Shrimp Diablo

My friend, Sydney, and I are always exchanging recipes over lunch.  She sent me this one recently after trying herself, and I'm dying to get the chance to make it!  I love spicy seafood, so I know this dish is going to be great!

 

Shrimp Diablo

Ingredients:
1 lb. med. lg. shrimp. Frozen but uncooked. Peeled & deveined.

1 t crushed red pepper flakes

6 T good olive oil

1 1/2 T salt

1/4 C cognac or brandy

4 T minced garlic

1/2 t sugar

28 oz can diced, unflavored tomatoes, drained

1 C dry white wine

1/4 C chopped parsley

1 lb. linguini

1/3 C heavy cream

2 oz. capers, drained & rinsed.

Directions:
1. Get a big pot of salted water on stove to boil. Heat a heavy 12 inch skillet on high for about 4 minutes. This is very important - don't go too fast. The pan needs to be really, really hot. While the pan heats, toss the shrimp with half the red pepper flakes, 2 T of the olive oil and 3/4 t salt. Stir to coat shrimp and let them sit.

2. When pan is ready dump in the shrimp and use a wooden spoon to spread them around in a single layer. Let them sit there for 30 seconds - the bottoms will turn a mottled brown. Remove from the heat and stir the shrimp so the other side is down. Add the brandy and wait a second or two. Put the pan back on the heat and wave a match over the pan until the brandy lights. Watch your eyebrows! Shake the skillet until the flames die down. Pour the whole mess into a holding bowl.

3. Let the skillet cool a bit. Return to a low heat. Add 3 T of the garlic and 3 T of olive oil. Cook the garlic, stirring all the time until it is well cooked - about 6 minutes or until straw colored, not brown.

4. Add the rest of the pepper flakes, 3/4 t salt, sugar, tomatoes and wine. Make sure the tomatoes are drained or you'll have a good tasting but watery sauce. Simmer on medium heat for 8 minutes.

5. While the sauce simmers, add the pasta to the boiling water.

6. Add the shrimp and all their juices, the rest of the garlic and the parsley, Simmer until the shrimp are hot again. Add cream and capers.

7. When the pasta is done, drain - saving 1/3 C of pasta water. Put pasta in a big bowl - add the reserved water back and about 1/2 C of the sauce. Toss well.

8. You can now either add the sauce and serve family style or put the pasta in bowls and top with the sauce.

Bang Bang Shrimp

Bang Bang Shrimp is the name of a great appetizer at Bonefish Grill.  I was a little leery when I saw this recipe because generally copy-cat recipes aren't nearly as good as the original.  But, I have to say that I can't tell a difference between these and the ones served at the restaurant!  They are so good!  I followed these directions exactly, and they turned out perfectly.  We generally keep a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer, and they worked great for this.  Warning: the sauce can be really hot, so use sparingly until you're sure you like it!


Photo from: fakeginger.com (and they really do turn out like this!)

Bang Bang Shrimp
from: fakeginger.com
Yield: 2 – 4 as appetizer
Ingredients:
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

For the sauce:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4-5 teaspoons chili garlic sauce, such as Sriracha sauce
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon rice vinegar

For the egg mixture:
1 egg, beaten
1 cup milk

For the breading mixture:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried basil

For frying:
8 to 12 cups vegetable oil

Instructions:
1.Combine beaten egg with milk in shallow bowl; set aside.
2.Combine flour, panko, salt, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and basil in another shallow bowl; set aside.
3.Bread the shrimp by first coating each with the breading mixture. Dip breaded shrimp into the egg and milk mixture, and then back into the breading. Arrange the coated shrimp on a plate and pop them into the fridge for at least 20 minutes. This step will help the breading to stick on the shrimp when they are frying.
4.While you're waiting on the shrimp, combine all ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl; cover and set aside.

5.Heat oil in deep fryer to 350 degrees F. Use amount of oil required by your fryer.
6.When oil is hot, fry shrimp 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on rack or paper towels.
7.When all shrimp has been fried, drop the shrimp into a large bowl. Spoon about 1/4 cup of sauce over shrimp and stir gently to coat.

Shrimp and Avocado Salad on Endive Leaves

This is another recipe from my church's Christmas Countdown event.  This was my favorite dish from the event, and I'm excited about trying it soon.  I think this recipe would be perfect for Spring and Summer gatherings.  It has such good flavor - the sesame seeds and scallions give it an Asian feel, so it would be perfect with sushi! 

Shrimp and Avocado Salad on Endive Leaves
(from Martha Stewart Living)  makes 24
Ingredients:
20 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from 3 limes)
2 tablespoons finely chopped scallions (plus more for garnish)
1 jalapeno chile, stem, ribs and seeds removed, finely chopped (2 tablespoons)
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/2 firm, ripe Hass avocado, pitted and peeled
2 to 3 small Belgian endives
Black sesame seeds, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add shrimp, and cook until opaque, about 1 minute. Let cool, cut
into 1/4 inch pieces.

Transfer shrimp to a medium bowl. Add lime juice, chopped scallions, jalapeno, and salt. Stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.  Just before serving, cut avocado into 1/4 inch cubes, and fold into shrimp mixture. Separate endive leaves, and arrange 24 on a platter. Spoon about 1 teaspoon shrimp salad on each leaf. Garnish with sliced scallions and sesame seeds, if desired.

City Grocery Shrimp and Grits

City Grocery is a wonderful restaurant in downtown Oxford, Mississippi on the square. Head chef and owner, John Currence, is a celebrated chef throughout the South and contributing editor for Garden and Gun magazine. He won the 2009 James Beard Best Southern Chef award. He also owns Boure (Southern Cajun food) and Big Bad Breakfast (breakfast food - and lots of it). For those of you in Birmingham, word is that there will be a new restaurant opening in Mountain Brook by an Oxford native that models Big Bad Breakfast with its fresh local ingredients and original recipes. This recipe of Shrimp and Grits is probably City Grocery's most famous dish. I promise it will be a new favorite!

City Grocery Shrimp and Grits
Ingredients:
Grits:
1-cup quick-cook grits
4 Tbs. Unsalted butter
¾ cup extra-sharp white cheddar
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 ½ Tbs paprika
1 tsp Tabasco
Salt and pepper to taste

Shrimp:
2 cups chopped smoked bacon
3 Tbs olive oil
1 ½ lbs. of 26-30 count shrimp (peeled)
Salt and black pepper to taste
3 tsp minced garlic
3 cups sliced white mushrooms
3 tbs white wine
2 Tbs lemon juice
2 cups sliced scallions

Directions:
Cook grits according to instructions on package. As grits are finishing, whisk in butter, cheddar, Parmesan, cayenne, paprika and Tabasco. After all ingredients are incorporated, season with salt and pepper. Keep warm until shrimp are ready.

Cook bacon until it begins to brown; remove from heat, strain and reserve bacon grease and bacon bits.

Heat a large skillet until very hot, and add olive oil and 2 tbs bacon fat. As oil begins to smoke, toss in shrimp to cover bottom of pan. Before stirring, season with salt and pepper.

Stir until shrimp begin to turn pink all over (let pan return to original hot temperature).

Stir in minced garlic and bacon bits, being careful not to burn garlic. Toss in mushrooms, and coat with oil briefly.

Add lemon juice and wine; stir for 30 seconds or until everything is well coated.

Assuming that this is ready to be served, toss in sliced scallions and stir for about 30 seconds. (If these are added too long before serving, they will begin to turn brown and loose their crunch).

Serve over cheese grits.

Shrimp Fried Rice

This is one of my favorite dishes that Kent makes. It is always so good!! You can get uncooked shrimp from the seafood counter in the grocery store or buy it frozen - in this recipe the shrimp are usually just as good if they are frozen. It works best to make this recipe in a large wok. But if you don't have one, use a large frying pan. We always make it in a frying pan, it just gets a little crowded at the end!

Shrimp Fried Rice
Ingredients:
4 cups leftover rice (or cooked rice allowed to cool completely)
1 cup peeled, deveined shrimp without tail
¾ cup carrot, chopped
¾ cup celery, chopped
1 cup bean sprouts
¾ cup onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 eggs
½ cup scallion
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
4 tbsp Vegetable oil
Salt and pepper

Directions:
Heat 2 tbsp of vegetable oil over high heat and stir fry the carrots, celery, onion, and bean sprouts for about 2-3 minutes, remove from pan/wok to plate. Add another tbsp of oil and allow it to heat up. Stir fry shrimp until they are about 75% cooked, remove from pan. Lower heat to medium/medium-high and add another tbsp of oil. Cook garlic for a minute, then crack eggs into pan and stir fry. Return pan to high heat and add rice. Stir fry rice, mixing with garlic and egg. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, carrots, celery, onion, bean sprouts, scallion and stir fry for 4-5 minutes, mixing ingredients through the rice. Add shrimp and cook until pink.