Lobster Mac and Cheese

 

 

 

 

Lobster Mac and Cheese

 

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

8 oz. pasta shapes, such as cavatappi
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
6 oz. fontina cheese, shredded*
4 oz. white cheddar cheese, shredded*
½ tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
Dash grated nutmeg
12 oz. cooked lobster meat, cut into ½-inch chunks**
½ cup panko
Minced fresh chives, for garnish

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  Lightly grease a 2-quart baking dish or individual gratin dishes.  Bring a pot of water to boil.  Cook the pasta until a few minutes shy of al dente according to the package directions.  Drain well in a colander.
• While the pasta is in the colander, return the pot to the medium heat.  Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in the pan.  Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until light golden brown, about 1-2 minutes.  Slowly whisk in the milk in small additions until completely added and no lumps of flour remain.  Stir in the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  Continue to heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce bubbles and thickens, about 5 minutes.  Once bubbling, cook for 2 more minutes, stirring constantly, scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent burning.  Remove the pan from the heat.  Stir in the cheese and mix until completely melted. Return the pasta to the pot and mix to coat well with the cheese sauce.  Gently fold in the lobster meat.  Transfer to the prepared baking dish.
• In a small bowl, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in the microwave.  Stir in the panko and toss until the crumbs are evenly coated.  Sprinkle the crumb mixture over the pasta in the baking dish.  Bake uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until the top is browned and the cheese is bubbling.  Serve warm topped with fresh minced chives, if desired.
• *For best results, always use freshly shredded cheese.  Pre-shredded cheese comes coated in things such as flour, cornstarch to prevent clumping and results in an unpleasant, gritty texture when melted.
  **Scared of cooking lobster?  I promise, it’s not hard!  I have a simple step-by-step on broiled lobster tails here.

Source - Annie's Eats

Quinoa with Garlic, Nuts, & Raisins

Quinoa with Garlic, Nuts, & Raisins
adapted from Food Network Magazine Apr 2010 (Ellie Krieger)

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth or water
1/4 cup nuts (pinenuts or chopped walnuts/pecans recommended)
2 T preferred cooking oil (grapeseed or coconut)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/3 cup fresh parsley or cilantro
1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries
1 T fresh lemon juice
pinch of salt and pepper (to taste)
Place the quinoa in a medium saucepan and cook over medium heat until toasted, about 2 minutes. Add chicken broth (or water) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, until the liquid is absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, about 2 minutes.
Meanwhile, toast the nuts in a skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until golden, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate. Add the oil and garlic to the skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer the garlic to the plate, reserving the oil.
Fluff the quinoa with a fork. Add the pine nuts, garlic, reserved oil, parsley, raisins and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss.
Serves 3-4.


Grilled Garlic Shrimp
from Perrys' Plate

1 lb large, uncooked shrimp, shelled and deveined
4 T butter, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch Kosher salt
metal or wooden skewers

Combine melted butter and garlic in a small bowl. Let it sit while you prepare the shrimp.

Preheat BBQ grill or stove-top grill pan to medium-high heat.

Rinse shrimp, pat dry, and place on skewers, piercing each shrimp in two places to keep them from moving around too much. Sprinkle shrimp with a pinch or so of salt, then brush the garlic-butter on one side. Place skewers on the grill, butter-side-down. Brush the other sides with remaining garlic-butter. Cook for about 2-3 minutes or until the shrimp are mostly pink. Flip and cook another 2-3 minutes until fully cooked and pink. Don't overcook them or they'll turn rubbery.

Serves 3-4.

Tequila Lime Shrimp with Chipotle Sauce

 

 

 

 

SHRIMP TACOS W/ CHIPOTLE CREAM

www.RecipeGirl.com

1 ½ lbs large, raw shrimp, peeled & de-veined (tails removed)
MARINADE:
juice and rind of 1 medium orange
juice and rind of 2 medium limes
¼ cup tequila
1 Tbsp. granulated sugar
CHIPOTLE CREAM SAUCE:
8 ounces sour cream
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. finely chopped red onion
1 canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce (seeded & chopped)
1 tsp. adobo sauce (from the can)
½ tsp. ground cumin
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lime juice
ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS:
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large red bell pepper, seeded and sliced thinly
½ red onion, sliced
FOR SERVING:
8 soft-taco-size flour tortillas, warmed
½ head iceberg lettuce, shredded
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
lime wedges
1. Marinate Shrimp:
Place all marinade ingredients in large zip bag. Add shrimp, zip closed and move bag around to coat shrimp. Place flat in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, turning every so often to make sure marinade is reaching all shrimp.
2. Prepare Sauce:
Whisk together all sauce ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready for use.
3. Cook the shrimp:
Heat oil in large skillet to medium-heat. Saute bell pepper and onion until slightly charred. Drain shrimp from marinade and add to pan. Stir often, and cook just until shrimp turn pink and curl up. Remove from heat.
4. Assemble tacos:
In warmed tortillas, place shrimp, peppers & onions. Add lettuce, drizzle with chipotle cream sauce, and sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with lime we

Shrimp, lemon, herb and feta macaroni and cheese

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Shrimp, lemon, herb and feta macaroni and cheese

Shrimp are sold by the number per pound; this recipe calls for 31-40 size, which often are labeled "large". Omit the shrimp to make a delicious vegetarian version. Note: Wisconsin feta is much less salty than Greek feta. If you use Greek feta, be sure to taste your sauce before adding salt. Serves 6-8. 13.25 oz rotini (I use Dreamfields low-carb)
1 lb frozen large shrimp, 31-40 size
2/3 lb feta, crumbled, divided
3/4 cup panko
Zest of 2 large lemons, divided
4 Tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley, divided
4 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
4 cups milk (whole or 2%)
1/2 lb gruyere or fontiago or Danish fontina, grated (or chopped in a food processor)
2 Tbsp chopped fresh dill weed
1/2 to 1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 to 1 tsp fresh black pepper
Bring a large stockpot of water to the boil, and add the pasta. Cook for 8 minutes; the pasta should be a bit underdone. Drain, rinse under cold water, and drain again. Add the pasta to a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Remove shrimp from the freezer, and set in a bowl of cold water.
In a small bowl, combine 1/3 cup of the feta, half of the lemon zest, all of the panko and 2 Tbsp parsley. Mix well and set aside.
Peel and devein the shrimp as soon as they are defrosted enough to handle (but not fully defrosted) and add to the pasta.
Make the sauce: In a small sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add in the flour and stir until the flour is absorbed by the butter to form a paste. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the milk, and, with a wire whisk, stir vigorously to remove any lumps. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently with the whisk, for 5 minutes or until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon.
Remove pot from heat, and whisk into the sauce the gruyere and the remaining feta. Whisk until the sauce is smooth; the gruyere will melt completely, and the feta will be well incorporated. Add the remaining lemon zest, the remaining parsley, dill weed, and salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce on top of the pasta, and stir to combine.
Pour the mixture into a casserole dish (approximately 9x13 inches). Sprinkle the panko mixture on top. Place in the middle of the oven and bake at 400°F for 25 minutes, until the top is browned and the cheese is bubbling a bit along the edges. Remove from the oven, let sit for 5 minutes, and serve hot.

The perfect pantry

Coconut Shrimp and Dipping Sauce

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh jalapeno pepper
• 1/2 cup pineapple preserves
• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp peeled and deveined
• 2 egg whites
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

1. 1Combine lime juice, jalapeno pepper, and pineapple preserves in a small bowl and mix well. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
2. 2Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
3. 3In a small bowl beat egg whites with a hand mixer until soft peaks form.
4. 4Place cornstarch and coconut on two separate plates. Hold shrimp by the tail and dip and coat the shrimp with cornstarch. Next, dip the shrimp in the egg whites and finally in the coconut coating well.
5. 5Place shrimp on the cookie sheet and bake for 15-17 minutes or until coconut is a golden brown. Make sure to turn it once halfway through (around 8 minutes into cooking time) to make sure both sides brown.

Serve with pineapple sauce.

Chipotle Lime Shrimp

Chipotle Lime Shrimp1 chipotle chili in adobo; chopped
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. cumin
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 lime (juice and zest)
2 Tbsp. cilantro; chopped
1 pound shrimp; peeled and deveined

Mix the chipotle, olive oil, cumin, brown sugar, lime zest, lime juice and cilantro in a bowl and and let marinate for 20 minutes. Skewer the shrimp. Oil up the grill and grill the shrimp until cooked, about 2-3 minutes per side.


SOURCE:My Baking Addiction

Seared Mahi Mahi with Zesty Basil Butter

Seared Mahi Mahi with Zesty Basil ButterServes 4


3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt, plus additional for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus additional for seasoning
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 (6 to 8-ounce) mahi mahi fillets

Zesty Basil Butter:

Combine the butter, lemon juice, garlic, salt, pepper, and basil in a medium saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring until the butter melts. Cover and keep warm over low heat.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the fish with salt and pepper, to taste. Cook the fish for 3 minutes; then turn and cook until just opaque, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer the fillets to individual plates.

Spoon the warm basil butter over the fish and serve.

Mini Crab Cakes

Mini Crab Cakes
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Yield: about 24 mini crab cakes
Ingredients:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg
¼ cup sour cream
½ tsp. lemon zest
3 tbsp. minced fresh chives, divided
¼ tsp. kosher salt
Pinch cayenne pepper
8 oz. fresh lump crabmeat, patted dry and coarsely chopped
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
Additional fresh chives, for garnish

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, ¼ cup of the Parmesan, and the egg; beat with an electric mixer to blend.  Beat in the sour cream, lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the chives, salt and cayenne pepper.  Gently fold in the crabmeat.  (This mixture can be made up to 1 day in advance.)

Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Spray a 24-well mini muffin pan with cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, combine the panko, remaining ½ cup of the Parmesan, and 2 tablespoons of the minced chives.  Drizzle the melted butter over the mixture and toss with a fork until evenly blended and moistened.  Place 1 tablespoon of the panko mixture in each muffin well and press down to form a crust.  Spoon 1 generous tablespoon of the crab mixture over the crumb mixture in each well.  Sprinkle a rounded teaspoon of the panko mixture over the top of each.

Bake until golden and set, about 30 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking.  Allow to cool in the pans 5 minutes.  Run a knife around the edge of each cake and gently lift it out of the pan.  (These can be baked 2 hours in advance.  Rewarm at 350˚ F for 6-8 minutes just before serving.)  Garnish with additional fresh chives, if desired.

Source: barely adapted from Bon Appétit, April 2009

Shrimp Scampi Bake

Baked Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients:1 lb. large shrimp in the shell (I use about 20/lb. size)1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. dry white wine
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 tsp. minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
2 tbsp. minced shallots
1 1/2 tbsp. minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 large egg yolk, lightly beaten
1/3 cup panko
Lemon wedges, for serving
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.  
Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails on.  Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.
In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of black pepper until combined.
Starting from the center of an oval or round baking dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the dish.  Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp.  Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp.  Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until hot and bubbly.  Place under the broiler for 1 additional minute to brown the top.  Serve with lemon wedges.
Source: adapted from Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Shrimp Fried Rice

Shrimp Fried Rice
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Ingredients:
1 lb. raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp. kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. vegetable or canola oil, divided
3 eggs, beaten
2 stalks green onions, minced
4 cups leftover rice
¾ cup frozen peas and carrots, defrosted
1 tbsp. soy sauce
Few drops sesame oil
Directions:
In  a medium mixing bowl, combine the shrimp, salt, pepper and cornstarch, and toss well to coat the shrimp.  Let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes.  Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat.  When a drop of water immediately sizzles and evaporates, the pan is hot enough to add 1 tablespoon of the oil.  Swirl to coat the pan well.
Add the shrimp to the hot pan and quickly spread them out so that they are in a single layer, and all touching the pan surface.  (You may need to do this in two batches to ensure even cooking.)  Let them cook untouched for 30 seconds, then flip over (tongs work well for this) and let cook for 30 more seconds, so that the shrimp are about 80% cooked through.  Remove to a plate and set aside.
Lower the heat on the pan to medium.  Add the eggs to the pan and stir quickly, to break up and scramble the eggs.  When the eggs are almost cooked through but still slightly runny in the middle, remove from the pan to the same plate as the shrimp.
Use paper towels to wipe the pan clean and return the pan to high heat.  Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, swirling to coat.  Once the oil is very hot, add the green onions to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds.  Add the rice to the pan and mix well to combine with the green onions.  Spread the rice out evenly over the pan and let cook without stirring, until you hear the rice grains sizzle, about 1 to 2 minutes.  Toss the rice a bit with your spatula, and again spread it out over the cooking surface.
Drizzle the soy sauce all over the rice, and toss again.  Add the peas and carrots, the cooked shrimp and eggs, and the sesame oil to the pan.  Toss to combine all the ingredients well with the rice.  Let everything heat back up again until the rice grains are sizzling again.  Add additional soy sauce to taste, if needed.  Serve.
Source: adapted from Jaden Hair of Steamy Kitchen via Simply Recipes

Shrimp Pad Thai

Make a surprisingly simple restaurant favorite at home. Save time by purchasing peeled and deveined shrimp, and head to the Asian foods section of your supermarket to find bottled fish sauce.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

• 8  ounces  wide rice stick noodles (Banh Pho)
• 1/4  cup  ketchup
• 2  tablespoons  sugar
• 3  tablespoons  fish sauce
• 1/2  teaspoon  crushed red pepper
• 2  tablespoons  vegetable oil, divided
• 1  pound  medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2  large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1  cup  fresh bean sprouts
• 3/4  cup  (1-inch) sliced green onions
• 1  teaspoon  bottled minced garlic
• 2  tablespoons  chopped unsalted, dry-roasted peanuts

Preparation

Place noodles in a large bowl. Add hot water to cover; let stand 12 minutes or until tender. Drain.
Combine ketchup, sugar, fish sauce, and pepper in a small bowl.
Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; sauté 2 minutes or until shrimp are done. Remove shrimp from pan; keep warm.
Heat 4 teaspoons oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add eggs; cook 30 seconds or until soft-scrambled, stirring constantly. Add sprouts, green onions, and garlic; cook 1 minute. Add noodles, ketchup mixture, and shrimp; cook 3 minutes or until heated. Sprinkle with peanuts