Category: SEAFOOD

Fire Day Friday: Grilled Shrimp with Grapefruit BBQ Sauce

I’ve been on quite the shrimp kick lately.  You see, there was a time where I was hesitant to purchase it, because, living in the desert, we can’t get a lot of fresh shrimp.  Well I had a bad experience with frozen shrimp once, hence the hesitation.  I broke through that though, and finally started cooking with shrimp again.  And boy am I thankful I did.  I adore shrimp… there is so much you can do with it.  And it’s at it’s best when grilled.  At least, that’s my opinion… and that counts for something, right??

This wasn’t the best concoction ever, but it was good.  Believe me, we ate the hell out of this…there were no leftovers 🙂  I liked the sauce, but surprisingly, I liked it much better on the shrimp than by itself… and that is an odd thing for me to say, trust me.  Nevertheless, this is definitely one to try!

Grilled Shrimp with Grapefruit BBQ Sauce
Adapted from Robin Miller
Printable Recipe 
Ingredients:
36 extra larges (31/40 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 yellow bell peppers, cut into 1-inch chunks
10 cherry tomatoes
6 Tablespoons freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
2 Tablespoons ketchup
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 – 1 teaspoon chipotle puree
wooden or metal skewers (if using wooden, soak in water for at least 30 minutes)

Directions:
In a bowl, mix together the grapefruit juice, ketchup, mustard, sugar, cumin, chili powder, olive oil and chipotle puree until well combined.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of the sauce.  Place the shrimp in a shallow dish and pour the remaining marinade over top of it.  Toss to make sure all shrimp are coated with marinade.  Cover and place in refrigerator for 2-4 hours. 

Preheat grill to 350 degrees F.  Thread the shrimp onto the skewers.  Thread the peppers and tomatoes on their own separate skewers, or thread them together with the shrimp, it’s up to you.  Place directly over the fire and grill until shrimp is pink and cooked through, about 3-5 minutes per side.  My tomatoes only sat on there for about 4 minutes all together and the peppers were done in about 8 minutes.  Baste the shrimp with sauce at least twice during the grilling time.  Remove from grill and serve over rice.  Enjoy!

TRY A NEW RECIPE: Caribbean Crab and Rice

This is a truly Caribbean recipe. A one pot meal, using what’s readily available: Seafood! It’s rather easy and fun to eat!

I usually use mangrove crab like this guy
but didn’t have any and it wasn’t really crab ‘season’ so i opted for Alaskan king crab which you will have easier access to anyhow. However they were cooked. I usually make this recipe with raw crab.
Although they were clean I still washed them with water and lemon.

Here is the recipe. It makes 2 servings only. It’s my recipe and I usually cook for one.

-4 crab quarters
-2 cups brown rice
-2 cups fresh spinach
-1 small onion, chopped
-1 celery stalk, chopped
-1 tbsp parsley, chopped
-1 tbsp chives, chopped
-1/3 white wine
-1 tbsp soy sauce
-2 tbsp curry powder
-1 tbsp oil or butter
-1/2 habinero pepper
-1 tbsp Caribbean green seasoning
-Salt & Pepper to taste
-1 1/2 to 2 cups water

First I seasoned the crab with the Caribbean Green Seasoning
Then added the onion, celery, parsley, chives and habinero

Heat oil or butter
Add crab and chopped veggies. (when using raw crab I sautee the crab first then add the veggies later). The veggies i had (except the onion) were bought fresh then frozen.Stir. The veggies will give off some liquid, time to add the white wine
Add spinach and cover
Once the spinach is cooked, time to add water, soy sauce and curry
and rice
Stir in rice and cover
cook rice as directed
and voila! Caribbean Crab and Rice. The fun part besides the taste is getting the crab out of the shells

Bon Appetit


Fire Day Friday: Spicy Grilled Shrimp

Now that summer is almost here, I like to grill shellfish. The seafood is fresher and grilling it brings out the best in it. This spicy marinade packs the heat of summer into these grilled shrimp.
Grilling Tip: You know how they always say to soak your bamboo skewers for 30 minutes before grilling, right? And you probably know how sometimes that works and sometimes it does not. Sometimes, the skewers still burn off. You can use a “grill shield” like the one I am using here or you can make you’re own by folding up a piece of HD aluminum foil several times to protect the skewers.
Spicy Summer Grilled Shrimp
1 lb medium count shrimp, cleaned, peeled, and deveined
3 oz clarified butter, melted
1 oz lemon juice
1 oz sriracha sauce
1 tsp mirin
1 tsp turbinado sugar
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
½ shallot, finely minced
¼ cup cilantro, finely chopped
¼ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
Mix the marinade ingredients together. Add the shrimp and marinate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, fire up your grill to 450f or medium-high. 
Place the shrimp on skewers and grill 2 minutes per side.
They are done when the tails turn pink.
These disappeared with my 22 y/o son’s friends devouring them as fast as I could get them off the grill.

BAKED WHITE FISH ~ CLASSIC GOOD EATS

2 teaspoons peanut oil    
1 small bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 teaspoon paprika
2 small kiwis, cleaned and sliced thin
2-4 white fish, cleaned and scaled, 2 pounds each
salt & pepper to taste   
3 tablespoons white wine    
3 tablespoons CHAMPAGNE DRESSING (or substitute fish or chicken stock)  
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 lemon, sliced

  • This will work with other whole lean fish and cuts or ‘roasts’ of halibut or pink salmon.
  • Adjust the cooking time according to the thickness and density of the fish.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Spray baking dish well with PURE.
  • Rinse the fish well inside and out, pat dry, season lightly with salt, pepper and paprika and lay side by side in a shallow baking dish.
  • Layer lemon slices loosely over fish and season again.
  • Pour  the stock, dressing and ending with the butter over each filet.
  • Make a loose tent of foil over the tail of the fish and place in the oven.
  • Bake, rotating the pan once halfway through the cooking time, until a skewer easily enters the thickest part of the fish, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

BAKED WHITE FISH

2 teaspoons peanut oil    
1 small bunch green onions, sliced thin
1 teaspoon paprika
2 small kiwis, cleaned and sliced thin
2-4 white fish, cleaned and scaled, 2 pounds each
salt & pepper to taste   
3 tablespoons white wine    
3 tablespoons CHAMPAGNE DRESSING (or substitute fish or chicken stock)  
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 lemon, sliced

  • This will work with other whole lean fish and cuts or ‘roasts’ of halibut or pink salmon.
  • Adjust the cooking time according to the thickness and density of the fish.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
  • Spray baking dish well with PURE.
  • Rinse the fish well inside and out, pat dry, season lightly with salt, pepper and paprika and lay side by side in a shallow baking dish.
  • Layer lemon slices loosely over fish and season again.
  • Pour  the stock, dressing and ending with the butter over each filet.
  • Make a loose tent of foil over the tail of the fish and place in the oven.
  • Bake, rotating the pan once halfway through the cooking time, until a skewer easily enters the thickest part of the fish, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Taste for seasoning and adjust if necessary.

    CRAB PUFFS for TAILGATING TIME

    Last week Martha posted her puffs recipe with her shrimp filling and it made me think of my crab salad and it was a good thought!  The crab salad was an awesome filling!

    PUFFS recipe from Martha at Seaside Simplicity
    1/2 cup water
    1/4 cup butter or margarine
    1/2 cup all purpose flour
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    2 eggs
    • Heat oven to 425 degrees. 
    • In a medium saucepan heat water and butter until boiling. 
    • Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup and level off. 
    • Stir in flour and salt. 
    • Cook over medium heat until mixture leaves sides of pan in a smooth compact ball, about 2 minutes, stirring vigorously. 
    • Remove from heat. 
    • Add eggs one at the time, beating vigorously until smooth and glossy. Do not under-beat! Drop by teaspoons full onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. 
    • Bake for about 15 minutes or until golden brown and crisp.
    • Once puffs are cooled completely split and stuff with crab salad when ready to serve.
    This recipe makes about 20 puffs.
    CRAB SALAD
    8 ounces Louis Kemp Crab, finely chopped
    1 stalk celery, finely chopped
    1/3 cup minced red onion
    salt and pepper
    mayo (about 1/4 cup)
    • Mix crab, celery, onion, salt and pepper together until well blended using enough mayonnaise for desired consistency.
    • Place a large scoop of crab salad in each puff.

    Crab Salad Nigiri Sushi

    I first saw this crab salad nigiri sushi that my blogger friend Pikko had made on her blog Adventures in bento making . I thought I’d give it a try for a gathering at my husband’s work one evening. Pikko’s are much prettier, I’ll have to keep practicing. Her creation was a hit though. I put them in a deviled egg carrier to bring them in. Since we were all hanging outside behind the shop it didn’t have to be fancy.
    First off my rice cooker died on me. How frustrating. It would turn on and keep warm, but the cook button wouldn’t work. I went to check it and there it sat, all that water still hanging out on top. I transferred it to a pan and cooked it on my stove top, forgot to time it, but it turned out fine! Once in the bowl I added the already prepared sushi vinegar while it’s still warm. I don’t add much sugar at all to my sushi rice (personal preference).

    Using the stick version of the imitation crab. Chop up the crab and add mayo, I added a little wasabi powder to it, but not enough for it to be too much for those who don’t like it. I am a wasabi fan!
    It took a little while to get used to handling the sticky sushi rice, having a bowl of water on hand to help. I hand made the rice balls (I am using a rice ball maker next time, sounds like a good investment). A little adjusting on what size to make them. With scissors cut the nori sheets into strips, being careful to cut them straight because it will show if you cut it crooked.
    Wrap the strips around the rice, sealing it with water. With a tiny baby spoon I filled the cups with the crab salad. Those little spoons come in handy, good thing I saved them!
    I topped some with srircha, some with wasabi and left some without, because I know Maranda would like it plain. I have to tell you this it was funny. A couple showed up later, they came riding in on their motorcycles all noisy, just to make an entrance. (The owner’s brother and his girlfriend). She is acting all tough in her leathers. Someone is telling them what we have to eat. Now for a few of them this was the first time they’ve tried sushi. He pointed out the sushi, she says “No I only like real sushi”. Okay, alright then, now I was good, and I only said “this is real sushi”. Then I let her do her thing. After eating some 7 layer taco dip, she did try a piece and loved it. No wasabi for her, she doesn’t “do ” wasabi. Then she ate another one, then said “I wish we were here earlier and didn’t miss most of the sushi” She ended up eating the last one too. I just smiled to myself. Maranda and Wade did bring it up later, and we laughed about it.
    Thanks Pikko it was a hit.

    You can check out more of my food trials and ethnic ventures at The Tiny Skillet . Or check out The Tiny Bento for my bento lunches that are so popular in Japan!
    Have a great weekend!!

    SALMON FILLETS with TANGY MUSTARD SAUCE

    Sorry no pictures – just posting the recipe for a new friend!
    4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 
    4 tablespoons FRESH minced tarragon
    Four 6-ounce salmon fillets with skin
    Salt and freshly ground pepper
    2/3 cup whipping cream
    1/4 cup Dijon mustard
    2 tablespoons creamy prepared horseradish
    • Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
    • In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons of the olive oil with 2 tablespoons of the tarragon and rub it over the salmon. Let stand for 5 minutes, then season with salt and pepper.
    • Spray baking dish lightly with PURE.
    • Bake salmon fillets for 15-20 minutes or until just barely done (varies with thickness).
    • Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the whipping cream, mustard, horseradish, the remaining olive oil and tarragon. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    • Spoon over the salmon and return to oven for 5 minutes.

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    SHRIMP SCAMPI

    I LOVE to eat Shrimp Scampi, but I have never made it or eaten it at home., at least not as an adult. I do remember as a kid how we would go down to Galveston and buy them directly from the fisherman at the end of the day. Now that’s fresh fish. It’s hard to buy what markets call “fresh” fish after you’ve done that.

    So I decided to do some research for a good recipe and see what the term scampi actually meant. I have to admit I was completely blindsided by the fact that scampi is a term that actually pertains to lobster, Norwegian lobster in particular.

    “Scampi is a culinary name for some species of lobster, notably the ‘true’ scampi Nephrops norvegicus,…” In both the United Kingdom and the USA, the word has come to define the method of preparation rather than the ingredient, although referring to quite different methods in the two countries. This being said, I think I’ll make some chicken scampi tomorrow night.

    1 1/2 pounds large shrimp
    1/3 cup clarified butter
    4 cloves garlic, minced
    6 green onions, thinly sliced
    1/4 cup dry white wine
    Juice of 1 lemon
    Fresh parsley for garnish
    salt and pepper, to taste

    • Clean and rinse shrimp, dry well and set aside.
    • Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat.
    • Cook garlic 1 or 2 minutes or until softened but not browned.
    • Add shrimp, green onions, wine and lemon juice; cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
    • Do not overcook.
    • Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper before serving.
    • Garnish with lemon slices and parsley sprigs if desired.

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    CRAB LOUIE with OOMPH!


    I bolded the OOMPH ingredients that are
    different from my day to day recipe.

    CRAB SALAD & HOMEMADE 1000 ISLAND DRESSING
    CRAB SALAD
    8 ounces Louis Kemp Crab, finely chopped
    1 stalk celery, finely chopped
    1/3 cup minced green onion
    salt and pepper
    mayo (about 1/4 cup)
    1 teaspoon Frank’s Red Hot Pepper Sauce
    Romaine lettuce
    Roma tomatoes, sliced
    Snap peas, halved
    pickled beets, sliced
    hard boiled eggs, sliced

    • Wash lettuce, peas and tomatoes. Arrange on plate. Salt and pepper.
    • Mix crab, celery, onion, hot sauce, salt and pepper together until well blended using enough mayonnaise for desired consistency.
    • Place a large scoop of crab salad over the romaine mix.
    • Serve over chopped romaine lettuce, sliced tomatoes and snap peas.
    • Top with dressing.

    1000 ISLAND DRESSING
    1/2 cup mayonnaise
    2 tablespoons ketchup
    1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar
    2 teaspoons sugar
    3 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
    1 heaping tablespoon minced red onion
    1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
    salt and pepper

    • In a mini blender blend all ingredients to desired consistency.
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    Spicy Chipotle Shrimp Over Sweet Corn Cakes

    Welcome to Simple Saturday!

    I’ve been participating in a challenge this month, do you think you could eat on a Dollar a Day? (Check out the link for details). I’ve been doing the challenge but with an unfair advantage – I allowed myself to use anything I already had on hand. It’s turned out to be more of an “eat from the pantry and freezer month” than anything else so far.

    Here is last night’s yummy, frugal and very simple recipe. It was definitely the Meal of the Week!

    http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_WPbjJzRqviA/S7-qngfQFUI/AAAAAAAAGzI/8kg8KfIKdok/s1600/chipotle+shrimp+corn+cakes.jpg

    Chipotle Shrimp – 1 pound of shrimp marinated overnight in bottled chipotle sauce (with one teaspoon of cornstarch added). Put shrimp and marinade in large, deep skillet, add a can of diced tomatoes. Simmer on low, stirring occasionally while preparing corn cakes.

    Corn Cakes – 2 boxes of Jiffy corn muffin mix, 2/3 cup milk, 2 eggs, one can of sweet creamed corn and 1/2 can regular sweet corn. Mix and prepare just as you would pancakes.

    Spoon shrimp and sauce over corn cakes and serve with fruit smoothies. Trust me, it’s a perfect combo, it was delicious – except for the fact that I used shrimp I had in the freezer that had been cleaned and shelled, but it didn’t occur to me that it still had the tails on until dinner was ready. Be sure to take the tails off if you try this, duh!

    We have two birthdays at Our Krazy Kitchen this week – be sure to stop by to wish our Tuesday host Min and our Wednesday host Chaya a Happy Birthday!

    Have a great weekend 🙂

    PAN FRIED RED SNAPPER with WHITE WINE LEMON BUTTER SAUCE

    When I was in college there was a local grill that did the most amazing fish I’d ever had. I hate to admit that was before Cajun or Blackened became popular. I spent many years trying to duplicate their red snapper after they closed their doors.

    PAN FRIED RED SNAPPER with LEMON BUTTER
    1 pound Red snapper, cut to portion size
    1/4 cup red onion, minced
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    1 large very ripe lemon, juiced
    zest from the lemon
    3 tablespoons butter

    1 teaspoon sweet paprika
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
    1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
    1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
    1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
    1/2 teaspoon dry thyme leaves
    1/2 teaspoon dry oregano
    1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
    1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

    • Rinse and dry the fish fillets with paper towels.
    • In a mortar & pestle grind all seasonings together until they are a fine powder and well blended.
    • In a large skillet melt the butter.
    • Saute’ the onions, garlic and lemon zest until fragrant.
    • Arrange onions and garlic towards edge of pan.
    • Arrange fish in center of skillet.
    • Sprinkle with the seasonings.
    • Cook for 4-5 minutes.
    • Turn fish, sprinkle with the remaining seasonings and cook another 4-5 minutes.
    • Add lemon juice and cook another 1-2 minutes.







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