Crab Wonton Wrappers

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Ming Tsai 2004

Secret Shortcut: Store-bought wonton wrappers

"Unless you're my mom, you're probably not going to get [dumpling wrappers] as thin as they should be.

 For less than a buck, you can buy about 100 great-quality wrappers — super-thin and flexible. You can 

steam them, fry them, and they make the best ravioli."

• 1 pound(s) picked, fresh crabmeat
• 1/4 pound(s) cream cheese, softened 
• 1 cup(s) sweet & sour cranberry chutney, plus some for garnish
• 3 tablespoon(s) chopped chives, save 1 tablespoon for garnish
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 package(s) thin square wonton skins, defrosted
• 1 egg, mixed with 2 tablespoons water
• Canola oil for cooking

SWEET & SOUR CRANBERRY CHUTNEY

• Canola oil for cooking
• 2 red onions, cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 2 tablespoon(s) minced lemongrass, white part only
• Kosher salt, to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 2 cup(s) dried cranberries, Craisins preferred, chopped
• 1/2 cup(s) sugar
• 2 cup(s) naturally brewed rice vinegar

Directions

1. In a sauté pan coated lightly with oil over high heat, sauté the onions and lemongrass until soft, about 5 minutes. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and check for flavor.
2. Add Craisins and sugar and deglaze with naturally brewed rice vinegar. Reduce by 75 percent, or until liquid is absorbed. Check again for seasoning.
3. When cool, transfer to a container, cover, and store in fridge for up to two weeks

Crackers as Stuffing

Crackers as stuffing

"Ritz crackers are a great shortcut for lobster stuffing. 

Some chefs typically bake sliced bread, dry it out, and salt,

 but Ritz crackers offer a great quick and easy alternative. At the restaurant people try to guess what's in the stuffing 

and no one ever guesses Ritz crackers!"

• 5 ounce(s) unsalted butter
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 2 clove(s) garlic
• 1 package(s) Ritz crackers
• 6 ounce(s) clean lobster meat
• 2 tablespoon(s) fine herbs (chives, thyme, parsley, tarragon, celery hearts)
• Salt
• Pepper

Shrimp Coconut

THIS RECIPE SURPASSED MY EXPECTATIONS!!!! THE COATING WAS INCREDIBLY CRISPY AND STAYED ON PERFECTLY! IT'S A BIT TEDIOUS BREADING EACH SHRIMP BUT WELL WORTH THE EFFORT IF YOU HAVE THE TIME ONE NIGHT!  I MADE OURS GLUTEN FREE AND USED BETTER BATTER FLOUR IN PLACE OF THE ALL PURPOSE.

1 lb. Raw Shrimp (defrosted, pre-cleaned/peeled)
 1 cup Flour ( I used Better Batter Gluten Free)
 1 cup Cornstarch
 4 tsp. Baking Powder
 Pinch of Salt
 1 tsp. paprika
 1 Cup cold Water (I needed a lot more than a cup-add slowly after the 1c until a thick pancake batter consistency)
 14 ounce bag Shredded and Sweetened Coconut

Mix flour, cornstarch, salt, paprika ad baking powder.  Add water until a thick pancake batter consistency.  Dip shrimp in batter then into the coconut, pressing it on.  I fried these in avocado oil from Chosen Foods.  Sprinkle sea salt on top once both sides are fried golden brown.



 Dip in apricot jam if desired red or orange marmalade with a splash of fresh orange juice-But it was so good that ours required no dipping of any kind!!!
SHRIMP ADAPTED FROM OH, BITE IT
http://www.hugsandcookiesxoxo.com/2013/02/you-know-coconut-shrimp-they-serve-at.html

Spiced Shrimp

1 STICK BUTTER (I USED GRASSFED-THE GOOD STUFF!!!)

2 POUNDS SHRIMP, DESHELLED/DEVEINED (thawed and dried)

SEA SALT, PAPRIKA, PEPPER,GARLIC POWDER, TURMERIC

1 1/2 LEMONS SLICED THINLY

Directions: 
1. Line a baking pan (with sides) with nonstick foil.
2.  Lay the butter on the pan and place in the oven until melted: 3-4 mins.
3. Remove and lay lemon slices on the pan.
4.  Place the shrimp on the lemon slices.  Season with the above spices evenly & generously and then flip and season the other side.
5.  Bake at 350 for 10 mins.  Flip shrimp over and bake another 10 minutes or until fully cooked through.  Serve over pasta or rice using the rest of the lemon/butter sauce in the pan!
http://www.hugsandcookiesxoxo.com/2013/07/scrumptious-shrimp-that-will-knock-your.html

Beer-Battered Baked Cod Recipe

beer-battered baked cod recipe

what you’ll need

makes 4 servings

• 1 cup flour
• ¼ cup cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups panko
• 2 teaspoons dried rosemary
• 1 cup beer
• 4 cod filets
• favorite chips

 let’s do it

• set your oven to broil
• mix flour, cornstarch, salt, ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon paprika and pepper in mixing bowl (large enough to place the fish flat on the bottom–a cookie sheet will work, too)
• scoop 1 cup of flour mixture out of bowl and place in a large bowl; set aside
• mix panko, rosemary, 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, and 1 teaspoon paprika in separate large bowl, set aside
• add ice to beer to make beer cold
• strain beer into flour mixture
• whisk until well blended (add flour or beer if needed to achieve a slightly runnier than pancake batter consistency)
• pat dry cod filets
• dredge cod filets in the reserved 1 cup flour mixture and shake off excess
• dip cod into beer batter
• dunk cod into panko mixture
• place onto greased cookie sheet
• bake 7 minutes and flip fish
• bake 8 more minutes, until panko is golden brown and fish is 155 degrees
• serve with favorite chips   
• BLOGGER SERVES W/ FRESH VEGGIES....homemadeiseasy.

Fish Tacos Spiced with Lettuce Wraps Recipe

spicy fish tacos with lettuce wraps recipe

makes 4 servings

• 4 fillets mahi
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 4 teaspoons cumin
• 4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 2 yellow onions, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, diced
• 4 jalapeños, diced
• 2 limes, halved
• 5 tomatoes, diced
• ¾ cup green olives, diced (save juice from jar)
• 3 tablespoons radishes, julienned
• 1 head leaf lettuce
• pico de gallo

let’s do it

• rinse and pat dry mahi
• mix chili powder, cumin, and cayenne pepper in medium bowl
• rub fish with spices and marinate 3 hours
• preheat oven to 350 degrees
• sauté onions, garlic, and jalapeños
• squeeze lime juice over sauté pan
• pour onion mix into 9″ x 11″ pan, set aside
• dice tomatoes and green olives and add to sauté pan
• cook until soft, then pour over onion mix
• add small amount of liquid from olive can to sauté pan
• sear fish in sauté pan
• place seared fish in 9″ x 11″ pan
• sprinkle radishes over fish
• bake 15 minutes
• slice fish and put 3-4 slices in lettuce leaf
• sprinkle pico de gallo over fish tacos

Grilled Halibut Bites

grilled halibut bites with pesto recipe

what you’ll need

makes 4 dinner servings or about 3 dozen appetizers

• 3 cups fresh basil
• 4 cloves garlic
• ¾ cup parmesan cheese
• ½ cup olive oil
• ¼ cup pine nuts
• ¼ cup white wine
• 4 halibut steaks
• salt and pepper, to taste
• resealable plastic bag
• baby spinach leaves (if making appetizer skewers)
• 36 skewers (if making appetizers)

let’s do it

pesto

• combine basil, garlic, parmesan, olive oil, and pine nuts in a food processor and mix until smooth
• reserve ¼ cup of pesto for later use

marinade

• combine white wine and prepared pesto in a sealed bag and carefully shake to mix
• add halibut steaks
• seal and refrigerate for 1 hour

to cook halibut

• preheat grill to medium-high
• remove halibut from marinade and place on hot grill, drizzling fish with remaining marinade in bag
• sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste
• grill 4-5 minutes per side (fish is done when it’s opaque all the way through

if serving as dinner

• brush steaks with reserved pesto sauce and serve

if serving as appetizer

• cut fish into cubes
• slide fish onto skewer then skewer each end with 1 spinach leaf
• brush with reserved pesto sauce

Seafood Seasoning

ORDER JARS:

http://www.amazon.com/Glass-Herb-Storage-Jar-Hinged/dp/B008D5FXJC/ref=sr_1_17?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1371650552&sr=1-17&keywords=2.5+oz+glass+jars

seafood seasoning

what you’ll need

• 1 ½ teaspoons thyme
• 2 teaspoons shallots
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• 1 teaspoon onion
• 1 teaspoon basil
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
• 2 teaspoons lemon peel
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons chives
• ½ teaspoon dill
• 1 teaspoon orange peel
• spice jar
• CherylStyle grill seasonings label printable (optional)
• printer
• sticker paper
• scissors

let’s do it

• mix ingredients together
• put in spice jar
• download and print printable using Adobe Acrobat
• cut label and put on top of jar
• http://www.cherylstyle.com/showcase/3-salt-free-seasoning-mixes/

Crab Balls

 
Cajun Crab Balls -

1 pound crab meat
1 egg, slightly beaten
4 slices bread, broken into small pieces, crusts removed
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
dash black pepper
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried parsley
paprika
butter

•Combine all ingredients except paprika and butter, roll into 1/2 inch balls, place on greased baking sheet, sprinkle with paprika.
•Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 15 minutes.
•Then turn them over, push an indentation in middle of balls with finger, put dab of butter in indentation, return to oven and bake for 5 more minutes.

Ginger, shrimp and broccoli roasted in parchment paper!

Ginger Shrimp & Broccoli en Papillote

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Servings: 4

Ingredients

~This low fat recipe has less than 30 grams of fat per serving.

Reynolds® Parchment Paper

4 cups broccoli florets

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger

1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

Prep

1. PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Tear off four 15-inch sheets of Reynolds Parchment Paper. Fold each sheet in half and crease it in the center. Unfold.  
2. DIVIDE broccoli evenly on one-half of each sheet near crease.
3. MIX garlic, sesame oil, ginger and soy sauce until well blended. Add shrimp; stir to coat evenly. Divide shrimp evenly among packets.
4. FOLD over other half of each sheet to enclose ingredients. Starting at top corner, make small overlapping folds down entire length of packet to seal edges together. Twist the last fold several times to make a tight seal. Repeat to make 4 packets. Place parchment packets on a large cookie sheet.

Cook

BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes. Place parchment packets on dinner plates. Carefully cut an X in top of each packet to allow steam to escape. Serve immediately.

http://www.reynoldskitchens.com/easy-recipes/recipe-items/ginger-shrimp-broccoli-en-papillote/

BEER BATTERED HALIBUT

BEER BATTER HALIBUT
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt & ½ tsp. black pepper
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
pinch of Old Bay seasoning
12 ounce bottle of COLD beer
.
Whisk everything together until it is very smooth and free of any lumps; cover and let this sit in the fridge for at least 20 minutes (or up to an hour). 
.
In a deep, heavy bottomed pan, preheat cooking oil to 350F. Cut the halibut into 1½ to 2" chunks and roll them in corn starch before dipping into batter. Fry in hot oil until the fish is golden brown. Drain well and keep warm in the oven.

(TWICE FRIED) FRENCH FRIES
For years, I made french fries that were limp, greasy and soggy. We still ate (and enjoyed) them, but they were never, what I would call, "company worthy". Then, this past year, I noticed that several of the shows on the food channel were frying their potatoes twice, so I thought I would give it a try. I was amazed at the difference this pre-cooking step made. If you haven't tried it yet, you will be very pleasantly surprised. As you can see in the above photo, my fries are now "company worthy".
Peel and slice 4 large Russet potatoes into ¼" thick french fries (Alaska potatoes do not work well for this because their water content is too high). Soak the cut potatoes in cold water for half hour (see note). Remove from water and pat dry.
Working in batches, so you don't overcrowd the pot, fry the potatoes in 325F cooking oil for two or three minutes, or just until they turn pale and a little limp. Remove from the oil and drain well on paper towels and cool the potatoes to room temperature. Make sure you let the oil heat back up to 325F between batches in this first-cook step.
For the second-fry, increase the cooking oil temperature to 375F and fry the potatoes again, this time for about 2-3 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on fresh paper towels and salt immediately.
NOTE: Most cooking shows call for frying in peanut oil, which I never seem to have. I fry in canola oil, but any good cooking oil would work well.
NOTE: If you don't have the time to soak the cut, raw potatoes in cold water, don't worry about it. This step does help, but it is not absolutely necessary.

Crab Cakes Faux Recipe

For those of you not familiar with surimi, it is made from Alaska cod fish and seasoned to taste like crab. It comes in 16 ounce pouches in the fresh meat isle. Make sure it says "flake style" and "crab flavored".

In a large bowl, mix:
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
16 ounce pouch crab flavored surimi (flake style)
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs 


Put the surimi in your food processor and pulse it two or three short blasts (until it "flakes" like crab meat). Set aside.

Whisk the first seven ingredients in a bowl until very smooth then add the bread crumbs and flaked surimi. Mix well with hands. Cover and refrigerate until ready to cook (or at least half an hour).

If you are making larger sandwiches, form into 4 large patties (working on waxed paper). Rinse your hands once in a while because the crab cakes are easier to form and work with if your hands are wet/damp.
In a large frying pan, or electric skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon vegetable oil. Fry patties until they are golden brown.
NOTE: These are also very good, in a smaller version, served with tartar sauce and lemon.
http://coleensrecipes.blogspot.com/search/label/SEAFOOD%20RECIPES

Oysters with Apple-Ginger Mignonette

http://www.marthastewart.com/326560/chilled-oysters-with-apple-ginger-mignon

Chilled Oysters with Apple-Ginger Mignonette

 

Martha Stewart Living, November 2010

• Yield Serves 12

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon cider vinegar (preferably unfiltered, such as Bragg Organic, organicdirect.com)
• 2 tablespoons minced shallot
• 1/2 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger
• 1 cup very finely chopped sweet apple, such as Crispin, Fuji, or Golden Delicious
• 2 dozen freshly shucked oysters on the half shell

Directions

1. Stir together cider vinegar, shallot, and ginger. Let stand for 10 minutes. Stir in apple. Top each oyster with 1/2 teaspoon mignonette just before serving.
   

 

http://www.marthastewart.com/316637/oysters-with-champagne-tarragon-mignonet

Oysters with Champagne-Tarragon Mignonette

• YIELDMakes 1 dozen

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon very finely chopped shallot
• Pinch of coarse salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 dozen fresh oysters, scrubbed, shucked, and left on the half shell

DIRECTIONS

1. STEP 1Stir vinegar, shallot, salt, and tarragon in a small bowl. Arrange oysters on a bed of crushed ice. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon mignonette over each, and serv