Seafood

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 The most delicious shrimp dish that is restaurant quality.  It is teeming with large crunchy shrimp and fresh garden picked asparagus and peas.  Young trumpet mushrooms are also added.  There's just enough sauce to coat everything but it is not runny.  You can put as much shrimp as you like and it is surely a winner when served to anyone.

Ingredients:

1 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined and cut up if desired

1/2 t salt

2 T oil, divided

1 t sesame oil

1 c Chinese peas, strings removed

1 c mushrooms (trumpet, shiitake, button, baby bellas, etc.)

1 c asparagus, cut into 2-3" pieces

1 T ginger

1  T garlic

1/4 c oyster sauce

3 T hoisin sauce

2 T ketchup

Water as needed

Directions:

Mix salt into shrimp and set aside.  Heat wok, add 1 T oil and saute shrimp till pink.  Mix in sesame oil and set aside.  Heat wok again and add 1 T oil.  Saute ginger and garlic, adding a little water to prevent burning.  Saute peas about 2 minutes, then add mushrooms and asparagus until veggies are half cooked and still crisp.  Add oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, ketchup and stir to coat all veggies.  Add shrimp and toss well.  Ready to serve.

 The most delicious shrimp scampi I've ever tasted.  Noodles are perfectly cooked al dente and shrimp is crunchy and done perfectly.  A touch of lemon juice and white wine at the end pulls everything together.  Topping of fresh Parmesan cheese completes this dish.  A sure favorite for everyone.

Ingredients:

1/2 lb linguine noodles, cooked in salted water and cooked al dente

1 T salt

3 T butter

1/2 c extra virgin olive oil

1 head garlic, peeled and finely minced

Salt and pepper to taste

Crushed red pepper, optional 

6 shrimp per person or as many as you like, peeled, deveined and tail left on

1 lemon, juiced

1/4 c white wine

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Cook linguine in salted water (should taste like sea water) until al dente (about 10-15 minutes).   Drain.  To a large skillet,  heat butter and extra virgin olive oil.  Add garlic and stir till lightly browned.  Add shrimp, one at a time and cook till just pink on one side.   Turn over to brown the other side.  Set aside.  To skillet, add linguine and mix well to incorporate noodles with the olive oil.  Add lemon juice, white wine, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper to taste.  Mix well and reduce about 5 minutes until slightly thickened.  Sprinkle more pepper.  Add shrimp and toss well.  Pour onto serving plate and grate Parmesan cheese over the top.

Mohinga is a Burmese national dish that is usually served for breakfast but can be eaten any time of the day.  This is a noodle soup traditionally made with catfish but any other fish can be substituted.  Catfish bones are fairly easy to remove but other fishes have more bones and need careful removal of all the bones.  Fillets save time and bypass the bone removal.  Other ingredients include tumeric, paprika, lemon grass, ginger, garlic, banana stump and onions.  The fish broth is served over fine noodles and garnished with eggs, lime and various vegetables.  My grandchildren love mohinga and often request to have it made.

Ingredients For Soup Stock:

3-4 lbs catfish, headless and cut in 3 or 4 pieces

1/4c fish sauce

1 t turmeric

3 lemon grass stalks, thick part smashed with back of cleaver to release oils

3" piece of ginger, smashed

8 large garlic clover, smashed

3 quarts of water to cover

Ingredients For Oil And Spices:

1/4 c oil

2 t turmeric

2 t chili flakes

2 T paprika

1 1/2 t coarse salt

1 t pepper

15-20 pearl onions, peeled or 2 onions, cut in chunks

12" banana stump, outer leaves peeled off and sliced into 1/2" pieces

Ingredients For Grinding Items In Food Processor:

2 medium onions, quartered

8 cloves garlic

3" piece of ginger, smashed

3 lemon grass stalks, white part only, sliced

Ingredients For Thickening:

1 c rice 

OR

1 c gram flour

Ingredients For Noodles:

1 lb somen or other thin noodles

Oil

Directions To Make Mohinga:

Wash cat fish well.  To a large pot, add cat fish, turmeric, fish sauce, lemon grass, ginger, garlic and water.  Bring to a boil and simmer about 45 minutes till fish is soft.   Set fish aside and cool.  Strain liquid and reserve.  Discard veggies.  Remove all bones from fish and mash or shred fish.  Set aside.  

To processor, add 1 quartered onions, 8 cloves garlic, ginger and sliced white part of lemon grass.  Grind till smooth and set aside.

Brown rice and grind to a powder or use gram flour and set aside.

Wash and dry the pot the fish was cooked in to rid of scum and impurities.  Heat the pot and add 1/4 c oil.  Heat about 30 seconds and add ground veggies and saute about 5 minutes till fragrant.  Add turmeric, paprika, chili, salt and pepper.  Cook another 5 minutes.  Add shredded fish.  Slowly add reserved stock.  Make paste with ground rice or gram flour using about 1 1/2 c water.  Stir in gradually to avoid lumps.  Add banana stumps and pearl onions and cook another 1/2 hour.  Taste and add more fish sauce if desired.

Cook noodles in boiling water, stirring to avoid sticking.  It only takes a few minutes.  Drain and rinse in water to rid starch.  Place in a serving dish.  Drizzle with some oil and toss to prevent sticking.

Condiments:

8-10 hardboiled eggs, peeled and cut into quarters

1 c cilantro, chopped

1 c green onions, chopped

1/2 c raw long beans, cut in 1/4" pieces

Chili flakes, optional

1/4 lb fried fish cake patties, cut into match sticks

Fried garlic and onions, cooled and put in oil

Thai eggplant, raw, the size of grapes

Squash tempura (from light green long squash)

(batter-1 c rice powder, 2/3 c mochi powder, 1/8 t turmeric, 1/4 t baking soda,1/2-3/4 c water)

Lime wedges

Fish sauce

To serve:

In a bowl, add noodles, ladle soup over, add desired condiments and gently mix.

Shrimp toast is usually deep fried but this recipe is baked for a more healthy version.  It is quick to make with simple ingredients and colorful garnishes.   Firm breads such as baguettes or French bread work best.

Ingredients:

1 baguette, sliced

1/2 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, cut into bite sized pieces

1/4 lb imitation crab, coarsely chopped

1 T lemon juice

1/3 c mayonnaise

1/4 c celery, finely chopped

1/4 c water chestnuts, chopped

1/2 t garlic powder

1/2 t onion powder

1/2 t black pepper

Garnishes:

Paprika, sprinkled over shrimp mixture

Green onions

Sesame seeds, toasted

Capers

To Toast Bread:

Place bread on cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 degrees for 5-10 minutes.

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together but bread.  Toast bread  and spread mixture in mounds on each slice. Garnish with paprika, green onions, sesame seeds and capers. Place on cookie sheet and bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes.  

One pot meal that is quick and easy to make.  Delicious and flavored with a special sauce that is sweet and tangy.   Different textures wake up your taste buds.  

Ingredients:

1 lb shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 T oil

1 t garlic, minced

1 t ginger, minced

1/2 small onion, sliced

1 small bell pepper (red,yellow, orange or green), diced

1 medium zucchini, sliced

1 c pineapple chunks or slices, cut up

1/2 c green onion, cut in 3" pieces

Sauce:

3T fish sauce

1/3 c vinegar

1/2c vinegar

3 T ketchup

1/4 c pineapple juice

1 T cornstarch

3 T water

Directions:

Heat wok, add oil, saute garlic and ginger for 2 minutes.  Then saute onion, bell pepper and zucchini for 5 minutes.  Mix in pineapple.  Make sauce while vegetables are cooking.  Mix sauce ingredients except cornstarch and water in small bowl and stir well.  Add to vegetables and cook for 3- 5 minutes.   Mix cornstarch and water till dissolved and add to pan.  Stir till thickened.  Pour in shrimp, stir until pink and cooked (about 2-3 minutes).  Don't overcook.  Add green onions and serve with hot rice.

Save this for special occasions as it's pretty pricey but so scrumptious.  Usually people just fry them in butter but this is a notch better with yummy ingredients.

Ingredients For The Brine:

1/4 c fresh lemon juice

3 T rock salt

1 c water

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together, stirring to dissolve salt.  Add scallops and soak for 30 minutes.  Drain and blot well with paper towels.

Ingredients For Scallops:

3 T extra virgin olive oil

1 T butter

1 T garlic, minced

1/2 c white wine

1 c chicken broth

Zest of one lemon

2 T lemon juice

1 T dijon mustard

2 T capers

1/2 t white pepper

2 sprigs thyme

1 T green onions, chopped for garnish

Lemon wedges to squeeze on finished scallops

Directions For Scallops:

Heat cast iron pan on high till almost smoking.  Add scallops and let brown on the bottom.  Turn and add butter, swishing around.  Let brown, then set aside.  Lower heat to medium and saute garlic few seconds till just cooked.  Add wine and reduce to about half the amount of liquid.  Add stock, zest, juice, capers and thyme.  Reduce to half.  Add dijon mustard and stir well.  Add scallops and mix well.  Arrange on platter, garnish with green onions and lemon wedges.

 This is a beautiful presentation of fish, especially when you bring it to the table and drizzle hot oil over the cilantro and green onions.   Everyone 's attention will be focused on the crackling and sputtering  and get a whiff of the fish.

Ingredients:

1- 2 1/2 lbs  whole fish, scaled and gutted

1 T garlic, minced

1 T ginger, minced

1-2 T soy sauce

1/4 c green onion, chopped

1/4 c cilantro, chopped

1/4 c oil

1 t sesame oil

2 stalks green onion, sliced diagonally 2" long1/4 c cilantro, cut in 2" pieces

Directions:

Place fish in a shallow dish that will fit in steamer.  If too long, may have to cut in half and use 2 dishes.  Spread ginger and garlic all over fish and inside cavity.   Sprinkle over chopped green onions.   Steam 10 minutes or more depending on thickness of fish.  Check by inserting fork through and if it goes in easily and flakes, it is done.  Remove from steamer and heat 2 oils to smoking point.  Sprinkle green onions  and cilantro over.  Slowly pour oil over. Serve with hot rice. 

This is a delicious dish that is fast to make and has a hint of kaffir lime leaves and spiciness from curry paste.  The crunch comes from long beans.  Basil leaves add another layer of taste.

Ingredients: 

1 lb fishcake paste (from Chinatown)

1 egg

1 T Thai curry paste (red, yellow or green)

1 t sugar

1/2 c long beans, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces

1 c Thai basil leaves, cut or uncut 

1 t fish sauce

1-2 kaffir leaves, rib removed and sliced very thin 

Directions: 

Put fishcake and egg in mini processor and blend till smooth.  Transfer to a bowl and add rest of ingredients.  Mix well.  Heat Ballarini skillet and spoon about 3 T fishcake into pan, flattening into circles.  When bottom edges brown, turn and brown other side.  Eat with sweet chili sauce or any other type of sauce desired.

 Note:  

If special pan is not available, Use a regular skillet but put a little oil to keep from sticking.