Malaysian Shrimp Salad

It’s hot here.  Very, very hot here.  Yes, I know that I live in SW Florida and that the summers are really hot but this is hot even by Floridian standards.  Every single day the heat index is up over 105F and that just makes it really challenging when trying to do anything other than lounge in a pool all day!  Gotta give my oldest credit though!  She is still riding and racing BMX even in all this heat…

When I saw this salad on the Weight Watcher site I knew I had to make it.  Minimal heat being used and if you use precooked shrimp no heat being used at all.  Perfect summer food for me!!!  I would have used the fresh mangoes from my Mango tree but unfortunately my dog and possums got all of them faster than I could…

Malaysian Shrimp Salad

Ingredients:

1 pound(s) cooked and chilled shrimp, peeled, coarsely chopped (about 2 cups)  
1 cup(s) mango(es), diced
1 cup(s) cucumber(s), diced 
2 Tbsp mint leaves, fresh, minced 
1 tsp green hot chili pepper(s), serrano-variety, minced (or to taste) I used a jalapeno
1 Tbsp olive oil, extra-virgin
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice 
2 tsp lime zest 
1/2 tsp kosher salt 
1/2 tsp sugar   

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine shrimp, mango, cucumber, mint and pepper.

In another bowl, whisk together oil, lime juice and zest, salt and sugar; toss with shrimp mixture. Yields about 1 cup shrimp salad per serving.

**I thought this was delicious but maybe a little flat tasting…maybe more salt? 

***WW points is 4 based on a 1 cup serving

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Really fast Tilapia in Parchment…

Okay, I could have gotten really fancy there and told you that I made Tilapia en Papilotte, which I did but I really want you to try this and figure this title might not intimidate you and you could see how truly easy this recipe is!

I am submitting this recipe to Marye at The Restless Chipotle who is helping to change the way people think about fast food.  It DOES NOT need to come from a box to be fast food!  To see what she is trying to do and to check out all of the the wonderful entries from her last round of Real Food….. Real Quick up head to her site!

In total I think this took me about 5 minutes to pull together and that included going outside and cutting the herbs for it.

Tilapia in Parchment adapted from and inspired by Heart homecooked

4 Tilapia fillets
4 sprigs each of thyme, oregano (1 sprig of each for each pouch)
1/4 cup packed basil leaves, thinly sliced
8 slices of thinly sliced lemon, 2 for each pouch
4 tsp of butter, 1 tsp for each pouch
coarse salt and ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425F.
• Wash fillets and pat dry with paper towels. Season well with salt and pepper.
• Place fillets on top of cut parchment paper (ehow.com and latimes.com have excellent "en papillote" step by step instructions) and top with butter, lemon wheel and herbs. Seal the pouch and cook for 10 minutes.

***you can skip the butter if you are watching your weight.  I added about 1 tsp of olive oil to mine instead of the butter and it is a 4 Point recipe based on a 6 oz. piece of fish.

 

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Tilapia with Cilantro and Lime

Loved this fish dish and yes I do eat my peas raw…

Cilantro and lime has proven to be one of my favorite flavor combinations. Something about the crispness and freshness of the two flavors together and how they bring something new out in each of them. This quick and easy recipe highlights all of the things I love and just shines on the tilapia!

I stumbled across this recipe but it was used on salmon and seeing as I didn't have any salmon on hand I rummaged through my freezer and came up with 4 tilapia filets. I try to always keep some on hand for a quick and easy week night meal. It worked out perfect for us this time and the tilapia went perfect with the herb and citrus and was on the table in less than 30 minutes. Now that’s my kind of meal!!!

Tilapia with Cilantro and Lime...adapted from One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
4 (6 to 8-oz.) Tilapia fillets (thawed if frozen)
1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

Directions:
1) Combine cilantro, oil, garlic and salt(do not add the lime juice. It will toughen up the fish). Set 2 tablespoons aside.

2) Pour remainder over fish in bowl. Let stand, covered, 10 minutes.

3) Meanwhile, preheat broiler. Spray broiler rack with nonstick cooking spray. Place fish on rack. Brush with 1 tablespoon of marinade. Then broil 4 inches from heat for 7 to 8 minutes, or until fish is no longer translucent and flakes when touched with fork. Brush with remaining tablespoon marinade and top with the lime. Transfer to a serving platter.

As Always…

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

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Shrimp Burgers

I have been in a bit of a cooking slump lately.  Just looking at my past few months post will prove that!  It seems like I have posted very few real meals in there amongst all of the bread and desserts that have been going up!!!  All that is about to change.  Things are definitely looking up!  The girls are done school for the summer and I am as excited as they are!!!

Anyway the other night, while I am getting into break mode I was thinking about meals I have loved.  One of my favorite things ever and have never really thought about making are Shrimp Burgers.  The only time I have ever tasted them was a couple of summers ago when we were on vacation in Beaufort, SC and ate at The Shrimp Shack.  A very, very rustic place owned by the same people that own Gay Fish Company that supplies the shrimp for these burgers.  It’s one of those wait in line, place your order at the window and then wait until they call your name and then find a picnic table to eat at or take it with you! 

 Shrimp Burgers

These burgers are chock full of shrimp and come in very close to what you get at The Shrimp Shack.  I think the only difference is the method of cooking.  Pretty sure they cook theirs in the deep fryer and we don’t own one of those!

What would I change if I next time ( and there will be a next time), absolutely nothing but I will make more.  This recipe made 4 burgers and I would have loved one the next day for lunch.  I think they would be delicious cold…

Shrimp Burgers – Adapted from here

Ingredients:

1 pound shrimp (I used frozen and thawed them but would like to use fresh next time)
2 Tbsp onions or scallions, diced finely 
3 Tbsp celery, diced
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
2 Tbsp red pepper, finely diced
11/2 teaspoons lemon zest
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 cup bread crumbs (or cornbread crumbs)
1 egg, beaten
Salt and pepper, to taste 
Peanut Oil or your choice for pan

Directions:

1. Cook and peel the shrimp, and chop or grind up.

2. In a large bowl mix the shrimp with the onions, parsley, red pepper and lemon zest. Stir in the mayonnaise, bread crumbs and the egg, and beat with a whisk or wooden spoon until evenly distributed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3. Form into patties and saute in oil until both sides are nicely browned. Drain on paper towel. Serve on hamburger buns or choice of bread with lettuce, tomato, and tartar sauce. We used soft rolls and homemade tartar sauce.  Delicious!!!

As Always…

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

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Langostino & Vegetable Pasta Toss

Tonight we have plans to watch a pre-screening of the upcoming movie, Angels & Demons. I'm looking forward to it, thanks to our friends, Megan and Matt. So with evening plans set, dinner had to come together quickly.

Pasta is always a quick meal, especially if you have random ingredients on hand to add in. So for tonight, it was a mix of bow tie pasta, homemade pasta sauce from the freezer, a few veggies & aromatics (baby bella mushrooms, mixed bell pepper slices, garlic & onion), splash of wine, some seasoning and to add a bit of interest, langostinos.


What are langostinos? Some folks think it's a relative of shrimp or even lobster... however the truth is, langostinos are more closely related to hermit crabs. They are small in size, similar to shrimp and they look and taste like a mini lobster tail.I picked up some frozen langostinos from Trader Joe's not too long ago and to jazz up my pasta, I tossed them in.


Not quite a specific recipe tonight, but you can certainly substitute langostinos with shrimp (or lobster!). To serve, simply plate up, garnish with some shredded parmesan cheese and a couple fresh basil leaves.

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Classic Ceviche

For this month's Chef Spotlight Dinner where we are highlighting Chef Rick Bayless, my friend Howard prepared this dish. This was an excellent ceviche where he used salmon.... so refreshing with a pretty pink color and perfect for the summer with an ice cold Corona!

Classic Ceviche
recipe from Rick Bayless

1 pound fresh, skinless snapper, bass, halibut, or other ocean fish fillets, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice
1 medium white onion, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium-large tomatoes (about 1 pound), chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
Fresh hot green chiles (2 to 3 serranos or 1 to 2 jalapenos), stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
1/3 cup chopped cilantro, plus a few leaves for garnish
1/3 cup chopped pitted green olives (manzanillos for a typical Mexican flavor)
1 to 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (optional)
Salt
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice or 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 large or 2 small ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
Tostadas, tortilla chips or saltine crackers, for serving

n a 1 1/2-quart glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the fish, lime juice and onion. Use enough juice to cover the fish and allow it to float freely; too little juice means unevenly "cooked" fish. Cover and refrigerate for about 4 hours, until a cube of fish no longer looks raw when broken open. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, mix together the tomatoes, green chiles, cilantro, olives and optional olive oil. Stir in the fish and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Add the orange juice or sugar. Cover and refrigerate if not serving immediately. Just before serving, gently stir in the diced avocado.

Make Ahead:
Working ahead: The fish may be marinated a day in advance; after about 4 hours, when the fish is "cooked," drain it so that it won’t become too tangy. For the freshest flavor, add the flavorings to the fish no more than a couple of hours before serving.

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My Birthday and lots of crab…

Last weekend was my birthday and one of our great traditions is that the birthday person gets to choose what they want for a meal on the night of their birthday. I’m pretty lucky. T. is an incredible cook. Way better than I am so my birthday is always pretty exciting. This year I wanted something pretty decadent and that I would never order if we went to a restaurant but I also wanted something that the girls would eat too.

My choice this year was Shrimp and Crab Alfred. This was so delicious. Sadly though because I didn't make it I have no idea as to the recipe. Here is the picture though!

After this though we had some leftover crab that I did not want to go to waste. I decided that a quiche would be a great way to use it up. Add in some zucchini that was in my fridge and you have a great looking and easy meal. I was able to make this during the day and T. heated it up as I was at the kick off for the NoFood4You campaign!

Crab and Zucchini Quiche

Ingredients:

• 1 pastry shell (9 inch), partially baked
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons onions, minced
• 1 zucchini grated and squeezed dry
• 1 cup crabmeat
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 1/2 cups Swiss cheese, shredded/divided and tossed with 1 T flour
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup half and half
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• dash white pepper or hot pepper sauce
• dash nutmeg

Directions:

• Have a 9-inch pastry shell partially baked.
• Sauté onions and zucchini until tender, about 4 minutes; mix with crabmeat and flour; set aside.
• Sprinkle 3/4 cup the cheese in the pie shell, then spread with crab mixture.
• Sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup of cheese.
• Beat eggs, cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and parsley until mixed. Pour into shell. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until set and knife comes out clean at 350 degrees.

As Always…

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

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Nakji bokum (Hot octopus salad)

For our Korean Wine & Dine event, my friend Linda prepared this dish. When she told me she would be preparing octopus, I immediately thought of her working with a large octopus that would require a long cooking time. I was so wrong... and Linda used baby octopus for this dish. The result was a super tender octopus and I'm anxious to try making this myself soon!

Nakji bokum
hot octopus salad

1 lb baby octopus (squid can be used as a substitute)
1/2 onion, sliced to make o-rings
2 chilies or jalapenos, sliced on the bias
2 green onions, sliced on the bias
1/4 carrot, slice thinly
1 red or green peppers, sliced in long strips

Sauce:
4 shiitake mushrooms, quartered (optional)
2 1/2 tbsp kochujang (chili paste)
2 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp minced garlic


Wash and rinse octopus, cut the legs into 2”-3" lengths, open head and take out inside, quarter the head. Drain well.
Prepare and mix all ingredients for sauce
Combine final sauce with octopus and marinate for 10 minutes.
Heat pan on a medium high heat, cook for 8-10 minutes or until done.

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Shrimp Scampi

My husband is a big fan of shrimp and it's been awhile since I made a shrimp scampi for dinner. I chose this recipe from Tyler Florence and the only change I made was to add a little basil for extra brightness in the dish.

Shrimp Scampi
recipe adapted from Tyler Florence

1 pound linguini
4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 large shallot, finely diced
5 cloves garlic, sliced
Pinch red pepper flakes, optional
20 large shrimp, about 1 pound, peeled and deveined, tail on
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 lemon, juiced
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
3-5 basil leaves, chiffonaded
shredded parmesan for garnish (optional)

For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the linguini. Stir to make sure the pasta separates; cover. When the water returns to a boil, cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is not quite done. Drain the pasta reserving 1 cup of water.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside and keep warm. Add wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil. When the butter has melted, return the shrimp to the pan along with the parsley, basil and cooked pasta and reserved pasta water. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and garnish with some basil and shredded parmesan. Serve immediately.

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I Love Stone Crab Season!!!

Stone Crab claws are truly one of my favorite seafood meals. I love shrimp, oysters, clams, lobster, and all sorts of fish but there is something truly special about Stone Crab. Maybe it's the fact that you can only get them in the winter months, making you wait all summer long for them?

The season for stone crab runs from October 15 to May 15. It sounds like a fairly long season but they are not always abundant and the market price can really vary!

Stone crabs are also a very sustainable species. When the crabs are harvested only on e of the claws is removed and then the crab is returned to the water. They still have one claw to defend and feed with and the missing claw will grow back with 12 to 24 months to legal size once again. They are caught in traps and and now equipment but bare hands are used to handle the crabs.

I was just searching around for a price per pound on these monsters and came across a special for Large Size 8 Lbs(32-40 Claws) Fresh Florida Claws Shipping Included
$360.00 $320.00 Crazy prices...that equals about $40 a pound!!!!! If you know the right people you are able to get them locally. We got 5 lb for $10 a pound! Not a bad deal at all.


5 pounds was just the right amount for us to. The girls are pros at this by now and are pretty self sufficient as long as they are cracked. This was a nice leisurely meal for us on a lazy Saturday night...

All we do with a pile of stone crab is crack them and serve them with clarified butter for dunking. We ate these cold with some oven roasted french fries and a salad. Love this meal!

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

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Toasted Spaghetti with Clams

The following recipe was prepared during my International Chefs Dinner. You can read about it and check out the other recipes that were made for the event HERE.

Toasted Spaghetti with Clams

shared at the event by Robert

recipe courtesy of Ferran Adria

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3/4 pound spaghetti, broken into 2-inch lengths
2 garlic cloves, minced
Crushed red pepper
3 cups bottled clam broth
1 cup water
3 dozen littleneck clams, rinsed
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley

In a large deep skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the spaghetti and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until golden, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and a large pinch of crushed red pepper and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the clam broth and water and bring to a boil. Cover tightly and cook over moderate heat until the pasta is barely al dente, about 8 minutes. Nestle the clams into the pasta, cover and cook until the pasta is al dente and the clams open, about 7 minutes. Add a few tablespoons of water if the pasta is too dry. Stir in the parsley and serve.

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Kathy's Cannellini Bean Salad with Tuna

Cannellini Bean Salad with Tuna

Now for another great recipe from the Potluck last Friday...wonder how long I can ride this one out???

I loved this salad, so much so that I begged for some of the leftovers so that I could have some for lunch the next day! I think I loved the simplicity of it and how all the flavors were so nicely balanced what with the oil and the lemon. Yumm. I must make some more for lunch tomorrow!

Cannellini Bean Salad with Tuna

Ingedients:

2 cans cannellini beans
2 cans of tuna, drained
4 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tomato, diced small

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together and serve.

Thanks so much for the great recipe Kathy. I will be making this one over and over again!!!

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

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Buckwheat Blini & Smoked Seafood Salad

The following recipe was made for my Food Network Chefs Dinner. You can read about it and get other recipes made for the event HERE.

Not Pictured (sadly):
Buckwheat Blini & Smoked Seafood Salad
shared at the event by Robert
(A Michael Symon recipe, found HERE)

1 cup flour
2/3 cup buckwheat flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons dry yeast
1 cup warm milk
3 tablespoons butter
1 egg, separated
Vegetable oil

ift flours and salt and place in bowl and add yeast. Stir in milk and let rise until it doubles in size. Add butter and egg yolk. Stiffly beat egg whites and fold into the batter. Let stand for 30 minutes. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a hot griddle. Spoon 1 tablespoon batter per blini onto griddle. Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes a side. Place on paper towels while preparing smoked seafood salad.

Smoked Seafood Salad

4 ounces smoked trout
4 ounces smoked mackeral
1 orange, juiced
1 orange, zested
2 teaspoons fresh horseradish
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1 tablespoon sour cream
1 teaspoon olive oil

Skin and flake fish. Whisk orange juice, zest, horseradish, chives, and sour cream. Slowly whisk in oil. Toss with seafood and serve over blinis.

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Chilled Wine Poached Salmon Steaks

The following recipe was made for my Picnic Wine event. You can read more about it and get additional recipes HERE.

Chilled Wine Poached Salmon Steaks
shared at the event by Howard
recipe HERE

4 salmon steaks
1/2 c. dry white wine
4 tbsp. chopped celery leaves
1 onion, sliced
1 lemon, sliced
8 peppercorns
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. salt

Green Mayonnaise Topping:
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/2 c. sour cream
3 tsp. each chopped parsley, capers, & horseradish
1/2 c. cooked spinach, finely chopped & squeezed dry
Salt
2 lemons, halved & scooped out

SALMON: Place salmon steaks side by side in large skillet or pot. Add white wine and water just to cover steaks. Add celery leaves, onion, lemon, peppercorns, bay leaves and salt. Cover and bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer 20 minutes. Cool. Chill in liquid.
MAYONNAISE: Combine ingredients in bowl and season with salt. Chill.
TO SERVE: Carefully remove salmon from liquid with spatula and drain. Place on serving plate. Fill halved lemons with mayonnaise and serve next to steaks. Serves 4. (You may also serve mayonnaise directly on salmon steaks, but it is prettier in lemon halves.)

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Steamed Mussels in White Wine

The following recipe was shared during my French Fare event. You can read and view other recipes from the event HERE.

Steamed Mussels in White Wine
shared at the event by Joelen
recipe HERE

2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 1/2 pounds mussels, cleaned and de-bearded (see companion article linked above)
2 Tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
3-4 whole peppercorns
1 bay leaf
a pinch of thyme
1-2 cups of good-quality white wine

In a large pot over medium heat, melt butter and sauté the onion until just translucent. Add the garlic and sauté just 30 seconds longer.
Turn the flame up to high and add all of the rest of the ingredients to the pot. There should be enough wine to have half an inch covering the bottom. When it comes to a boil, put the lid on tightly. Cook until most of the mussels open, about five minutes.
Take the pot off the burner. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mussels to serving bowls. Discard any shells that did not open.
Let the broth rest a minute to allow the remaining sand and grit to settle to the bottom. Then either carefully ladle the broth over the mussels, or carefully tip the pot to pour the broth into an intermediate vessel. In either case you want to leave the sediment at the bottom. Alternatively you can strain the broth through a cheesecloth-lined colander. The downside to that method is that you loose the tasty onion and herb bits.

Serve with plenty of crusty French bread to sop up the gorgeous liqueur. That’s almost the best part.

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Spinach & Oyster Loaf

The following recipe was prepared for my Chef Spotlight Dinner highlighting New Orleans chefs. You can read about it and get other recipes from the event HERE.

Spinach & Oyster Loaf
shared at the event by Robert
recipe can be found here

1/4 cup butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 cups finely chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
1 cup heavy cream
2 dashes hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt
3 cups fresh breadcrumbs
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup coarsely chopped and drained oyster

Preheat oven to 400°F and butter a loaf pan.
Melt butter in a large skillet, add onions, celery and garlic and cook over medium high heat, stirring until vegetables soften.
Add spinach, cream, hot sauce, nutmeg and salt.
Cook 5 minutes, stirring often.
Remove pan from heat, stir in bread crumbs, eggs and oysters, stirring until well mixed.
Spoon mixture into the prepared loaf pan.
Set pan in a larger baking dish and add about 1 1/2 inchs of boiling water.
Bake 45-50 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

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Seafood Jambalaya

The following recipe was prepared for my Chef Spotlight Dinner highlighting New Orleans chefs. You can read about it and get other recipes from the event HERE.

Seafood Jambalaya
shared at the event by Joelen
inspired by this recipe & adapted from here

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
2 red onions, chopped
5 green onions, chopped
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 bay leaves
1 jalapeño chili, finely chopped with seeds
1 tablespoon Creole Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 pound andouille sausage or hot Italian sausage, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
3/4 pound ham, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 14 1/2-ounce cans chicken broth
1 16-ounce can plum tomatoes, diced, with liquid
3 cups long-grain rice

Melt butter in heavy large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add red onions, 4 green onion, bell pepper, garlic, bay leaves, jalapeño, Creole Seasoning, cayenne pepper and oregano. Cover and cook until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Mix in tomato paste. Add sausage, ham, broth, tomatoes and rice. Bring mixture to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is very tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Garnish with remaining green onion and serve.

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Am I ever lucky to be living here!

Yah, I know I bitch like crazy about the horribly oppressive heat here, but I have to say that after 16 years here it's not that you get used to it (no one gets "used" to 90+ degrees every day) it's that you just learn how to best deal with it. Before I had kids I spent all summer inside. Either my car, my house or my place of work. With kids it's a bit harder but at least we have the pool and plenty of out door water type things to do. This is really not what this post is about so I'll get on with why I am so lucky to be living here...

Check this out!!!

Steamed clams with a garlic, herb sauce...It really doesn't get much fresher or better than this!!!

Yep...more of that great tasting corn!!!

We got these incredible looking clams from my favorite fish market Andy's Island Seafood. Click here to read my post about them! The fish is always excellent and this was no exception. We originally went in to get some fish for T. and I for dinner. The girls were having some friends in to sleep over and we would be ordering pizza for them but we knew that wasn't what we here eating. For our dinner we got 2 Hogfish. But my youngest daughter wanted some clams in the worst way. We left with Hogfish and clams!!!

I didn't get any good pictures of our Hogfish meal as I had a houseful of screaming little girls watching Disney's Camp Rock...It was true chaos!!!

Remember the teeth on the Mangrove Snapper? These are even worse!!!
Now check out the way it's jaw hinges!!! That is one scary fish!!!

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

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Classic Seviche Tostadas

The following recipe was shared at my Chicago Chefs Dinner event. You can read more about it and get additional recipes featured at the event HERE.

Classic Seviche Tostadas

Tostadas de Seviche
shared at the event by John
Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen, pgs 84-85

1 lb. very fresh boneless, skinless, ocean fish fillets

6 to 8 limes
1 large round, ripe tomato, cut into small dice
3 or 4 fresh serrano chiles, stemmed and finely chopped
3 Tbs. finely chopped cilantro leaves, plus several dozen for garnish
1/2 cup finely diced white onion
2 to 3 Tbs. olive oil
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 tsp. sugar (optional)
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
36 crisp tortilla chips

Marinating the fish. Cut the fish into 1/4-inch dice and scoop into a large bowl. Squeeze the juice from the limes, pour it over the fish, and stir well—the cup of juice you get should be enough to generously cover the fish. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, until the pieces of fish are no longer pink and raw looking when broken apart. Drain in a colander, pressing gently on the fish to help remove excess lime juice.

Making 1 1/2 cups Essential Chopped Tomato-Serrano Salsa. In a large bowl, mix together the
tomato, chiles, and cilantro. Scoop the onion into a strainer, rinse under cold water, shake off the excess, then add to the tomato mixture.

Finishing the seviche. Just before serving, mix the drained fish, salsa and enough olive oil to coat everything lightly. Taste and season with salt (and sugar if you’d like to take the edge off the tanginess), then stir in the diced avocado. Spoon a generous tablespoon of the fish mixture onto each tortilla chip. Top with a leaf of cilantro, arrange on a decorative platter and serve.

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Black Gouper and a day at the beach!

Black Grouper served with Mango Salsa!

On Saturday afternoon, after we had finished all of our other errands we were deciding what to have for dinner. I suggested some fish so we went to Andy's Island Seafood (check out this site) in the nearby village (very quaint) of Matlacha (pronounced Matlashay). This is the market that we have been getting all of the snapper (see here). I get my shrimp someplace else because these guys charge more than my other ones! We went in and the first thing that I saw was black grouper. They also had hogfish, mangrove snapper, yellow tail snapper, triple tail and red grouper. Local clams and shrimp as well. This place is always nicely stocked with very, very fresh fish caught by local fisherman!



Anyway the black grouper is one of my favorite all time fish. This time we had decided that we were just going to grill it on a flat iron (season it with salt, pepper and paprika) and then I would make some salsa to go along with it. I made a mango salsa that paired wonderfully with this firm, sweet tasting fish!

Mango Salsa (for seafood)

Ingredients:

1 ripe mango, peeled, pitted and cute into 1/4" cubes
1 ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into 1/4" cubes
1/2 half large onion, chopped
1 lime, juiced
2 tbs cilantro, chopped
2 jalapeños, membrane and seeds removed, chopped
1 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped

Directions:

• Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least and hour to allow the flavors to blend.

The beach at Manasota Key - Crystal clear, shallow, warm water!

Yesterday we decided to have a nice leisurely day at the beach (yes Peter, I did leave the pool...to go to the beach!!! Bahhhhhhhh!!!). The water was crystal clear and nice and warm. The girls spent most of the day snorkeling and finding shark's teeth.

Not a bad weekend at all!!!

As Always...

Happy Entertaining!!!

Judy
www.nofearentertaining.com

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