Shrimp with Snow Peas xuě dòu chǎo xiā (雪 豆 炒 虾)

Here is a Cantonese style dish that I worked up over the last week or so. I know there are a lot of recipes

on the web for this title, but I think you will agree with me that this combination is just better.

INGREDIENTS:

12 oz  shrimp (about 18 ea. 26 to 30 count)
8 oz  snow peas
6 oz  water chestnuts
5 green onions
4 cloves garlic
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp fresh, snipped chives
1 Tbsp sesame oil
2 Tbsp Peanut oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 Tbsp dry sherry
1 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp water

PREPARATION:

Wash, peel and clean shrimp removing the tail. Wash and clean the scallions, slicing them into 1/8" rings. Use some of the darker green for color. Peel and mince garlic and ginger separately  Snip chives. Wash and trim the snow peas. Drain water chestnuts, slicing the large ones then boil for 1 min. Dissolve cornstarch in water.  Place the shrimp in a bowl. Sprinkle with the salt and 2 Tbsp sherry. Marinate in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to 3 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 1/2 hr. before cooking and drain.

COOKING: 

Heat a wok over high heat then add 1 Tbsp of oil. When a whiff of smoke comes from the oil, add the shrimp, stir-fry 1 minute, until shrimp turn opaque. Scoop out with a wire strainer and set aside. Add 1 Tbsp of oil and reheat. Add onions and garlic to the wok and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add ginger S/F briefly to brown. Add snow peas and water chestnuts, and stir-fry 3 minutes. Return the shrimp and add the sherry still to combine.

Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the soy sauce and the cornstarch mixture, stir until cleared and thickened. Stir in chives. Add the sesame oil, stir to combine and serve.

Shrimp with Red Pepper in Garlic Sauce

Red Peppers, the ripe form of green peppers, No not the hot ones, but the s-w-e-e-t variety that seem to be left out in the realm of cooking. Grind them in a sauce, chop them so finely you can't tell they are in the dish.

So here's a recipe I have developed to blend their sweet crispiness with succulent shrimp. I do hope you enjoy.

INGREDIENTS:
¾ pound Shrimp 16-20/lb. (raw)
¼ pound Capellini (Angle Hair) spaghetti
1 large Sweet Red Pepper
1 large clove garlic
1/8-¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp parsley
1/3+ cup white wine
1 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh parsley sprigs for garnish

PREPARATION:

Wash the shrimp, peel removing the vein and tail shell. Prepare the red pepper flakes (Note: crushed red pepper can be substituted, but the seeds mess up the presentation).

Wash the red pepper, carve and cut it into 3/4 ” squares. Wash the parsley and shake off the water; cut from the stem and chop 1 tsp. Peel and chop the garlic do not use a press.

COOKING:

First cook Capellini , drain, rinse and put it on a serving platter, cover with a foil tent to keep it warm.

While it is cooking, heat a heavy skillet medium hot, 'till the rim is hot to the touch add the oil and let it heat. Add the garlic and pepper flakes, reduce heat, sauté until the garlic just starts to turn light brown. Add the red peppers and chopped parsley sauté a few min. then add the shrimp,. Sauté until shrimp become firm and opaque (about 2 min. per side). Remove the shrimp and peppers with a slotted spoon to the waiting Capellini  and re-tent.

Add a splash of white wine (1/3+ cup) then deglaze the pan over moderate heat. reduce to about 3/4 and pour over the shrimp/peppers and sprinkle with the Parmesan.

Garnish with parsley.

Grilled Key Lime Shrimp

There are so many recipes for grilling shrimp, why do another? Well simply put, I have a Key Lime tree and they are in season in abundance. Although this recipe calls for key limes, I'm sure that a conventional lime can be substituted, However the key lime does have a distinctly different flavor and the shrimp will taste different.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound large shrimp 16-20/Lb.

MARINADE:



Butterflied Shrimp



2 Tbsp light rum

2 tsp Key Lime juice

2 tsp extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic cloves

1/8 tsp red pepper flakes

GLAZE:

1 Tbsp dark brown sugar

1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1 Tbsp light rum

PREPARATION:

If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for 30 minutes before grilling (about 8 needed).

Slit the shrimp down the back to butterfly, then peel, removing the vein and tails, wash and pat dry. Place them in a zipper bag.

Juice the key lime. Peel the garlic and squeeze with a press. Prepare the Red Pepper flakes. Place all the marinade ingredients in a bowl and mix well, then add to the bag. Massage the shrimp to distribute the marinade, refrigerator 30 to 60 minutes.
Prepare the chimney starter and set it ablaze 15 to 20 min. before grilling
In small bowl, combine brown sugar, vinegar and remaining rum.
Remove the shrimp from the marinade and thread them on skewers. I only used one skewer in the picture, but two work better with the butterflied shrimp.

GRILLING:

Dump the starter into the grill spreading the coals a little. Replace the grill grids and allow them to heat for a few minutes. Coat the cooking area with olive oil.
Place skewers on a grill grids and grill for about 2-3 minutes until slightly charred , brush with the glaze as they are grilling. Turn them over and brush on more glaze. Grill another 2 to 3 min. They are done when they are firm and opaque.
Garnish with key lime wedges.

Grilling Combination

A couple of nights ago it was just beautiful. So I started up the grill and toasted up some Spiced Grilled Onion Slices along with Mesquite Grilled Shrimp. An Ideal combination to grill as the shrimp take about 6 to 8 min. and the onions take about 12 to 14 min.


After getting the grill nice and hot, sprinkled some soaked Mesquite chips on the charcoal and put on the onions, closed the cover and let them cook for about 6 min. Opened the cover and added the shrimp skewers. After they were on, I carefully turned the onions over and drizzled the remainder of the marinade on them. Closed the cover and let them cook for about 3 min, then turned the shrimp over. Another 3 min and everything was done.

Served up with some wild rice, we had a feast. It's nice to revisit recipes that we thoroughly enjoy.

Shrimp Stuffed Portabellas

We have these stuffed portabella mushrooms as a main dish, but the smaller crimini variety can be substituted and served as an appetizer. Preferably, don’t use the “white” mushrooms as they are limited in the earthy taste of the dish.

INGREDIENTS:

4 medium Portabella mushrooms 3” diam.
½ to 1 cup shrimp (cooked)
1 medium shallot
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
2/3 cup soft bread crumbs
1/3 cup fresh parsley
3 Tbsp sherry
2 tsp fresh basil
1/4 tsp pepper

PREPARATION:

Rinse mushrooms, pat dry. Remove stems the mushrooms. Wash and peel the shrimp, removing the vein and tail. Chop the shrimp (med-course). Peel and chop the shallot. Peel and mince the garlic. Chop the mushroom stems and save about 2/3 cup for the filling. Remember – try to be somewhat consistent in size when chopping the filling ingredients. Wash the basil and parsley shake off the water remove the leaves from the stem and chop separately.

Preheat the oven to 350 deg.

Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil; coat with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange mushroom caps, bottom up in prepared pan.

COOKING:

Heat a skillet over med-high heat. When hot add the oil letting it heat also. Add the chopped mushroom stems, shallot, and garlic, sauté for 3 minutes. Stir in shrimp and parsley; heating through. Remove the skillet from the heat; stir in bread crumbs, sherry, basil, and pepper. Fill each cap with the mixture. Cover pan with foil.

Bake at 350 degree F. for 15 minutes. Remove the foil and Bake more 12 minutes or until mushrooms are heated through.

Remove from the pan, arranging them on a serving dish. Garnish with fresh basil.

Prawns with Walnuts

Updated 6/13/13

I was first introduced to authentic Chinese cooking back in 1960. I even learned to use chopsticks proficiently. My early dishes were primarily prepared in the Canton fashion; the most widely available at the time. Well you are all wondering where I’m going with this – Well I don’t like South West or Mexican cooking. But I have learned to truly love the dished of the Szechwan province which is extremely HOT.
On a visit to New York City in about 1970 my wife and I went to China Town to a small Chinese restaurant called Szechwan Cuisine. Its menus were scrolled on the wall all in Chinese. All of the customers were Chinese, except us. Well when in Rome do as the Romans do – right -no WRONG. We order two dishes the first was simply called Prawns with Walnuts and the second was Szechwan Broccoli. Both dishes were so hot our mouths were on fire. We managed to finish and about died from it. We returned many times over the years to enjoy those dishes as well as other (Prepared for Chinese) while we lived in the New York area.

As time went on we craved for the taste of the Szechwan Cuisine, but we couldn’t find anything to compare. Over the year I taught myself to cook in the Chinese fashion. I’ve even wrote a Chinese Recipe book. Well thru trial and error I finally perfected both of those dished. The recipe for the Prawns with Walnuts follows. The Szechwan Broccoli I’ll list another time.

Prawns with Walnuts

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound Prawns (or shrimp) 20 Large
1/4 cups Walnuts Whole
6 ounces water chestnuts
1 tsp. water chestnut powder dissolved in 2 tsp. water
MARINADE:
1 each egg white
2 tsp. water chestnut powder
1 Tbs. sherry
SPICES:4 each scallions (white and green)
2 slices ginger
2 cloves garlic
SAUCE:
2 Tbs. soy sauce (low sodium)
2 Tbs. sherry
1-1/2 tsp. sugar
1-1/2 tsp. Black vinegar
2 Tbs. Szechwan chili sauce

PREPARATION:

Shell, split, remove vein and wash the prawns(shrimp). Dry with paper towels and place in the marinade; mix well and refrigerate for 1 to 12 Hrs.
Blanch the walnuts for 2 min., then remove the husks. (This isn't any fun!)
Sauce: combine the soy, sherry, sugar, vinegar, and chili sauce in a small bowl and mix.
Mix the water chestnut powder with the water.
Spices: Clean and mince the ginger and garlic. Clean and chop the scallions.

COOKING:

Preheat 12 oz. Solid shortening(Crisco) in the Wok to 350 deg. Re-stir Shrimp/Marinade, strain and add shrimp to Wok all at once. Stir with chopsticks for 1 min. using the chopsticks to keep them from clumping. Turn off heat; remove with a strainer and let drain. Remove wok and clean.

Heat wok hot then add 2 Tbs. peanut oil and heat just 'till smoke. Add the scallions, ginger, and garlic. S/F for 30 sec. Add water chestnuts and walnuts; mix briefly.

Re-stir the Sauce, add it to the wok followed by the shrimp; S/F to combine. Re-stir the water chestnut powder/water mixture and add to the wok. Stir until the sauce has evenly glazed the shrimp and thickens.

Scoop out to a serving dish and serve immediately.

S/F = Stir fry

Shrimp with Marsala/Garlic Sauce

Well here it fresh off the press, last nights bill of fair.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound large RAW shrimp (16-20 per Lb.)
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic clove
4 tsp minced fresh parsley leaves (divided)
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup Marsala wine
Pinch fresh ground white pepper

PREPARATION:

Wash, peel and devein the shrimp removing the tails. Peel and mince the garlic (do not use a press). Mince the parsley, ½ finely and ½ coarsely for garnish. Squeeze the lemon juice. Measure the wine.

COOKING:

Heat a sauté pan over a medium hot burner 'till the rim is warm, add oil and continue until it is hot but not smoking, add the garlic and 2 teaspoons of the parsley, and cook the mixture stirring over moderately high heat until the garlic is lightly browned.

Stir in the lemon juice, the Marsala, and pepper to taste. Add the shrimp, and cook them, stirring, for 4 to 6 minutes, or until they are just firm.

Transfer the shrimp to a heated platter, spoon the sauce over them, and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

Mesquite Grilled Shrimp

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound jumbo raw shrimp (16 to 20)
½ tsp red pepper flakes *
1 large clove of garlic
1 Tbsp olive oil
Lemon cut in slices for garnish
fresh parsley for garnish
5 - 6 Bamboo skewers

PREPARATIONS:

Place the skewers in water and soak for at least an hour, along with the Mesquite chips (drain just before grilling).

Peel the shells from the shrimp, remove the legs and tail shell, clean out vein. Wash and pat dry. Mix the oil, garlic and red pepper and place in a plastic zipper bag with the shrimp for about ½ hour. Wash the parsley and cut the lemon.

Using a chimney starter, start the charcoal about 15 min. before grilling. Thread 4 shrimp on each skewer while the charcoal is starting.

GRILLING:

Spread the coals out, scatter the mesquite chips ** over the coals and replace the grill racks. Coat the grill racks with olive oil.

Place the skewered shrimp on the grill and grill with the cover closed over low to medium coals of charcoal until meat is pink, about 4 minutes, turn and grill another 4 min. They are done when they resist pressure and are firm.

Serve the shrimp on a platter garnished with lemon slices and parsley.
*See Tips
**

Note: The smoke box won't work here, It doesn't have time to even dry the chips out.