Inspired by Edna Lewis' recipe for shrimp paste--which is something between pureed potted shrimp and a flavored butter--this recipe leaves the shrimp whole as a main course. It's ideal served over slow-cooked stone-ground grits but also excellent on its own, chopped and tossed into fettucini or toothpicked individually as a cocktail snack.
If you're familiar with okonomiyaki, chances are you know it as a clean-out-the-fridge-franken-pancake stuffed with cabbage and a multitude of other ingredients, such as onion, scallions, pork belly or bacon, seafood, fish cakes, udon, mochi (rice cakes), and/or basically anything else you can think of. (As you might guess it's usually something you scarf down during a night of drinking.) Okonomiyaki are well loved all over Japan, but Hiroshima and Osaka are especially famous for their regional versions. There, these pancakes can grow to several inches in thickness and normally come garnished with copious squiggles of Kewpie mayo and Bull-Dog sauce, as well as katsuobushi (bonito flakes) that wave and wilt in the steam , as thought they have a life of their own.
I am a self-professed Caesar addict. This recipe came about after rigorous testing of and tinkering with a basic Caesar dressing recipe. This lighter Caesar is delicious -- the perfect summer salad. Plus, since the dressing has no raw eggs in it, it is perfect for picnics where refrigeration isn't an option. The dressing recipe makes extra, and you'll be glad of that!
This is, or should be, a staple of grown-up summer vacation. It's a great way to make use of super-freshness: fish, tomatoes, and watermelon, especially. It's light and refreshing, and it keeps remarkably well in the fridge for a day or two. The watermelon is the surprise here, and it just piles on the summeriness, contrasting well, especially, if you turn up the jalopeño heat.
I was inspired to recreate this dish that I had on a recent trip to Sicily. The salt and brine from the capers and olives really complements the meatiness of the swordfish, while the sweet sun-dried tomatoes add an extra dimension of flavor. I also love that this dish can be served room temperature. -
I got hooked on hot-smoked salmon while living in England where my corner fishmonger sold me some of his personally recommended local stuff. I had to limit myself to buying this only once a week. It was sweet and salty, firm and creamy all at the same time. The “hot” here doesn’t mean spice. It’s the temperature at which the smoking process occurs (between 145-150 degrees Fahrenheit), which fully cooks the fish, giving it a light pink silken internal texture a tawny, smoky skin. I used it in maki rolls, with asparagus and hollandaise and in my daughter’s lunchbox. And I concocted this Asian-inspired noodle salad which has a good contrast of flavor, texture and color. You may be able to find good hot smoked salmon where you live and by all means use it to make this salad as a very easy, very cool dinner on a hot night.
When I asked my boyfriend, an avid lover of seafood of all kinds, what I should make for this contest, he quickly and enthusiastically answered, “sardine butter!” Eaten on toast as an hors d’oeuvre or starter, it is the love child of two ingredients beloved by people from his region of France: sea salt-laced butter, and sardines. As a bonus, it is really easy to make and store.
We live on an island off the Maine Coast in the center of the Lobster Universe. Friends and family come from all over to visit in the summer to enjoy this magnificent coast and eat lobster. After every big lobster feed, we make Lobster Hash with poached (or over easy) eggs for breakfast the next morning. We buy extra lobsters just for the hash. Most people say, it is the best breakfast they ever ate. This same recipe works great with leftover fish (Chilean Sea Bass and Swordfish works best but any fish will work) or Maine shrimp as well.
In a former life, I owned a fish market. In addition to selling fresh fish, we offered prepared foods to take home - a radical concept at the time - and this dish was prepackaged with instructions. It's a rich, bright dinner party meal that whips up in less than 10 minutes and never fails to impress. Best with the first sorrel of the season. Sorrel is one of the easiest herbs to grow (note: invasively so) but this sauce guarantees it a home in my garden.
Even though I am a recent vegan, I continue cooking meals for friends and family that I used just because I know they will be a hit. I love Asian food and this recipe is super simple and delicious and really not complicated at all. Teriyaki sauce can be made in your home without the added chemicals in a prepared sauce you find in the store. Enjoy!
