Olive Oil-Poached Shrimp

I cannot tell you how excited I am to share this lovely dish with you as my 200th post! Yay 200th post! I don't always have the best follow-through with things, so it pleases me to not only have been blogging for over a year, but to have actually learned from and shared so much with you - fantastic!

And fantastic is the perfect way to describe these olive oil-poached shrimp. This was a new technique for me, and I'm not entirely sure I would have attempted it, but my fabulous husband (and sous-chef) requested it. I am so glad I did, because Dave and I had an awesome time pulling it together. He peeled and deveined the shrimp, infused the oil, took lots of pictures and did a ton of dishes - and kept me laughing the whole time. Collective cartoon bird-sigh, Everyone - "Awwwww!" Sappy, but true. This was a blast to make.

This recipe has a lot of steps, but don't be discouraged - nothing is tricky. It wasn't even especially time consuming, if you want to get right down to it. The oil infused while I prepared the lime syrup and roasted the poblano. The poblano steamed while I prepared the veg. The tomatoes marinated while we tidied up. Everything was ready to go by the time our friends Jeremy and Liane came over, so we were able to have quality friend time with no worries about our starter!

I did have reservations about the poaching. Would it work? Would the shrimp be oily? Would we like it? In short, it did, they weren't, and OMG, they were delicious!! Next time we make this (because we will be making this again), we'll do way more than 8 shrimp - two per person just wasn't enough! The shrimp were tender and flavored delicately with coriander and red pepper flake - and not the least bit oily!


As much as we loved the shrimp, they weren't the only stars of the show! Neither Dave nor Jeremy particularly care for tomatoes, but the marinade brightened them up to the point they didn't even taste like tomatoes - but in a good way. The cucumber salad was sweet and crunchy, crisp and smoky. The cucumber, lime zest and roasted poblano melded together in a most beautiful way. The brightness in both the tomatoes and cucumber salad was balanced deftly by the sliced avocado and mellow lime syrup. I couldn't possibly give you enough positive adjectives to explain how terrific every part of this plate was singularly, much less blended together. I can just say that it was a symphony of flavors, and each flavor came together beautifully as a whole.

Elegant and delicious, this appetizer was. A blast to create and a joy to share. Thank you for sticking with me for 200 posts. I hope I have 200 more, just as tasty as this one.


Olive Oil-Poached Shrimp
c/o Top Chef: The Cookbook
winning recipe by Lia, Season 3, Episode 4

2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
One 750-ml bottle olive oil
1 lime
½ cup sugar
1 ½ teaspoons cornstarch
Salt
1/3 English cucumber
1 large poblano chile
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
Zest and juice of 1 Meyer lemon
Juice of ½ navel orange
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 vine-ripened tomato
8 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Hass avocados

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, toast the coriander seeds and red pepper flakes until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the oil. Heat until just hot to the touch, then remove from the heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain through a sieve lined with cheesecloth and transfer to a medium saucepan.

Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest of the lime, then trim off any white pith. (Reserve the lime.) Cut the zest into very fine dice, put it in a small saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then immediately drain in a sieve. Return the zest to the pan, cover with cold water again, bring to a boil, then drain. In the saucepan, combine the sugar and ½ cup water. Add the zest and bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool.

Pour the syrup through a sieve set over a clean saucepan; set the candied zest aside in a small bowl. Combine the cornstarch and 1 ½ teaspoons water. Stir the cornstarch slurry into the syrup and add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes. Let cool.

Cut the cucumber in half and scrape out the seeds. Cut the cucumber, peel included, into very fine dice and put in the bowl with the candied zest.

Roast the chile directly over a gas flame, turning with tongs until add sides are lightly charred. Place the chile in a heat-proof bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside for 20 minutes. Remove the blackened skin, seeds, and stems. Cut the bright green parts into very fine dice, to make 2 tablespoons. Add to the cucumber mixture, along with the juice of half the reserved lime (reserve the remaining lime for another use), ½ teaspoon of the infused oil, the cilantro, and salt to taste. Set the salad aside.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon zest and juice, orange juice, vinegar, and salt to taste. Slice the tomato into 8 thin wedges and add to the marinade. Set aside.

Warm the remaining infused oil over low heat. Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and add them to the oil – it should not be hot enough to sputter. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, turning once, until firm. Transfer the shrimp to paper towels to drain.

Peel and thinly slice the avocados. Lightly brush some of the lime syrup onto each of 8 serving plates. Place a shrimp on one side of the brushstroke. Place avocado slices next to the shrimp. Put 1 wedge of marinated tomato between the shrimp and avocado. Using a slotted spoon to drain the excess liquid from the cucumber salad, place a small line of the salad next to the avocado. Serve immediately.

See the recipe...

Shrimp and Scallop Arrabiata

Presto Pasta Night, o, how I miss thee!! It's been a while since we've had any pasta (this recipe is from early February!), but I missed emailing with Ruth, so I've pulled this arrabiata out of the draft black-hole that is my blogger! I hope you enjoy it as much as we did!!

I made my own pasta, which is why the ribbons above are thicker than normal linguine. I don't know why I have such a hard time cutting my pasta smaller... I think I just like the thicker ribbons and my hands act accordingly. Fresh pasta has such a nice chew to it, and considering how easy it is, I don't know that I can go back to store-bought (at least for the types I'm capable of making.)

What's so cool about this pasta sauce is how flavorful it is for how quickly it came together. In less than 10 minutes, dinner is done. Woo! We like an "angrier" arrabiata, so I probably used double the called-for red pepper flakes. My other change was to use fire-roasted canned tomatoes. I love the depth of flavor it provides to sauces, especially this one.

All in all, this was a real keeper. It wasn't fancy, sure, but it was spicy and delicious. Head on over to Ruth's round-up tomorrow for more fabulous pasta dishes!

Shrimp and Scallop Arrabbiata
c/o Cooking Light Magazine, March 2007
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1591041

Arrabbiata is Italian for "angry" and often refers to the classic combination of tomatoes, pancetta, and hot pepper. Substitute bacon for the pancetta, if you prefer.

1 (9-ounce) package fresh linguine
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
8 ounces peeled and deveined large shrimp
8 ounces bay scallops
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup onion, chopped
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 ounce pancetta, chopped
4 (14.5-ounce) cans organic stewed tomatoes, with juices
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain. Set aside and keep warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and scallops to pan; sprinkle with salt. Sauté 3 minutes or until almost done. Remove shrimp mixture from pan.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, fennel seeds, pepper, and pancetta to pan; sauté 1 minute. Stir in tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Return shrimp mixture to pan; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Remove from heat. Serve shrimp mixture over pasta. Sprinkle with basil.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 cup pasta, 2 cups shrimp mixture, and 2 teaspoons basil)

cals 480; fat 11.9g; sat 2.2g; protein 33.2g; cholesterol 110mg; sodium 718mg; fiber 5.7g; carbs 55.4g

See the recipe...

Fried Cornmeal Shrimp with Butternut Squash Risotto

I enjoyed getting a little silly with this dish. I had blue cornmeal on hand, and I just couldn't resist the idea of crusting my little shrimps with it. I think the contrast between the shrimp and the risotto is lovely, too.

Happy First Day of Spring, btw. The weather here is more than a bit crazy. I feel like we're going to get blown away at any minute, the wind is so wicked. It was one of those mornings that had me not wanting to get out of our nice warm cozy bed. I even got back in a few times... got up, fed the cats, got back into bed. Got up, started the shower, got back into bed. I stayed in as long as I could... but we have bills to pay, so off to work I went. Sad. :)

This dish would be perfect for a windy, chilly day like today, because you'll need to hover over the stove stirring the risotto. I always feel like risotto is something of a present to myself on a cold day, because I'm almost always cold at home, so hovering over a nice warm stove makes me really happy.

I cheated a little and roasted my squash the night before. This is also a good time to get your shrimp soaking in their garlicy marinade. Both of those pieces accomplished, all you really need to worry about is stirring your rice and battering and frying your shrimp.

One last note about the shrimp and risotto, and then I'll shush up. These go really well together. The cornmeal-crust is such a nice crunchy contrast to the creamy risotto. The spark of the garlic in the shrimp popped against the smooth friendliness of the butternut squash. All around, this dish was just plain great.

Fried Cornmeal Shrimp with Butternut Squash Risotto
c/o Bon Appetit Magazine, October 2007
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/240105

1 1 3/4- to 2-pound butternut squash

24 uncooked large shrimp (about 1 1/4 pounds), peeled, deveined
3 1/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
3 large garlic cloves, peeled, smashed, plus 2 large garlic cloves, chopped

1 cup cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

5 cups low-salt chicken broth
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
4 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme, divided
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
1/2 cup dry white wine

Vegetable oil (for frying)

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°F. Pierce squash several times. Place on baking sheet; roast until tender, about 1 hour. Cool. Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Scoop flesh into processor. Puree until smooth. Measure 1 1/2 cups puree (reserve remaining puree for another use).

Place shrimp, 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, and 3 smashed garlic cloves in large reseal-able plastic bag; turn to coat. Chill 2 to 3 hours, turning bag occasionally.

Stir cornmeal, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl. Add shrimp; toss. Arrange in single layer on large plate.

Preheat oven to 200°F. Bring broth to simmer in heavy small saucepan; reduce heat to low and keep hot. Heat remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until beginning to brown, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add chopped garlic and 2 teaspoons thyme; stir 1 minute. Add rice and stir 1 minute. Add wine; stir until almost absorbed, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 cup hot broth and cook until almost all liquid is absorbed, stirring often. Continue adding hot broth 1 cup at a time and stirring frequently until rice is almost tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, add enough vegetable oil to heavy large skillet to reach depth of 1/4 inch. Heat oil over high heat. Working in 2 batches, fry shrimp until golden brown and cooked through, about 1 1/2 minutes per side. Transfer to paper-towel-lined baking sheet and place in oven to keep warm.

Re-warm reserved 1 1/2 cups squash puree in microwave. Add warm puree to risotto and stir until rice is tender but still firm, about 2 minutes. Stir in Parmesan cheese and remaining 2 teaspoons thyme. Season with salt and pepper.

Divide risotto among bowls. Top with shrimp and serve.

See the recipe...

Lemon and Garlic Prawn Pasta

Thank goodness! It has been so long since we've had any new pasta for dinner, I was beginning to worry if I'd ever have anything to submit to the lovely Ruth! But here it is, from Donna Hay Magazine, my entry to Presto Pasta Night #30!!! Yay!!! (I remember being really frightened of turning 30, but PPN seems to be taking it in stride! Go Ruth!!)

Now, I've only been acquainted with all things Donna Hay since April of this year. I now have a couple of her books, and all of her magazines that have come out since. What I find interesting about her magazines is this: I feel like they are a secret weapon. Why? Well, because her magazines come out based on Australia's seasons... which are of course different from those had in the US... so I have to sit on them a few months before they're entirely applicable... so I have this stash of Future Recipes, seasonal and delicious, and all I have to do is wait! Yes, its an arsenal we all have access to... but... still.

Sure, I overcooked the pasta. It's been so long since we've had any pasta in the OPF Household, that I just wasn't thinking about the proper pasta timing. Considering how flavorful the rest of it was, the squishy pasta was easily overlooked. At least this time. ;)

I also forgot to add the garlic at the right time... I tossed it in at the same time I added the broth. The sauce didn't seem hurt by it, but I'll try it the right way next time and see which I like better. (Or if it makes that much of a difference.)

Mistakes aside, we loved this. LOVED this. It made a delightful dinner and a totally snazzy lunch the next day. We mostly get by with sandwiches for lunch, you know how it is, so its always really nice to have a warm, yummy lunch. Can't help but feel special.

Lemon and Garlic Prawn Pasta
Donna Hay Magazine, Issue 31

14 oz angel hair pasta
1 ¾ oz unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic, crushed
14 oz prawns or ginormous shrimp
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup fish stock
2 tablespoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ cup chopped green onions
1 cup basil leaves
shaved parmesan cheese to serve

Cook the pasta in a large saucepan of salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes or until al dente. Drain and return to the saucepan.

Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Add the butter, garlic, prawns, salt and pepper and cook for 1 minute. Add the stock and cook for a further 2 minutes or until the prawns are cooked through. Add the prawn mixture to the pasta with the lemon zest and juice, green onions and basil and toss to coat.

Top with the parmesan to serve.

Serves 4.

See the recipe...

Shrimp and Celery Salad

I made this salad specifically for us to take to work for lunch. And we did. However.

Once made, what happened is this: I daydreamed about parties. I'm not sure why, and maybe it's just me, or maybe it was just the parties I went to, but shrimp, celery, and curry powder in combination = party to me. Much in the same way pizza combos = the pool. And with the combo association, I have a hard time eating them at any other point.. they were just the go-to snack.

Could also be that my grandma was in both the neighborhood sewing and gardening clubs, so we always had old ladies over... maybe thats what old ladies eat at get-togethers? :)

Whatever my taste memories mean, this salad was super easy to make, and I can see it also being tasty in a nice roll, in a lettuce wrap, in a croissant... and super excellent for a PARTY!

One piece of advice... don't use all the sauce like I did. Or use extra shrimp. I found the mix to be a bit gloppy.

I will say, too, that this maybe didn't feel very much like an actual meal, so its good I had it for lunch. I think I would have then been on the hunt for second dinner.

Shrimp and Celery Salad
From: The South Beach Diet Quick and Easy Cookbook: 200 Delicious Recipes Ready in 30 Minutes or Less

½ cup reduced-fat sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime zest
1 ½ teaspoons curry powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 ½ pounds peeled, deveined, and cooked medium fresh or frozen shrimp (thaw if frozen)
4 large celery stalks, thinly sliced
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and thinly sliced

Whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, lime zest, curry powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add shrimp, celery, and cucumber, toss gently to coat. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 4 (1 ½ cup) servings.

Per serving: 330 cals, 17 g fat, 4.5 sat fat, 37 g protein, 6 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 670 mg sodium

See the recipe...

Cucumber Soup with Grilled Shrimp and Basil

Yowza, its hot. Hot outside and hot inside. Our air conditioning is on the fritz. (again) I've had to be a little fussy at our leasing office, so hopefully it will be completely repaired this afternoon.

In the meantime, I have the perfect dinner to combat the heat and pretend I'm at the spa. Cold cucumber soup (that only requires a blender to prepare) topped with grilled shrimp. Our CSA delivery last week had some beautiful cucumbers included, and I wanted to try something a little more fun with them, rather than slice them into a salad. I did the shrimp in a pan on the stove, and I squeezed the almost-spent limes from the soup on top. I also used greek yogurt for the first time, and I'm smitten. Its so thick and tasty!

The recipe claims to serve 4, but it made about 2.5 servings for us. Would make an excellent starter, but I was really happy letting it stand on its own. Feel free to do as I did and use basil instead of dill (unless you prefer dill, of course!)

Just a little something about the cookbook: I cannot rave enough about how great the South Beach: Taste of Summer cookbook is. If you enjoy the Quick and Easy book, you will love this one, too. The recipes aren't complicated, the ingredients are always fresh and delicious, and super-good for you, to boot. What I love about it, too, is that nothing in this book looks or tastes like you are on a diet - which takes the stress out of dieting.

Be like me and beat the heat with some fresh and re-freshing cucumbers!

Cucumber Soup with Grilled Shrimp and Basil
Adapted from: The South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook
http://www.amazon.com/South-Beach-Taste-Summer-Cookbook/dp/1594864454/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-6815521-7348005?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181262545&sr=8-1

2 large cucumbers, peeled and roughly chopped
¾ cup cold water
1 cup low-fat or nonfat plain yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup chopped fresh basil

In a blender, combine cucumbers and water; puree for 30 seconds. Add yogurt, lime juice, salt and pepper; puree until smooth.

Lightly coat a grill or grill pan with cooking spray and heat to medium-high. Grill shrimp just until pink, about 1 minute per side.

Divide soup among 4 bowls, top with shrimp and basil, and serve.

Makes 4 (1 cup) servings.

Nutritional stuff per serving: 140 calories, 2.5 fat, 1 g sat. fat, 19 g protein, 9 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 300 mg sodium

See the recipe...

Chili Shrimp and Coconut Risotto

I tell ya, chili and coconut are friends. Good friends. And I especially enjoy when shrimp is invited to their party.

This is one of the recipes saved in the Great Recipe Cull of a month or so ago. It makes me smile that it was pulled from a magazine in 2002. Ah, memories.

I am so glad I learned how great Thai red chili paste is. I eventually found it in a jar, rather than a can (so I can save it in the fridge), and I just love the heat it provides. Nothing drastic, but enough to make your nose run and the back of your neck sweat. Its not the same fire you get with buffalo wings, and for that, I am grateful!

One edit I think this recipe could use... more scallions. It asked for one, I used two, and I felt like it got lost in the rice. Next time, I'll probably go with at least 4. Oh, and in case anyone is counting, I used "lite" coconut milk. I try to save calories where I can - especially since we followed dinner with angel food cake alongside that blueberry-pie-ice-cream!

Chili Shrimp and Coconut Risotto
Real Simple Magazine, September 2002
http://food.realsimple.com/realsimple/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=524272

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 tablespoons chili paste

1 14-ounce can coconut milk

4 cups cooked jasmine rice

1 cup bean sprouts1 scallion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Fresh basil leaves for garnish

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the shrimp, garlic, and salt and cook until the shrimp is pink and just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove the shrimp and set aside.

Add the chili paste and coconut milk to the pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add the rice, bean sprouts, scallion, lime juice, and shrimp and cook until heated through, 3 to 4 minutes. Serve garnished with basil leaves.

See the recipe...

Succotash with Shrimp

I love the color in this dish - the greens of the zucchini and edamame, the yellow of the corn, the red of the tomatoes, and the orange of the shrimp - I really feel like this healthy dinner is something you can feel happy about eating and serving. I'd say that it could serve four if you had some bread to go with it (which is what we did).

This recipe is from Fitness Magazine. I decided recently that I get way too many magazines, and of all of them, I'd keep the cooking mags over the fitness ones, but with recipes like this, they aren't going anywhere!!

I sub out edamame for lima beans, and I swapped out shrimp for the scallops. Go with what you like, and you can't go wrong.


Succotash with Shrimp
Adapted from recipe in Fitness Magazine
http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/fitness/story.jhtml?storyid=/templatedata/fitness/story/data/1169224538664.xml&catref=ftn20&page=3

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 cups frozen corn kernels, defrosted
10-ounce package frozen edamame
1 medium zucchini (about 1/2 pound), quartered lengthwise and sliced
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 pound shrimp
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

To make succotash, heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion and let cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Stir in corn, edamame, zucchini, and tomatoes; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.

In the meantime, pat the shrimp dry and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spray a large nonstick skillet or grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook until opaque, 5 to 6 minutes, turning once.

Stir vinegar and basil into the succotash, season with salt and pepper, and serve topped with grilled shrimp.

Per serving: 362 calories, 34g protein, 49g carbohydrate, 5g fat (1g saturated), 9g fiber

See the recipe...

Seis de Mayo

Because May 5th is Grandpa Day at my house, we celebrate Cinco de Mayo on the 6th instead. I asked Dave to pick something else out of the Dona Tomas book, and I even tried the other version of rice, and I made beans from the book. (Pie is coming later this evening).

Again, this is a somewhat time-consuming meal, but also well worth it. I'm coming to decide that this might be my favorite book of the moment (I do have an un-read stack of them, though). So, either go out and get it, or enter HHDD #12 for a chance to win your very own!

We'll have the leftovers tomorrow night for dinner, but I couldn't help but think that this would have been the perfect meal for company. I was able to get most of the prep done before noon (I've been having trouble sleeping past 7 AM; its made me exceedingly productive on weekends!), and because there were such fun toppings for the beans, it made for a really pretty table. Enjoy!

Note: The achiote paste was a really tricky thing for me to find. Don't do what I did and pop into your local chain grocery and expect to find it (unless your shop is cool like that). Skip right to the International Food Store, and go to their spices section. Took me two days to find it, and I was so excited to actually see it in real life, I bought three. :) Also worth noting, you could make it yourself, from allrecipes.com, but you'd still need strange ingredients.

Note: 5/7 - If you know you're going to have leftovers, try to reserve some aioli for the future meal. I reheated the shrimp in the oven, to try to maintain some crunchiness, and we ended up spooning the aioli onto each taco as we went. Also, the shrimp/lime/cilantro party is really great without the tortilla.

Arroz Achiote (Achiote Rice)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky

Achiote Marinade:
Makes ¾ cup (enough for 3 batches of rice)
2 ounces achiote paste
½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (or ¼ cup orange juice and ¼ cup lime juice)
2 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 pinch allspice
1 clove garlic, chopped

Rice:
2 tablespoons canola oil
½ white onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
1 ½ cups medium- or long-grain white rice
2 ¾ cups water
2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt

To prepare the marinade, combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until well mixed. The marinade can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, just be certain to remix with a whisk before using.

Place a saucepan over high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion, decrease the heat to medium, and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until translucent. Add the rice and continue to sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the grains are well coated with oil and begin to slightly brown.

Add the water, salt and ¼ cup of the marinade and increase the heat to high. Bring to a boil, then decrease the heat to medium. Cover and gently simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is fork tender. Fluff the rice with a fork before serving.

Serves 4 to 6.
Frijoles Con Todo (Pinto Beans with Everything)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky

2 cups pinto beans, picked over, rinsed and drained
About 3 tablespoons kosher salt
2 avocados, cut into ¾-inch dice
2 heirloom or vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into 1/3-inch dice
½ red onion, cut into ¼-inch dice
¼ lb queso Oaxaca, shredded
2 serrano chiles, minced
½ bunch cilantro, stemmed and chopped

Place the beans in a heavy-duty saucepan and cover with cold water so that the waterline is about 3 inches above the beans. (The traditional method would be to cook the beans in an olla or earthenware pot, but any ceramic or heavy-duty stainless steel saucepan, preferably with a copper-bottom will do.)

Bring the beans to a boil over high heat, then decrease the heat to medium and add the salt. Simmer for 2 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally to ensure they aren’t sticking to the bottom, until the beans are tender. Add more hot water from time to time to keep the beans fully submerged.

Stop adding water after 2 to 3 hours, when the beans seem close to becoming tender all the way through. The liquid at this point should be somewhat milky and cloudy and will start to thicken with the starch from the beans. You’ll want the water to slowly reduce until its just covering the beans when they’re perfectly tender.

Adjust the seasoning with salt as necessary. Ladle the beans and broth into each bowl and top with healthy portions of the avocado, tomatoes, onion, cheese, chiles, and cilantro right before serving.

Serves 4.Tacos de Camarones Fritos (Batter-fried Shrimp Tacos with Chile de Arbol Aioli)
From Dona Tomas: Discovering Authentic Mexican Cooking, by Thomas Schnetz and Dona Savitsky

Chile de Arbol Aioli:
1 dried chile de arbol
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeno chile
2 ½ teaspoons cider vinegar
3 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons water
1 egg yolk
¾ cup canola oil
About 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Batter:
1 cup flour
1 cup water
1 egg

3 cups canola oil
2 pounds shrimp (21/25 count), peeled, deveined, and split lengthwise
Kosher salt

16 (5 inch) fresh corn tortillas
¼ bunch cilantro sprigs
1 lime, cut into 4 wedges

The aioli can be prepared well ahead of time. Place a dry skillet over medium heat. Add the chile and toast for about 1 minute, pressing it into the pan and turning occasionally with tongs to prevent burning, until lightly browned. While the chile is still hot, remove the stem and submerge in a bowl of hot water for 30 minutes to rehydrate. Drain the chile and transfer to a blender. Add the garlic, jalapeno, vinegar, sugar, and 2 to 3 tablespoons of water and puree for about 1 minute, until liquefied.

Add the yolk to the blender and turn the motor on low speed. Carefully remove the lid and add the oil in a slow, steady stream so it forms an emulsion with the yolk and the chile puree. If the mixture is too thick ad won’t blend well with the oil, add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of water, then resume adding the oil. If you add the oil too quickly the sauce will not emulsify and you’ll have to start over.

The final aioli should have the consistency of thin mayonnaise with a speckled red color. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the 2 teaspoons salt, using more or less to taste. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

To prepare the batter, sift the flour into a large bowl. Add the water and egg and briskly whisk together until all the lumps have dissipated. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, then stir briefly before using.

Pour the oil into a skillet to a depth of ¾ inch, and place over high heat for about 5 to 10 minutes (depending on your skillet and stove), until it reaches 350°F. Test the oil by dropping in a drip of batter; it should begin frying as soon as it hits the oil. Working in 3 batches, dredge the shrimp in the batter, then carefully place in the oil. Fry for 1 ½ to 2 minutes, until golden brown and crispy (the crispy texture is imperative as you don’t want the shrimp to become soggy when tossed with the aioli). Transfer the shrimp to paper towels to drain.

Once all the shrimp are fried and drained, toss them with a few pinches of salt and about ¾ cup of the aioli to lightly coat. Adjust the consistency, heat, and flavor with more aioli if necessary.

Place a skillet or griddle over medium heat. Working in batches as necessary, warm both sides of the tortillas in the skillet. Place them in stacks of 2 on individual plates or a platter, so that each taco ends up with a double layer of tortilla. Evenly divide the shrimp among the 8 stacks. Top each taco with 4 to 5 cilantro sprigs and serve at once with the lime wedges.

Serves 4.

See the recipe...

Summer on the Eve of Flurries

Why is it that when it was actually winter, I hated the cold - but now that its a weird cold spell in April, I'm really digging it?

You'd never know it wasn't the middle of summer after the dinner we just had. All it needed, really, was a side of juicy hamburger and fries.... or maybe a nice potato salad.

Went really well with a nice, cold beer. I'll have to file this away and bring it out for the next bbq we go to. (hint hint!)

Found in and adapted from Vegetarian Times (Thanks go to Lori P. for letting me ogle her magazine!)

Chopped Black Bean and Avocado Salad (With Shrimp)

Serves 4, 30 minutes or fewer

2 tbs. lemon juice

1 tbs. whole-grain mustard

2 tbs. olive oil

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained

1 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed

2 avocado, diced

1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper

1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

1/2 cup diced celery

2 green onions, trimmed and thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)

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

Whisk together lemon juice and mustard in large bowl. Add oil, and whisk until smooth. Add all remaining ingredients, and gently toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

See the recipe...