Pan Seared Scallops with Herb Butter Sauce (serves 2-3 people with 3 scallops each)

              For the scallops:
1 lb. dry large sea scallops
1 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

                For the sauce: 

3 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into six  pieces
2 Tbs. finely diced shallot (1 medium shallot)
1/4 cup dry white vermouth or dry white wine
1/4 cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley and chives
1/4 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 lemon wedges for serving

Tip: Be sure to have all your ingredients prepped for the sauce (shallots diced, herbs chopped) before you begin searing the scallops

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Remove the tough abductor muscle from the side of each scallop (some scallops are sold with the muscle already removed). If you feel any grit on the scallops, rinse them under cold water. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels; surface moisture impedes browning.

Heat a 10- or 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the oil and butter, if using, and heat until quite hot. Pat the scallops dry once more and put them in the pan in a single, uncrowded layer. Season with salt and pepper and let sear undisturbed until one side is browned and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes. Using tongs, turn the scallops and sear until the second side is well browned and the scallops are almost firm to the touch, 2 to 4 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, transfer the scallops to a plate, and set them in a warm spot. Let the pan cool for a minute before you make the sauce.

Return the pan to medium heat. Add a piece of the butter (1/2 Tbs.) and the shallots and sauté until the shallots begin to soften, about 1 minute. Add the vermouth or wine and simmer until reduced by about half, another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the herbs and lemon zest. Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining butter, and whisk constantly until the butter melts into the sauce. Return the scallops and any accumulated juices to the pan. Gently roll the scallops in the sauce to warm them through. Taste for salt and pepper and serve immediately with lemon wedges on the side to squeeze over the scallops.

Served this over herbed rice.

****Thank you Molly Stevens from Fine Cooking for the recipe****

Ginger Glazed Mahi-Mahi

Ixtapa Senior Citizen Commune

Ginger Glazed Mahi-Mahi

Serves 4

Ingredients

3 tablespoons honey

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root

1 clove garlic, crushed or to taste

4 (6 ounce) mahi mahi fillets

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

In a shallow glass dish, stir together the honey, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, garlic and olive oil. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, and place them into the dish. If the fillets have skin on them, place them skin side down. Cover, and refrigerate for 20 minutes to marinate.

Preheat oven to 350

Take marinated filets and put on middle rung.  Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 15-20 minutes or until flaky.  Make sure not to over cook

Serve with rice…or potatoes…or whatever your little heart desires…

 

*****Thank you All Recipes for the idea & recipe!!!****

Lobster Newburg a la Delmonico in NY

INGREDIENTS:

4 lobster tails

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1/4 c dry sherry divided into 1/8c

1/4 c brandy divided into 1/8 c

2 c half & half

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

cayenne to taste

4 large egg yolks, beaten well

1 package Pepperidge Farm Frozen Puff Pastry Shells (6 shells)

DIRECTIONS:

Bake the puff pastry shells according to package directions. Set aside.

Into a large kettle of boiling salted water plunge the lobsters tails, and boil them, covered, for 8 minutes from the time the water returns to a boil or steam them…choice is yours! Transfer the lobsters with tongs to a cutting board and let them cool until they can be handled. Halve the lobsters length-wise along the undersides, remove the meat from the tails, discarding the bodies, and cut it into 1/2″ pieces.

In a heavy saucepan cook the lobster meat in the butter over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes, add 2 tablespoons of the Sherry and 3 tablespoons of the brandy, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 2 minutes. Transfer the lobster meat with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Add the cream to the Sherry mixture and boil the mixture until it is reduced to about 1 cup. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the remaining 1 teaspoon Sherry, the remaining 1 teaspoon brandy, the nutmeg, the cayenne, and salt to taste.

Whisk in the yolks, cook the mixture, whisking constantly, until it registers 140° on a deep-fat thermometer, and cook it, whisking, for 3 minutes more. Stir in the lobster meat and serve the lobster Newburg in, over and around the baked shells.

Shrimp Tacos with Lime-Cilantro-Chipolte Sauce

Shrimp Tacos with Lime-Cilantro-Chipolte Sauce

4 servings (2 tacos each)

INGREDIENTS for SAUCE:

• ¼ c thinly sliced green onions
• ¼ c chopped fresh cilantro
• 3 TBS mayonnaise
• 3 TBS sour cream
• 1 TBS grated lime zest (Hell, I used the whole lime!!)
• 2 TBS lime juice
• Salt  to taste
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1-2 whole chipotle in adobo minced (start with one and taste then add. This gives a GREAT kick!)

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and set aside

INGREDIENTS for SHRIMP:

1. 8 Jumbo shrimp peeled, deveined grossly chopped (I used frozen Jumbos, thawed)
2. 1 TBS butter
3. 1 TBS olive oil
4. 1TBS minced garlic
5. 1/8 c minced red onion
6. 1 tsp Mexican seasoning  or make your own with cumin, coriander, smoked paprika etc)
7. 1 Avacado chopped
8. 7-8 grape tomatoes chopped
9. 2 c shredded cabbage in a bag
10. 4-5 (6-inch) corn tortillas or flour tortillas heated in microwave or oven

Sauté  butter, oil & garlic in large pan.  Then add minced red onion followed by chopped shrimp and cook for 5-6 minutes until shrimp is pink.  Add Mexican seasoning, continue stirring.  Take heated tortillas, put shrimp, followed by cabbage, then avocado, tomatoes and top with chipotle sauce and have plenty of napkins and some nice cold Negra Modelo Beers!!!!!!! You can even add green onions, more cilantro…whatever you have…the choice is all yours!!!!! ENJOY!!!

Indonesian Fried Rice

Indonesian Fried Rice

Published May 1, 2011.   From Cook’s Illustrated.

Serves 4 to 6

.***This dish progresses very quickly at step 6; it’s imperative that your ingredients are in place by then and ready to go. **

What you need to do!!!!

1. Have a small food processor ready to go
2. Read the recipe…NOW READ IT AGAIN and then go gather ALL your ingredients at once and cut, measure, peel…whatever.  I have put them in groups so you are ready to go!

Ingredients

• 3 jalapeno chilies,  stemmed and cut in pieces (removing the seeds makes it less hot)
• 6 large shallots , peeled and cut
• 4 large garlic cloves , peeled
• 2 TBS dark brown sugar
• 2 TBS light or mild molasses
• 2 TBS soy sauce
• 2 TBS fish sauce
• Table salt
• 4 eggs, scrambled
• 1/2cup vegetable oil ..
• 12-14 extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled, deveined, tails removed, and cut crosswise into thirds and put aside
• 2 cups leftover rice
• 4 scallions , sliced thin, and put aside
• 2 limes , cut into wedges

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pulse chiles, 4 shallots, and garlic in food processor until coarse paste is formed, about fifteen  1- second pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary. Transfer mixture to small bowl and set aside.
2. In second small bowl, stir together brown sugar, molasses, soy sauce, fish sauce, and 1¼ teaspoons salt.
3. Whisk eggs and ¼ teaspoon salt together in medium bowl, put aside
4. Thinly slice remaining 3 shallots and place in 12-inch nonstick skillet with oil. Fry over medium heat, stirring constantly, until shallots are golden and crisp, 6 to 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer shallots to paper towel–lined plate and season with salt to taste. Pour off oil and reserve. Wipe out skillet with paper towels.
5. Heat 1 teaspoon reserved oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add half of eggs to skillet, gently tilting pan to evenly coat bottom. Cover and cook until bottom of omelet is spotty golden brown and top is just set, about 1½ minutes. Slide omelet onto cutting board and gently roll up into tight log. Using sharp knife, cut log crosswise into 1-inch segments (leaving segments rolled). Repeat with another teaspoon reserved oil and remaining egg.
6. Remove rice from refrigerator and break up any large clumps with fingers. Heat 3 tablespoons reserved oil in now-empty skillet over medium heat until just shimmering. Add chile mixture and cook until mixture turns golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chopped shrimp, increase heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until exterior of shrimp is just opaque, about 2 minutes. Push shrimp to sides of skillet to clear center; stir molasses mixture to recombine and pour into center of skillet. When molasses mixture bubbles, add rice and cook, stirring and folding constantly, until shrimp is cooked, rice is heated through, and mixture is evenly coated, about 3 minutes. Stir in scallions, remove from heat, and transfer to serving platter. Garnish with egg segments, fried shallots, and lime wedges; serve immediately.

Parmesan Scallops with Spinach Alfredo

This sounds difficult, but it is sooooooo easy!!! And the people you serve will thing you slaved over the stove ALL DAY LONG!!!!  NOT!!!!

• 1 pkg alfredo sauce mix (such as Knorr or McCormick)
• 2 cups fat free milk (or if calories are not a problem use 1/2 & 1/2)
• 1 TBS oil
• 3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms….any kind you want!!!
• 1 (10) package of fresh spinach OR  a 12 oz package of frozen spinach, thawed!! Again….I give you choices!!
• 3/4 c grated Parmesan Cheese
• 3/4 tsp dried Italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 lbs (or 3 sea scallops each) of sea scallops (those are the big ones and they can be fresh or frozen and thawed!
• cooking spray

Okay, prepare the sauce according to package directions and set aside.

Put oil in pan and put over medium/high heat until it is hot (it glistens)

Add the mushrooms and saute for about 5 minutes.  Then add the spinach and saute until cooked or wilted (depending on whether or not you used fresh or frozen)

Once both are cooked, and stir in Alfredo sauce and put on low.

In another saucepan, heat 1 TBS of oil until hot….

Now, combine parmesan cheese AND italian seasoning in a bowl.  Take the scallops and spray the tops with the cooking spray and then dredge in the cheese/seasoning and then put them in a hot pan and sear for about 1 minute, then turn over and sear the other side and cook.  No more than 2 minutes or until the color is opaque.

When scallops are done, take the alfredo spinach and coat the bottom of a bowl and then top with 3 scallops…sprinkle a little more parmesan cheese on top and serve.  You can even put this over cooked pasta!! Serve with a nice crusty bread and of course, a GREAT glass of wine or beer!! The choice is yours!!!

As always….BONER APPETITE!!!!

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Cedar Planked Salmon

Cedar Plank Salmon:

4 pieces of salmon
2 cedar planks soaked in water for 2-4 hrs
salt & pepper to salmon

BASTING GLAZE:

1/4 c maple syrup…not pancake syrup or Mrs Butterworth…the real “stuff”!
2 TBS soy sauce
2 TBS melted butter
2 TBS fresh lime juice…(ok, if you don’t have, bottled will do….)
1 tsp lime zest…(that means you need to have the real limes…can’t get zest from a bottle!!!!)

Preheat grill on high and then reduce to medium-high after 10-15 mins
Lightly oil one side of planks (I used 2) and then turn them oil side down, close the lid and cook until they are charred…NOT burnt!
Lightly oil the other sides and the flip them over. Sprinkle some kosher salt on the “charred” side and then put the seasoned salmon’s, skin side down and baste the salmons with the glaze sauce. Now close the lid….but don’t go tooo far away…this is fish and you DO NOT want to over cook it!!!
After about 2-3 mins, open lid and slap on some more of that tasty sauce…and the planks should be smokin’…and possibly flamming…just shoot some water from the spritzer…it won’t hurt or shrink anything!!
Do this a few more times and about 10 minutes, these puppies are done!!! Go find your “fish flipper” and gently take off the now burnt cedar planks, leaving most of the skin on the planks….and put on a platter to be served!!! We grilled corn on the cob to go with this (that was another blog) and it truly was awesome!!!!
A nice cold beer or a glass of white wine, and you will think that you have died and gone to heaven!!!

Once again, ENJOY!!!!

Chilean Sea Bass at HOME??? YESSIREEE!

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 sea bass filets anout 6-8oz
• 1 cup of virgin olive oil
• 2 TBS minced shallots
• 1/2 c white wine (not cheap shit)
• 1 TBS chopped basil
• 1 tsp thyme (dry is fine)\
• 1 TBS ginger (from jar or fresh…whatever makes you happy!)
• 2 TBS soy sauce
• 1 TBS butter
• 1/4 c heavy cream
• PREHEAT OVEN TO 425 DEGREES

FISH:

Take the filet’s and put into an 8×8 glass cooking pan and season both sides with just salt and pepper…nothing else..don’t go and get fancy on me!! then add the 1 cup of that virgin so that is covers the bottom of the pan.  cover with aluminum foil and put into preheated 425 degree oven.  Go find your self some sort of timer and set it for 15 minutes…yes, you NEED a timer..your memory is not as good as you think it is…just ask your spouse!!!!  When it is ready, it should break off easily with a fork…DO NOT FRICKIN’ OVERCOOK THE CHILEAN BASS…IT IS NOT CHEAP!!!!

SAUCE:

Take shallots and start sauteing in pan, then add wine (no oil with the sauteing) and let wine reduce….be PATIENT and don’t hurry the process!!  Once it starts reducing add the basil, ginger, thyme and soy sauce and reduce heat and let the reduction continue…stirring occassionally…about 10 mins.  Then, add butter & heavy cream and stir and taste…add S & P to taste…then voila…goes on top of the sea bass.  Don’t drown it…put it on the side and you can “dip” into it too!!!