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Fast & Easy Dinner: Spinach-Orzo Salad With Shrimp

partysugar — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:30:47 -0700

With Spring just around the corner, I can't help but crave green dishes like this orzo salad chock full of spinach and crunchy vegetables. Thanks to a light and lemony vinaigrette and a dose of protein from broiled shrimp, it's a healthy and hearty meal. Although many people think of salad as a side dish, this one is so filling and flavorful it stands alone. Get the uncomplicated recipe after the break.

Noodle Over Stir-Fried Shrimp and Cilantro

YumSugar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 16:15:28 -0700

I'm always looking for easy dinners that are tasty and fresh. Stir-fries are the perfect candidate for such a meal and this weekend, I pulled out the wok to make a simple shrimp and rice noodle dish. The shrimp required the most prep since I had to devein them. However, once all of the ingredients are prepped in individual bowls, the cook time is really fast. In under 15 minutes, I had an exceptionally delicious dinner. The mild sauce combines soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, and lime juice - creating a perfectly light Spring dinner. Skip takeout tonight and keep reading for the recipe.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Shrimp and Pancetta on Polenta

partysugar — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 11:30:02 -0800

While seafood gumbo is a classic dish native to New Orleans, to celebrate Fat Tuesday tonight, why not make another favorite with origins in the South? The traditional shrimp and grits gets a quick and modern makeover in this wonderful recipe. Instant polenta replaces the grits, and the addition of pancetta adds a porky goodness to the flavorful sauce. To kick start your Mardi Gras festivities, make this meal now.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Angel Hair With Spicy Shrimp

partysugar — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 08:00:53 -0800

One of my favorite dishes of all time is a simple Spanish tapa known as gambas al ajillo, or garlic shrimp. It's served all over Spain and consists of sizzling shrimp in a fragrant and slightly spicy olive oil and garlic sauce. When I came across this recipe for pasta with garlic shrimp, I knew I had to give it a try. With the addition of white wine creating an excellent sauce, the recipe turns the classic shrimp appetizer into a main course. Definitely plan on serving it with plenty of crusty bread for dipping! To check out the technique, read more.

Angel Hair With Spicy Shrimp
From Real Simple

Ingredients

12 ounces angel hair pasta or spaghetti (3/4 of a box)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter

Directions

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute (do not let it brown).
Add the shrimp, wine, red pepper, and ½ teaspoon salt. Simmer until the shrimp are opaque, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the butter.
Toss the pasta with the shrimp mixture.

Serves 4.

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Come Party With Me: Chinese New Year - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 07:50:28 -0800

Yet another Valentine's Day where I celebrate solo. Instead of being bummed about not having a boy toy, I'm doing what I do best: hosting a dinner party! Luckily, Chinese New Year happens to fall on Valentine's Day, so I'm inviting a select group of single friends to join me for a Chinese-inspired feast. The menu starts with shiitake and scallion lo mein and pork and chive dumplings. Noodles are a staple at Lunar New Year because they symbolize longevity. The main course consists of spicy Sichuan peppercorn shrimp, stir-fried Chinese greens, and steamed white rice. To enjoy these festive and delicious recipes with your loved ones, read more.

Shiitake-and-Scallion Lo Mein
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

1 pound wide lo mein noodles
1/4 pound snow peas, halved diagonally
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
6 scallions, cut into 1-inch lengths
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Directions

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the noodles until tender; add the snow peas to the noodles in the last 2 minutes of cooking. Drain the noodles and snow peas and rinse under cold water until cool.
In a small bowl, mix the soy sauce with the mirin and sesame oil.
In a very large, deep skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the canola oil until shimmering. Add the shiitake and cook over moderately high heat, undisturbed, until browned, about 5 minutes.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of canola oil, the scallions and ginger and stir-fry until the scallions soften, about 3 minutes. Add the water and cook over moderate heat, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, 1 minute. Add the noodles, snow peas and soy sauce mixture to the skillet and cook, tossing the noodles until heated through, about 2 minutes.
Add the cilantro, transfer to banana leaf cones or bowls and serve.

Serves 8.

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Pork and Chive Dumplings
From Gourmet

Ingredients

For dipping sauce:
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water
1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1/8 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 garlic clove, smashed
3 (2-inch) dried red chiles, wiped clean
1/8 teaspoon sugar
For dumplings:
1/2 pound fatty ground pork
1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
1/4 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon Vietnamese chile-garlic sauce (preferably Huy Fong brand)
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated peeled ginger
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar (not seasoned)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch of white pepper
3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro stems
3 tablespoons finely chopped flowering chives, flat Chinese chives (garlic chives), or scallions
24 to 30 round dumpling wrappers (preferably with egg)

Directions

Make sauce: Stir together all ingredients and let stand at room temperature at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
Make dumplings: Combine all ingredients (except cilantro stems, chives, and wrappers) in a large bowl, then stir in cilantro stems and chives. Set bowl in a larger bowl of ice to keep chilled while forming dumplings.
Place a slightly rounded teaspoon of filling in center of a wrapper and moisten area around filling with water. Fold in half to form a crescent and press to seal. Moisten one corner and bring corners together, pressing them, to form a tortellini-shaped dumpling. Repeat with remaining filling and wrappers.
Cook dumplings in a large pot of gently simmering water until pork is just cooked, about 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a platter.

Makes 8 servings.

Make ahead: Dumplings can be formed (but not cooked) 2 hours ahead and chilled; or 1 month ahead and frozen on a tray, then transferred to a freezer bag. Cook frozen dumplings in 3 or 4 batches, 7 to 8 minutes per batch.

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Sichuan Peppercorn Shrimp
From Food & Wine

Ingredients

1 1/2 teaspoons Sichuan peppercorns
1 pound large shrimp-shelled, deveined and butterflied
Salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 scallions-2 coarsely chopped, 1 thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 jalapeños, seeded and thinly sliced
1 dried pasilla or small ancho chile, seeded and very thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
Chile-sesame oil, for drizzling

Directions

In a small skillet, toast the peppercorns over moderate heat until fragrant, about 30 seconds; let cool. Transfer the peppercorns to a mortar or spice grinder and grind to a powder. Put the shrimp in a bowl, toss with 1 teaspoon of the ground peppercorns and season with salt.
In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil. Add the shrimp and stir-fry over moderate heat until almost cooked through, 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Heat the remaining 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the skillet. Add the chopped scallions, garlic, jalapeños and chile and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the scallions and garlic are softened, 5 minutes.
Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of ground peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add the shrimp and lime juice and stir until the shrimp are just cooked through, 1 minute. Season with salt and transfer to a bowl. Garnish with the sliced scallion, drizzle with the chile oil and serve.

Serves 4.

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Stir-Fried Chinese Greens with Ginger, Oyster and Soy Sauce
From Jamie Oliver

Ingredients

11 - 14 ounces mixed Chinese greens--bok choy, Chinese broccoli (gai larn), baby spinach
3 tablespoons walnut oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 tablespoon thinly sliced ginger
4 scallions, finely shredded
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 pinches of sugar
juice of 1 lime
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Remove any blemished outside stalks from the greens. Put the spinach to one side so that you can add it to the wok or pan at the last minute, as it cooks very quickly. Prepare the rest of the Chinese greens; cut the Chinese broccoli into strips and the bok choy into quarters. Plunge the greens into boiling water for about 1 1/2 minutes until just tender, and drain well.
Put the oil and the ginger into a very large, hot wok or other suitable pan and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the scallions and the rest of the ingredients apart from the seasoning. Stir, then add the spinach and toss so that everything is coated in sauce. The vegetables will sizzle and stir-fry. The oyster and soy sauce will reduce, just coating the greens. At this point season to taste. Stir-fry for a further minute and serve immediately.

Serves 4-6.

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Game Day Eats: Bacon-Wrapped Barbecued Shrimp

partysugar — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 09:00:46 -0800

When I think of a game day, it always involves food sensations. The scent of bacon wafting through the air, the sticky fingers that require licking clean, the lingering heat from a spicy sauce that causes lips to tingle. A dish that exemplifies these sentiments? Bacon-wrapped shrimp with spicy barbecue sauce. They are, as Guy Fieri would say, "a triple F" - filling, flavorful, and fun to eat - basically everything you could ever want in a Super Bowl snack. Not to mention that the recipe is easy and the sauce can be made in advance. To score big with these amazing skewers, get the recipe and read more.

Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp With Chipotle Barbecue Sauce
From Guy Fieri

Ingredients

20 strips bacon (about 12 ounces)
20 medium-large shrimp, shelled and deveined (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup canola oil
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3 tablespoons chopped chipotles in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 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 1/4 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.

Serves 6.

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Ina's Roasted Shrimp Cocktail Is Easy, Delicious

partysugar — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 09:15:06 -0800

I'm a huge fan of Ina Garten. I love her fresh takes on basic classics and find that her recipes are incredibly reliable. Recently I made her roasted shrimp cocktail. Has anyone else made this easy appetizer?! It's absolutely perfect.

The roasted shrimp is plump and juicy, and the cocktail sauce - a slightly spicy combination of red chili sauce, ketchup, and horseradish - is so flavorful and delicious, I was licking it off my fingers. This portable dish can be prepared in advance, so if you're looking for a last minute appetizer for an Italian Christmas Eve, Christmas, or even New Year's, I highly recommend this crowd-pleasing favorite. Check out Ina's method after the jump.

Monday's Leftovers: Shrimp With Scallions and Crispy Potatoes

YumSugar — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 06:50:08 -0800

If you're looking for a departure from chicken or fish that's healthy, quick-cooking, and inexpensive, then turn to leftover frozen shrimp. Not only is it juicy and flavorful, but it's incredibly low-maintenance (no deveining or peeling required!), and much more affordable than fresh shellfish.

Rather than make the standby shrimp stir-fry over rice, throw together an überquick skillet toss that's truly different, with browned potato pieces, scallions, and curry powder. You'll sit down to dinner less than 30 minutes later with a dish that's a symphony of flavors, textures, and colors. Learn how to make it when you read more.

Sunday Dinner: Shrimp and Feta Cheese Quiche

YumSugar — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 06:00:16 -0800

It's been cold and wet outdoors this weekend, so tonight I'm going to indulge myself by making a gorgeous savory pastry that takes inspiration from French country cooking, the Mediterranean, and the fruits of the sea.

I don't plan on toiling over a crust from scratch. Instead, I'll parbake some store-bought pie dough, then fill the tart with a sumptuous filling of shrimp, feta, and roasted red peppers. The result is a sophisticated update on a rustic classic. For the recipe, read more.

Fast & Easy Dinner: Shrimp and Noodle Stir-Fry

partysugar — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 11:30:24 -0800

Searching for an interesting and unexpected meal to feed your family? Look no further than this shrimp and noodle stir-fry. It comes together in less time than it takes to order out and is full of flavor and textures. The shrimp is tossed with bell peppers, pea pods, bok choy, and green onions before being coated in a simple sauce made from hoisin and orange juice. Use the recipe as a guide and substitute in tofu, mushrooms, broccoli, or whatever veggies you have on hand. To get the details, keep reading.