Picnic Fare...Shrimp And Deviled Egg Salad Rolls

I am always looking for new things to make for our weekend picnics on the lake.  If it's just us, which it never is, I try to keep it simple.  It's always nice, though, to add a new twist to an old favorite.

These can be split in half if you are cooking on the grill, or they can be kept whole if it's the only thing you are bringing along.  Frankly I think that if you pack some chips, fruit, cheese and brownies, you would have ample fare for a no-fuss picnic.

Makes 8 mini rolls



Ingredients

Kosher salt
1 pound large shell-on shrimp, deveined
6 large eggs
2 ounces slab bacon or 2 strips thick-cut bacon, finely diced
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon hot sauce
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
Freshly ground pepper
4 butter lettuce leaves, halved
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 8 slices
4 top-loading hot-dog buns, halved crosswise
2 scallions, finely sliced


Directions

Fill a large pot with 2 quarts water, add 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat; add the shrimp, and let sit (off the heat) until the shrimp is pink-orange and slightly firm, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to a colander with a slotted spoon and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle.

Return the water to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over low heat. Gently lower the eggs into the water with a large ladle, two at a time, and let simmer exactly 14 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and chop the shrimp and put them in a large bowl. Saute the bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat until firm and just turning golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

When the eggs are done, transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water until cool enough to handle, about 2 minutes. Peel the eggs and halve lengthwise. Separate the whites from the yolks; coarsely chop the whites and add them to the bowl with the shrimp. Press the yolks through a mesh strainer into a separate bowl. Add the mayonnaise, hot sauce, mustard and 1/2 teaspoon salt to the yolks and whisk until the mixture is the consistency of cake batter, about 1 minute.

Using a rubber spatula, fold the yolk mixture into the shrimp mixture until the shrimp is evenly coated with the deviled-egg dressing. Season with salt and pepper and toss again. (The shrimp and deviled-egg salad will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for 2 days.)

To serve, load 1 piece of lettuce and 1 tomato slice into each of the bun halves; spread about 1/2 cup of the shrimp and deviled-egg salad in each. Garnish with the bacon and scallions.


Recipe Food Network
Photograph by Mark Peterson

Tex-Mex Shrimp Cocktail

If you live in the South, the chances of finding a jar of hot pepper jelly in your pantry are prety good.  It doesn't matter what time of the year it is...it will be there. 

Hot pepper jelly served over cream cheese accompanied with crakers is something I  served all the time as an hors d'oeuvre when I lived in North Carolina in the early 70's.  It was a staple of dinner parties, usually served with Triscuits of all things.  Most of the time we used green pepper jelly except for Christmas when we all switched to red or did a combination of red and green.  

That's the only use I have ever found for this addictive jelly until a couple of months ago glancing at an issue of Southern Living I came across this recipe for shrimp cocktail.  It is really a Tex Mex version of pickled shrimp and another great excuse to keep a jar in the pantry.

Yield: Makes 4 to 6 servings


Ingredients

1/4 cup hot red jalapeño pepper jelly

1 tablespoon lime zest

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 pound peeled, large cooked shrimp (31/40 count)

1 cup diced mango

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 small avocado, diced

Garnishes: lime slices, fresh cilantro sprigs

Preparation

1. Whisk together first 3 ingredients. Pour into a large zip-top plastic freezer bag; add shrimp and next 3 ingredients, turning to coat. Seal and chill 4 hours, turning occasionally. Add avocado. Garnish, if desired.



Source and Photo: Southern Living

Brunch Anyone?...Shrimp And Grits

A legendary morning repast in the Carolina Low Country, shrimp and grits is said to have begun as a fisherman's breakfast, created by shrimpers using the days catch. Original recipes called for sautéing the small local shrimp in butter and serving the seafood as a topping for creamy, stone-ground grits. Today, "New Southern" variations abound, as creative cooks embellish the classic dish with everything from bacon and mushrooms to fresh truffles.

I know it's hard for Northeners to appreciate grits but think of it in terms of polenta, just white!

Serves 6.



Ingredients:

For the grits:

1 cup white grits

4 1/2 cups water, plus more as needed

1 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

4 Tbs. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room

temperature

2/3 cup shredded medium-sharp cheddar

cheese

1/3 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1 tsp. Tabasco (optional)


For the shrimp:

1 1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 Tbs. all-purpose flour

6 oz. bacon slices, cut into 1/2-inch dice, fried

until crispy and fat reserved

1/3 lb. white button mushrooms, sliced

1/3 cup diced red bell pepper

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup sliced green onions, white and light

green portions

2 plum tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup chicken stock

4 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. Tabasco sauce


Directions:

To prepare the grits, in a saucier or Dutch oven over medium heat, combine the grits, the 4 1/2 cups water, salt and 2 Tbs. of the butter and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, until tender, 45 to 60 minutes. If the grits become too thick, add more water. Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 2 Tbs. butter, the cheddar and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses, pepper and Tabasco.

Meanwhile, prepare the shrimp: Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Put the shrimp in a shallow bowl, season with salt and pepper and toss with the flour to coat evenly.

In a fry pan over medium-high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the bacon fat. Working in batches, brown the shrimp until almost cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Return the pan to medium-high heat and warm 2 Tbs. of the bacon fat. Add the mushrooms, bell pepper, garlic, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the shrimp and accumulated juices, the bacon, green onions, tomatoes, stock, lemon juice and Tabasco. Cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp are opaque throughout and the vegetables are heated through, 2 to 3 minutes.

Divide the grits among 6 bowls and top with the shrimp mixture. Serve immediately.

Don't forget the biscuits!



From Williams-Sonoma Kitchen.

Rum Glazed Shrimp And Mango

This is definitely going on the docket for our next Dinner Cruise.  Cilantro in the marinade might be a nice addition. 

You will need 12 metal or wooden skewers. To keep them from scorching on the grill, soak the wooden skewers in water while preparing the ingredients.

Printable Recipe

Prep: 35 minutes

Total: 45 minutes

Serves 4


Ingredients


1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, plus 1 tablespoon (3 limes)

1/4 cup dark rum

3 tablespoons dark-brown sugar

1 tablespoon finely grated, peeled fresh ginger

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

32 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined (tail on)

Coarse salt and ground pepper

1 ripe but firm mango, peeled and sliced lengthwise into 8 slivers, each about 1 inch thick

2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for grates

2 bunches watercress, (about 12 ounces), tough stems trimmed


Directions

1.Make glaze: In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup lime juice, rum, sugar, and ginger; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat; simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1 tablespoon water; stir into lime-juice mixture. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat; let cool.

2.Thread shrimp onto 8 skewers, using 4 shrimp per skewer. Season on both sides with salt and pepper. Thread mango slivers onto 4 skewers, using 2 pieces per skewer. Brush shrimp and mango all over with glaze.

3.Heat grill to medium-high; oil grates. Place shrimp and mango skewers on grill; cook, turning once, until blackened in spots and shrimp are opaque throughout, 3 to 4 minutes.

4.In a large bowl, whisk together remaining tablespoon lime juice with the oil; season with salt and pepper. Add watercress; toss to coat.

5.To serve, divide watercress among four plates; top each with 2 shrimp skewers and 1 mango skewer.

From Everyday Food, July/August 2005.

Dinner Cruise Fare, Part I...Pasta Pesto And Shrimp

Ever since we got our boat, we have been going out every night for a dinner cruise.  The kitchen has been closed for almost a week and now all I can think about is portable meals.  With a bounty of home grown tomatoes and zucchini and plenty of herbs, planning these meals is a no brainer, except I am running out of ideas while the zucchinis are coming in fast and furious.  Last night I took a breather and decided to make pesto instead and at the last minute decided to add shrimp and some of the cherry tomatoes from our yard.

A baguette and some Camembert and cherries downed happily with a chilled dry rose from Provence finished the meal.

Make sure you pack a Westie for great fun and entertainment!... and stay tuned for Parts II & III, you don't want to miss the fun!


Pasta Pesto And Shrimp
Printable Recipe

1/2 lbs of linguini
1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
2 cloves garlic
2 TB olive oil
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes

Pesto Sauce (follows)

Directions

Cook linguini as per package directions.  In the meantime sautee the shrimp in olive oil and garlic.  Add the shrimp to the linguini, mix in 1/2 cup of pesto sauce and add tomatoes.  That's it, less than 15 minutes!


Pesto

1 cup firmly packed basil leaves

4 cloves of garlic

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Put everything in blender and pulse until combined.

Tired of BBQ? How About Pad Thai At Home

Photo Evan Sung NYT

If some of you only knew how easy Chinese and Thai dishes are to cook at home, you wouldn't think of ordering out.  Yes, I know, Chinese is for take out or dining out, at least that's the way it used to be for me when I lived In NYC where there was a wonderful Chinese takeout named Pink Heaven.  But not all of us live in a major city in close proximity to good Chinese or Thai food.  If this is the case, I guarantee that whatever you cook at home is going to be ten times better than bad takeout, particularly if you use a good recipe.  Get everything chopped and ready, that's the worst part, 'cause the cooking is fast!

Just this week, Mark Bittman of the New York Times published this recipe with an accompanying video which I am going to share with you to prove a point.  After you make it, let me know what you think!


http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/04/16/dining/1247467554454/pad-thai.html

Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

4 ounces fettuccine-width rice stick noodles

1/4 cup peanut oil

1/4 cup tamarind paste

1/4 cup fish sauce (nam pla)

1/3 cup honey

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

1/4 cup chopped scallions

1 garlic clove, minced

2 eggs

1 small head Napa cabbage, shredded (about 4 cups)

1 cup mung bean sprouts

1/2 pound peeled shrimp, pressed tofu or a combination

1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

2 limes, quartered.


Directions1. Put noodles in a large bowl and add boiling water to cover. Let sit until noodles are just tender; check every 5 minutes or so to make sure they do not get too soft. Drain, drizzle with one tablespoon peanut oil to keep from sticking and set aside. Meanwhile, put tamarind paste, fish sauce, honey and vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and bring just to a simmer. Stir in red pepper flakes and set aside.

2. Put remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; when oil shimmers, add scallions and garlic and cook for about a minute. Add eggs to pan; once they begin to set, scramble them until just done. Add cabbage and bean sprouts and continue to cook until cabbage begins to wilt, then add shrimp or tofu (or both).

3. When shrimp begin to turn pink and tofu begins to brown, add drained noodles to pan along with sauce. Toss everything together to coat with tamarind sauce and combine well. When noodles are warmed through, serve, sprinkling each dish with peanuts and garnishing with cilantro and lime wedges.



.

Summer Picnics ...Shrimp & Noodle Salad With Ginger Dressing

Summer picnics are here and I'm sure we will have plenty of those at the lake this summer.  Pasta salads of all kinds, particularly those with an Asian flavor, are a delight to bring along with a chilled bottle of white wine and a baguette with cheese and fruit for dessert.  Perhaps, just perhaps cookies might be found at the bottom of the hamper...

In this salad, instead of spending time shredding cabbage and carrots, Grace Parisi of Food & Wine uses prepackaged coleslaw mix. She tosses it with noodles and shrimp, then adds a spicy, gingery dressing prepared with other easy-to-find supermarket ingredients, like bottled teriyaki sauce and chile-garlic sauce.


Ingredients

 7 ounce(s) dried udon noodles or fettuccine, broken in half

12 ounce(s) shredded coleslaw mix

2 scallions, white and green parts thinly sliced

1 cup(s) cilantro leaves

3/4 pound(s) cooked medium shrimp, halved lengthwise

1/4 cup(s) teriyaki sauce

2 tablespoon(s) finely grated fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon(s) Chinese chile-garlic sauce

1/4 cup(s) plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Salt

Lime wedges, for serving


Directions

1.Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Pat dry and transfer to a large bowl. Add the coleslaw mix, scallions, cilantro, and shrimp.

2.In a blender, combine the teriyaki sauce with the ginger and chile-garlic sauce and puree until smooth. With the machine on, slowly add the vegetable oil in a thin stream and puree until the dressing is emulsified. Season lightly with salt. Add the dressing to the bowl with the udon noodles and toss well. Serve the noodle salad with lime wedges on the side.
 
Food &Wine

Sensational Shrimp Mold

I saw this recipe yesterday on the Food Channel and knew I had to try it.  It is simply yummy, although I thought it needed some tweaking here and there.  I increased the green onion from 1 chopped to 2 and also added some Old Bay Seasoning. I think you will be most pleased with the results.

You can also serve unmolded as shown above.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings



Ingredients

1 teaspoon salt

1 pound small or medium shrimp

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup mayonnaise

2 green onion, finely chopped, white and green parts

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Dash hot sauce

1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

Dash black pepper

Directions

Bring 2 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt to a boil in a medium saucepan and add the shrimp. When the water returns to the boil, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and allow the shrimp to sit for 5 minutes. Drain, peel and devein.

Place the shrimp in a food processor and pulse about 8 to 10times, until they are finely chopped but not mushy. Mix together the cream cheese, mayonnaise, green onion, mustard, hot sauce, Old Bay and pepper in a bowl until well combined; stir in the shrimp.

Line a 2-cup mold or glass bowl with plastic wrap, leaving lots of overhang. Place the shrimp mixture into the mold, packing tightly with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap overhang and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, unwrap the overhang and invert the mold onto a plate. Remove the plastic wrap. Allow to come to room temperature before serving with water crackers or another favorite snack cracker.

Recipe: Paula Deen