Friday Fish Story: Citrus Crispy Shrimp

I am a rigid kind of person when it comes to Fridays. I love my Fish on Friday. It's just something I "need" to do. It had to have come from my upbringing, but now I rarely go a Friday without Fish of one type or another. Hey, it's good for my Brain!!! Let's go with that!  Enjoy this one Guys! It's sooo good and soo easy! Have a Great Weekend!

Citrus Crispy Shrimp

1 lb Shrimp

1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Marinade:

1 Lemon Zested and Juiced

1 Orange zested and Juiced

1/4 cup Olive Oil

2 tbsp Mrs Dash (Green Top)

2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley

Salt and Pepper

Yellow Rice (Uncle Bens)

1 tbsp chopped Green Pepper

1 tbsp chopped Green Onion

1 Tbsp Parsley

In a Rice Cooker, Add Rice, Pepper and Onion.

Cook Rice to Package Directions.

When rice is ready to serve add Parsley and stir it through.

In a Zip top bag place Shrimp and all Marinade

components. .

Marinate shrimp for 15 mins on counter top.

Heat Saute Pan on high heat.

Pour in 3 - 4 Tbsp of the Marinade

(enough to cover pan bottom)

1/2 tsp Red Crushed Pepper.

When Marinade is warm add Shrimp to Pan and Saute until Shrimp is Pink and non-translucent.:

Serve Shrimp over Yellow Rice

Remember if You Love it <Pin it> and Share it with Your Friends! They will too!

A Perfect Friday Meal: Caldeirada Bacalhau (Codfish Stew)

Friday's of my childhood were always Fish Fridays. Well into my adulthood I kept with the tradition. I love Fish on Fridays for whatever reason. Maybe because it's what I'm used to but if it's Friday and I'm not eating fish, it's just doesn't seem like Friday.

Portuguese Codfish Stew

Ingredients:

1lb to 1.5 lb Salted Cod 

*I used the boxed kind, but your Seafood guy may have something else. Now, if you;d like to use a sturdy "white" fish (haddock, tilapia etc...that works too, just add salt to the broth to accommodate)

*2 Nights before preparing the dish: Take Cod from it's packaging and place in a shallow dish that give it room (not too tight fitting. 

Add enough water to the dish to completely submerge the fish.

Soak the fish for 2 days. (changing water at least twice per day. I do it 3 times, but I don't work outside the home)

On the day of prep : drain the water from the fish if the water is still cloudy rinse the fish again, and soak it until ready to prepare.

Remaining Ingredients:

Olive Oil (for bottom of the pan)

1 Small Onion (diced small)

1 Large Onion (preferably spanish onion) Sliced in "strands"

(Cut the onion in half, then slice the onion in slices and separate the pieces into strands)

3 cloves Garlic (chopped finely) (or 2 tbsp already chopped garlic)

2 tbsp Red Pepper

 (I use Pimenta Moida or wet crushed red pepper. You can use 1 tbsp dry pepper flakes if it's what you have)  

1/4 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 tsp Paprika (I use "Saffroa" in the same amount)

2 (10oz) Cans of Diced Tomatoes

1 cup White Wine

1 cup Seafood Stock (may substitute 4 oz Clam juice and 4 oz water)

2 lbs Potatoes (peeled and sliced)

( I used 3 medium russet potatoes)

1 tsp Parsley

Instructions:

In a large heated Pot, add the olive oil, "diced" Onion, Garlic, Red Pepper and Paprika. Saute until the onion is translucent. Once translucent, add the slices of the Large Onion, the Tomatoes and the Vinegar. Simmer over medium heat until all comes to a boil. Add Wine and Stock, bring to simmer again. 

Taste. Does it need salt, pepper? Anything? If so, add it now.

Add the Potatoes. Arrange evenly around the pot. so it looks like a layer of potatoes floating in the sauce.

Add Cod on top of Potatoes. Be sure there is stock enough to just cover the fish. If not, add water to the stock.

Cover and simmer on medium to medium low heat for 40 mins.

Once potatoes are cooked through, the dish is done.

The Cod should be flaking and ready, add the parsley & stir through. Leave in the covered pot, on a warm stove until ready to serve.

Serve Family Style with Crusty Bread to soak up that seafood juicy goodness.

This is a very traditional dish for Azoreans and very close to my heart. 

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did sharing it with you.

If you have any questions at all, let me know here or on Facebook.

And if you just Love it please Pin it for your friends!

Our Last Dinner of the Year

I always have Lobster Ravioli on New Year's Eve because it is the culmination of a year of Good Eating.
I also believe that it is the start of a blessed meal trend for the year to come.

I normally have Lobster Ravioli with Emeril's Vodka Sauce
and have had it that way for quite a few years. Although, every time I do, I feel that the sauce isn't "the one" for the ravioli.
Now, watching and learning from Food Network, and writing Recipes for cookbooks and the blog, I have learned more about what goes with what. In this case "Lobster". When you think of Lobster, you think about butter, lemon, maybe white wine....something "light". So I got to thinking..what about a White Wine Sauce?
I hunted and hunted...but nothing really hit me. I researched for like a week on and off. Finally it came to me. Ina Gartin does a Champagne Vinegar Bearnaise Sauce. She used it for a steak. I thought, hmmph..maybe to heavy for a Seafood Pasta? Let me make it and see...I have the Vodka sauce on hand , just in case. Let me just tell you...It was Heavenlyyyyyyyyy.

Lobster Ravioli with Seafood Bearnaise.

I am giving you the recipe for the seafood sauce and the instruction for the Lobster preparation.

The Ravioli is Store Bought from a Specialty Store. 

I live in Miami and get mine at an Italian Specialty Store called Doris Market.

 I know in Rhode Island there is a wonderful place on Federal Hill to get it also @ Venda Ravioli.

If you cannot find it near you, Venda does ship.
*Tip:
If you can't find "Lobster" Ravioli, A Frozen Cheese Ravioli would be great!
Just improvise with the sauce. 
Additional Lobster or Crab, Scallops, or Shrimp with the Lobster and now you have a great entree.

I have to explain ahead of time that this is not a shy process. It's not hard, it's just time sensitive. Lobster is very sensitive to overcooking. The sauce can be made ahead of time, but because you are using the butter you poach the lobster in, this is a very quick and timely pace. As long as you have it stepped out in your head, it can be done and done with flair! It is Lobster afterall!

Lets do This!

Start a Pot of Boiling Salted Water (for ravioli)

In a sauce pan add 2 sticks of butter and melt (pan to be big enough to hold the meat from 2 lobster tails)

You will use a lobster tail per person. If you have more people, then you need more lobster. It's that simple. You can use 1/2 a tail per person, but believe me it will not look like it does as pictured.

Lobster Prep

Lay down the lobster tail, with spine facing you. Tail toward you, opening away from you. (Vertically)

Take a knife and split the tail in half straight down the middle vertically opening the tail.

If you cant get it with the knife, just grab ahold of it and slip your fingers under the spine to pull out the meat. Tug, it will come out in one piece. Clean the meat. Remove any black left from the intestinal tract.

Add Ravioli to Boiling Water. Boil for 10-15 minutes or until floating.

Add the Lobster meat to the butter. Poach for 5-7 minutes.

Meanwhile 

Gather Sauce Ingredients and Blender

2 Tblsp Olive Oil

3 Tblsp Shallots chopped

1/2 c Champagne Vinegar (or White Wine vinegar)

1/2 c White Wine (I used champagne, it was new years)

1 Tblsp Tarragon (fresh, this is important)

2 Tblsp lemon juice (fresh, also important)

3 Egg Yolks (extra large)

In a Sauce Pan, Saute Shallots in the Olive Oil until translucent.

Add Vinegar and Wine. Saute until reduced by 1/2, Add Tarragon. Warm through.

In Blender 

Add Eggs, and Shallots mixture combine until smooth.(pulse well, blender top on)

Add lemon.

Combine (pulse, blender top on)

*****Remove Lobster from Poaching Butter, set aside.

Keeping Blender cover intact, Remove center piece of blender cover.

Pour Hot Butter slowly into blender while blender on in whipping mode.

The Hot Butter will cook the eggs, and give the sauce a froth and thickness.

When thick and smooth, Salt and Pepper to taste.

The sauce will have the flavor of the lobster and a touch of lemon :)

Drain Ravioli

Pour into Serving Dish

Pour 3/4 Sauce over Ravioli

Place Lobster on top 

Pour Remaining Sauce over Lobster

Garnish with Lemon and Parsley.

Serve with Side Salad and Crusty Bread

Enjoy!