Kung Pao-Style Shrimp with Ramen

·             Ingredients

·                             3 tablespoons vegetable oil

·                             1 pound extra-large (21/25) shrimp, peeled and deveined

·                             1 red bell pepper, cored and sliced thin

·                             ½ cup roasted unsalted peanuts

·                             3 garlic cloves, minced

·                             1 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

·                             1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

·                             3½ cups low-sodium chicken broth

·                             4 (3 oz.) packages ramen noodles, seasoning packets discarded

·                             2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

·                             1 tablespoon rice vinegar

·                             2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

·                             4 scallions, thinly sliced

·             Directions

1.          Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until just smoking.

2.          Add half the shrimp to pan, in a single layer, and cook until spotty brown and edges turn pink, about 1 minute. Transfer to a clean bowl.

3.          Add 1 more tablespoon oil to the skillet, return to high heat, and cook remaining half of the shrimp as directed above, transferring to shrimp bowl when finished.

4.          Add remaining tablespoon oil to skillet and return to medium-high heat until shimmering. Add bell pepper and peanuts; cook until pepper is softened, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl with shrimp.

5.          Add garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes to oil left in skillet and return to medium-high heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

6.          Stir in broth. Break bricks of ramen into small chunks and add to skillet. Bring to simmer and cook, tossing ramen constantly with tongs to separate, until ramen is just tender, but there is still liquid in the pan, about 2 minutes.

7.          Stir in hoisin, vinegar, and sesame oil and continue to simmer until sauce is thickened, about 1 minute.

8.          Stir in shrimp, peppers, and peanuts. Sprinkle with scallions before serving.

·              

·                             Note: The sauce in this dish will seem a bit brothy when finished, but the liquid will be quickly absorbed by the noodles when serving.

Low-Fat New England Clam Chowder

Our tasters preferred the fluffy texture of russet potatoes in this chowder. While both instant potato flakes and potato buds will work here, avoid potato granules, which have a slightly metallic taste.



Serves 6

2 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1/4 cup white wine
2 bay leaves
4 (6.5-ounce) cans chopped clams, drained and juices reserved
3/4 cup instant potato flakes (see note)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 (8-ounce) bottle clam juice
3/4 cup fat-free half-and-half
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
Salt and pepper




1. Cook bacon in Dutch oven over medium-low heat until browned, about 10 minutes. Add onion and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add potatoes, wine, bay leaves, and reserved canned clam juice; increase heat to medium and simmer until potatoes are tender, 10 to 12 minutes.


2. Whisk potato flakes, cornstarch, and bottled clam juice in bowl. Microwave until mixture is thickened and smooth, about 1 minute. Stir potato flake mixture into pot and simmer until thickened, about 3 minutes. Add half-and-half, parsley, and chopped clams to pot and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes (do not let chowder boil or it will curdle). Discard bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Serve.



STEP BY STEP: Chowder Power

FAT-FREE HALF-AND-HALF: For rich flavor and velvety consistency without all the fat, we substituted fat-free half-and-half (which is made from fat-free milk, corn syrup, and thickeners) for the heavy cream.

POTATO FLAKES: Potato flakes thicken this chowder and lend a hearty potato flavor. Microwaving them with a little clam juice ensures that the flakes are fully dissolved in the chowder.
CORNSTARCH: Just 1 tablespoon of cornstarch lent the soup an especially silky and smooth consistency.

Thai Green Curry Mussels

Recipe courtesy Bobby Flay - Food network TV

Serves:
4 appetizer servings or 2 main courses


2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 stalk lemongrass, crushed
3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste
1/2 cup white wine
1 can unsweetened coconut milk
2 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 pounds mussels, debearded and scrubbed
4 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves  and stems
4 tablespoons chopped Thai basil or Italian basil leaves

Heat the oil in a heavy dutch oven until shimmering.

Add the lemongrass, curry paste, wine, coconut milk, fish sauce, and lime juice and bring to a simmer, whisking.

Add the mussels, cover the pot, and let steam until opened.  During the last minute of cooking, add the cilantro and basil.  Serve with freshly cooked rice into individual bowls, discarding the lemongrass.

Fast Fish Tacos

Ingredients

1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp grated lime zest
2 tbsp lime juice
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, evenly divided
1 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper
4 roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeded
2 jalepeno peppers
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 lb skinless halibut fillets, cut into thick strips (you can use any firm-fleshed white fish)
1 tsp paprika
Shredded cabbage, salted for 30+ minutes, rinsed and dried
12 corn tortillas



Combine the sour cream, lime zest, 1 TBSP lime juice, 1/4 cup cilantro and cumin and then season with salt and pepper.
Brush the tomato and pepper with oil and grill on both sides until charred and tender ~2 min/side. Remove the skin from tomatoes, then coarsely chop them with the jalapeno pepper and the remaining cilantro. Place in bowl with 1 TBSP lime juice. Season.
Brush the fish with oil and season. Grill until charred and cooked, ~ 3 min/side, then coaresly chop it into ~1/2" pieces.
Warm the tortillas, then spread each one with the crema.  Add some flaked fish, a little shredded cabbage, spoon some tomato sauce over, serve with remaining crema (and salsa if desired).

Baked Stuffed Mussels

~ 2 lb prepared mussels
1 chorizo
2 slices day old bread
handful fresh parsley leaves, roughly chopped
finely grated parmesan


Make the topping:

Dice the chorizo into tiny cubes. Heat a little oil in a skillet over a medium-low heat and tip in the chorizo. Cook slowly until golden - you want the chorizo to release some of it's lovely paprika colour juices.
Rip the bread and place into a processor - process until finely chopped. Add this to the chorizo and stir well. Cook for a few moments so that it absorbs the cooking juices.
Remove from the heat and place in a bowl. Add in the parsley and parmesan and stir well to combine.

Prepare the mussels:

Rinse the mussels and check to make sure they are all shut. Place a steamer over a pot of boiling water - add one layer of mussels into the steamer and steam just until they begin to open. Remove the mussels as they open. Repeat the process until all the mussels have been steamed open.

Open the cooked mussels - discard the empty half. Loosen the mussel from the shell and place on a tray. They are now ready to be stuffed. Top each mussel with enough filling to cover it completely.

Arrange them on a baking tray and place them is an preheated 160°C oven for about 5 minutes or until they are heated through.

Serve at once with fresh lemon quarters.

** from the Cook (almost) Anything at Least Once blog (http://cookalmostanything.blogspot.com/)

Perfect Shrimp Cocktail

Note: the stock can be saved and used with risotto, stove top rice, or for braising fish steaks. You can purchase a 5-lb block of frozen shrimp, cut it into smaller pieces, and then place the pieces back in the freezer for later use. If you do not have all of the herbs on hand don't let that stop you. The shrimp will turn out just fine.


1 1/2 lbs extra large shrimp (16-20 count), peeled and deveined (the tail portion of the shell can be left on, if desired) and shells reserved
1 tsp salt
1 cup dry white wine
1 small bay leaf
1 large or two medium shallots, coarsely chopped
6 springs parsley
1 sprig fresh tarragon
6 peppercorns
1 TBSP. fresh lemon juice

1. Bring reserved shells, 4 cups water, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes. Strain, pressing on the shells to extract all liquid. Meanwhile, place s shallow baking dish or pie plate in the freezer.

2. Place the shrimp stock in a medium saucepan (the diameter should be at least 8 inches) along with the wine, bay leaf, shallots, parsley, tarragon, peppercorns, and lemon juice, and bring to a boil for two minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the shrimp. Cover and let steep for 10 minutes. Drain and place shrimp onto chilled baking dish, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled. Serve with cocktail sauce (see below).


Cocktail Sauce

Note: Heinz chili sauce works just fine in this recipe.

1 cup chili sauce
2 1/2 tsp to 1 TBSP prepared horseradish, to taste
1 TBSP plus 1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1-2 dashes hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco
Freshly ground pepper

Stir all ingredients together and refrigerate until well chilled. Adjust seasonings and serve with prepared shrimp.

Charcoal-Grilled Shrimp Skewers

Serves 4 as a main course, 6 as an appetizer. From Cooks Illustrated. Published July 1, 2006.

The shrimp and sauce (see related recipes) finish cooking together on the grill, so prepare the sauce ingredients while the coals are heating, then carry them out to the grill with you. To fit all of the shrimp on the cooking grate at once, you’ll need three 14-inch metal skewers. (Wooden skewers will likely burn.) Serve with grilled crusty bread brushed with olive oil as an appetizer; add rice salad or couscous for a main course.


Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds extra-large shrimp (21/25), peeled and deveined, tails left on
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil for brushing skewers
Table salt and ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 recipe Spicy Lemon-Garlic Sauce or Charmoula Sauce
Lemon wedges for serving


Instructions

1. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Thread shrimp onto 3 skewers, alternating direction of heads and tails. Brush both sides of shrimp with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of each skewer with sugar.

2. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal (6 quarts, or about 100 briquettes) and allow to burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thin layer of ash, about 20 minutes. Empty coals into grill; build modified two-level fire by arranging coals to cover one-half of grill, piling them about 3 briquettes high, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, and heat until hot, about 5 minutes; scrape grate clean with grill brush.

3. Set disposable aluminum pie plate with sauce ingredients over hot side of grill and cook, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 1 1/2 minutes; transfer plate to cooler side of grill. Place shrimp skewers, sugared sides down, on hot side of grate; use tongs to push shrimp together on skewer if they have separated. Grill shrimp, uncovered, until lightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip and grill until second side is pink and slightly translucent, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

4. Using potholder or oven mitt, carefully lift each skewer from grill; use tongs to slide shrimp off skewers into pie plate with sauce. Toss shrimp and sauce to combine and transfer pie plate to hot side of grill; cook, stirring, until shrimp are opaque and fully cooked, about 30 seconds. Remove from grill, add remaining sauce ingredients and toss to combine. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately with lemon wedges.

******

Spicy Lemon-Garlic Sauce for Shrimp Skewers

Makes enough to sauce 1 1/2 pounds shrimp.

Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice , from 2 lemons
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/8 teaspoon table salt
Disposable 10-inch aluminum pie plate
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves


Instructions
Combine butter, lemon juice, pepper flakes, garlic, and salt in pan. Cook over hot side of grill, stirring occasionally, until butter melts, about 1 1/2 minutes; transfer to cooler side of grill and proceed to grill shrimp, adding parsley just before serving.

******

Charmoula Sauce for Shrimp Skewers

Ingredients
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red bell pepper , stemmed, seeded, and diced very small (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 small red onion , minced (about 1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/8 teaspoon table salt
Disposable 10-inch aluminum pie plate
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon

Instructions
Combine oil, bell pepper, onion, paprika, cumin, cayenne, garlic, and salt in pan. Cook over hot side of grill, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes (2 or 3 minutes longer if using gas grill); transfer to cooler side of grill and proceed to grill shrimp, adding cilantro and lemon juice just before serving.

Rhode Island Clear-Broth Quahog Chowder

Serves 6 to 8

As with fried chicken or barbecue in the South, the finer points of making clear-broth quahog chowder inspire intense debate among Rhode Islanders. The question of whether it's best to chop, mince, or grind the quahog can prompt arguments so impassioned, a full-blown melee complete with quahogs pinging off foreheads isn't out of the question. Purists insist salt pork is the only acceptable fat. Others thwart tradition and use vegetable oil, bacon, or butter. Varying opinions about the proper size of potato cubes abound. A dash or two of Worcestershire sauce is hailed by some, disdained by others. And in certain quarters, the mere mention of fresh herbs can trigger a level of scorn usually reserved for Yankees fans in this decidedly Red Sox-obsessed state. You decide. — Laurie Jones

Ingredients
10 to 12 quahogs in the shell
1/4 pound salt pork, cut into ½-inch dice
1/2 cup onions, cut into ¼-inch dice
3 pounds all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch dice
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Method

1. Scrub the quahogs and rinse clean under cold running water. Discard any that aren't tightly closed. Put the quahogs in a stockpot and cover with 6 cups of cool water. Bring to a simmer over medium- to medium-high heat. Cover the pot and cook just until the quahogs open, about 8 to 10 minutes. Don't overcook. Immediately remove the quahogs from the pot.

2. When cool enough to touch, remove the cooked quahog meat from the shells and chop it into 1/8-inch dice. Set aside.

3. Cover the stockpot and place over low heat to keep the broth-infused water warm while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

4. In a skillet, cook the salt pork over medium heat until the fat renders and the meat is browned and crisp. Remove and set aside. Add the onions to the skillet and sauté until they're translucent but not colored.

5. When the onions are cooked, scrape them, along with any brown bits stuck to the skillet, into the clam broth. If necessary, deglaze the frying pan with a ladle of broth and then pour the liquid back into the stockpot.

6. Bring the broth to a gentle boil over medium-high heat and add the potatoes. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the salt pork. Season with the pepper and the Worcestershire sauce.

7. Add the cooked quahogs and heat through for a minute. Taste and correct seasonings. Serve immediately. Or, if you prefer, let cool, cover, and refrigerate. Reheat the next day.


adapted from The Providence and Rhode Island Cookbook:Big Recipes from the Smallest State(The Globe Pequot Press, 2006) by Linda Beaulieu