 24. Of course, I have also used a half pound of large shrimp, 4 ounces of cream cheese, a bit of sour cream, and some grated mozzarella in the process. But I already had them in stock, so no visit to the grocery store was required to prepare this treat. (I still have left over Sweet and Sour Sauce too. But I have decided to let it go. There is a line over which even I refuse to cross!)
So, if you too love shrimp wonton cups with a truly delicious sauce, then I recommend these easy to prepare recipes. Perfect as an appetizer or accompaniment to other Chinese dishes.
As always, keep smiling. And keep your family and friends smiling too by preparing great food and serving it in beautiful serving dishes and on lovely dinnerware.
I don’t know about you, but food served on nice plates always seems more appealing. So, don’t save your good dishes for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Use them whenever you get the urge. Sure, a piece could get broken. It happens. But while the pieces are still around, they should be made to earn their keep, not tucked away for your inheritors to dispose of. Because realistically, your kids tastes and yours, when it comes to fine china that is, are probably quite different. So, enjoy them while you can. (That goes for the kids too!)
Peace and love to all.
2 tsp. unsalted butter
½ lb. lg. raw shrimp, shelled, deveined, and tails removed
freshly ground black pepper (just a bit)
24 square wonton wrappers
4 oz. (½ lg. pkg.) cream cheese, room temp.
2 T. sour cream
1 garlic clove, finely minced
½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 green onions, finely chopped
½ c. grated mozzarella cheese
Heat the butter in a small frying pan. Cut the large shrimp into very small pieces. Add the shrimp, lightly sprinkled with black pepper to the frying pan and cook just until done. Remove from heat and set aside. Preheat oven to 350-degrees.
Lightly spray mini-muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray. Carefully press wonton wrappers into wells of pan. Lightly spray the wonton wrappers in the pan. Bake 7-8 minutes or until edges start to turn golden brown. Remove pan from oven.
Meanwhile, stir the cream cheese, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce together in a mixing bowl until well blended. Stir in the cooked shrimp, green onions, and mozzarella cheese; mix well. Using a #100 (2 teaspoons) ice cream scoop, plop the shrimp mixture into each wonton cup.
Bake for about 10 minutes or until wontons are golden brown and the filling is starting to bubble.
Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. Great dunked in Sweet and Sour Sauce.
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE
¼ c. lightly packed brown sugar
¼ tsp. kosher salt
2 T. ketchup
1 T. soy sauce
3 T. plain rice vinegar (not seasoned rice vinegar)
½ c. water
2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Combine the sugar, salt, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a near boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Give the cornstarch a stir and then add it to the pan. Continue cooking, stirring, for about 15 seconds, or until the sauce comes to full boil and thickens.
Remove from the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature. Can be made ahead.
The last time I ordered crab Rangoon in a restaurant I was terribly disappointed. (And yes Rangoon should be capitalized because it is from the city Yangon, also called Rangoon, the former capital of Burma, which is now Myanmar.) Anyway, the crab used in the making of the Rangoon at this otherwise fine Chinese cuisine dining establishment, was very sparingly used, to say the least. In fact, if there was any crab in the mix, I would be very surprised. If anything, there might have been a bit of surimi (fake crab) in the filling. And that not only scares me; it makes me madder than a wet hen! I hate fake crab! And everything about it! For interesting facts about imitation crab, skip to the bottom of this post. But back to this recipe.
The other day when I got a hankering for Chinese food, I decided to pull out my old recipe and build me some crab Rangoon with what I consider to contain the requisite amount of crab. And since I abhor deep fat frying anything, even something as delightful as crab Rangoon, my old standby recipe for baking the Rangoon seemed perfect for the occasion.
And there was much rejoicing at table that evening. Not only was the Rangoon terrific; the sauce was over the top delicious. And nary a spattering of hot fat to be seen on either me or the immediate vicinity around the stove!
So, the next time you are looking for just the perfect appetizer, please give this baked Rangoon recipe a try. And don’t even think about serving the Rangoon without the Sweet and Sour Sauce. Not only is this sauce perfect with Rangoon, it’s equally great with the next recipe I am going to post – Shrimp Wonton Cups with Sweet and Sour Sauce. Plus, this sauce is terrific with my recipes for Char Siu (Chinese BBQ Pork), Easy Chinese Dumplings/Potstickers, baked eggrolls (still working on the recipe), or as a glaze for grilled chicken or seafood. Plus both the recipe for the Rangoon and the sauce are very easy to prepare.
So, as always, have fun in your kitchen. We all must eat to stay alive. And eating can be such a pleasure. As cooks we can make this happen.
And believe me, I know there are times when even the thought of cooking one more meal is overwhelming. But cooking is a lot like exercising. Once you get started, the effort initiates a biological cascade of events that results in the release of endorphins — those chemicals that make you happy! So, stay happy. Keep cooking!
Peace and love to all.
8 oz. cream cheese, room temp.
1 clove garlic, very finely minced
1 green onion, finely diced
¼ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/8 tsp. sugar
pinch white pepper
8 oz. crabmeat (canned real crab is fine for this recipe)
¼ tsp. kosher salt, if needed
square wonton wrappers
Mix the cream cheese, garlic, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and pepper together. Taste the crab meat. If it isn’t terribly salty, add the ¼ teaspoon salt to the cream cheese mixture. Then gently stir in the crab.
Grease 12-16 muffin cups with cooking spray. Gently place 1 won ton wrapper in each cup. Fill evenly with crabmeat mixture.
Bake in a pre-heated 350-degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until edges of wonton wrappers are golden brown and the filling is heated through.
Serve warm with Sweet and Sour Sauce.
SWEET AND SOUR SAUCE
¼ c. lightly packed brown sugar
¼ tsp. kosher salt
2 T. ketchup
1 T. soy sauce
3 T. plain rice vinegar (not seasoned rice vinegar)
½ c. water
2 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
Combine the sugar, salt, ketchup, soy sauce, vinegar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a near boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Give the cornstarch a stir and then add it to the pan. Continue cooking, stirring, for about 15 seconds, or until the sauce comes to full boil and thickens.
Remove from the heat. Serve warm or at room temperature. Can be made ahead.
Imitation Crab (From webmd.com)
“Imitation crab is made with surimi, a paste made out of finely shredded or pulverized fish. After the fish is minced, it is heated and pressed into shapes that resemble meat from a crab leg. The resulting imitation crab looks similar to the original crab in its coloring and texture.
Binding agents, like egg white, starch, vegetable oil, or sugar, are added to the surimi paste to make the meat stick together. Occasionally, monosodium glutamate (MSG) is added to the surimi. Orange or red coloring is the key ingredient added to make the mixture resemble shellfish meat. For the preservation of the product, the makers vacuum seal and pasteurize the imitation crab meat.
Real crab has significantly higher nutrient levels than imitation crab. For example, imitation crab derives most of its calories from added carbs. The calories in an Alaskan king crab are derived from proteins, not from carbs. If you’re on a keto or low-carb diet and are trying to cut your carb intake, real crab would be the better choice.
Real crab provides a higher amount of vitamins and minerals. It’s a good source of vitamin B12, selenium, and zinc. When making surimi, these nutrients are lost during washing and processing when the fish meat is exposed to heat. Real crab also has a higher amount of omega-3 fatty acids than its mock substitute. Some packages of imitation crab may have added omega-3, but this isn’t always the case.
Imitation crab contains several processed ingredients. The largest component of the imitation crab product is surimi. It contributes 35% to 50% of the product’s weight. The other 50% to 65% that makes up imitation crab contains:
– Starches like wheat, potato, or tapioca starch make the surimi firm and freezable.
– Salt (sodium chloride) adds flavor and helps turn the minced meat into a sturdy gel. Sometimes, potassium chloride is used.
– Vegetable oil enhances texture, shelf life, and white coloring.
– Sugar and sorbitol add some sweetness and help imitation crab to freeze and thaw with ease.
– Egg whites or soy are often added for a boost of protein and to improve texture, color, and glossiness.
– Water takes up the biggest percentage of all the extra ingredients. It helps create the right texture.”
I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I love my new spiralizer. And yes, I am kind of a gadget girl. Melon ballers and the like have a tendency to follow me out of kitchen shops regardless of whether or not I might actually have a need for said product. It’s the old “isn’t that cute” syndrome that afflicts many of us. And for which there seems to be no known cure. And now with Amazon, it’s even easier to locate those special little items you had no idea you needed so badly. But in all fairness, they are often inexpensive, and even if they serve only one purpose, they are worth the dollars just for the convenience. See, I can justify almost anything. After all, I’ve been at it for a long time. But enough about my rather light case of kitchen tool neurosis. And on to why you too should purchase a spiralizer. (If of course you don’t own one already!)
Then with your spiralizer firmly attached to a counter, you can spiralize your zucchini and carrot and prepare this fabulous recipe courtesy of Holly at the spendwithpennies.com web site. Of course, you could just chop up the zucchini and carrot, but what fun would that be? Getting out the spiralizer, and then making a slight mess on your countertop seems so much more chef-like than merely hacking and slashing the vegetables on a cutting board. Not to mention – classier. And don’t we all want to be thought of as classy cooks? Of course, we do! And speaking of classy, to really up your game, you can refer to spiralized zucchini as “courgetti” which is how spiralized zucchini is referred to in France. English – zucchini, French – courgette.
But whatever you choose to call these thin, spaghetti like strands of fresh zucchini, you are in for a treat. So much healthier than using pasta, and so very tasty. And on that happy note, I hope you enjoy this dish as much as we do. It’s easy to prepare, contains simple, healthy, and everyday ingredients, and most importantly, tastes wonderful.
So, as always, be content. It’s not always easy. Sometimes I forget that I’m not alone feeling insecure or a bit scared about the future. Most of us who have been productive individuals all our lives, find it difficult to accept that our usefulness has become limited by age and/or health issues. And it’s no fun accepting the new reality. I often find myself worried about how the aging process has limited my abilities. And then I realize there isn’t a darn thing I can do about it. And how much even my closest and most loving family and friends might hate me if I didn’t age right along with them. Which of course I am. No one escapes the aging process. Not even if we thought it would never happen to us! (That would include me.)
Then, I laugh at myself for being such a doofus. And remember how lucky I am in the grand scheme of things. And I figure, as long as I can still laugh at myself, I’m OK. After all, it’s a well-known fact that laughter is the best medicine. And the type of “medicine” that has no adverse side effects. Only beneficial properties.
Peace, love, and contentment to all.
¼ c. water
1 tsp. chicken base (I use Better Than Bouillon Chicken base)
1 T. cornstarch
2 T. brown sugar
3 T. soy sauce
½ tsp. sesame oil
½ tsp. Sriracha, or to taste
1 (6-8 inch) zucchini, spiralized (zoodles)
¼ tsp. kosher salt
2 T. extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, divided
½ lb. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed, then cut in thirds
1 carrot, spiralized
1 red bell pepper, sliced into thin strips
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
sesame seeds, topping, opt.
thinly sliced green onions, topping, opt.
In a small bowl, whisk the water, chicken base, cornstarch, brown sugar, soy sauce, sesame oil, and Sriracha together. Set the stir fry sauce aside.
Spiralize the zucchini. (I leave the skin on.) Using scissors, cut the long strands into shorter pieces. Place in a colander in your sink, and sprinkle with the kosher salt. Give the zucchini a toss with the salt, then let it sit until you are ready to add it to the stir fry. (Salt and all.)
Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large pan or wok over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook just until done (about 2-3 minutes). Transfer to a separate bowl and set aside.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pan and add the spiralized carrot and red pepper strips. Cook until softened (about 4 minutes).
Add minced ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).
Add the zoodles and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add cooked shrimp and stir fry sauce to the pan. Stir well and increase heat to medium-high. Cook until sauce is thickened. Remove from heat.
Serve immediately topped with sesame seeds and green onions.
Invariably when I get a craving for rich and decadent comfort food, it coincides with my lack of desire to spend a lot of prep time over said dish. I don’t understand why there is such a strong correlation, but never-the-less, it happens to be the reality of the situation. Perhaps my desire for rich food comes from my subconscious reminding me that I should be feeling stressed or a bit anxious over something. And because we have such a long experience of each other, my subconscious is quite aware that a creamy and luscious culinary concoction always gives me a feeling of wellbeing. Whatever the excuse, I can always find an adequate justification for treating myself to a delicious indulgence.
But then, along with the desire for said indulgence, comes the reality that I don’t always feel like spending a lot of time in the production. So, what is a 77-year-old foodie to do? Well, I will tell you. It’s just this kind of recipe which is quick and easy to prepare but decadent enough for the most sophisticated gastronome, that saves my bacon. (So, to speak.) And thank heaven, after cobbling several recipes from my internet search together, I had my desired comfort food on the table in short order. And there was much rejoicing at Chez Carr.
This delightful creamy shrimp dish, served over Parmesan Polenta, along with a simple green salad, made for a mighty fine dinner the other evening. And this old gal was still able to walk and talk (almost coherently) after all the preparation had been completed.
So, if you too would appreciate a delightful new way to cook shrimp that tastes like it came out of a 5-star restaurant, I recommend you give this recipe a try. The dish could not be easier to prepare, doesn’t require any fancy ingredients, and packaged frozen shrimp is perfect in this dish.
As always, keep smiling, keep looking on the bright side, and keep going. As I get older, my reading chair keeps looking more and more comfy. But if I want to stay able to do things, I must continue to stand my butt up, and force myself into action. And truthfully, I always feel better and stronger for the effort.
Peace and love to all.
2 T. unsalted butter
1 lb. lg. shrimp, peeled, de-veined, and tails removed, then cut in thirds
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, finely minced
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
½ c. dry white wine
½ c. chicken broth
½ c. half & half
⅓ c. grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 T. chopped fresh parsley
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the shrimp very lightly with kosher salt and plenty of black pepper. Add to the skillet and cook until the shrimp is just cooked through and no longer translucent, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Add the garlic to the skillet. Sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the crushed red pepper flakes, wine, and chicken broth; reduce by half. Add the half & half. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook until the sauce is a bit thickened. (This should take about 2 minutes.) Add the Parmesan cheese and gently stir until melted, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Add the shrimp back to the skillet. Gently stir to combine and cook for about a minute. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
Great served over Parmesan Polenta. (See recipe below.)
PARMESAN POLENTA
4 c. chicken broth
pinch sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 scant c. polenta (not instant or fast cooking variety)
3 T. unsalted butter
½ c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
Bring broth, salt, and pepper to a boil in a medium-sized, covered saucepan. Whisk the dry polenta slowly into the boiling broth until all of the grains are stirred in and no lumps remain.
Reduce heat to low and simmer, whisking continuously until polenta starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, whisking every 7 minutes or so. (When polenta is too thick to whisk, stir with a wooden spoon.) Polenta is done when the texture is creamy and the individual grains are tender.
Remove from heat and stir in the butter until partially melted. Then add in the Parmigiano-Reggiano until the cheese too has melted.
Cover and let stand 5 minutes to thicken. Stir, then taste to see if additional salt or pepper is required.
The only thing Mr. C. and I disagree about regarding this dish, is that he likes his pasta lightly sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, and I like mine undecorated. Other than that, we totally agree that this is one of the best pasta dishes we have ever tasted. Now I realize this recipe is ever so close to my recipe for Spicy Lemon Shrimp with Pasta. But it is just different enough to be interesting. But either recipe will guarantee a better lemony shrimp pasta dish than you will ever taste in any restaurant. Not bragging here folks – just stating a fact.
Because most restaurants have to dumb down their recipes to please the majority of their clientele. So, instead of making recipes like this one lemony enough, they will only go so far. And of course, restaurants don’t use as much shrimp, because, well, shrimp costs money. And they are in the business of making a profit. And heaven help them if they give a dish like this a bit of a kick. But that little “kick” helps make this dish super delicious.
So, of course I am prejudiced, but I have eaten many a lemon shrimp dish where only my sense of decorum prevented me from paying a visit to the restaurant chef and demanding a lemon, a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, and more shrimp! Now you too won’t have to be tempted to embarrass yourself or whomever you are dining with. When you get a hankering for an easy lemon pasta to prepare, that is going to make every adult in your home happy, don’t hesitate to give this recipe a try. I do feel that this much flavor might be a tad too much for a young child. But if you too are empty nesters, I say GO FOR IT!
And of course, you must be a lemon lover. Because lemon is really the star in this pasta. Of course, the shrimp doesn’t hurt either. But it’s really the intense lemon flavor that takes this dish into a whole new realm of delicious. So, please give this recipe a try.
As always, keep smiling, keep cooking, and keep trying new dishes.
Heat the butter and olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp, green onions, and garlic; cook just until the shrimp turn pink, 2-3 minutes. Remove from pan with a slotted spoon.
Add the wine to the pan and cook until the liquid is mostly evaporated. Then add the broth, lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil and cook for about 1 minute. Return shrimp mixture to pan and heat through.
Remove from heat and add in the al dente pasta. If more moisture is required, add in a bit of pasta water and return pan to heat for only about a minute. Taste, adjust seasoning if necessary, then stir in the fresh parsley. Serve immediately.
Yesterday I posted a recipe for Herb and Garlic Baked Lightly Smoked Steelhead Trout or Salmon. Darn good recipe BTW. That same evening, I used the planned over baked salmon in this lovely pasta dish from recipetineats.com.
Now I know what you’re thinking. And I get it. Like everyone else, you are probably trying hard to step away from highly caloric and heavily cholesterol laden dishes. And Alfredo is one of the most caloric pasta dishes imaginable. All that butter, heavy cream, and cheese. And I totally understand your concern. But please know, I am right there with you. So, in this recipe, the amount of butter called for has been cut way back. The amount of heavy cream has been dramatically reduced. And there isn’t even as much cheese as is usually suggested in most Alfredo recipes.
So, of course the next question you probably have is, “does it taste like a “real” Alfredo”? And I can happily and truthfully answer – yes, indeed it does. In fact, perhaps even better because it isn’t so cloyingly rich. The sauce just perfectly coats the pasta and doesn’t in any way detract from the delicious light flavor of the fish. So, am I pleased to pass this recipe along to you? You can bet your last pound of Parmigiano Reggiano on it!
Plus, this is probably one of the easiest and quickest pasta recipes to prepare. Not a lot of chopping of veggies or hours of simmering. Of course, having planned over salmon cuts down on the prep time. But even if you don’t start with planned overs, a quick bake of some fresh salmon doesn’t take that much time.
So, let me recommend this delicious fish dish next time you want to celebrate life, an anniversary, the fact you have survived another week of work, or you haven’t sent one of your kids to their room until they are 18. (Even though the kid may have richly deserved it!) (You know I’m just kidding. But if you’re a parent, and that thought hasn’t flashed into your mind at least once, you simply haven’t been paying enough attention or your children have yet to enter the “terrible teens”!)
As always, keep laughing at all the interesting situations life throws your way. Keep loving your teenagers even if they drive you crazy. Believe me, someday you will remember those days with longing. So, while they are still at home, fill them up with good food, good memories, and help them learn to make good choices. And above all else, be a good example. They are learning to be an adult from you. Peace and love to all.
3 T. unsalted butter
1 sm. shallot, very finely minced
½ c. heavy cream
¼ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
¾ c. finely grated Parmigiano Reggiano, plus more for table
8 oz. fettuccine, cooked al dente
½ – 1 c. pasta cooking water
6-8 oz. cooked salmon, flaked
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
Melt the butter in a large fry pan over medium high heat. Add the shallot and sauté for 2 minutes or until tender. Add the cream, salt, and pepper and bring to boil. Turn heat down to medium low and simmer for 3 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the Parmigiano Reggiano until the sauce is smooth and creamy.
Transfer the just cooked al dente pasta and ½ cup of the pasta water to the fry pan with the sauce. Add the salmon. Return the fry pan to the stove over medium heat. Toss very gently to coat the pasta in the sauce and allow the sauce to thicken and completely coat the pasta. If needed, add a bit more pasta water.
Remove from heat and adjust seasoning if required. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley. Pass additional Parmigiano Reggiano at table.
I love fish and chips with a big old tub of tartar sauce on the side and lots of French fries to dip in ranch dressing. Oh, and a couple of extra lemon wedges to squeeze over the fish. But fish and chips are not what I should be eating routinely. Unfortunately! Even if “the experts” recommend eating fish a couple times a week. Especially Alaskan salmon and cod. So, the cod part of fish and chips isn’t the problem. It’s the preparation and dipping components that are the culprits. So, I refrain as much as possible from partaking of this heavenly combination.
Instead, I have tasked myself with finding other tasty ways to incorporate seafood, especially fish containing omega-3 fatty acids (salmon, trout, sardines) and some shellfish (oysters, crab, mussels, and squid), into our diet. Shouldn’t be a problem really, because Mr. C. and I love most of the fresh and salt-water offerings found in the seafood display case of upscale markets. It’s just figuring out how to serve them in a healthy and imaginative way that causes any hesitancy.
So, when Mr. C. brought home 1½ pounds of steelhead trout the other day, and stated that he planned to lightly smoke it, I decided to look for another lovely way to serve this delicacy. I could have simply fixed Lightly Smoked Baked Steelhead Trout or Salmon (recipe on site), but I thought another preparation would make for a pleasant change. But I must say, either way you choose to prepare your salmon or trout, you are going to be happy with the results.
Either way, the fish is so darn tasty that you won’t miss tartar sauce or aioli in the least. And the preparation could not be easier.
And lest you think a pound and a half of fish is too much for just the two of us at one seating, you’re absolutely correct. We usually buy extra so that I can be creative with the planned overs. So, look for my recipe for Creamy Leftover Salmon Fettuccine coming to your very own computer in the near future. (And no, not a low calorie dish. But not as bad as you would expect!)
As always, find the joy in whatever you do. And keep creating delicious and wholesome dishes for yourself and your family to enjoy.
Peace and love to all.
1½ lb. steelhead or salmon filet, cut into serving sized pieces and lightly smoked*
2 T. unsalted butter
2 T. fresh lemon juice
1½ tsp. Dijon mustard
2 T. finely chopped fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
½ tsp. fine sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a small microwave safe bowl. Stir in the lemon juice, Dijon mustard, parsley, garlic, salt, and pepper. Lay the filets, skin side down, on a foil lined rimmed baking pan.
Slather the butter mixture over the top and down the sides of the salmon.
Bake in a pre-heated 325-degree oven for 12-15 min or until just cooked through and flaky. Don’t over-cook. (When the fish is done, it should register no more than 125 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Or you can check for doneness by using a fork to pull back on a section of the thickest part of the filet. If the salmon is done, the flesh will look opaque and a knife will slide easily through the flesh.)
Remove from oven and let rest for about 2 minutes before serving.
*Mr. C. lightly smokes the steelhead or salmon for 30-45 minutes using alder chips. Then he takes the salmon out of the smoker and it’s up to me to do my magic.
For another wonderful recipe starring lightly smoked steelhead or salmon, see my sister-in-law Katie’s recipe for Lightly Smoked Steelhead Trout or Salmon on this site.
And yes, these are jumbo oysters. The jars were labeled “small”. They lied. But the oysters were still delicious!
And yes, I know. I already have a great recipe for fried oysters (Southern Fried Oysters) on this site. But really, can you ever have too many great recipes for fried oysters? In my humble opinion, no, you can’t! It’s like having too many fabulous cookie recipes. That’s not possible either!
So, the other evening when we were hankering after some fried oysters, I came up with this recipe for fried oysters and a yummy new tartar sauce to serve alongside. (I was on a roll.) And we enjoyed the heck out of the briny little darlings dipped in this lovely piquant sauce.
Now I know, not everyone enjoys the taste or texture of oysters. Good, that means there’s more for us to enjoy! Because we feel that oysters are one of the greatest ways to celebrate living in the Pacific NW. Their taste is unrivaled. And thankfully, so is the nutritional value of these succulent little bivalves. They come straight from the sea chock full of essential vitamins, minerals, and organic compounds. They are an excellent source of protein, vitamin D, zinc, iron, and copper. They also contain high levels of Vitamin C, phosphorus, niacin, and riboflavin.
Now please realize, I’m not trying to talk you into becoming a fan of oysters if you are firmly in the “I hate oysters” camp. But, if you love oysters as much as we do, then I would love to have you try fixing them this way.
For years I just dipped the raw oysters in egg and then cornmeal, with a sprinkle of salt and pepper while they were sizzling away in veggie oil. Yes, they were good. But I was not allowing them to live up to their full potential. With just a few additional ingredients, oysters can jump from good to awesome.
And yes, for you purists out there, we too enjoy eating tiny, raw oysters. But they need to be super fresh. So, the oysters we get in jars from our local grocery store are fine for frying. But I wouldn’t consider eating them raw. I save that fabulous experience for dining in reputable restaurants.
As always, keep working at improving your cooking technique. Keep finding new and interesting ways to present food to your family. And keep trying new and different recipes. Life is simply too short to eat the same food, fixed the same way, meal after meal. Of course, there are people like my husband for whom a little less variety might be desirable. (That’s the curse of being married to a recipe developer/food blogger.) But the lovely man never complains. And bless him for that. Stay safe everyone.
Peace and love to all.
½ c. buttermilk
¾ tsp. granulated garlic
¾ tsp. paprika
1 tsp. hot sauce (I use Franks RedHot Sauce)
2 10-oz. jars fresh oysters (enough for 2 people)
½ c. cornmeal
½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
veggie oil
Whisk together the buttermilk, granulated garlic, paprika, and hot sauce in a small bowl.
Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper together in a separate shallow dish.
Add the oysters to the buttermilk and let soak. Then remove, letting the excess drip off, and dredge through the cornmeal mixture, tapping off the excess.
Heat the oil in a large fry pan. Fry the oysters until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and serve with Lemon Dill Tartar (see recipe below) or your favorite tartar sauce.
Lemon-Dill Tartar Sauce
¼ c. mayonnaise
¼ c. sour cream
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 T. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 T. dill pickle relish (or finely chopped dill pickle)
2 tsp. finely chopped red onion
Combine all the ingredients. Refrigerate until served. Can be made ahead.
