Batter-Splattered

grilled chicken and shrimp kebabs with lemon and garlic

 

I wanted a super-summery recipe for Friday night and boy, did I ever find it. And not just super-summery, but super-easy too.

You thread some shrimp (deveined but still in the shell) and some chicken tenders onto skewers, drizzle the works with olive oil, lemon juice and peel, minced garlic, and salt and pepper. Let it all soak in. Then throw them on the grill and in minutes I was at the table, half-listening to the husband bitch and moan about having to work too hard because he had to peel the shrimp.

"Why didn't you do this first?... I need more napkins... this is too much work..."

I barely listened I was so busy ripping those shells off and digging in. I did look over at him a time or two to silently critique his shrimp-peeling technique. Or I should say, his lack there-of. He obviously grew up in Idaho where the shrimp are few and far between. Who peels shrimp with a fork?

The original recipe tells you to lay these on a bed of baby lettuces, and it has some side recipes for chipotle aioli and tomato-avocado salsa, which I'm sure are wonderful, but I didn't bother with all that. I just served the kebabs alongside a nice salad of spring greens, peas, blue cheese, and walnuts.

Grilled Shrimp and Chicken with Lemon and Garlic

Serves six

24 uncooked large shrimp, unpeeled, deveined (thawed if frozen)
12 chicken tenders
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon peel
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup olive oil

Thread 4 shrimp on each of 6 metal skewers; place on rimmed baking sheet. Loosely thread 2 chicken tenders on each of 6 metal skewers; place on another rimmed baking sheet. Whisk lemon juice, lemon peel, and garlic in medium bowl; slowly whisk in oil. Season marinade with salt and pepper. Pour marinade over skewers, dividing equally.

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Arrange lettuces on large platter. Grill chicken until cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Grill shrimp until pink on outside and opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side. Remove kebabs from grill and serve. 

Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp Scampi

I had to try this recipe, having seen it several times amongst Epicurious' most popular and most commented upon recipes. I wasn't disappointed. I mostly stuck with the recipe but I added parmesan and a little lemon juice. Used basil instead of parsley. It's quick and easy. Buttery and garlicky with a bit of a spicy kick. Olive oil ... white wine... shrimp ... angel hair pasta ... top it off with some fresh herbs and some parmesan. Serve it with a green salad and a glass of white wine. I wish I had a bowl of it right now but we polished it off in one sitting.

If you wanted to be really decadent, you could add a little heavy cream to the sauce.

Angel Hair Pasta with Shrimp Scampi

Serves 4

1/4 c olive oil

1 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp, raw

3 large cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t dried red pepper flakes

1/2 c dry white wine

1/2 t salt

1/2 t pepper

4 T unsalted butter

1/2 lb angel hair pasta

1/2 c chopped fresh basil or parsley

Grated parmesan cheese

A squeeze of fresh lemon juice is good too

Preparation:

Bring a pot of salted water to boil.

Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat then saute shrimp until just cooked through, 2 -3 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl, leaving behind olive oil. Lower heat just a little and add garlic, pepper flakes, wine, salt and pepper to skillet and cook stirring occasionally for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in shrimp.

When pasta is ready to drain, reserve a cup or so of the boiling water. Drain pasta in a colander. Toss pasta well with shrimp sauce and parsley. Add some of the reserved water if necessary to keep moist. At this point I would recommend stepping away and letting this dish sit for at least 10 minutes to allow the sauce to really soak into the pasta. I had a bowl right away and it wasn't nearly as good as the pasta I twirled around my fork and ate straight from the pot after I put my bowl in the sink.

Crab Cakes and Sweet-and-Sour Cucumbers

That's some late summer, late August, late evening (late, late, late) sunlight filtering through the trees, striping shadows across blades of thick green grass. I just love this time of year. I think it's because I can feel fall and winter nipping at my heels and I know I better look around me and soak up all the summery goodness and greenness before it all turns to red and gold, and then -- gasp! -- to white.

I live less than a mile from the state fairgrounds and the fair is currently in full swing (a harbinger of autumn around these parts if ever there was one) and as I took the grassy photo above, I was smiling at the faint yet sharp sounds of people on carnival rides screaming their hearts out, race cars gunning their engines, an exuberant announcer barking into a microphone...

Here's some more of that lovely light shining into my sloppy kitchen:

It's a kitchen I'll have to be cooking in for a while longer. The house we made an offer on two months ago and thought we would be moving into in two days? The deal is kaput. I called the whole thing off and I'm starting my search afresh. What a disappointing experience. Suffice it to say, I will no longer enter into any deals in which I attempt to purchase big-ticket items from young 20-something men. I've been burned twice now, once on a car near-purchase and now on this house near-purchase. The boys just do not have their shit together.

Tonight as I crossed my threshhold after work I decided I needed a great big dose of late-summer deliciousness. And that got me to thinking about a recent Saturday when I drove under a mountain and through the tunnel (the longest car/train/tourbus/pickup-pulling-a-boat tunnel in North America -- you drive right on the train tracks!) to Whittier for the first time ever. I've lived here for years but never bothered going to Whitter because everyone's always going on and on about what a dump it is. Wind-battered, isolated, desolate ex-military buildings...

Why even bother going , I always thought to myself. Why spend the money on tunnel fare? But a bunch of gals were headed that way to hike a short trail that ends with a perch overlooking a glacier and I thought, well maybe. Then someone mentioned the trail was lined with salmonberry bushes and that clinched it for me. I was off to Whittier.

On the hike, two out-of-towners scampered all over the misty, berry- and moss-carpeted hillsides exclaiming over and over again about how it was all "just like the Lord of the Rings!" and "Frodo would live right there!" Why go all the way to New Zealand? Just come to Whittier! Alas, I forgot my camera and so I have no photos to share.

Maybe it was because I had low expectations but I really loved Whittier, nestled between mountains and Prince WIlliam Sound. Everyone was there for fun, either hopping on or off a cruise ship or taking their own boat out to do some fishing. A party atmosphere, I tell you.

After a good hike -- with nary a salmonberry found, all those bushes were picked clean -- we wandered down into town to look for fish and chips. The little nook of a cafe we ended up at didn't have fish and chips but they did just about everything else. I had some splendidly good crab cakes made with Bering Sea king crab while sitting at a table on the cafe's waterside deck with Prince William Sound stretched out before me, fishermen a few feet away casting, casting, casting and catching, catching, catching silver salmon.

Rambunctious locals took over a nearby pavilion. While standing in line at the cafe counter, a tourist guy pointed towards the pavilion and asked me, "What's that going on over there, do you know?" I could tell he was thinking it was some sort of city-sponsored party that anyone could join.

"Looks like locals getting drunk and lighting big fires," I told him.

He gave me a disbelieving look and turned away. Well. You asked.

But then he asked the proprietor of the cafe the same question. The proprietor glanced outside, winced, and said, "Drunk locals."

I told you so.

The crabcakes were very small and very expensive (about $5 per small cake) and very good. They left me hungering for more. That's what led me to this recipe, Louisiana Deviled Crab Cakes.

I had high hopes that these would be just as good -- dare I say better? -- than the ones I had in Whittier.

And?

I was not disappointed.

Aren't those some pretty crabcakes?? They're crispy on the outside. Soft and tender on the inside with crab, panko crumbs, onion, green pepper, celery and green onions along with a whole lot of cayenne pepper. For dipping, I whipped up a small bowl of my favorite tartar sauce.

Next time I'm going to try making them with salmon instead of crab.

As a side I made some equally good sweet and sour cucumbers with fresh dill. From the sound of the ingredients, I was pretty sure they were going to be tasty but, oh my! Did they ever exceed my expectations. The flavor on them is just amazing. And if I haven't convinced you that you need to make some of these, just go on over to epicurious and read the reviews left by other people who have made them.

I cooked up four crabcakes and as I type, I've already eaten my two. My husband is working late tonight. I gotta tell you, it's all I can do to keep myself in this chair. What I really want to do is run upstairs and scarf down his share, then hide any trace of tasty crabcakes having been cooked tonight, and tuck the cucumbers into the fridge in a spot he's bound not to look -- behind the box of salad greens oughta do the trick. It would serve him right for avoiding leafy greens.

But I can share. Really I can. And I can learn from my mistakes: next time I'm going to double both recipes.

And I wonder: is tomorrow too soon for 'next time'?

Here's my version of the recipe for crab cakes. And farther down is the cucumbers recipe and my recipe for tartar sauce.

Louisiana Deviled Crab Cakes

Makes four crabcakes for two light main course servings

1/4 c finely chopped onion

1/4 c finely chopped green bell pepper

3 T finely chopped celery

3 T unsalted butter

1 large egg

1 T sour cream or mayo

1/2 t dry mustard

1/2 t worcestshire sauce

1/4 - 1/2 t cayenne, depending on how spicy you like things

1/2 t salt

3 T thinly sliced green onions

2/3 c panko bread crumbs

1/2 lb lump crabmeat, picked over

1 T vegetable oil

Garnish with tartar sauce and lemon wedges

Cook onion, bell pepper, and celery in 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetable are soft, about 8 minutes.

In a large bowl, whisk together egg, sour cream, mustard, worcestshire, cayenne, and salt then stir in green onions, cooked vegetables, and 1/4 cup of panko crumbs. Gently stir in crabmeat, then form misture into 4 patties. Dredge cakes in panko crumbs. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes so that cakes will hold together while cooking.

Heat oil and remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same skillet over medium heat until foam subsides. Press cakes in additional panko crumbs if desired. Cook for 8 minutes total, turning once, until golden brown.

Sweet and Sour Cucumbers with Fresh Dill

4 servings

1 English cucumber, unpeeled, thinly sliced

1 t coarse kosher salt

1/4 cup distilled white vinegar

2 T finely chopped fresh dill

1 1/2 T sugar

1/2 pepper

Place cucumber slices in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat and let stand for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, prepare dressing: in a large bowl, stir together vinegar, dill, sugar, and pepper until sugar dissolves.

Drain cucumbers well by pressing between paper towels. Add cucumbers to dressing and stir to blend. Refrigerate at least 15 minutes and up to two hours. Serve cold. These are nice and crisp the first few hours after you make them. After that they soften a bit and become more like bread and butter pickles. I can't decide which way I like them better: crisp or soft.

Tartar Sauce

1/2 c mayonnaise or miracle whip

1 T sweet relish or chopped sweet pickle

1 t minced onion

1 T minced fresh dill

1 t minced fresh parsley

1 t cider vinegar

1/2 t sugar

A dash or two of Tobasco

In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and stir until smooth.

Seared scallops and sausage on a bed of baby greens / baked cheese grits

Something you should know about me: I have a thing for grits. I even like the word. Say it with me now: grits! It sounds so earthy and frugal and homespun.

I never ate them as a kid, in spite of growing up in Mississippi -- it's such a gritsy locale, but we were more of a homemade granola and bran muffin household. I was always intrigued when they were served up at my friends' breakfast tables the morning after rowdy and sleepless sleepovers. I wasn't too sure about them back then. Too runny? Too grainy? Too plain? I couldn't put my finger on it. I just didn't kow what to think of them. I'm making up for lost time now and the latest installment of my grits groove is my version of this recipe for Baked Cheese Grits.

I had a great time in the kitchen the night I cooked this up, barefoot, wooden spoon in hand, the new Pink Martini album playing on the stereo, the sound of rain falling outside the screen door, a glass of good (and thrifty!) wine in my glass, tickling each and every one of my taste buds. For this recipe, you stir the grits in a slow stream into broth, simmer awhile, then add garlic, butter, cheese, salt and pepper. Simmer till thick and then pop it all in the oven where it will puff up, up, and away. It turns a lovely golden brown and comes out looking almost like a really good frittata.

Slices of Tillamook cheddar, diced and ready to get stirred in:

Baked cheese grits straight from the oven:

If you really want a treat, serve a heaping spoonful of these in a bowl of jambalaya -- a recipe for which I'm working on posting in the coming days. That's what I had for a simply heavenly lunch today. The grits are like a dense cornbread, soaking up the jambalaya's broth. How can leftovers be so lovely?

But on this particular night, I needed something to go along with the grits and jambalaya was not yet on the menu. This recipe for scallops came up when I ran a search on epicurious for cajun and creole recipes, my cuisine of choice for the month of July. The results didn't seem too very much like something you'd dine on in Louisiana, but it was decadent and good nonetheless (how can scallops and sausage not be decadent?) and very easy to prepare on a weeknight after work. And look how pretty it turns out:

How could you not want to dig into that? I thought the dressing was a little bland and too heavy on the olive oil, so I tinkered with a few of the ingredients.

Scallops and grits in the same meal? My cup runneth over.

My versions of the recipes are as follows:

Seared Scallops and Sausage on a Bed of Baby Greens

Serves six as an appetizer

1/4 c shallots, chopped

3 T balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 T dijon mustard

1/3 c plus 3 T  olive oil

4.5-ounce bag mixed baby greens

18 sea scallops

6 ounces andouille sausage, chopped into 1/2 inch pieces (or use your favorite sausage instead -- I used kielbasa)

2 T fresh parsley, chopped

Combine first three ingredients in a bowl and gradually whisk in 1/3 c olive oil (adding more or less to suit your taste). Season with salt and pepper. Can be made several hours in advance. Let stand at room temperature and re-whisk before serving.

Heat two tablespoons of remaining olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. Add scallops to skillet and cook until both sides are lightly-browned and juices evaporate and centers are opaque, about two minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet and heat over high heat. Add sausage and saute until browned, for 3 minutes or so. Return scallops to skillet for 30 seconds or so to re-heat.

To serve, nestle scallops and sausage on a bed of baby greens on individual dishes and drizzle with dressing. 

Baked Cheese Grits

Serves four.

3 cups broth

1/2 t salt

1 c yellow grits (not quick or instant)

1/2 stick of unsalted butter

1/4 t pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 c cheddar, grated

2 eggs

1/2 c milk

Bring broth to a boil in a two-quart heavy pot. Pour in grits in a slow stream, stirring constantly. Reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring frequently to avoid sticking, until very thick.

Add butter, salt, pepper, garlic and cheese, stirring until butter and cheese are melted. Lightly beat eggs and milk in a bowl, then stir into grits until well-combined.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees with rack in the center.

Pour grits into an ungreased 4-inch square (2-inches deep) baking dish and bake until set and lightly-browned, about 1 hour. Grits will puff up but won't overflow.   

Shrimp and grits with roasted red bell pepper / roasted cauliflower / cornbread muffins with maple butter

Take it from Mark Twain: "New Orleans food is as delicious as the less criminal forms of sin."

In July, I thought I'd concentrate on cajun- and creole-influenced dishes -- one of my favorite cuisines, having been lucky enough to grow up near New Orleans. Thoroughly original and always bursting with flavor and a spicy hot kick. All you have to do is whisper the words 'stuffed with crawfish' and I'll perk right up, much like a shark sensing a flailing fin (or surfer) from a mile away. This month, I hope to try out plenty of recipes and add quite a few to the must-make-again pile. To kick things off a little early (my enthusiasm, it will not be contained), I spent Sunday evening cooking up a storm. The food gods were smiling on me that night. I couldn't believe my good fortune as I wolfed down savoured a bit of each of these:

Grits with Shrimp and Roasted Red Bell Pepper

Cornbread Muffins with Maple Butter

and

Roasted Cauliflower

Let me give you a word of advice: save a little bowl of leftover shrimp and grits. There won't be many leftovers -- you may have to fight for your little bowl's worth but don't be afraid to thunk someone in the forehead or pull some hair. It will be worth it. Hide it in the fridge for a couple of days, then warm it up and eat without sharing . You'll be glad you did because these get bettter by the day. That's my little bowl's worth up there in the photo at the top of this post.

Garlic and fresh thyme alongside chopped green onions for shrimp and grits

This is the first time I've tried out the recipes for cornbread muffins and cauliflower (both simple and excellent, from the April issues of Bon Appetit and Gourmet, respectively) but I've made the shrimp and grits before -- it's a favorite of mine. Even if you think you don't like grits, I think you'll enjoy these. This recipe has such a full-bodied, complex flavor to it. I think it's the roasted bell pepper that really makes it sing. When there's a baking dish full of this cooling on the stove? I have a hard time keeping my spoon to myself. 

I didn't tinker with these recipes at all -- truly unusual for me. I made a half-recipe of each, and it turned out to be a perfect amount for me and my husband. There's lots of steps involved in preparing all three recipes simultaneously, so if you plan on making this menu (and you should, you really, really should!), tackle it in this order:

Whip up some maple butter and refrigerate. Oh, and if all you have is Log Cabin pancake syrup or the like, instead of grade B maple syrup? Go ahead and use it. I won't tell. That's what I used and it came out fine. Then I scribbled maple syrup on my shopping list.

Maple butter just itching to get smeared on a cornbread muffin

Roast and cool your red bell pepper according to the instructions in the shrimp and grits recipe.

Chop up the ingredients for the grits and peel the shrimp.

Chop and toss your cauliflower, place it in a baking dish and set aside.

Saute up the grits ingredients.

While you wait for the grits to thicken, whip up your cornbread batter and pour into muffin cups.

Muffin cups ready to be filled

Put your grits in a baking dish and press the shrimp into the top. Ready for the oven:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the cauliflower in the oven and roast for ten minutes.

Sprinkle shrimp and grits with cheese and place in oven after the cauliflower has been roasting for ten minutes. Put the cornbread muffins in too.

Remove each from the oven in turn as they finish cooking according to the recipes below. The shrimp and grits will appear to be a little too runny at first -- let them sit for 5 or 10 minutes and they'll thicken up nicely.

I think I included everything. Here are the recipes straight from epicurious, with some of my own photos thrown in for good measure.

Bubbly hot from the oven, sitting on one of my homemade potholders

GRITS WITH SHRIMP AND ROASTED RED BELL PEPPER

2 large red bell peppers

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
1 cup quick-cooking grits
3 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons whipping cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

30 uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
Fresh thyme sprigs

Butter 11x7-inch glass baking dish. Char peppers over gas flame or in broiler until blackened on all sides. Enclose in paper bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel, seed, and coarsely chop peppers.

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, green onions, and chopped thyme. Sauté until onions wilt, about 2 minutes. Add grits and stir 1 minute. Whisk in broth and cream. Simmer until liquid is absorbed and grits are thick and tender, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Whisk in salt, hot pepper sauce, and black pepper. Fold in roasted bell peppers. Spread grits in prepared dish. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)

Preheat oven to 400°F. Press shrimp, on their sides, onto top of grits in single layer. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until grits are heated through, shrimp are just opaque in center, and cheese begins to brown, about 20 minutes. Garnish with thyme sprigs.

Makes 6 main-course servings.

Bon Appétit
September 2002
chef Kevin von Klause
White Dog Cafe, Philadelphia, PA

ROASTED CAULIFLOWER

Blasting cauliflower florets in a hot oven concentrates their natural sweetness, turning them into something akin to vegetable candy.

1 medium head cauliflower (2 1/2 to 3 pounds), cut into 1 1/2-inch-wide florets (8 cups)
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F.

Toss cauliflower with oil and salt in a large bowl. Spread in 1 layer in a large shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) and roast, stirring and turning over occasionally, until tender and golden brown, 25 to 35 minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Gourmet
April 2007

CORNBREAD MUFFINS WITH MAPLE BUTTER 

Maple butter
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (preferably grade B)

Muffins
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, cooled slightly

For maple butter:
Using electric mixer, beat butter in medium bowl until creamy. Gradually beat in maple syrup until well blended and smooth. DO AHEAD Can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and refrigerate.

For muffins:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter 12 regular (1/3-cup) muffin cups. Sift cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt into medium bowl. Whisk buttermilk and egg in another medium bowl; whisk in melted butter. Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients; stir just until incorporated (do not overmix). Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups. Bake muffins until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15 minutes (muffins will be pale). Cool on rack 10 minutes. Serve with maple butter.

Makes 12 muffins.

Bon Appétit
April 2007
Jessica Strand