Shrimp Revisted

One Helluva Shrimp Boil

Loyal followers of this Blog will realize that this is a repost, of sorts.  We did a huge shrimp boil yesterday and a lot of the people that were there wanted the recipe for this or that. I order to keep things short and to increase Blog traffic, I promised I would write about it today.  Then I drank just a little too much and realized this morning that I had to write under duress of feeling a little "Thick" but had to write nonetheless.  Well, I saw this post I had done about shrimp and thought "Wow, I can just get away with adding one or two recipes and I'm off the hook!"  Not so much.  Turns out, only one of the recipes below was on the table yesterday, so I'm back to on the hook to write.  As promised, my recipes from yesterday will be below but I thought I would repost this and add a few pictures from yesterday as well.  Don't forget to read below for some new closing comments as well.

Oh, and with what I'm adding today, this is less of a Blog Post and more of a novel.  Get a cup of coffee or a cocktail and kick back.  This is a long one.

From the TV show "Night Court"
Bull:  What's an Oxymoron?
Judge Harry:  It's two words that contradict each other in a description.  Like "Jumbo Shrimp".

Hell Yeah......Shrimp!  Why am I so excited about writing about shrimp?  Simple, shrimp is best enjoyed with booze.  Beer, Mohito's, Wine....there just isn't anything like shrimp and booze.  However, before the booze, lets cook some shrimp.

A Message about Shrimp

Look, I realize times are tight.  I'm just a broke Saw Salesman that cooks and blends spices on the side, so I know how tight times are.  But when it comes to the things you eat, sometimes its worth a few extra dollars to make sure you get quality.  That is why I ask, implore, and down-right beg you to buy American, Wild Caught Seafood.  If you want to get specific, I prefer the shrimp from the Gulf Coast, but as long you're buying from American, Wild Caught Suppliers, you can rarely go wrong.  If you doubt me, and some do, please look closely to the labels and/or placards of what you buy.  Most States have laws (and I think the Fed does as well) that insist on country of origin and the possibility of sulfides or whether it was farm raised and once you realize what people in other Countries feed and use to preserve their shrimp for travel, you're a lot better off buying something that ate naturally and only went a few miles to get to your table.

One way or another, buying American, Wild Caught, and Sustainable seafood might be a little more expensive but the end result is employed Americans, higher quality product, and a finished dish that cannot be beat.

On to the Food!

Shrimp are one of those foods that you kind of take for granted.  We enjoy it, we look for the shrimp cocktail on the menu and at parties, but rarely do we seek out to make it grand.  One of the things I've learned about NOLA and the Gulf Coast is that shrimp can be an ingredient that acts almost like a seasoning or it can be up front, in your face, and the star attraction.  What I would like to feature would be a little of both.

Grilled Shrimp and Andouille Sausage
Shrimp and Mirlinton (Cheyote Squash)
BBQ Shrimp (Gina's Recipe)
BBQ Shrimp (Another Recipe)
Fried Shrimp
Roumalade Sauce

Grilled shrimp and Andouille Sausage

This is one of the easiest recipes I've ever done.  Simplicity is it's key, the short ingredient list makes it a breeze, and the smokey sausage and shrimp flavors come together to make a smash of an appetizer or a meal, if you put enough of them together.

24 Large Shrimp, cleaned
12 medallions Andouille Sausage cut 3/8" thick
1/2-3/4 cup Apple Jelly
1 tbsp Louisiana Hot Sauce
8 bamboo skewers soaked in cold water (to prevent scorching)
Salt and Cracked pepper to taste

Brown sausage until done in a touch a vegetable oil.  Assemble 6 shrimp and 3 sausage medallions on skewers so that the shrimp rings the sausage (shrimp, sausage, shrimp, and repeat).  Salt and pepper the skewers and set aside.  In a microwave safe bowl, heat the apple jelly and hot sauce until liquefied and stir in just a pinch of cracked black pepper.

Baste both sides of the skewers and place on a raging hot grill.  At this point you can use as much of the apple jelly baste as you like...and I like alot...with alot of hot sauce.  Grill until the shrimp is done AND DON'T OVER COOK IT!!!!  Over cooked shrimp has the texture and personality of a pink pencil eraser.  When the shrimp turns white on both sides, count to ten, and it's done.

I really haven't been in the mood to recommend wines or cocktails lately but I surely am now.  This works really well with a quality Pinot Grigio or similar dry white.

Shrimp and Mirlinton (Melonton to the Locals)

This one is even easier and is the recipe where the shrimp is a player but not really up front.  Gina and I started dating in 2005 and I ended up going to NOLA with her for Christmas.  I have to mention that it was 5 months after Katrina and it was one of the worst things I've ever seen...until I met the people.  We went to her sister-in-laws house for the family bash and her mother had made this her contribution to the pot luck table.  I looked at it, asked what it was and Gina said, very casually "Shrimp and Mirlinton" and walked away.  I took just a spoonful and sat down.  I worked my way around the plate and got around to it eventually.  One bite and I ran back to get as much as I could without looking like a damn fool.

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and roughly chopped
3 Mirlintons (Cheyote Squash)
1 small can plain artichoke hearts, medium chopped
1 old, dried out baguette crumbed in the food processor
1 egg
1 cup rich seafood stock
1 cup rich rich chicken stock
1/2 cup grated Parmesan plus 2 tbsp to top
1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp thyme
3-4 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Start by peeling, pitting, and cutting the mirlintons into 1/2" cubes. Parboil until just barely fork tender as they will finish cooking in the oven.  Blanche the shrimp for about 30 seconds in boiling water and place in a large mixing bowl with the artichokes, mirlintons, and all dry ingredients then blend well with the egg.  Add all of the seafood stock and use the remaining chicken stock to bring to a wet stuffing consistency.  Sprinkle a little parm on the top and drizzle the olive on top of that.  Bake at 375 for about an hour or until the tops browns and the dish is firm.

I realize the mirlinton is a new ingredient for alot of you and it was to me as well.  Its looks like a pear, has a pit like a mango, and the bottom looks like a Plumbers Crack.  When parboiled, it taste like a cross between squash and melon with a slightly sweet taste.  If you like, adding a pinch of sugar to the recipe brings out the mirlinton flavor just a bit more.  Pick a red or white wine for this just so long as it is lighter in flavor.

BBQ Shrimp (Gina's Recipe)

The funny thing about BBQ Shrimp is that it really isn't BBQ and it seems that the only similarity to BBQ is that everyone has their own version of it and everyone is right.  There are cream based varieties, BBQ based varieties, but what seems to come closest to a traditional NOLA BBQ shrimp comes from the influx of certain ingredients around the turn of the 20th Century.  Germans were brewing, Italians were importing and pressing olives...there were a ton of cultural influences that came together to create a simple, fast, and incredible meal.  Please note that some of the quantities are approximate.  It is very much a dish where you decide how much of this you want and how much of that you need.

Preheat oven to 375F
2 pounds large, head on shrimp. rinsed
1 stick Organic Butter
1 bottle amber to dark beer (a Bock, IPA, or Porter work really well)
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Louisiana Hot Sauce (more or less depending on taste)
1/2 cup Worcestershire Sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
8 cloves garlic finely diced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon Oregano
1/2 teaspoon thyme
Salt an Fresh Cracked Black Pepper to taste
1 crusty Baguette for sopping
1-2 cases Beer
Friends

This could not be any easier.  arrange the shrimp in a 13" X 9" casserole dish.  place remaining ingredients in a 2 quart sauce pan and slowly bring to a simmer to let flavors combine.  Let the sauce cool for a bit so that it doesn't immediately cook the shrimp, pour over the shrimp, and place in the oven.  Cook in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, tossing shrimp occasionally.  The cooking time will vary depending on the size of the shrimp but, as mentioned before, do not over cook them.

At this point, peel and eat until you can't walk.  It's important to not be able to walk away from the table as there will be extra shrimp and they will need to be eaten.  This is why Friends are in the ingredients list.  If you like, you can dip the fat out of the shrimp heads with your little finger or keep them to boil stock from later.  What I like to do when I can is boil the heads and bodies for stock and freeze it for later.

A Note About Shrimp and Alcohol

Shrimp are one of those amazing foods that has the ability to pick up flavors that are cooked with them as well as being able to maintain their own flavor.  Many shrimp recipes will have you prepare a saute, sauce, whatever and then toss the shrimp to cook as a final step.  It's truly rare to find a recipe that requires marinating the shrimp first because they are just so good at picking up flavor.  This makes sauces or saute's with butter, wine, beer, garlic, etc. great for shrimp.

Shrimp are also one of those things that takes just a few minutes to prepare, it's hardly ever complicated, and lends itself to helping the host of any dinner or party partake of the same cocktails that everyone else is.  By the time dinner is done, there is no reason why you can't have a phenomenal meal and be in the same "Mood" as you guests.  In short, Shrimp is great party food for the guests as well as the host.

BBQ Shrimp (Another Recipe)

This is a cream based recipe that is a tad more complicated but is still relatively easy in its construction but it pays off for being seriously rich, flavorful, and an absolute knock out.  However, as explained before, it's still not BBQ.

3-4 pounds Gulf Shrimp, peeled but leave the tail on, save peels and heads
1 tbsp Cajun Seasoning (any good store brand will do)
2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1 small Shallot, finely chopped
2 tbsp Butter
1/4 cup Dry White Wine
1 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
2 cups Water
2 slices Lemon, peel on and seeded
2 cups Heavy Cream
Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Toss shrimp in Cajun seasoning and set aside.  In a large skillet, saute garlic and shallots in butter until edges just start to turn brown and remove from pan (to be added back in later) Add wine, Worcestershire sauce, water, lemon, and shrimp peels and heads and simmer over high heat for about 20 minutes to make a stock.  Strain and reduce over high heat until the stock is very thick, like a syrup.  Add garlic and shallots back, add heavy cream and bring to a simmer.  Toss shrimp in sauce and cook just until shrimp are done.  Serve with baguette or another good crusty bread.

Fried Shrimp

Not being one to deep fry a lot of stuff, I had the worst time trying to get this right.  I tried flour and corn meal of varying ratios, different types of flour, beating my head against the wall (which I was sure would help), and everything I could think of to get that New Orleans deep fried texture before I discovered the mystical powers of Corn Starch.  I guess I could have read a bit about it but, ya know.  Turns out that corn starch does the same as flour in that it draws some moisture from the breading process as well as from whatever you're cooking but corn starch doesn't turn to stone when it deep fries, leaving a lighter, crispier breading.  I also fry chicken with this recipe and it's freakin' fantastic.

5 lbs Gulf Shrimp
2 cups Whole Milk
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1 cup Corn Starch
4 tbsp Cajun Seasoning
2 tbsp Granulated Garlic
1 tbsp Cayenne Pepper

Heat oil to 325 degrees.  Butterfly and de-vein shrimp and place in milk to soak.  Blend all dry ingredients in a one gallon zip top bag and blend well.  Add as much shrimp as your fryer can handle to the bag, shake to coat, and let sit for 1-2 minutes.  Add shrimp to hot oil and cook until golden brown.

It's not horribly complicated to deep fry.  The main point was to include the corn starch that was the game changer in the texture department.

Roumalade Sauce

This was the recipe from the boil that everyone really wanted and, of course, it comes with a story.  Every time we go to The French Quarter, I usaully turn into a pain in hte ass because I have to go to Pierre Maspero's because they have decent food...and a Roumalade Sauce that I would kill for.  That, and it is the building where Andrew Jackson met with Pierre Maspero to discuss the defense of New Orleans during The War of 1812.  However, no that I have come up with this recipe, I don't really need ot go back because this one is just a tad better.  To me at least.

Also, it should be noted that there are as many recipes for Roumalade as there are for BBQ Shrimp.  Everyone has their own version.

3/4 cup Vegetable Oil
1/4 cup fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 cup chopped Yellow Onion
4 Green Onions, chopped
1/4 cup Parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup Horseradish Sauce (Horseradish Mayo)
2 tbsp Garlic, finely chopped
3 tbsp Kethcup
3 tbsp Dijon Mustard
3 tbsp Yellow Mustard
1 tsp fresh cracked Black Pepper
1 tsp Generic Hot Sauce
Pinch of Sea Salt

Add everything to a food processor and blend until well combined with a semi-fine texture.  One thing that I noticed was that the ingredients you use may be more or less powerful than others so you may need to adjust quantities of mustard, ketchup, horseradish sauce, or all of the above.  The flavors should all combine and there shouldn't be one that overwhelms another.

Also, it should be noted that there are as many recipes for Roumalade as there are for BBQ Shrimp.

Well, that's another promise kept.  Ladies, I do hope you enjoyed yesterdays offering as much as I enjoyed cooking until my feet ached...and I always do.  I promised the recipes would be up and they are, in spite of the fact that I did way more damage to myself after I got home.  Sometimes, just every so often, I understand that a cocktail on Sunday is the one remedy that is going to help me feel better and, although I'm not really in that bad of shape, I think a short trip to the fridge is in order.  A cold one and some left over shrimp sound like just the ticket.

Party Well, Eat Better
Rob

Breaking That Thang In!!!

After four years of waiting, I finally got my Kitchenaid Mixer and the simple fact of the matter is that I've been waiting this long and now I don't know what the Hell do I do with it first.  Well, I am a Pasta making kind of guy and the kneading part always takes a toll (after some many years of turning wrenches, the hands have taken some abuse) so that's as good a place as any to start.

Chicken Garlic and Parmesan Ravioli
An Interesting Cream Sauce
Family Style Meats an Pasta

I realize the names of the foods above aren't what you would normally see on a menu, but yesterday was about playing in the kitchen, drinking a beer or two while Gina napped on the couch, and having one Hell of a meal later, and this is how it began.  (Please note that I am using a lot of weight measures.  Flour can be fickle and you can fit all kinds of different weights into a cup, depending on how its packed.)

Chicken Garlic and Parmesan Ravioli
Just one of the many things Fresh Pasta can be used for.  If you have never made fresh pasta, you're missing out on a taste and textural dream.  The stuff in the boxes at the store has its place and I still have it in my pantry to use when I'm pressed for time but it's ingredients are for making production pasta, not great tasting pasta.  I will say right up front: Fresh pasta is a pain in the ass....and so freakin' worth it,

Homemade Pasta
250 grams Semolina (Durham) Wheat Flour / about 2-2 1/2 cups plus a little extra held out
50 grams Bread Flour (about 1/2 cup)
An extra cup of each flours, sifted together for dusting
1/4 water
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 Egg

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

Sift together dry ingredients, whisk together wet ingredients and combine, mixing well.  At this point, I put mine in the Mixer Max with the dough hook, set it to low, and let it do its thing, adding enough Semolina until it began to pull away from the sides of the bowl and let in knead for about 5-10 minutes.  This is also the exact recipe I used with my food processor. In that case, pulse on low and add enough Semolina until it forms a ball.  At this point, however, you have to knead by hand for a few minutes to get the gluten working properly.  Dust with flour, wrap in cling wrap, and let stand in the fridge for about 30 minutes.

 If you have a pasta machine, set it to the widest setting, break off about 1/4 of the pasta ball, coat well with flour mixture and begin running through the machine.  Run it a few times, dust again with flour, fold in half and run it again.  Repeat this several times until it is a smooth and even consistency.  If you don't have a pasta machine, complete the above steps using a rolling pin and finishing with a sheet about 1/16" thick.

Ravioli Filling
1 Large chicken breast
3 cups water
4 Whole garlic cloves
1/2 cup chopped white onion
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon flour mixture from above
Salt and Pepper to taste

This could not be easier.  In a large saucepan, add chicken, water, garlic, onions, salt and pepper and boil until the chicken is tender and just starting to fall apart.  Cut chicken into large chunks, strain out garlic and onions (keeping the stock) and put in a food processor.  Boil down remaining stock until about 1/4 cup remains, whisk in flour until it thickens, add cream and Parmesan and whisk until well combined.  Start pulsing the food processor while adding just enough of the cream sauce to make a very finely chopped and somewhat thick filling.  It should form a ball when handled but not be creamy or runny.  If the mixture is a little loose, add more grated Parmesan.

Place about 1 tbsp balls of filling on pasta sheets about 1/2" apart, wet the sheet in between filling balls with water or an egg wash to help the cover sheet stick.  Add cover sheet, work out as much air as possible, cut to separate, and crimp edges with a fork.  Ba Da Boom.  Homemade Ravioli.

An Interesting Cream Sauce
There was some leftover sauce from the chicken-whizzing process.  It was rich and heavily flavored, so I decided to expand it a bit and make an Alfredo out of it...of a sense.

2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
1/4 Onion, finely chopped
2 tbsp Organic Butter
2 tsp. AP flour
1 cup Heavy Cream
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan
Leftover sauce from above
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Saute garlic and onion in the butter until the edges just turn brown.  Some folks fuss about the taste of burnt garlic but when it's done right its fantastic.  Whisk in flour and let cook for about 30 seconds, turn heat up and add cream until the sauce thickens.  When thick, add Parm until everything is melted and combined, add leftover sauce, and whisk in the lemon juice.  Depending on my mood, I might use a stick blender to eliminate the chinks of onions and garlic but for a more rustic texture and a great appearance, I leave them whole.

Family Style Meats and Pasta

Our story begins with the Birthdays of Myself and Gina, My Lovely Girlfriend.  I was coming back in from a sales trip on my birthday and I don't really make that big a deal out of it, but on her birthday, I like to try to do something.  Times being what they are, we decided against going out and I decided to cook.  Big Surprise, right?

I ask what she would like, she has no idea, so I leave for the store with the goal of doing something a little different and then I saw the thick cut Pork Chops in the rack.  Done.  I also bought some chicken breast but only because it was on sale.  I get home and find out that Gina really wanted steak but hesitated to call me when I was at the store.  I will make a long story quite short:  By the time it was all said and done, I had more food to cook than we were going to eat in 3 days.  As always, when confronted with such a situation, we call some friends of ours to come for cocktails and food.  It usually works out well because I have the food and Tina brings the Chocolate Vodka.

When the Grill Smoke cleared, there was Grilled Steak, Lime Pork Chops (another day for this recipe.  I'm not ready to give it out yet!), and Lemon Pepper Chicken Thighs.  Sliced, served Family Style on a platter with the Raviolis, some Linguine made from the leftover pasta trimmings, and crusty Italian bread, fresh from a toasting on the grill. As a bit of a side note, I don't give a rat's fuzzy butt if people think you can't serve red meat with Alfredo or Cream Sauces.  There isn't a meat group on this Planet that can't use a little Cream Sauce.  Just look at the platter and you tell me...Does anything about that look wrong?

Party Well, Eat Better
Rob

The Tapas Tirade

**Note: This was originally posted on Facebook on the Back Porch Spice Page about two years ago.  It is worthy to note that how I present my opinion of people that think their food is "That Good" when it really isn't remains true.  I get that some people can get away with charging what they want for "Small Food" but they better know that people are watching.  People like you and I that seriously eat...and then talk about it.  As an additional note, the restaurant in question has since closed, changed hands, and the current owners know and serve fantastic Tapas.  Please see the post "Why a Mean Night Out is a Good Thing". **


This is NOT a recipe. it is a full-on gripe session for ANYONE that dares to serve Tapas and advertise it as such. If you own a restaurant and you are reading this, my gile and ire are aimed directly at you...unless you truly understand Tapas and are willing to abide by The Rules of Tapas.

In a recipe posted (Chicken and Ziti Pasta in a Smoked Ghuda Red Pepper Sauce), I mentioned that the recipe came from a restaurant that is now closed. I firmly believe that one of the reasons for its failure was that they sold Tapas at anywhere from $7-$12 a pop. When I saw the menu I immediately uttered various profanities, turned, and walked away. There was a Taste of Carrollton, GA event at which I was able to get the idea for the recipe mentioned, but for what he was charging for Tapas, I never spent a cent in the joint. Don't get me wrong: I am more than willing to drop a large bill on a dinner or dish that I know is worth it but when you tell me that I am going to get something the size of a tea saucer with only a small samples on it for $10, that stuff better be trimmed in Gold Leaf and served by the ghost of Julia Child.

Tapas was and is small snacks that are ordered in various quantities. They are designed to be samplings and snacks enjoyed with various wines as either an ongoing appetizer prior to the late dinners that most Spaniards indulge in or as a cheap way to enjoy most of the menu of a restaurant one small taste at a time and any good Spanish restaurant knows that Tapas is a money maker based on the wine that you sell with it. 

It is not unusual to watch a dozen students walk into a restaurant or Tapas Bar and spend $30 on Tapas and $70 on wine and be gone in an hour. So why in the Name of God does someone think they have food good enough to charge $10 for a small portion of it? Ok, I get the fancier fusion places and the molecular gastronomy joints that are on the culinary cutting edge but as far as good food in small quantities goes, give me a dish that runs from $3-$5 and watch me order 5-10 of those yummies. And in case you're wondering, I will spend the money on wine to go with it. If it means ordering 5 different bottles of 5 different types, I will order it.

If you are in the Atlanta area or its outskirts and you think you have the Tapas thing down, do yourself a favor. Research Tapas, study Tapas, for the Love of Pete spend the money and buy a ticket to Spain and freakin HAVE REAL TAPAS before you get so pretentious as to think that someone is going to walk in, order $100 worth of Tapas, drink wine and then pay you for a meal that may or may not be worth what you think it is.

Again, dont get me wrong. Much to the chagrin of my lovely Girl Gina, I will spend seriously for something that is worth it. If I go to New Orleans and get a full on Shrimp Po Boy, it will cost me around $12 for a good one. Why in the Name of God would I come to Atlanta and pay $30 for the same thing? Answer: I wouldn't. Why would I have enjoyed true Spanish Tapas for $3-$5...in freakin Spain no less...only to have some pompous ass who has to pay for his culinary degree charge me $20 for the same in and around Atlanta? Answer: I would not and will not.

Sometimes the idea of tradition and some creative math have to supplant what people think of as skill and all important act of paying for thier over priced degree (and from some of the food I've had from so-called Trained Chefs, they were ripped off). Realize that the money made on the wine will be fine, sell small samples of the fare you offer, make sure the Tapas price is next to the meal price on the menu, let them eat at the bar so the expensive table space is not taken up, and you might just get someone like me at your place. You know, someone that remembers that I had a Tapas sample of a freaking incredible dish that I am bound and determined to go back and get as an entree with all the trimmings, ambience...and all the wine I mentioned.

If you decide to remain that pretentious fop that thinks I am paying you for candles and white and black uniforms, then I will eat Burger King in front of your window just so I can bust your chops like you tried to bust mine. And even though I hate and despise ketchup I will, By God, make sure I use a ton of it just so you can see. I promise I will even try to throw the bag away inside your place so your customers can smell the french fry grease and I will do so as often as I need to until you take the word "Tapas" off your menu or honor it as the simple tradition it was meant to be.


Party Well, Eat Better,
Rob