Roasted Shrimp Salad

We are having quite a warm summer.  I am not complaining - I actually don't mind the heat.  But when the temperature is in the upper 90's for several days straight, I am usually not in the mood for a hot meal.
  
I saw Ina Garten make this the other day on her show.  I have made her roasted shrimp cocktail and have always gotten rave reviews, so I figured using the shrimp in a salad would be a great idea.  I only had a pound of shrimp, so I pretty much halved her original recipe.  Please don't leave out the orange zest and juice in the recipe; it really was great with the shrimp! 
Roasted Shrimp Salad
adapted from Ina Garten
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
olive oil
kosher salt & pepper
1/2 cup mayo  
zest of 1 orange
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
splash of white wine vinegar
handful of minced dill
1 tablespoon capers, drained
1 tablespoon diced red onion

Preheat oven to 400F.

Place shrimp on sheet pan lined with foil and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. 
Roast for 5-8 minutes just until shrimp are pink and firm.  Allow to cool 3 minutes. 
Because I was planning to serve this on rolls, at this point I cut each shrimp in half. 
Combine all remaining ingredients and when shrimp are cool, add shrimp to sauce and mix well.  Season with more salt and pepper if needed.  Chill if not serving immediately.

Shrimp Enchiladas

I am a huge fan of Mexican food, so when I got an email from GE Appliances (I know, random) with a recipe for shrimp enchiladas, I had to check it out.  Let's just say I am glad I did - it was a hit!  I have made a Mexican shrimp lasagna before using salsa verde, but this version blew it out of the water.  The oven-heated  leftovers might have been even better.  I will definitely be making this again in the near future, perhaps for company as it feeds about 6. I tweaked the recipe a bit (as usual), so here is my version.

Shrimp Enchiladas

serves 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons canola oil

1/2 cup sweet chopped red pepper

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped green pepper

2 tablespoons chopped jalepeno slices (from jar)

1/2 teaspoon oregano

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 clove garlic, minced 

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper 

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

2 cups shredded cheddar or jack (or combo) cheese, divided

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 pound medium shrimp, uncooked, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup onion, chopped 

1 can diced tomatoes

6 (9-inch) flour tortillas 

 

Procedure
Saute red pepper, onion and green peppers and jalepenos in oil until crisp-tender. Add oregano, salt, garlic, pepper, cayenne pepper, cream and flour and blend well. 

Continue cooking 3 minutes or until slightly thickened. Add 1 cup cheese and stir until melted. Add sour cream and stir, then set mixture aside in a bowl. 

Using the same pan, add a little more oil and heat.  Add shrimp, 1/2 cup onion, salt and pepper. Saute until shrimp are just about done. 

Chop shrimp into pieces and return to pan with onions. Add tomatoes and 1/2 cup of the cheese sauce to combine

Spoon 1/3 cup shrimp mixture onto each tortilla. Roll up tightly and arrange seam side down in a sprayed lasagna dish. Spoon remaining cheese sauce (and shrimp sauce if you have more left) over tortillas. 

Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes.  Broil top (if desired) for a few minutes before taking out of oven.  Let dish sit a minute or two before cutting and dishing out.

Garnish with any or all of the following: fresh cilantro, avocado, lime juice, scallions, hot sauce.

Shrimp Taco Salad

Well, it's been a while...was on a road trip of sorts due to back to back weddings in the south (which were both beautiful - more on that later).  So this week it's been quick, easy and healthy dinners.  Last night was shrimp taco salad - sans the chips!  Here is how I threw it together - feel free to add/remove anything to your liking and use as much or as little of each ingredient as you want. 

Shrimp Taco Salad 

In a large bowl combine lettuce (I used romaine and mesclun mix), tomato, scallions, red pepper, salsa (I used black bean and corn), avocado*, roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) and shredded colby-jack cheese. 
*make sure to salt the avocado before adding

Peel and devein shrimp.  Rinse and season with taco mix or chili seasoning [while in Charleston, I purchased a mix of seasoning from my favorite vendor in the market entitled "This sh** is hot!" so that is what I used].   Heat pan with a little oil on medium heat.  Add shrimp and cook until done. 

Toss salad with some olive oil and red wine vinegar and dish into individual servings.  Place cooked shrimp on top and dig in!

Scallops with Asian Slaw

After stuffing myself at Easter dinner (there was a dessert buffet!), I wanted something extremely light last night.  I had gotten some scallops at the market, but wasn't sure how I was going to prepare them.  All I knew was that I wasn't looking for a heavy sauce with lots of butter - I wanted to stick to a healthy recipe.   I found this recipe on Epicurious (if you can't tell by now one of my favorite websites) and thought it looked like the perfect thing.  Since I was serving this as the main meal and not just an appetizer, I decided to throw in some buckwheat noodles to the slaw to give it some more body.   And while the scallops with the cilantro sauce were very tasty, I will probably find myself going back to this recipe more for the slaw than anything else.   

Scallops with Cilantro Sauce and Asian Slaw

adapted from Epicurious

1 large carrot, cut into julienne
1/3 lb daikon radish, peeled and cut into julienne
1 unpeeled Granny Smith apple, cut into julienne
1 red pepper, cut into julienne
1 scallion, cut into julienne (with a knife)
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1 tablespoon thai red chili sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
handful of chopped cocktail peanuts
6oz thin buckwheat (soba) noodles
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 to 2 teaspoons minced fresh serrano chile
1 teaspoon Asian fish sauce
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 lb sea scallops, tough muscle discarded from each

Either by hand or using a mandoline, julienne the veggies.  I used my grater attachment on the food processor and except for the red pepper and scallions, they came out fine.  The pepper I did by hand and the scallion I cut into thin rings.  

Toss together carrot, radish, pepper, apple, scallion, vinegar, chili sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Let stand, tossing occasionally, 15 minutes to soften. 

In the meantime, cook the noodles and rinse with cold water and drain well.  Add noodles and peanuts to slaw.

Stir together cilantro, lime juice, serrano chile, fish sauce, 3 tablespoons oil, and remaining 1/2 tablespoon sugar, or to taste.

Pat scallops dry. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Heat remaining tablespoon oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, and sauté scallops, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total.

Divide among plates and top with scallops. Drizzle with cilantro sauce. 

Again, I thought the scallops and sauce were good, but the serrano chile was extremely hot.  If you don't like heat, I would omit the chile.  This dish would also be good with shrimp or with just the slaw (with or without the noodles) as a side dish.

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

When I saw this recipe on Closet Cooking, I was intrigued.  It had so many ingredients that I love but would never think of putting together in one dish.  Since I am always up for trying new combos, I gave it a try.  I was not disappointed.  I made a couple changes to the recipe,  which are included below.  Definitely try this one out!

Thai Pineapple Fried Rice

adapted from Closet Cooking
(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients
1 tablespoon oil
2 shallots (sliced)
1 clove garlic (chopped

2 tablespoons Thai red chili sauce
1 red pepper (diced)
1 egg (lightly beaten)

1 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined)
water (as needed)
2 tablespoons fish sauce 

1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup raw cashews
2 cups cooked brown rice (preferably a day old)
1 cup pineapple (cut into bite sized pieces)
1/4 cup frozen peas 

1/4 cup raisins
2 green onions (sliced)
1/4 cup cilantro (chopped)

1. Heat the oil in a pan.
2. Add the shallots, garlic, chili sauce and red pepper and stir-fry until fragrant, about a minute.
3. Add the egg and stir-fry for a minute.  
4. Add shrimp and stir-fry for a minute or two.
5. Add the water, fish sauce, curry powder and sugar and stir-fry.
6. Add the cashews and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
7. Add the rice, break up any clumps and stir-fry for a few minutes.
8. Add the pineapple, peas and raisins and stir-fry to mix them in.
9. When shrimp is done cooking (pink and stiff), remove from heat and serve garnished with chopped green onions and cilantro.

The great thing about this dish (other than it being delicious), is that most of the ingredients are things that most people should already have in their kitchen.  Also, it can be made very quickly.  I prepared the rice a day ahead as suggested and it saved a lot of time.  The best thing of all is that now I have leftovers for the week!

Mussels with Thai Red Curry

I found this recipe on Epicurious and it is so quick, easy and delicious that it has become part of my regular rotation.  It's a perfect weekday meal.  The most time consuming part is scrubbing and rinsing the mussels - a chore in which I happily designate to my husband. (What? He does a great job!!) 

Here is how I make it for 2:

Mussels with Thai Red Curry

adapted from Epicurious

2 tbsp butter
1 14oz can diced tomatoes
1-2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1 14oz can unsweetened lite coconut milk
1 tablespoon (or more to taste) Thai red curry paste
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or basil
1 teaspoon salt
2 pounds mussels, scrubbed, debearded

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add tomatoes, garlic and ginger; sauté until garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Mix in coconut milk, curry paste, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro and salt. Simmer 4 minutes to blend flavors. Add mussels; cover and cook until mussels open, about 5 minutes (discard any mussels that do not open). Transfer mixture to serving bowl. Garnish with 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro. 

Make sure to have some crusty bread on hand to sop up all the broth at the end.  It is so good, you'll want to eat it like a soup!

Weekday Pad Thai

During the week, I try to plan meals that don't take too long to prepare.  Stir fry-type dishes like Pad Thai are definitely on this list, especially when I use a prepared sauce. One of my favorites is this sauce from Whole Foods (brand = Maesri).  It's made in Thailand, so I'd like to think it is pretty authentic.

Weekday Pad Thai 

(makes about 3 servings)

8 oz rice noodles (I used thin)

2-3 tbsp vegetable/canola oil

1-2 eggs, depending on size

1/2 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Pad Thai sauce (as much or little as you want)

1/2 cup bean sprouts*

1 bunch scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces

1/2 cup chopped peanuts

chopped cilantro and lime, as a garnish

Bring large pot of water to a boil. 
As water is getting hot, prep the other ingredients.  Rinse shrimp under cold water, pat to dry and season with salt and pepper. 

Heat oil in large wok or pan.  Add egg and season with salt and pepper.  Scramble egg in wok.  After egg starts to cook, add shrimp and stir.

Once the water in the pot is boiling, add salt and noodles to water.  These will cook like pasta, but not take as long.  They should be done in about 5 minutes.  Drain noodles and immediately rinse in cold water (this helps to prevent them from sticking).

Add the rinsed noodles to wok and stir.  Start adding sauce by spoonfuls and stir.  After noodles have cooked a little in wok and shrimps are done, add the sprouts, scallions and peanuts.  Add more sauce if needed, stir one last time and serve.  Garnish each plate with cilantro and lime wedges, if desired.

*I did not have bean sprouts.  While I do like them, they aren't very easy to find. Usually, I will just do without, but this time I chopped up some baby bok choy added it in with the shrimp.