Not Your Typical Shrimp Salad!

"Shrimp Salad"

 Hello,
This is not your typical "Shrimp Salad".  I was recently requested by a customer to make a shrimp salad without mayonnaise.  At first I was thinking "What the *^%?", but then I thought "Hmmm!  I could do this".  So I came up with this idea.  First I steamed some shrimp in salty water flavored with onion and lemons.  Just throw in the whole onion and lemon both cut in half.  While waiting for the water to boil you can begin cutting your vegetables.  For this particular salad I chose: carrots, peppers, celery, zucchini, and green onions.  Everything is cut thin and long in what most may consider a julienned type cut or matchsticks.  The way you cut it is completely up to you. 

"Yummy!"

Once your flavored water starts to boil you then add your shrimp.  Please be careful not to over cook your shrimp no one likes rubbery shrimp.  Once you remove your shrimp it would be best to cool them before adding them to your salad.   While waiting on your shrimp to cool you can chop some from fresh parsley and throw in some capers for an additional burst of flavor.  With this salad I made a vinaigrette. 
So in your Cuisinart, blender, or in a bowl using a hand blender add the following: a small shallot, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, and seasoned rice vinegar, garlic clove, and salt and pepper.  After you have mixed the top ingredients slowly add in olive oil while either machine is blending all the ingredients,  adding just enough to make your vinaigrette. (also great on a lettuce salad)  Always taste the vinaigrette and adjust it to suit your taste buds before adding it to your shrimp and vegetables.  So now that everything is chopped, cooled, and blended it is now time to mix everything together.  This is a great summer dish and it would even work being adding to some pasta of your choice to stretch it for large families.  I hope you enjoy!!

INGREDIENTS:
SHRIMP (COOKED IN WATER, LEMON, SALT AND ONION)

CARROTS
ZUCCHINI
GREEN ONION
RED AND YELLOW PEPPERS
CELERY
PARSLEY
CAPERS

VINAIGRETTE:
SHALLOT
GARLIC CLOVE
LEMON JUICE
SEASONED RICE VINEGAR
DIJON MUSTARD
SALT AND PEPPER
OLIVE OIL

ENJOY,

MO

Its Lent.... Have Shrimp

Hello,

I know not everyone does Lent, but I thought it was a snappier title.  Much better than "Shrimp"!!  Well like usual I got creative last night.  I had just finished peeling 5 lbs of shrimp with the thoughts of steaming them for shrimp cocktail.  That idea soon passed with a little inspiration.  A bag of already chopped onions and a large container of whole garlic cloves.  I decided to make some garlic shrimp.  You will be surprised where inspiration comes from.

"Garlic Shrimp"

I was told they were very very good!! I had to take the words of three others who wanted "seconds and thirds", word for it.

So first peel and de-vein (remove the gross part on the back of the shrimp).  I won't say exactly what it is, its not very appetizing.  Okay moving on.  I left the tails on, but you can remove them if you would like.  With 5lbs of shrimp I used about 1 large chopped onion, 5 garlic cloves rough chopped and 1 1/2 lemons.  So you can guesstimate for the amount of shrimp you have on hand.

In a large frying pan add olive oil about 3 tablespoons or enough to saute everything without sticking.  Get the pan hot without smoking add your chopped onion and garlic.  Saute these items for about 3-5 minutes.  Meanwhile salt and pepper your dry shrimp.  Once your onions are done add the shrimp and keep stirring.  I didn't want the shrimp to over cook some and not the others so I kept stirring.  "No One Likes Rubbery Shrimp".  Once the shrimp are done remove it from the stove top and squeeze in fresh lemon juice.  Keeping an eye out for those pesky seeds.

I was surprised the great smell that this recipe gave off !! I hope you will enjoy them as much as the ladies at my job did sampling them for me.

Enjoy,

Mo

I Was Challenged

Hello,

Recently a friend, whom we will just call "J.R." he knows whom I am referring to, challenged me to come up with recipes from left overs.  I am always up for a challenge!! The problem is of course when I come up with ideas I forget to document them either with a picture or by writing down what was in it.  So the other night I had to come up with a quick dinner and had no idea what to make.  When I went into the refrigerator for the millionth time I saw that I had some steamed shrimp left over and decided I would do something with that.

"Shrimp Pasta"

Sorry it isn't on a beautiful plate, we had already began eating when I realized "OMG I should take a picture of this because "J.R." has challenged me!!  So I ran to the kitchen and snapped a picture in the pot.  I know tacky, but I got it!!

So the left overs are the steamed shrimp that I removed all of the tails from.  In a frying pan I added a little olive oil, large strips of peppers (color of your choice) and red onion.  I added garlic and crushed red pepper flakes to the veggies.  While I am sauteing the veggies I start cooking the spaghetti pasta in salted water.

"Shrimp Pasta"

Don't over cook the peppers, but once they become limp I added some frozen peas, fresh lemon and the cooked shrimp.  Since the shrimp are already cooked you only have to warm them.  If you over heat the shrimp they will become rubbery.  No one likes a rubbery shrimp!!   Once the pasta is finished drain and toss with olive oil Parmesan cheese and squeeze in some fresh lemon juice.  "Watch out for seeds" Now combine both items and blend well.  Taste for salt and flavor and add more red pepper flakes, salt, or cheese if you would like.  Once I put the meal on the plates I topped them with extra Parmesan and crushed red peppers to those that like it SPICY!!

Enjoy,

Mo
PS:  "J.R." Be on the look out for more ideas from left overs I have not forgotten our challenge!!