Crabmeat Salad Stuffed Avocados

It's the end of summer and since I wasn't able to go to Maine and indulge in one of their famous lobster rolls, I had to settle for these crabmeat salad stuffed avocados. Boy, life is rough if I have to settle for this recipe. Ha!

With fresh crabmeat combined with bright, crisp veggies, and a flavorful and zesty dressing, this is one recipe that screams summer. A hint of citrus, combined with creamy  avocado makes this the perfect light and refreshing dinner. Try to contain yourself...

Crabmeat Salad Stuffed Avocados

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

9 ounces fresh, wild caught crabmeat, fully cooked

1/2 tomato, diced

1/2 orange or yellow bell pepper, diced

1 1/2 tablespoons chives, chopped

2 avocados

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, squeezed from 1 lemon

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dijon and red wine vinegar.  Slowly whisk in the olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

To the bowl, add the cooked crabmeat, tomato, bell pepper and 1 tablespoon of chives.  Stir to combine.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cut each avocado in half and immediately pour lemon juice over each half to keep the avocados from turning brown.  Using a small spoon, scoop out the pit.  Also scoop out about 1/3 of the fruit from the center of each avocado half. Add the scooped-out avocado to the crabmeat salad and stir to combine.  Stuff each avocado with the crabmeat salad.  Sprinkle the remaining chives over each half and serve.

Sake-Steamed Clams

Summers in Massachusetts... never been but I think of clam bakes and steamed clams. Doesn't that sound yum? Imagine sitting on the beach and devouring some freshly caught clams, lobsters and oysters. Thank goodness for recipes like this sake-steamed clams. It's like East meets West with a dash of Asian flavor. It doesn't get any better than this. Trust me.

Sake-Steamed Clams

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 pounds Manila clams, New Zealand clams or cockles
1 tablespoon kosher salt or sea salt

1 cup sake

1 cup water
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into 4 or 5 pieces
1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 scallions, thinly sliced


Directions

Pick through the clams and discard any that are not tightly closed (or close when tapped gently on the counter) or have chipped shells. Fill a large bowl with cold water and stir in the salt. Add the clams and let stand for 1 hour. (This draws out sand from inside the shells.) Drain the clams and rinse them well. If the shells seem gritty, scrub the outsides gently with a clean brush.


In a deep saucepan, combine the sake and water and bring to a boil. Add the clams, cover with a lid, and steam for about 4 minutes. Uncover and discard any clams that have not opened.


Ladle the clams and broth into a large serving bowl. Scatter the butter pieces over the clams. Top off with the sesame oil, sesame seeds, cayenne, and scallions. Serve immediately.

Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Poblano Salsa

Okay, I’m done with the pumpkin recipes… for now. Even though fall is here, you can always use one more barbecue recipe and this is definitely it! I mean, by the end of the week we’ll be back up to the ’90s again. What the?!?! Anyhow, I’ve made these countless times this past summer and it’s my go-to recipe for when I need a great healthy meal.

The real kicker in this recipe isn’t the shrimp though—it’s the salsa! By grilling all of the ingredients in the salsa, it really ramps up the flavor big time. In it, fresh corn, cherry tomatoes and poblano pepper are grilled and tossed with creamy diced avocado, cilantro and lime juice. I promise this will be a favorite for years to come!

Shrimp Tacos with Grilled Poblano Salsa

Ingredients

For the salsa:
1 ear corn, husked
6 scallions, white and light green parts only (about 5 inches)
1 poblano Chile
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 large (or 2 small) haas avocado
1 small bunch cilantro, minced
Juice of two small limes
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon olive oil

For the tacos:
1 lb. shrimp
Corn or whole wheat tortillas

Directions
Heat your grill up to medium high. Brush corn, green onions and poblano Chile with olive oil and place on grill. You want everything to have a nice char to it—to Chile should be black and the corn and onion should be charred. This will take about five minutes, flipping occasionally with tongs.

When done, remove veggies from grill and let cool on a plate. When cool, peel the now black skin off the pepper, remove the seeds and chop into small dice. Run your knife down the corn to remove the kernels from the cob and place into a bowl with the pepper. Chop onion and place into bowl as well. Add chopped avocado, cherry tomatoes and cilantro to the bowl and add lime juice and salt. Season to taste and set aside while you prepare the shrimp.

Wash and devein if necessary then grill only a few minutes until pink. Be careful because shrimp cook extremely quickly! When done, place into tortillas, top with salsa and eat immediately.

Quinoa and Shrimp with Fresh Corn and Cherry Tomatoes

I love farmers markets. They are bursting with inspiration. So when I returned home from one of my visits, I surveyed my finds and thought: OK it’s gotta be something with sweet corn and cherry tomatoes, because they go together like milk and sugar. And what’s summertime without some fat shrimp and sweet basil? The result: A dish that tasted like a breezy, blue-skied August day.

Quinoa and Shrimp with Fresh Corn and Cherry Tomatoes
Serves 2 to 4

Ingredients
1/2 cup dry quinoa
2 cups water
1 tablespoon, plus 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
The juice of 1 lemon (about 1 1/2 tablespoons)
1/8 teaspoon salt (or more if you prefer it saltier)
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ cup diced red onion
8 extra-large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 ear of sweet corn, kernels cut off from cob
1 cup halved cherry or grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh finely chopped basil

Directions
Bring quinoa and water to a boil in a small saucepan over high heat. Reduce; partially cover, until the water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. The quinoa will be done when it turns partially white and the spiral-like germ of the grain is visible.

In a small bowl, whisk 2 teaspoons olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne pepper. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, add remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add onions and sauté 2-3 minutes, just until wilted. Add shrimp and sauté until they turn bright red and are lightly browned on the edges. Add the corn and tomatoes, and heat through for 2-3 minutes, just until the tomatoes begin to wrinkle.

Add cooked quinoa directly into the skillet and toss with the shrimp mixture. Add the basil and the olive oil and lemon juice mixture. Toss gently.
Serve hot or at room temperature.

Roast Salmon with Potatoes, Asparagus and Lemon-Dill-Caper drizzle

This recipe is the perfect mix of easy and elegant. Perfect for a small dinner party and entertaining yet casual enough so guests won’t think you’re too stuffy or pretentious. I love recipes like this.

Roast Salmon with Potatoes, Asparagus and Lemon-Dill-Caper drizzle
Serves 6

Ingredients
1 whole side (about 2 ½ to 3 pounds) salmon
5 tablespoons pure olive oil, divided
Salt and ground black pepper
2 pounds fingerling potatoes or new red potatoes, halved
2 pounds asparagus, tough ends snapped off
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup each parsley and dill leaves, chopped coarse, plus extra sprigs for garnish
¼ cup caper
2 teaspoons caper juice
3 medium scallions, sliced thin
1-1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest; remaining lemon cut into wedges for the platter

Directions
Set salmon on a large rimmed baking sheet; coat both sides with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Toss potatoes with another 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper; place, cut side down, on a second rimmed baking sheet. Toss asparagus with remaining tablespoon of oil and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Adjust oven racks to lowest and upper-middle position. Place potatoes on bottom rack and salmon on upper rack of cold oven, then heat oven to 400ºF. Roast until salmon is just opaque throughout, about 25 minutes, and potatoes are golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer salmon to a large platter; add asparagus to salmon roasting pan; continue to roast, along with potatoes, until bright green and just tender, 5 to 8 minutes, depending on thickness. Meanwhile, mix extra virgin olive oil, parsley, dill, capers and juice, scallions and lemon zest in a small bowl; set aside.

To serve, spoon dill mixture over salmon, garnishing platter with parsley, dill sprigs, and lemon wedges. Arrange potatoes and asparagus on platter with salmon. Serve immediately.

Salmon Burgers

How many of you think making a salmon burger is a complicated, time-consuming process? I did. But it’s neither. In fact, you can crank out these salmon burgers in about the same time it takes to heat a frozen pizza. And they are good.

You might even have most of the ingredients on hand for this recipe: salmon, Dijon mustard, shallots, bread crumbs and capers. The “secret” is that you let the food processor do most of the work, followed by a little stirring. Shape the burgers, cook them in a nonstick skillet, and you’re done.

These burgers are firm but juicy, and the capers add a nice surprise to each bit. Dress them any way you wish or let them hold their own on a bed of greens. To each his own. Bon appétit!

Salmon Burgers
Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients
1 ½ pounds skinless, boneless salmon
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 shallots, peeled and cut into chunks
½ cup coarse bread crumbs
1 tablespoon capers, drained
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
Lemon wedges
Tabasco sauce
Optional burger toppings: lettuce, red onion, Provolone, tartar sauce

Directions
Cut the salmon into large chunks, and put about a quarter of it into the container of a food processor, along with the mustard. Turn the machine on and let it run – stopping to scrape down the sides if necessary – until the mixture becomes pasty.

Add the shallots and the remaining salmon, and pulse the machine until the fish is chopped and combined with the puree. No piece should be larger than a quarter inch or so; be careful not make the mixture too fine.

Scrape the mixture into a bowl, and stir in the bread crumbs, capers and some salt and pepper. Shape into four burgers.

Place the butter or oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet, and turn the heat to medium-high. When the butter foam subsides or the oil is hot, cook the burgers for 2 to 3 minutes a side, turning once. Alternatively, you can grill them: let them firm up on the first side, grilling about 4 minutes, before turning over and finishing for just another minute or two. To check for doneness, make a small cut and peek inside. Be careful not to overcook. Serve on a bed of greens or on buns or by themselves, with lemon wedges and Tabasco or any dressing you like.

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa

The Meatless Monday movement is growing in popularity across the country. This yummy recipe is a must-try. The bonus? It will also improve your health.

Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa
Serves 4

Ingredients
Mango Salsa:
3 ripe mangos, peeled, pitted, diced
1 medium organic red bell pepper, minced
2 organic limes, juiced
4 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
1 red onion, minced
2 green onions, thinly sliced (green part only)
1 organic jalapeño pepper, stem removed, seeded, minced

Tacos:
1 pound mahimahi or cod fillets, rinsed, patted dry
1 teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 organic lime, juiced
8 whole-wheat flour tortillas
2cups shredded organic red cabbage

Directions
Mango Salsa: Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mix well to combine and refrigerate until ready.

Tacos: Place fillets in a shallow baking dish.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together canola oil, lime juice, salt, an dried spices. Pour mixture over fish, cover, and place in the refrigerate to marinate for 30 to 45 minutes.

Over medium high heat, heat stove top grill pan or griddle. Remove fish from refrigerator and place on grill. Cook fish for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, depending on the thickness of fillets. Fish should flake easily with a fork.

Place tortillas on the grill and grill for 10 to 15 seconds on each side.

Spread an even amount of red cabbage onto the bottom of each tortilla, top with an even amount of fillet portions, and spread an even amount of mango salsa on top of each.

Grilled Shrimp and Cilantro Pesto Pizza

It’s Lent and that mean meatless Fridays. I love shrimp because it’s convenient (keep a stash in your freezer), easily available and its mild flavor works in lots of dishes. It’s shrimply delicious! (Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.)

Grilled Shrimp and Cilantro Pesto Pizza
Makes 4 individual pizzas

Ingredients
Pizza dough (either store bought or from your favorite pizzeria)
Cilantro Pesto:
¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves
¼ cup parsley leaves
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons pine nuts
¼ cup grated Parmesan
½ cup olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Grilled Shrimp:
16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions
For the cilantro pesto: Put all ingredients in the work bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the grilled shrimp: Preheat the grill to high. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with enough olive oil to coat, and season with salt and pepper. Grill for 1 to 2 minutes per side or until just cooked through. Remove from grill and keep warm until ready to use.

For the pizza: Divide the store bought or pizzeria dough into 4 balls. Roll each ball into 8-inch circles. Brush each circle with oil and grill on both sides until golden brown. Add ½ cup grated cheese to each pizza and grill until the cheese is just melted. Remove from the grill and spread a few tablespoons of the cilantro pesto over each pizza. Top each pizza with 4 shrimp and sprinkle with cilantro leaves.

Shrimp with Pesto

I absolutely love pesto. I like to put it on shrimp, pizza, spread it on a tomato mozzarella sandwich or simply toss with pasta and I’m in heaven! The combination of garlic, basil, pine nuts and fresh Parmesan is enough to drive me crazy. If you want something different than your standard marinara or Alfredo sauce, this is it. After one taste, I have no doubt you will put it on everything…

Shrimp with Pesto
Serves 6

Ingredients
½ cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves
¼ cup pine nuts, toasted
1 garlic clove
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds uncooked jumbo shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions
Blend the basil, pine nuts, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With the machine running, gradually add ¼ cup of olive oil, processing until well blended. Transfer the pesto to a medium bowl. Stir in the Parmesan. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Toss the shrimp with the extra-virgin olive oil in a large bowl to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss again.

Heat a heavy large skillet over high heat. Working in 2 batches, add the shrimp and sauté until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Toss the shrimp with enough pesto to coat.

Transfer the shrimp to a platter and serve.

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp

It’s all about making things easy for a New Year’s Eve gathering. After all, you don’t want to be slaving over the hot stove while everyone’s eating and drinking, do you? What I love about this dish is that you can pull the shrimp straight out of the freezer and bake them without thawing. Serve this on New Year’s Eve and put little bowls around the table for shells. Everyone will love it. Guaranteed.

Happy New Year! See you next year with all new recipes!

Spicy Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Serves 8

Ingredients
2 pounds raw shrimp, deveined, shells on
2 sticks cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
1 teaspoon kosher salt
4 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ cups fresh parsley
½ teaspoons crushed red pepper
1 whole lemon, juiced

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Rinse frozen shrimp to separate, then arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.

In the bowl of a food processor, add cold butter, garlic, lemon juice, salt, parsley, and red pepper. Pulse until combined. Sprinkle cold butter crumbles over the shrimp.

Bake until shrimp is opaque and butter is hot and bubbly.

Serve with hot crusty bread. Peel and eat the shrimp, then dip the bread into the butter in the bottom of the pan.

Grilled Mediterranean Tuna Steaks

Mediterranean meals promote good health. Even better? They taste great too. Ingredients such as olives, tomatoes, feta and mint lend a characteristic fresh taste to standards including gyros and tabouleh, as well as surprising options such as this Grilled Mediterranean Tuna Steak.

Grilled Mediterranean Tuna Steaks
Serves 4

Ingredients
1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese (1 ounce)
2 tablespoons chopped kalamata or ripe olives
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or oregano leaves
¼ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon garlic salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
4 tuna steaks, 1 inch thick (about 2 pounds)

Directions
In medium bowl, gently toss tomato, cheese, olives and 1 tablespoon of the basil. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Spray grill rack with cooking spray. Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat.

In small bowl, mix remaining 2 tablespoons basil, the oil, garlic salt and pepper. Brush mixture over tuna.

Grill tuna uncovered 4 inches from medium-high heat 5 minutes. Turn carefully; brush with any remaining oil mixture. Grill 10 to 15 minutes longer or until tuna flakes easily with a fork. Serve topped with tomato mixture.

Shrimp Scampi – Asian Style

As those of you who read my blog frequently know, my kids love shrimp and pasta. I know, right? Go figure! Not mac and cheese but big, juicy shrimp with pasta. So, I combined some “classic” Asian ingredients and came up with this wonderful flavor profile. Serve with angel hair pasta and everyone is happy!

Shrimp Scampi – Asian Style
Serves 4

Ingredients
¼ cup plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
2 limes, juiced
2 teaspoons honey
2 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, finely grated
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
½ cup canola oil, divided
1 ¼ pounds large (21-24) shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 stick butter

Directions
Whisk together ¼ cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons sesame oil, the lime juice, honey, ginger, garlic and ¼ cup canola oil in a bowl . Heat sauce in skillet. Add butter until melted. Add shrimp and saute until pink. Serve over angel hair pasta.

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

This is the best way to eat shrimp! After eating these, you won’t want to eat shrimp any other way. The barbeque sauce is so good and has just the amount of spices so that it isn’t too hot, but has just enough bite for a hint of after burn. It’s shrimply delicious!

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp with Chipotle Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients
20 strips bacon (about 12 ounces)
20 medium-large shrimp, shelled and deveined (about 1 pound)
½ cup barbecue sauce
¼ cup canola oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3 tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo sauce
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Freshly ground pepper

Directions
Soak 5 to 8 bamboo skewers in water for about 20 minutes to keep them from burning on the grill or under the broiler.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon in a large skillet until halfway done, about 4 minutes. Drain and cool on paper towels. Wrap a piece of bacon around the middle of each shrimp; skewer with bamboo through the point where the bacon ends meet to keep it from unraveling. Thread 3 to 5 shrimp on each bamboo skewer.

Puree the barbecue sauce, oil, lemon juice, mustard, chipotles, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper and ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper in a blender. Set aside half of the sauce for dipping.

Preheat a grill, grill pan or broiler. Grill or broil shrimp (on a foil-lined baking sheet, if broiling) for 5 minutes, basting with the sauce once they begin to turn pink. Flip, baste again and grill or broil until just cooked through, about 4 more minutes. Serve with extra sauce.

Grilled Herb Shrimp

My oldest daughter loves shrimp and I am constantly looking for new recipes as I know she can’t live on shrimp scampi alone (although I am sure she would disagree with that). This is one of the easiest, tastiest shrimp recipes. Serve with warm, crusty bread to soak up the sauce and it will disappear within minutes of bring served. Mark my words.

Grilled Herb Shrimp
Serves 6

Ingredients
2 pounds large shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled and deveined (see note)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, small-diced
¼ cup minced fresh parsley
¼ cup minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup good olive oil
1 lemon, juiced

Directions
Combine all the ingredients and allow them to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.

Skewer the shrimp. I use 3 or 4 shrimp on a 12-inch skewer for dinner. Heat a grill with coals and brush the grill with oil to prevent the shrimp from sticking. Grill the shrimp for only 1 1/2 minutes on each side.

Note: I leave the tails on when I'm peeling the shrimp.

Grilled Barramundi with Wasabi Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops in an Asian Broth

I love seafood and when I visited Australia recently I was in seafood heaven. With most of the Australian population residing in coastal areas, fish and seafood is popular. Apart from the 800 plus Outback Steakhouse restaurants which claim to be Australian restaurants, there aren’t many restaurants that actually serve a form of Australian cuisine.

In Australia, Barramundi is an iconic table fish revered across the whole country. It could be said that it is a quintessential Australian brand. This recipe totally reminds me of Australia. The flavor is unique and refreshing – salty, tangy, spicy. It’s a flavor explosion! And did I mention the scallops and shrimp? They really add to the dish. Now you don’t have to travel a bloody long way to get a taste of Australia.

Grilled Barramundi with Wasabi Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops in an Asian Broth
Serves 4

Ingredients
4 tablespoons sesame oil
1 cup chopped shrimp with tails, plus 4 whole, peeled and deveined
1 cup chopped scallops, plus 4 whole
4 shallots, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
½ cup mirin
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup rice vinegar
16 ounces water
1 ¼ cups chopped cilantro leaves
½ cup chopped basil leaves
3 green onions, chopped
½ carrot, chopped
4 (6-ounce) barramundi fillets, or substitute tilapia fillets
Salt and pepper
1 tablespoon wasabi powder
1 teaspoon hot chili sauce (recommended: Sriracha)

Cook’s Note: You can substitute cod, tilapia or red snapper if you prefer.

Directions
In a large sauté pan, heat 3 tablespoons sesame oil over medium heat. To pan, add the chopped shrimp, chopped scallops, shallots and garlic. Cook until lightly golden. Add the mirin, soy sauce, rice vinegar and simmer about 5 minutes. Stir in the water and 1 cup cilantro and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer the broth until reduced by 1/3, about 20 minutes. Strain liquid and discard solids. Reserve the liquid.

Preheat grill or grill pan.

Combine the remaining cilantro, the basil, green onions and carrot in a bowl. Set aside.

Season the fillets with salt and pepper. Grill until tender and flakes easily. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, toss the whole shrimp and scallops in wasabi and season with salt and pepper. In a medium sauté pan, heat remaining 1 tablespoon sesame oil over medium heat. Cook the whole shrimp and scallops until golden on both sides. Set aside.

Place ¼ teaspoon of the chili sauce in the bottom of each soup bowl. Ladle some of the broth into each bowl. Stir to gently mix the broth and the chili sauce. Lay 1 fillet of fish into the broth, then surround the fish with 1 shrimp and 1 scallop. Garnish with chopped cilantro, basil, green onions and carrot mixture. Serve immediately.

Ginger-Soy-Lime Marinated Shrimp

This is such a tasty shrimp recipe. Pair with grilled corn or an Asian noodle or sesame salad and you’ve got a wonderful dinner. So, what are you waiting for? Give your taste buds an experience they’ll never forget.

Ginger-Soy-Lime Marinated Shrimp
Serves 8

Ingredients
2 large shallots, peeled and chopped
1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, smashed
¾ cup soy sauce
½ cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup chopped green onions
¼ cup peanut oil
¼ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
2 pounds large shrimp, shells and tails on

Directions
Place shallots, ginger, garlic, soy, lime juice, and sugar in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the green onion and oil and blend until combined. Season with black pepper, to taste. Place shrimp in a large bowl, pour the marinade over, and let marinate at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Preheat a grill to high. Remove shrimp from the marinade and grill for 1 ½ to 2 minutes per side. Serve on brown paper bags, if desired.

Fish Fajitas with Spicy Salsa Verde

These fish fajitas are so easy to make. They don’t take a lot of time and are incredibly delicious. As for the salsa verde? That’s what takes this recipe over the top. It’s fresh, tasty and packs a ton of flavor.

Fish Fajitas with Spicy Salsa Verde
Serves 8

Ingredients
1 ½ pounds mahi mahi, skin removed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 fresh lime
1 tablespoon olive oil
8 (8-inch) flour tortillas
Salsa Verde, recipe follows
1 avocado, sliced

Directions
Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

Cut the fish into 1-inch strips and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with lime juice.

With a rag or paper towel, grease the grill with oil to prevent sticking. Place fish on grill gently; and cook for 3 minutes on each side, turning carefully with tongs.

On the cooler outer edges of the grill place the tortillas to warm them. Transfer the warmed tortillas to a plate or a wide shallow bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel. Fold the edges of the towel over tortillas to keep them warm.

To assemble, divide the fish among tortillas and top with salsa verde and avocado slices. Squeeze lime juice over the avocado and roll up the tortillas.

Salsa Verde
1 ½ pound tomatillos
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ cup finely chopped white onion
½ cup cilantro leaves
2 jalapeno peppers, stemmed, seeded and chopped
¼ teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Remove papery husks from tomatillos and rinse well. Cut in half and place cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Place under a broiler for about 5 to 7 minutes to lightly blacken the skin.

Place tomatillos, lime juice, onions, cilantro, jalapeno peppers and sugar in a food processor or blender and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Serve with chips or as a salsa accompaniment to Mexican dishes.

South O’ the Border Prawn Masala

I am not a huge fan of Indian food primarily because I haven’t been exposed to it. However, I love food and am willing to expand my palate. With its exotic aroma and complex flavor, this unique shrimp recipe is one of the best. It’s no surprise that it can seem daunting to cook Indian food at home; but hopefully I’ve cut the fuss with this casual, home-style Indian dish that’s perfect for everyday cooking.

South O’ the Border Prawn Masala
Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients
1 pound large head-on prawns, shelled, deveined, heads and shells reserved
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 (1-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
2 dried arbol chile, stemmed
1 dried ancho chile, stemmed
1 (14-ounce) can peeled tomatoes in juice, drained, liquid reserved
¾ teaspoon ground turmeric
½ teaspoon garam masala
¼ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Naan bread, for serving

Directions
Remove the prawn heads. In a medium saucepot, bring the prawn heads, shells and 5 cups of water to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the onions, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno, and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
While the vegetables cook, break the arbol chiles and ancho chile into pieces (remove the seeds, if you prefer less heat and spice), then grind in a spice grinder to a fine powder. Set aside.
Crush the tomatoes with your hands.

Add the turmeric, garam masala, and 2 teaspoons of the ground chile powder to the skillet. Reserve the remaining chile powder for another use. Sauté the mixture for 30 seconds, then add the crushed tomatoes and 1/4 cup of the reserved tomato juice. Cook the mixture, stirring, until thickened and most of liquid is cooked out. *Cook’s note: This sweetens the tomatoes and helps bring all the flavors together.

Strain the prawn shells from the water and discard the shells. The water is now a prawn stock. Add 2 cups of the prawn stock to the tomato mixture and bring the mixture to a simmer. The remaining prawn stock can be cooled and frozen for future use. Simmer the tomato mixture, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Add the prawns to the skillet and cook, stirring gently, until just cooked through, about 4 minutes. Reduce the heat to low, then add the heavy cream and fresh dill. Let the mixture simmer, for 2 minutes more, stirring gently. Season with salt, and pepper, to taste. Serve the masala with warm naan.

Vietnamese Shrimp Salad

I can only eat so many Cobb, Chef or Caesar salads. After a while, they tend to feel "heavy" and "weigh me down." After all, a salad is supposed to be refreshing. This salad is light and satisfying and packs a lot of flavor. It’s crisp, refreshing and utterly addicting.

Vietnamese Shrimp Salad

Ingredients
Serves 4

Vietnamese Dressing
2 cloves garlic, minced or crushed
2 fresh long red chiles, seeded and finely diced or julienned
2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger
4 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla)
1 lime, juiced
4 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Salad
8 ounces cooked small shrimp
6 ounces glass noodles
4 ounces sugar snap peas
4 ounces bean sprouts
3 scallions, sliced into thin circles
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves, to garnish

Directions
To make the Vietnamese Dressing, simply mix all the ingredients together. This will keep very well in a tightly sealed jar in the refrigerator for at least a week.

To make the salad, marinate the shrimp in ½ cup of the Vietnamese Dressing. While this is going on, soak the noodles in freshly boiled water according to packet instructions. Once re-hydrated, refresh the noodles in cold water, then drain. Put the sugar snaps and bean sprouts into a colander and pour over freshly boiled water from a kettle. Rinse them with cold water and drain well, just shaking the colander, so they're not actually wet.

In a large bowl, mix the marinated shrimp with the drained noodles, scallions, sugar snaps, and bean sprouts. Dress with 2 tablespoons more of the Vietnamese Dressing; add more dressing, to taste, if desired.

Sprinkle over the chopped cilantro and toss everything together well before arranging onto a large plate.

Hawaiian Poke

Poke (pronounced POH-kay) is served in most Hawaiian homes and restaurants as a side dish, and no gathering in Hawaii would be complete without a few bowls of poke.

Hawaiian Poke

Ingredients
2 lbs. Ahi tuna, cubed into ½ to ¾ inch squares
3 oz. chopped green onion
2 oz. chopped ogo (fresh seaweed)
1 teaspoon red chili flakes
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
Hawaiian salt to taste

Directions
Combine in mixing bowl; add dry ingredients and chill. Serve and enjoy.