Garlic Shrimp & Tomato over Cauliflower Mash by Chef Michael R - A Definite Favorite

Every now and then even favorite dishes will evolve... either by choice, necessity or sometimes sheer luck. In this case I was upstate and wanted to make my Garlic Shrimp & Shirataki Noodles for my father-in-law. I could not find any Shirataki noodles at the local grocer so I improvised and served the dish on a bed of cauliflower mash. Turns out this version outshines the original! LOL 

Although now heavily adapted, I will still give Craving Something Healthy credit for the original idea. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 medium head cauliflower
• 1 medium yellow onion - minced
• 2-3 tbsp salted butter - as needed
• flavored bread crumbs - as needed
• salt & pepper to taste
• 
  
• 12-16 oz large shrimp - peeled, deveined & tail off
• salt and pepper to taste
• olive oil as needed
• 4 cloves garlic - minced
• 1 small - medium yellow onion - minced
• 12 oz grape or cherry tomatoes - pierced
• 1 tbsp+ fresh parsley - minced
• 1 tbsp+ fresh basil - minced

Preparation:

Cauliflower Mash:

Cut up the cauliflower and use your preferred cooking method until the florets are moderately soft. I simmer/steam in my Guardian Service - lid on.

While the cauliflower is cooking, mince the onion and saute in a bit of olive oil until translucent and slightly browned. Set aside for later, including saute oil for flavor.

Once the cauliflower is cooked, use a potato masher to break up the florets.

Add butter and puree the cauliflower using a stick blender. Add salt, pepper, butter and maybe flavored bread crumbs until you achieve a consistency and flavor to your liking.

Finally add the sauteed onion to the mix and blend well. Set the mash aside and keep warm.

The Shrimp Topping:

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Heat 2+ tbsp of olive oil in a saute pan on medium-high heat, and saute the shrimp for ~1 minute on each side, or until they just turn pink. Remove them from the pan and set them aside - covered.

Add the garlic & onion to the skillet with another splash of olive oil and saute for 5-6 minutes.  Add the tomatoes and let them cook for 6-8 minutes with occasional tossing, or until they start to break down. I usually pierce them with a sharp knife so they give off their juice and don't pop.

Chef's note: If you don't have cherry tomatoes, you can substitute with regular ones cut up, adjusting cook time so they retain some of their integrity/shape.

When the tomatoes are just about finished, add the basil, parsley and a bit more oil if dry. Saute for 1 more minute.

Add the shrimp to the pan with the tomatoes and garlic. Toss everything well to combine.

Place a bed of cauli-mash in each plate and top with shrimp mixture. Enjoy!

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Spicy Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes & Feta Cheese

Credit for this dish goes to Carol Borchardt, owner of  From A Chef's Kitchen

Spicy Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta Cheese is an easy weeknight dinner or a great appetizer to share with friends.  Best of all, it bakes up in one dish for ultimate ease... Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 4 cups cherry or grape tomatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 to 1 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper - start light and add if needed
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 cloves garlic - chopped
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley - plus more for garnish
• 1 pound large shrimp - (16-20 count) peeled, deveined and tails removed
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• crusty bread - for serving
• lemon wedges - for serving

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Toss together tomatoes, olive oil, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes and salt.

Roast 20-25 minutes or until tomatoes are soft and bursting.

Add garlic, lemon juice, parsley, shrimp and stir together.

Top with feta cheese.

Bake another 12 to 13 minutes or until shrimp is cooked through and cheese is melted.

Garnish with additional chopped parsley.

Serve with crusty bread and more lemon wedges.

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Mediterranean Shrimp and Scallops

 

Credit for this vibrant dish, with minor changes, goes to Mary at Oh, that's good!

This Healthy Mediterranean Shrimp and Scallops Recipe (for two) is a lightened-up version of a popular Mediterranean shrimp skillet. This easy shrimp recipe is a perfect choice for a busy weeknight dinner. With a little prep, this dish can be on the table in 35 minutes! Great for those following a Mediterranean diet or those who love Mediterranean foods and Mediterranean recipes. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 8 medium/large shrimp - peeled and deveined - tails on 
• 4 large sea scallops - sliced in half horizontally
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼` teaspoon kosher salt - use less if table salt
• ¼ tsp granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• 3 tbsp olive oil - divided
• 3 cloves garlic - thinly sliced
• ½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes - halved
• ¼ cup bottled clam juice, seafood stock or veggie broth
• ¼ cup dry white wine
• 1 tbsp lemon juice - freshly squeezed
• 1.5 tbsp flat leaf Italian parsley - coarsely chopped - or sliced scallions
• 1 cup pearl barley - cooked in chicken stock for flavor

Preparation:

Get your barley started first as it will take 30-40 min to cook.

Rinse shrimp and pat dry with paper towels. Slice the scallops in half horizontally and pat dry.

Combine paprika, kosher salt, sugar, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and mix well. Place the shrimp and scallops in the bowl and fold gently until all the seafood is coated.

Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a large sauté pan or non-stick skillet over medium heat being careful not to burn it. Add the sliced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Do not brown the garlic! Remove the cooked garlic and set aside to be added back later.

Add the shrimp and sear both sides over medium heat. Move the seared shrimp to one side of the pan to make room for the scallops.

Add the scallops in a single layer on the open side of the skillet, being careful not to crowd them. After turning them once, cook them for 30 seconds on the other side. As they get nicely seared, move them to the side with the shrimp. When all the seafood is seared, stir to mix.

Add the tomatoes, the remaining 2 tbsp of oil, the cooked garlic and the chopped parsley.

Mix the clam juice, wine, and lemon juice in a small bowl and add to the pan. Raise the temperature of the hot skillet to medium high heat. Simmer for one minute, then remove the shrimp and scallops to a plate and set aside to be added later.

Simmer the sauce until the tomatoes begin to shrivel and give up their liquid. Continue simmering until the liquid reduces and thickens a bit, about 3-5 minutes.

Return the shrimp and scallops to the pan. When the shrimp and scallops are opaque, remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle on some fresh parsley or scallions, and black pepper to taste.

Serve in shallow bowls, poured over pearl barley.

Shrimp & Pollock with Creamy Broccoli & Lima Beans

This dish is comfort food. Period. Great source of good nutrients combined with a very cozy flavor pallet, this dish will have everyone around the table smiling. Enjoy!

I know the dish looks like a pasta overload... In reality, pasta's glycemic index is in the low range at 52-54. The trick is to eat a sensible amount, which should be fairly easy considering the recipe only calls for six ounces of noodles in total.

 Ingredients:

• 6 oz pollock bites
• 6 oz lge shrimp - cleaned & tails removed
• olive oil
• splash of lemon juice - fresh squeezed preferred
• 6 oz frozen lima beans
• 6 oz broccoli crowns - cut up after cooking
• 1 lg yellow onion - diced
• 3 scallions - cut to 1/4" rings
• 1 15.5 oz can Cream of Shrimp condensed soup
• 1/3 cup half & half
• 6 oz egg noodles

Preparation:

Combine pollock & shrimp in a bowl. Add a dash of salt & pepper, a little olive oil and a splash of lemon juice. Toss to blend flavors and set aside.

Cook the lima beans and broccoli as you normally do. Cut the broccoli into small pieces. Set both aside.

Put on the water for the egg noodles... don't forget to salt the water.

Heat ~2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute until fish and shrimp are just done. Remove from skillet and set aside on a plate with a cover.

Add a little more oil if needed and saute the onion over medium heat. Add scallions and after a minute add the soup. Rinse can with 1/3 cup half & half, add and blend. Add the vegetables, blend and season with salt & pepper to taste. 

Finally, add the shrimp and pollock back to the skillet, blend and cover. Simmer on low for a couple more minutes for everything to heat through.

Serve over egg noodles as shown top of post or with noodles on the side. :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Lemony Shrimp & Shirataki

It was a quiet Sunday afternoon... snow was falling... I pulled a Chef Pepin move of "Use whatever is in the fridge." :-) What I ended up with was a twist on a previous shrimp dish that deserves its own spot on the blog. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb large shrimp - cleaned, tail off, cut in half
• 1 lb Shirataki noodles
• 2 tomatoes - diced
• 3 cloves garlic - smash-minced
• 1 yellow onion - chopped
• 2+ tbsp lemon juice
• citrus salt to taste
• olive oil as needed

Preparation:

Rinse the Shirataki noodles in a fine mesh colander for to minutes. Let dry for a few minutes and then add them to a dry nonstick Dutch oven over medium heat. Toss repeatedly for a few minutes until all liquid has evaporated. Add the lemon juice and citrus salt and allow it to be absorbed during tossing. Remove noodles from pot and set aside, covered.

Add olive oil to the pot and saute the shrimp with some citrus salt until shrimp are just done. Remove from pot and set aside.

Add onions and garlic with olive oil to the pot and saute until translucent and onions are just getting soft.

Add the tomatoes and saute until tomatoes begin to break down and the mix becomes a bit creamy.

Next add the shrimp and Shirataki noodles and gently blend it all together. At this point adjust seasoning with more citrus salt and/or lemon juice.

Serve immediately and listen for Yummy Noises.... :-)

Blessed be... and happy cooking!

Cebada Meloso with Shrimp & Chorizo

Arroz Meloso is a traditional Spanish rice dish that comes in many different flavor combinations. The recurring theme is the rice (arroz) and a creamy texture (meloso).

As you know, I have replaced rice in many dishes with pearl barley to make the meal more diabetic friendly, and so it is here that my Cebada (barley) Meloso was born. I decided to incorporate shrimp and chorizo in my version because they are two of my favorite proteins. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

•          1 cup pearl barley - rinsed in fine mesh sieve for 2 minutes
•          4 cups chicken stock
•          1/2 cup white wine – I like a Vouvre or Chenin Blanc for this dish
•          1 lge yellow onion – chopped
•          4 cloves garlic - minced 
•          1 red bell pepper - chopped 
•          1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes 
•          12 oz fully cooked Mexican chorizo - sliced 
•          12 oz large shrimp - cleaned - tail off
•          1.5 cups frozen peas 
•          salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste 
•          1 tsp smoked paprika 
•          1/4 tsp saffron – about 20 strands

Marinade for Shrimp:

•          1/4 cup olive oil 
•          salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste 
•          1/2 tsp garlic powder 
•          1/2 tsp sweet paprika
•          1/4 tsp crushed Aleppo pepper 
•          1/2 tsp dried parsley

In a bowl big enough to hold the shrimp, mix all marinade ingredients and add the shrimp. Toss until all are evenly coated, cover and place in fridge for at least an hour.

Rinse the barley in a fine mesh strainer under cool water for about 2 minutes.

Slice the pre-cooked chorizo  into bite sized pieces. Cover and return to fridge. Cut up the onions, garlic and red pepper as well, and carefully measure out the saffron with a tweezer.

Heat the olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven... your choice. Add the chopped onions and sautee until translucent. Add the minced garlic and diced red pepper, blend and sautee for 2 minutes. 

Add the tomatoes, salt & pepper and cook another 5 minutes. Sprinkle the smoked paprika and saffron threads, stirring continuously for 30 seconds to release their flavors. 

Pour in the pearl barley and stir it around for a couple minutes, making sure all pearls are coated. Add the stock and wine and bring everything to a boil. Add the frozen peas. 

Lower heat to a simmer and cook for 30-40 minutes until most but not all liquid has cooked off and the barley is tender. 

While the barley cooks, sear the chorizo in a separate skillet using some of the oil/marinade from the shrimp.

Once browned, remove chorizo and in the same pan cook the shrimp for about 90 seconds per side until just cooked through. Do not overcook the shrimp! 

Return sausage to skillet and toss for flavor blend. 

Test the barley for cook.... If the mouthfeel is good and the mix is slightly soupy, add the shrimp & chorizo and gently blend. Simmer on low for a few minutes allowing the proteins to add their flavors. Adjust the liquid if needed. 

Serve with a salad and/or a green vegetable.

Blessed be… and happy cooking!