Christmas Stuffing (Us) from Apple Pie to White Wine

And so, with the passing of the Christmas Season, we are left with... Leftovers, the need to make resolutions, the need to make new resolutions, knowing that the first one isn't going to hold much water or last through the calling of delicious Valentine's treats, or Easter Brunches, and most importantly, the need to physically force ourselves to get up, walk around, get the metabolism working again, and find something healthier to eat.

And boy, did we push the envelope on unhealthy this last weekend.

Christmas Eve, at our house, with lasagna, ham, caesar salad, garlic bread and a whole countertop of dessert offerings...

Christmas Day, with family, with turkey, ham, garlic mash potatoes, green beans, croissant rolls, pecan pie and apple pie... and of course, my trademark shrimp scampi...

Not to mention all the alcohol...  We discovered that Crown Royal is the most popular choce in the family (except the day after, when we realized that we had partaken a wee bit on the excessive side the day before) and that Bacardi 151, even when mixed with any kind of soda, still burns going down. (Well, duh, it is HIGHLY FLAMMABLE...) Ecco Domani Pinot Grigio went well with the meal.  (The most amusing thought with the wine is that I had to open a bottle because I needed some white wine to deglaze the pan, and there was no other type available.)

I also discovered, to my initial delight, a new kind of beer.  I am a huge fan of Shiner, and the many different offerings that they create.  My particular favorite this time of year is their Holiday Cheer, which is brewed with pecans and peaches, yet does not overwhelm with the fruity or nutty flavor.  While at the corner convenience store, looking for some chips to go with Dave's home made salsa, I walked past the clear glass doors of the beer cooler and had to do a double take.  Was it true? A new beer to enjoy? It was called Shiner Smokehouse.  Whatever the reason, Shiner’s new offering is considered “the perfect sommer bier”, and is essentially a Helles Lager with the malt smoked over mesquite wood, in theory lending the beer a smoky flavor.

On first thought, it might seem like a smoky beer would probably be a better fit for a winter seasonal, but built on the base of a Munich lager, Smokehouse is refreshingly light enough that it could indeed be enjoyed on a hot summer day, with plenty of different meats on the barbeque, with a regular sauce to go with it, though it doesn’t necessarily have the same clean and light body that a traditional Munich lager or a light Pilsner might have.  Now please understand: this is the opinion of a regular guy, who just wanted to drink a regular beer.

My personal opinion? There is nothing worse than Shiner Smokehouse for seasonal beers.  It was an extreme letdown.  To me, drinking it was the equivalent of gargling with Liquid Smoke while chewing on a piece of firewood.  The smoky finish is anything but subtle, and MIGHT be good with chicken or sausage or brisket if (and only if) the barbeque sauce is strong enough to overtake the horrid aftertaste of the beer.  I would not be disappointed if this limited offering became a legacy of things past, and never came back.  It was such a letdown for me that I did not finish the first bottle (*gasp* alcohol abuser!!) and I left the rest of it at the house for Randy to try to enjoy. 

Aside from the beer, I thoroughly enjoyed all the food that was put in front of us.  Gastronomic delight? Absolutely.  The true success of the meals came in the simple fact that many people had their hands in the mix, puting their own personal touch in each dish, making the work much lighter.  I can't wait to do it again.  Now... how we will do it better next time?

Until then, Good Eating, Friends...

Colin's Successful Shrimp Scampi

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined

• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 teaspoons minced garlic

• 1/4 cup dry white wine

• 2 teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves 

• 1 cup tomatoes, diced

• 1 tablespoon lemon juice 

• 1 ounce freshly grated parmesan cheese

Directions

Put the shrimp on a large pie pan or plate and pat them completely dry with a paper towel. Arrange the shrimp so they lay flat and are evenly spaced.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the butter to the skillet. When the foaming subsides, crank up the heat to high, and invert the plate of shrimp over the pan so the shrimp fall into the pan all at once. Cook the shrimp, without moving them, for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl.

Return the skillet to the heat and pour in the wine and lemon juice. Boil the liquid until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir the  parsley into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the shrimp, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine.

 

Divide the shrimp among 4 plates over cooked pasta or arrange on a platter and serve.

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

cooking, Martin Yan, Gordon Ramsay, Asian Stir Fry, Chino's Cafe, Chinese Food, Asian Stir Fry

Seafood Recipes

Colin's Successful Shrimp Scampi

 

Ingredients:

 

• 2 pounds jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1 cup tomatoes, diced
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 ounce freshly grated parmesan cheese

 

Directions

 

Put the shrimp on a large pie pan or plate and pat them completely dry with a paper towel. Arrange the shrimp so they lay flat and are evenly spaced.

 

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the butter to the skillet. When the foaming subsides, crank up the heat to high, and invert the plate of shrimp over the pan so the shrimp fall into the pan all at once. Cook the shrimp, without moving them, for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl.

 

Return the skillet to the heat and pour in the wine and lemon juice. Boil the liquid until slightly thickened, about 30 seconds. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Stir the parsley into the sauce. Pour the sauce over the shrimp, season with salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine.

 

Divide the shrimp among 4 plates over cooked pasta or arrange on a platter and serve.

Colin's Drunken Shrimp

 

Ingredients

 

• 1 pound shrimp, shell on
• 4 cups water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 6 to 8 tablespoons Chinese Cooking Wine or sherry
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 slices fresh ginger root

 

Directions

1. Wash shrimp. Remove legs, leaving shells intact; then devein.

2. Boil water and poach shrimp until pink (about 2 minutes); then drain.

3. Combine soy sauce, sherry and salt; pour over shrimp and toss. Let stand 1 hour, turning occasionally. Drain, discarding marinade.

4. Mince ginger root and sprinkle over shrimp. Also sprinkle vinegar over. Let stand 30 minutes more, turning occasionally; then serve.

 

(A blend of balsamic vinegar, sesame oil and garlic makes a perfect dipping sauce for these shrimp.)

 

Crispy Chrysanthemum Fish in Sweet and Sour Sauce

 

Chinese Style

Makes: 4 servings

 

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. firm white fishfillets, such as catfish or Tilapia
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
• 1/8 cup Shaoxing wine
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 3 Tbsps. plum sauce
• 2 Tbsps. light brown sugar, packed
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup minced celery
• 1/4 cup sliced carrots
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/4 cup minced green bell pepper
• vegetable oil for deep-frying
• 1/4 cup cornstarch

 

Cooking:

 

1. Lay one of the fillets on a cutting board with the tail end facing you. Working with a thin-bladed knife and holding the blade parallel to the cutting board, cut through the center of the fillet starting at one of the long sides. Do not cut all the way through the fillet: the idea is to ‘butterfly’ it, so it opens up like a book. Close the fillet back up and cut it crosswise—through the uncut side—into 1/2-inch wide strips. Sprinkle fish filets with salt and pepper. Let stand for 15 minutes.

 

2. Prepare the seasonings: Whisk the ketchup, vinegar, plum sauce, chicken stock, and brown sugar together in a small bowl until well blended.

 

3. Heat a 2-quart saucepan over high heat until hot. Add oil and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the celery, carrot, onion and bell pepper and stir-fry until vegetables begin to soften, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour in the seasonings, bring the sauce to a boil, and then reduce the heat to low to keep the sauce warm.

 

4. Pour enough vegetable oil into the wok to a depth of 3-inches. Heat over medium-high heat to 375 F. Dust the fish strips with cornstarch to coat them lightly and shake gently to remove any excess. Hold one of the fish strips by the uncut end and slowly lower the cut end into the oil. Gently move the fish constantly as you lower it so the cut ends begin to curl. When the ends begin to curl, release the fish into the oil. Repeat with as many of the remaining fish fillets as will fit into the oil without crowding. Cook until golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the fillets with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Repeat with the remaining fillet strips.

 

5. Arrange the fried fillets on a warm platter with the curled ends facing up. Spoon the sauce over the fish and garnish with steamed bok choy. Serve immediately

Black Pepper Shrimp

 

Ingredients:

 

• 2 pounds whole jumbo-size shrimp in their shells, heads left on
• 2 Tablespoons corn oil
• 2 Tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 red hot chili pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 shallots, peeled and minced
• 1/4 cup corn oil
• 1/4 cup rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 Tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper

 

Preparation

1. Remove the tiny feet of each shrimp, leave head and tail on. Then rinse well and paper-towel dry them.

2. Heat oil and saute ginger, garlic, chili pepper, and shallots for one minute then add shrimp and stir-fry for two minutes.

3. Add wine and cover and cook another two minutes, then remove cover and add the salt and pepper and stir for a minute, then serve over rice.

 

Crispy Tea Shrimp

 

Ingredients:

 

• 12 large shrimp
• dash of coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon Chinese cooking wine or sherry
• 1 teaspoon minced green scallion
• 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
• 2 teaspoons white tea leaves, ground fine
• 1 egg
• 3 Tablespoons plain or tapioca flour
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 cup corn oil

 

Preparation:

 

1. Shell and devein the shrimp, then mix them with the salt, rice wine, scallion, ginger, tea leaves, egg, flour, and sesame oil. Let them marinate about ten minutes.

2. Heat oil. Remove a shrimp from the batter mixture and deep fry for one minute. Do not fry more than a few at a time. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until done, and when all are fried, serve.

 

 

 

 *Honey Walnut Prawns

 

 Ingredients:

 

 

• 1 lb of Large Shrimps, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup Walnut
• 5 cups Water
• 1 cup Sugar 
• 2 cups Oil
• 1/2 cup Cornstarch 
• 1/2 cup Egg whites
• 2 Tbs Honey 
• 3 Tbs Mayonnaise 
• 1 Tbs Fresh lemon juice 
• 1/2 Tbs Condensed milk
• 1/2 cup Oil

 

Directions:

 

1. Rinse walnuts, then boil in 5 cups water, continually changing water until clear.

 

2. When clear, boil with sugar until sugar dissolves.

 

 3. Heat 2 cups oil until almost smoking, then deep fry walnuts until they're shiny and brown, no longer golden.

 

4. Place walnuts to cookie sheet, let cool.

 

5. Mix cornstarch and egg whites together to form a thick, sticky texture and mix well with Shrimp. Set aside. Mix honey, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and condensed milk in a medium bowl until smooth.

 

6. Heat oil until boiling, then deep fry the Shrimp until golden brown.

 

7. Drain, then fold in honey mayonnaise mixture. Mix well, sprinkle with walnuts, and arrange on platter

 

   

Enter your email address:


Delivered by FeedBurner

cooking, Martin Yan, Gordon Ramsey, Asian Stir Fry, Chino's Cafe, Chinese Food, Asian Stir Fry