Shrimp and Sausage Cioppino

Shrimp and Sausage Cioppino

adapted from Weeknights with Giada

• 1 lb spicy Italian sausage, casings removed (substitute part of all for mild sausage if you prefer less spice)
• 1 large fennel bulb, cored, trimmed and chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large shallots, chopped
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1 Tbs chopped fresh thyme
• 2 cups dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio 
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 1 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 (15-oz) can cannelloni beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley

Preheat a Dutch oven or large saucepan to medium-high heat.  Crumble the sausage into the pan, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces with a wooden spoon.  Cook, stirring often, until it's browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Use a slotted spoon to remove the sausage to a bowl and set aside, leaving as much of the rendered fat as you can in the pot.

Add enough olive oil to the pan to have 2 tablespoons of fat.  Reduce the heat to medium and add the fennel, shallots, and garlic, and cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are softened and translucent, about 4-5 minutes.  

Stir in the tomato paste, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Stir in the wine, and use the wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.  Add the chicken broth and bay leaf and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, cover,  and simmer 10 minutes.

Uncover the pan and add the shrimp, beans, basil, and parsley.  Simmer, uncovered, until the shrimp is pink and cooked through, 3-4 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf and discard.  Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.  Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with crusty bread.

Crab Rangoons

Crab Rangoons

8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1 Tbsp  + 1 tsp powdered sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
3 scallions, thinly sliced
8 ounces imitation crab meat, chopped
24 wonton wrappers
small bowl of water
canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Place about 6 cups of oil in a dutch oven and bring to 350 degrees. Place a cooling rack inside a baking sheet, and top with paper towels – set aside.

In a medium bowl combine the cream cheese, powdered sugar and salt. Add the crab meat and scallions and mix until combined.

To assemble the rangoons – lay a wonton wrapper on a flat surface, with a corner facing towards you. Using the bowl of water, use your finger to wet the edges of the wonton wrapper. Place about 2 tsp filling in the center of the wrapper, and then fold the bottom corner to the top corner to form a triangle. Press on the edges with your fingers to firmly secure.

Fry rangoons in hot oil for about for about 3 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining rangoons.

Source: our family friend Karole

Crab Imperial

Crab Imperial

1/2 lb fresh lump crab meat
2 oz cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp mayonnaise
1 Tbsp heavy cream
1 egg, beaten
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp Old Bay seafood seasoning
1/3 cup Cheddar cheese, shredded
fresh parsley, for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cream cheese, mayonnaise, heavy cream, and egg. Carefully mix until combined (I used my mini-food processor). Add the crab meat, lemon, Old Bay, and salt. Toss gently to combine.

Spoon mixture into 4 individual ramekins or another small baking dish, and place on baking sheet. Top with a bit of the cheddar cheese.

Bake for about 20 minutes, until everything is starting to brown and bubble.

Garnish with parsley and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

Eli’s Asian Salmon

Eli’s Asian Salmon

2 1/4 pounds center-cut salmon fillet (1 1/2 inches thick)
1 cup soy sauce
3 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons chili paste
1/2 cup sliced scallions (2 scallions)
2 tablespoons minced garlic (8 large cloves)
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 cups panko

Line an 8 by 12-inch baking pan with aluminum foil. Place the salmon in the pan.

In a mixing cup, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, lemon juice, sesame oil, chili paste, scallions, garlic, and ginger. Pour 1/3 of soy sauce mixture over the salmon fillet. Sprinkle the panko evenly over the fillet. Pour the rest of the soy sauce mixture evenly over the panko. Be sure to soak the panko completely and if any runs off, spoon back onto the salmon. Set aside for 15 minutes, leaving all the sauce in the pan.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. Roast the salmon for 18 to 20 minutes, or for about 12 minutes per inch at the thickest part of the salmon. The internal temperature will be 120 degrees F on a meat thermometer when it’s done. Remove from the oven, wrap tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa At Home by Ina Garten

Chicken Chesapeake

Chicken Chesapeake

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 strips thick-cut bacon, sliced
1 Tbsp seafood seasoning (such as Old Bay)
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tsp kosher salt

For the filling:
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1 Tbsp sour cream
1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
juice of 1/2 lemon
1/2 tsp kosher salt
4 oz lump crab meat, picked for shells

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 9×13 baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.

In a medium skillet, crisp the bacon in a 12-inch skillet until starting to crisp. Remove to paper towel lined plate to drain, and set aside. Leave the pan on the stove, you’ll be searing the chicken breasts in a few minutes.

Prepare the filling by combining cream cheese, sour cream, Worcestershire, lemon juice and salt. Carefully fold in crab meat until combined.

Season chicken breasts with seafood seasoning. Using a pairing knife, cut a pocket into the center of each chicken breast – about 2 inches long by 1 inch wide. Place 2-3 Tbsp of the crab filling into the pocket of the chicken breast, tucking the top back over the filling and securing with a couple toothpicks. Repeat with remaining chicken breasts and filling.

Bring the pan with the bacon drippings back to medium-high heat. Carefully add the chicken breasts, cooking for about 3 minutes on each side – until brown. Off heat, remove the chicken to the baking dish. Top each breast with cheddar cheese and crumbled bacon. Place in oven and bake for about 25-30 minutes, a thermometer should register 165. Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Crab and Fresh Corn Chowder

Crab and Fresh Corn Chowder

2 Tbsp butter
olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken stock
2 cups heavy cream
2 starchy potatoes (like Russet), peeled and diced
6 fresh ears corn, shucked and rinsed
1 lb crabmeat, picked clean of shells
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
2 Tbsp butter

Heat the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and thyme and cook until the vegetables are good and soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat everything well, cook for 2 additional minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Add the heavy cream and the potatoes, return to a boil, cover, and cook on medium heat for about 7 minutes until potatoes are tender.

Cut the corn kernels off the cob and add to the soup, along with the crab meat. Season with salt and pepper and simmer until the corn is soft, about 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in the parsley, and stir in the butter until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve.

Source: adapted from Tyler Florence

Spaghetti With Clams

Spaghetti With Clams

1 pound dried spaghetti
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 pounds (about 25) Manila or Littleneck clams, scrubbed clean
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons butter, diced into small cubes
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lemon, zested, for garnish

In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water. Add pasta, stirring constantly in the beginning to prevent it from sticking together. Cook until al dente, about 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large saute pan. When almost smoking, add shallots and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the clams and wine. Cover and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until most clams have opened. Add 2 tablespoons chopped parsley. Whisk in butter to thicken sauce slightly.

Drain pasta in a colander. Do not rinse pasta with water. Place pasta into the clam saute pan and mix thoroughly. Season with to taste with salt and pepper.

Pour pasta into large serving bowl. Zest lemon over the dish. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis

Shrimp Saltimbocca

Shrimp Saltimbocca

1 1/2 lbs large shrimp, peeled with tails left on
6 whole fresh sage leaves
6 thin slices of prosciutto, cut into 1×3 inch strips (4 strips per piece)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 clove garlic, smashed
2 cloves garlic, minced
2/3 cup dry vermouth or white wine
juice from 1/2 lemon
3 Tbsp. cold butter
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper

Wrap each shrimp with a piece of proscuitto and secure using a toothpick, or by placing 3 or 4 shrimp on a skewer at a time.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it begins to shimmer. Add sage leaves and the smashed clove of garlic. Cook until sage leaves begin to change color and are fragrant, about30 seconds. Remove the sage with a slotted spoon.

Add the shrimp to the pan, and cook until golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Flip and cook on other side until golden brown, about 3 more minutes. Remove the garlic clove and discard. Remove the shrimp and keep warm. Repeat with remaining shrimp.

If there is any excess fat in the skillet, pour it off. Add the chopped garlic, stir in the vermouth, scraping up the browned bits, and simmer until it’s reduced to about 3-4 Tbsp. Stir in lemon juice.

Turn heat down to low, and whisk in the butter. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over shrimp, and crumble (or serve whole) the fried sage leaves on top before serving.

Source: adapted from Cook’s Illustrated, May 2008 via Elly Says Opa

Shrimp and Snow Pea Stir-Fry

Shrimp and Snow Pea Stir-Fry

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
8 ounces snow peas
1 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, chopped

For the sauce:
1 cup chicken broth
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp cornstarch
2 Tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar

Combine sauce ingredients in a liquid measuring cup and whisk to combine. Set aside.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. In a large bowl, combine 1 cup of ice and 2 cups of water. Toss broccoli florets into the boiling water for 2 minutes. Remove, and place in the ice bath to set the color and stop the cooking process. Drain, and place florets on a clean kitchen towel to dry.

Heat a wok or large skillet over high heat. Add 1 tsp vegetable oil. Add shrimp to the pan, stirring to cook evenly, until cooked on all sides. About 2 minutes. Remove from pan.

Add remaining teaspoon of oil, as well as the scallions and the garlic. Stir fry for 30 seconds before adding the snow peas, broccoli, and carrots. Cook for about 4 minutes, stirring constantly, until veggies are crisp-tender. Add water chestnuts and stir-fry for an additional minute. Return shrimp to the wok.

Reduce heat to medium, and slowly pour the sauce into the wok. Cook until sauce thickens, about 1 minute.

Serve immediately over rice.

Crab Enchiladas

Crab Enchiladas

2 Tbsp. butter, divided
1 lb. fresh crab meat, picked clean of shells
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 tsp. Old Bay (or another seafood seasoning)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 tbsp. heavy cream or half-and-half
1/4 cup sour cream
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced
8-10 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Cooking spray

In a large sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter over medium-high heat. Add the diced bell pepper and onion, and cook until just tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add the Old Bay, salt, and flour to the pan; stir well and cook briefly until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the heavy cream to the pan, stirring to scrape any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook just until slightly thickened, 1-2 minutes.

Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the sour cream, half of the shredded cheese, and the tomatoes. Add the crab to the pan, and carefully mix everything together until combined and the cheese is melted.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Scoop 1/3 cup of the filling mixture down the center of a tortilla. Sprinkle lightly with some of the reserved cheese. Roll the tortilla tightly around the filling and place seam side-down in the prepared baking dish. Repeat with the remaining filling, tortillas and cheese. Spray the tops of the finished assembled tortillas lightly with cooking spray. Bake uncovered for about 30-35 minutes, until lightly browned. Let cool at least 5-10 minutes before serving.

Oysters with Mignonette Sauce

Oysters with Mignonette Sauce

1 dozen oysters, on the half shell
crushed ice
lemon wedges

For the mignonette:
1/4 cup champagne or white wine vinegar
1 shallot, finely minced
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp fresh thyme
1/4 tsp kosher salt

For the sauce, combine all ingredients in a small bowl or ramekin. Mix to combine. Let sit for 20 minutes to let the flavors mingle and meld together.

Meanwhile, place the crushed ice in the bottom of a shallow serving dish. Carefully lay the oysters on top of the ice for serving.

Serve the mignonette alongside the oysters with the lemon wedges. Hot sauce and cocktail sauce are also popular condiments.

Oyster Stuffing

Oyster Stuffing

6 cups 1/2-inch cubed French bread
3 slices bacon, cut into small pieces
3 Tbsp butter, melted,
1/2 red onion, finely diced
2 ribs celery, finely diced
3/4 pint shucked oysters, liquid reserved
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 Tbsp. madeira or port
3 Tbsp. fresh parsley, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh sage, chopped
1/4 tsp hot sauce
pinch ground nutmeg
small pinch ground cloves
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Heat oven to 250 degrees. Arrange bread cubes on a baking sheet in a single layer and bake, stirring occasionally, until dried but not browned, about 15 minutes. Let cool.

Put bacon into a 12″ skillet; cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until crisp and its fat has rendered, about 10 minutes. Add butter and heat. Add onions and celery, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add reserved liquid from oysters, stock, madeira or port, parsley, thyme, sage, hot sauce, nutmeg, cloves, and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Scrape the mixture into a large bowl and stir in the bread cubes and oysters. Set aside to allow the flavors to come together for 10 minutes.

Raise the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Transfer mixture to a buttered 2-qt. oval baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil, drizzle with remaining butter, and continue baking until golden brown and crusty, about 15 minutes more. Serve immediately.

Source: adapted from Saveur, October 2008

Oysters Rockefeller

Oysters Rockefeller

8 Tbsp butter
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 (10 oz) bag baby spinach
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, finely shredded
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs
20 oysters, shucked and on the half-shell

Preheat oven to 425.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and shallot, and saute until soft and fragrant – about 2 minutes.

Pour half of the melted butter mixture into a small bowl and combine with the breadcrumbs. Toss to combine and set aside.

To the remainder of the butter in the skillet, add the baby spinach. If it doesn’t all fit, just let it cook down some, and then add more. Season with salt and toss until wilted. Slowly stir in the cream and let reduce for a minute before removing from heat.

Carefully place the oysters on a baking sheet. Spoon a small amount of the spinach mixture onto each oyster, then top with about 2 teaspoons of the breadcrumb mixture and a small pinch of Parmesan cheese.

Place in oven and bake until oysters have plumped up, about 15 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve immediately with lemon wedges and hot sauce, if desired.