Spicy Shrimp Chowder

2 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

2 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning

1 Tbsp Chili Powder

2 cups whole milk

2/3 cup long-grain white rice

2 ears corn, kernels removed. 

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Scallion greens

Heat the butter in a large stock pot over medium heat.  Add the bell pepper and jalapeno, stirring occasionally until peppers are starting to soften, about 3 minutes. 

Add the flour, Old Bay and Chili powder and cook, stirring unti the flour is lightly toasted, about 1 minute.  Add the milk, 6 cups water and rice.  Bring to a rapid simmer, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes.

Add the corn to the pot and cook 3 minutes.  Stir in the shrimp and cook until they curl and turn opaque, about 3 more minutes.  Season the chowder with salt and pepper.  Top with scallion greens.

Easy Chicken Tacos

2 tbsp Canola oil

1 cup Fire Roasted Green Chile Salsa

2 cups rotisserie chicken, shredded

Corn tortillas 

Shredded lettuce

Diced tomatoes

Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded

Sour Cream  

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.  Add salsa and cook until thick.  Add shredded chicken and heat until warm. 

Heat tortillas on dry skillet on high for 30 seconds per side.  Serve in tortillas with lettuce, tomatoes, cheese and sour cream. 

Herbed Chicken Sandwich with Peppers

2 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Juice from 1 lemon
1/3 cup olive oil
3 tsps fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh cracked pepper
1/3 cup mayo
4 slices Italian salami
1/4 cup sliced pepperocinni peppers
14 cup roasted red peppers
Fontina cheese, cut 1/4 inch thick
2 french baguettes

In freezer bag, add lemon juice (reserving 1 tsp), 2 tsps rosemary, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Seal and shake until combined.  Add chicken to bag.  Refrigerate for 1 1/2 hours. 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Take chicken out of marinade and discard marinade.  In a shallow baking dish add chicken and cook for 20 minutes, flipping half-way through.  Refrigerate chicken until ready to make sandwiches.

In a small bowl, combine mayo, remaining 1 tsp rosemary, remaining lemon juice, salt and pepper. 

Slice baguettes horizontally.  Spread mayo mixture on both sides of baguette.  Top with chicken, cheese and then peppers.

Spicy Steamed Mussels in a Creamy Wine Sauce

2 tbsp salter butter

1 large shallot, finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 poblano pepper, seeded and finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, cut in half

1/2 cup white wine (moscato)

1/2 cup heavy cream

Fresh cilantro, chopped

Add butter to a large enamel cast iron dutch oven.  When melted, add shallot, peppers, and garlic.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot and peppers soften, 5 minutes.

Add the wine and mussels to pot, turn up the heat to high and cover the pot.  Cook, shaking the pot occasionally, until they are all (or nearly open), about 10 minutes.  Turn the heat off. 

Scoop the mussels into a serving bowl.  Add heavy cream into the remaining liquid and stir.  Pour the liquid over the clams and top with chopped cilantro.

Green Chile Chicken Posole

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 jalapenos, diced (seeded for less heat)
1 tablespoon salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 (7 oz) cans fire roasted green chiles
1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon dried cumin
1 tablespoon dried oregano
2 quarts chicken stock
4 cups water
3 cans hominy, drained
1 rotisserie chicken, diced

Heat oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat.  Add onion and jalapeno and sweat until soft, stir occasionally.  Add garlic and cook for 1 minute longer until garlic is fragrant.  Transfer mixture to a food processor and add green chiles (do not drain), cilantro, cumin and oregano and process until smooth.

Transfer mixture back to skillet and cook on medium heat until the mixture has turned a dark green (about 15 minutes).  Make sure to stir the mixture often.  Transfer to a large stock pot and slowly add stock.  Bring to a simmer on medium heat, and allow flavors to meld for at least 20 minutes.  Add hominy and chicken.  Once heated through you may serve.

Southwestern Chicken Pot Pie

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

3/4 cup chicken stock

3 cups chopped, cooked rotisserie  chicken
1 (8-ounce) package shredded
        Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
3/4 cup salsa
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 can of whole kernel sweet corn
1 can fire roasted green chiles
1 potato, peeled and diced
1 jalapeno, chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Heat butter over small heat in a medium sauce pan.  Once melted, add in flour and stir for 3 to 4 minutes.  Stir in chicken stock and cook for about 2 minutes more. 

Mix the rest of the ingredients, except the pie crust, together in large bowl.  Add the flour mixture and mix.


Line the pie pan with one of the crusts. Pour the filling into the prepared pan. Place the top crust on top of the filling. Carefully tuck the overlapping crust into the pan, forming a thick edge. Crimp the edges of the pan and place on a baking sheet. Place the sheet in the oven and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and crispy.


Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Chipotle Turkey Burgers

8 slices applewood smoked bacon

1 1/3 pounds ground turkey breast

     ( the average weight of 1 package)

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano

      (or ½ teaspoon dried oregano)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 small red, orange or yellow bell pepper
1 serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 teaspoons adobo sauce (from chipotle in adobo)
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper
½ teaspoon smoked paprika
Vegetable oil  for drizzling and for grill
4 slices pepper jack cheese
4 crusty kaiser rolls, split
¾ cup mayonnaise
1 chipotle in adobo, chopped finely or pureed in food processor
1 teaspoon lime juice
Bibb lettuce
Tomato slices


Heat grill to medium-high heat with coals spread evenly. Wipe grill with paper towel coated with vegetable oil.


Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat until crisp.


While bacon cooks, combine turkey meat, garlic, oregano, cilantro, bell pepper, serrano pepper, adobo sauce, cayenne, chili powder, paprika, salt, pepper and cumin. Divide mixture into 4 equal mounds then form meat into patties.


Drizzle patties with vegetable oil to coat. Transfer patties to grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side. Place sliced cheese over the patties in the last 2 minutes of cooking.


In small bowl, combine mayo, chipotles and lime juice. Season with salt if necessary


Pile cooked cheeseburgers into buns. Spread chipotle mayo on bun tops and set lettuce and tomato into place, using the mayo as glue. Top cheeseburgers with 2 slices of cooked, crisp bacon .

Pan-Roasted Chicken Thighs with Lemon-Caper Pan Sauce

Chicken
4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Pan Sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp capers, minced
1/3 cup rose wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tbsp butter, softened
1 tbsp lemon juice

Preheat oven to 475°F. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12" cast-iron or heavy nonstick skillet over high heat until hot but not smoking. Nestle chicken in skillet, skin side down, and cook 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-high; continue cooking skin side down, occasionally rearranging chicken thighs and rotating pan to evenly distribute heat, until fat renders and skin is golden brown, about 12 minutes.
Transfer skillet to oven and cook 13 more minutes. Flip chicken; continue cooking until skin crisps and meat is cooked through, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to a plate;

Pour off all but 1 tbsp of the cooking fat.  Turn the heat on the skillet to med-high heat and add the garlic, capers and wine.  Cook, stirring and scraping until most of the wine has evaporated and the bottom of the pan is clean.

Add the stock and cook, stirring until there is just under 1/2 cup of liquid, then turn off the heat.  Add the butter, a little at a time, stirring well after each addition to incorporate it.  Add the lemon juice.  Sauce the meat. 

Spicy Shrimp and Lobster Soup

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 red bell pepper, seeds and stem removed, and diced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger

2 cups vegetable stock

2 Serrano peppers, seeded and minced

1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

12 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

4 lobster tails, meat removed and diced

2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

Heat oil in a medium stockpot over medium-high heat. Add bell peppers and saute 2 to 3 minutes, or until softened. Add garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes. Add vegetable stock, and Serrano peppers. Season the soup with the salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes.

Blend soup mixture until smooth.  Add the shrimp and diced lobster meat and simmer for an additional 4 to 5 minutes just until the seafood is cooked through. Stir in the coconut milk, lime juice, and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.

Ricotta and Herb Raviolli and Shrimp with a Sun-dried tomato cream sauce

Herb Pasta
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
2 tbsp fresh rosemary, minced 
2 tbsp fresh oregano, minced 
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more as needed 
1 tsp salt 
3 eggs 


Combine 1 3/4 cups of the flour, the herbs and the salt on the counter.  Make a well in the middle.  Put the eggs into this well.  Beat the eggs with a fork, slowly and gradually incorporating a little of the flour at a time.  When it becomes difficult to stir with the fork, use your hands.  When all the flour has been mixed in, knead the dough, pushing it against the board and folding repeatedly until it is not at all sticky and is quite stiff.  


Sprinkle the dough with a little of the reserved flour and cover with plastic or a cloth; let it rest for about 30 minutes. 


Separate dough into three equal parts.  Taking one section at a time, roll the dough until out until it is approximately 4 inches wide and 12 inches long.  Wrap with plastic.  Repeat with other two dough sections.  

Ricotta Herb Filling 
1 egg 
1/2 cup basil, chopped
1/4 cup rosemary, chopped 
1/4 cup oregano, chopped 
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
2 tsps. minced garlic
1 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated


Combine the egg, herbs, ricotta, garlic and Parmesan in a bowl and mix well.  


Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt it.  Put a little water in small bowl and lightly dust counter top with flour.  Starting with one of the pasta sheets, drop heaping teaspoons of the stuffing at about 1 1/2 inch intervals about 1 inch from the only edge of the strip.  Dampen the edges with a little water then fold the dough over onto itself, pressing with your fingers to seal.  Trim the dough and cut into individual ravioli.  


Cook the ravioli for just a few minutes, until they rise to the surface.  Drain. 


Sun-dried tomato cream sauce 
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup drained sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil; 1/2 ounce), patted dry and coarsely chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1/2 pound shrimp, detailed and deveined

Heat olive oil in skillet.  Add garlic, tomatoes, and red pepper flakes to skillet and sauté, stirring, until garlic is pale golden, about 1 minute. Add wine and boil, stirring until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil, covered. 

Add shrimp to skillet, covered, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Stir cream and 2 tablespoons basil into sauce in skillet and bring just to a simmer.

Add cooked raviolis to sauce and serve.

Grilled Chicken and Ratatouille

1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise
1 medium eggplant, halved lengthwise
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch-wide strips

1 medium tomatoes, halved crosswise 
1 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons Italian dressing  
Salt and pepper
 3 skinless boneless chicken thighs
1/3 cup thinly sliced basil
1 1/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

Preheat grill to medium high heat. Lay coals evenly across grill.  


Pat dry chicken thighs.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and cover with 1 tbsp Italian dressing.


Drizzle zucchini, eggplant, tomato and bell pepper with olive oil and 1 tbsp of Italian dressing.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 


Grill chicken until cooked through (about 5 minutes per side).  Let stand 5 minutes

Meanwhile, grill vegetables until tender and slightly charred, about 4 minutes for peppers and 7 minutes for remaining vegetables. Transfer to cutting board.  

Coarsely chop vegetables and transfer to another large bowl. Add basil and vinegar and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Slice chicken crosswise into 1/2-inch-thick slices; serve with ratatouille and crusty bread. 

Spit Fire Shrimp

For the seasoning:

1 lime zested and juiced

1/2 cup hot cayenne pepper sauce

1 tbsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tbsp Old Bay seasoning

Shrimp:

4 cloves garlic, crushed and minced

2 shallots, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil  

2 tbsp butter

2 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

12 blades fresh chives, chopped for garnish

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Preheat large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Combine lime juice and zest, hot sauce, cumin, red pepper flakes, and Old Bay.  Quickly saute garlic and shallots in oil and butter for 1 minute.  Add shrimp and cook until they turn pink.  Dump shrimp into bowl with seasoning, toss to coat evenly. Garnish with chopped chives and cilantro.  Serve warm or chilled.

Seared Scallops with Sweet Chili-Lime Butter

2 lg limes
3 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 tbsp Asain sweet chili sauce
12 sea scallops, patted dry

Using a microplane, finely grate enough peel from limes to measure 2 teaspoons. Cut one lime into wedges and reserve.

Mix butter, chili sauce, and lime peel in small bowl. Season with salt and pepper .

Sprinkle scallops with salt and pepper. Sear scallops in hot pan , about 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Place scallops on platter and drop butter mixture in small dallops over scallops and squeeze lime wedges over.

Chicken, Sausage and Shrimp Gumbo

Combine in a large plastic bag:1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp garlic powder

Add and shake until completely coated:1 whole chicken, sectioned

Heat in a large heavy pot over med. heat:4 tbps vegetable oil

Brown the chicken pieces on all sides, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove to a platter. Set the pot aside.
Heat in a medium heavy saucepan:1/2 cup vegetable oil
Whisk in:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour

Cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon over medium heat until the roux turns dark mahogany brown, about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile combine in a small bowl:1 cup sliced okra
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped red pepper

Remove the roux from the heat and stir until it stops bubbling, 1-2 minutes. Very carefully add the roux and the vegetable mixture to the stock pot. Whisk in :8 cups chicken stock
1 jar clam juice

Bring to a boil, whisking. Reduce the heat and add the chicken. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 mins. Remove the chicken from the pot.
Stir into the pot:12 oz andoullie sausage, cut into slices
1 tbsp chopped garlic

Simmer until the sausage is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Discard the chicken skin and bones, and shred the meat. Stir the chicken into the pot along with:1 1/2 pounds shrimp (uncooked), tailed and deveined
1 tbsp file powder
Salt to taste
Hot pepper sauce

Serve over cooked rice

Crab Cioppino

This is the meal I made for my Grandma's birthday when they stopped on their way to Texas. It is probably the best crab I have ever had, and made wonderful crab cakes the next day.

This recipe comes straight from Bon Appetit January 2010.

Parmesan Toasts with Prosciutto and Fig Jam

12 1/4-inch-thick baguette slices
Extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
6 slices prosciutto, each slice cut crosswise into 4 pieces
2 tablespoons fig jam

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place baguette slices in single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Divide Parmesan equally among slices. Bake until lightly toasted, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from oven and drizzle with additional olive oil.
Top each slice with 2 prosciutto pieces; top with dollop of fig jam. Sprinkle with pepper. Serve Parmesan toasts slightly warm or at room temperature.

Cioppino-Style Roasted Crab

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
6 large garlic cloves, pressed
1 cup dry white wine
2 cups bottled clam juice
2 15-ounce cans chopped tomatoes in juice
1 cup water
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon (scant) dried crushed red pepper
Coarse kosher salt
2 pounds Alaska king crab legs

Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in large deep ovenproof skillet or large metal roasting pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until soft, about 5 minutes. Add wine; increase heat to high and boil 2 minutes. Add clam juice, tomatoes with juice, 1 cup water, bay leaves, parsley, and crushed red pepper and bring to boil. Season to taste with coarse salt and pepper.
Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 15 minutes. Add crab pieces; nestle into sauce. Transfer skillet to oven and roast until crab pieces are heated through, 15 to 20 minutes. Place crab with juices in large bowl.

Lemon-Parsley Linguine

1/2 pound linguine
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, pressed
1 teaspoon (packed) finely grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup pasta cooking liquid.
Meanwhile, heat extra-virgin olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté until golden, about 1 minute. Add grated lemon peel to skillet and cook 20 seconds. Remove skillet from heat.
Add linguine to skillet with garlic and lemon peel. Return skillet to medium heat; mix in parsley. Add 1/2 cup pasta cooking liquid and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Toss until heated through, adding more cooking liquid to moisten if dry.

How to Use the Leftovers -- Crab Cake Sandwiches with Lemon-Parsley Aioli:

Preheat broiler. Squeeze 1 medium garlic clove through garlic press and mix with 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley to make a quick aioli. Remove leftover crabmeat from shells to yield about 8 ounces (1 1/2 cups). Mix crabmeat with 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs and 1/4 cup aioli. Form into 4 crab cakes. Place crab cakes on lightly oiled baking sheet. Broil cakes on center rack until golden and heated through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Split soft buns and spread additional aioli on bun halves; fill with crab cakes

Shrimp Avocado and Mango lettuce wrap

Bon Appetit (August 2010) was my inspiration for this meal. I changed it up a bit though. Here is what I came up with!


Shimp, Avocado and Mango Lettuce Wrap with a Sweet Chili-Ginger Vinaigrette
1/2 cup Asian Sweet Chili sauce
2 tablesppons seasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon Gourmet Garden Ginger puree (find it in the produce isle)
1/2 pound cooked shrimp with tails off - diced into 1/3 in. pieces.
1 large mango, peeled, pitted and diced into 1/3 in. pieces
1 avocado, halved, pitted, peeled, diced into 1/3. pieces
1 large head lettuce, leaves seperated


Whisk first three ingredients in small bowl, season with salt. Place diced shrimp, mango and avocado in medium bowl, toss with two tablespoons vinaigrette. Refrigerate for 5 minutes to allow flavors to incorporate together. Place shrimp mixture in a piece of lettuce and top with vinaigrette.