Shrimp Pasta Salad

Whenever I want to make my summer pasta salads just a little more special, I transform it into a seafood salad by adding plump, juicy shrimp. But, I find that just adding shrimp to seasoned mayo and pasta doesn’t elevate the flavors enough.  So, to really pump up the zest, I combine the seasoned mayo with a spicy homemade Thousand Island dressing. Not only does it make the colors more vibrant, but it adds a little boldness to the dish, giving the shrimp the recognition it deserves. Whether serving as a cook-out side dish, or a weeknight main meal, this Shrimp Pasta Salad is sure to become a summertime favorite.

Chop celery and red onion. If using raw shrimp, peel, devein and cook shrimp.

Prepare Spicy Thousand Island Dressing:  In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, chili garlic sauce, Sriracha, ketchup and relish. Chill until ready to use.

Cook pasta according to package directions. The last 3 minutes, add peas to water.

Rinse in cold water and drain thoroughly. Transfer cooked pasta with peas to large serving bowl. Stir in cooked shrimp. 

In separate mixing bowl, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, Old Bay Seasoning, lemon juice and all of prepared Spicy Thousand Island Dressing. Whisk well to combine. 

Add as much, or as little, of the mayonnaise mixture to pasta as desired, stirring well to combine. Cover and refrigerate any remaining mayonnaise mixture. Chill pasta salad for several hours. As with any cold pasta salad, the pasta will absorb much of the dressing. Before serving pasta, add additional mayonnaise mixture to desired consistency.


Serve on a bed of lettuce.

SHRIMP PASTA SALAD
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 (16-ounce) package shell pasta
• 1-1/2 cups finely chopped celery
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 2 pounds small shrimp, cooked
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Spicy Thousand Island Dressing:

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 Tablespoons Sambal Oelek (chili garlic sauce)
• 1 Tablespoon Sriracha
• 1 Tablespoon drained relish
• 1 Tablespoon ketchup

DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare Spicy Thousand Island Dressing:  In small bowl, combine mayonnaise, chili garlic sauce,
    Sriracha, ketchup and relish. Chill until ready to use.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. The last 3 minutes, add peas to water.
3. Rinse in cold water and drain thoroughly. Transfer cooked pasta with peas to large bowl. Stir in
    cooked shrimp.
4. In separate mixing bowl, combine 1 cup mayonnaise, Old Bay Seasoning, lemon juice and all of
    prepared Spicy Thousand Island Dressing. Whisk well to combine.
5. Add as much, or as little, of the mayonnaise mixture to pasta as desired, stirring well to combine.
    Cover and refrigerate any remaining mayonnaise mixture. Chill pasta salad for several hours. As with
    any cold pasta salad, the pasta will absorb much of the dressing. Before serving pasta, add additional
    mayonnaise mixture to desired consistency.
6. Serve on a bed of lettuce.

Spicy Creole Jambalaya

 

Jambalaya is one of those one pot wonders. Creole Jambalaya (or “red jambalaya”) originates from the French Quarter of New Orleans and includes tomatoes. What I love about it is the hodgepodge of flavors which all meld together, because it is all prepared in one pot. This is soul food at its finest. It’s hearty, satisfying and “oh, so comforting.” It’s ideal party food because it feeds a crowd. Not having a party? Not a problem, as it freezes well, which makes for an easy “already prepared” meal on those hectic days when you don’t have time to cook. Along with the aromatic trinity of bell peppers, celery and onions, this variation includes chicken, Andouille sausage and shrimp. Savory, spicy and earthy, this bold Cajun dish takes center stage during the Mardi Gras, but is deserving of being relished year-round.

I usually use home-made Creole seasoning, which is a staple in my pantry. For this recipe I combine a 50/50 blend of Emeril's Essence (also known as Bayou Blast) and Baby Bam. The Baby Bam has no cayenne pepper in it, so it cuts back on the overall heat by replacing some of the Essence with the Baby Bam.

Veggie Prep: Chop onion, bell peppers, and celery. Mince garlic. Thinly slice green onions. Chop parsley.

Peel and devein shrimp. 

Trim chicken of excess fat and dice into 2-inch cubes. (Thoroughly clean cutting board and knife before proceeding with sausage.)

Cut Andouille sausage into medallions, then slice each medallion in half (or just thinly slice, if you prefer.)

Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add cubed chicken and season with 1 Tablespoon Creole seasoning. Saute until brown, 8 to 10 minutes (longer if using thighs), until browned. Remove to platter and set aside.

Add another 2 Tablespoons olive oil, then add Andouille sausage. (By now, you are probably hating me, saying that the bottom of the pot is a burnt on mess already. That’s good….that’s what you want. The accumulated browned bits will loosen up when you add the trinity of veggies and liquid.) Cook sausage 6 to 10 minutes, or until browned, stirring often. Remove to platter and set aside.

Add final 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to pot. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. (I know, by now the bottom of your pot is a total disaster.) Add onion, bell peppers, celery, fresh thyme leaves and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until onions are translucent and vegetables start to soften, about 4 minutes. (As you stir, now you will be able to start scraping up the browned bits on the pot bottom.) 

Stir in rice. 

Then add chicken stock, tomatoes and bay leaves. Stir well, scraping up any remaining browned bits left on bottom of pan. Add Creole seasoning (you can add the remaining amount, or add less if you prefer.) The Andouille sausage already adds a good amount of spicy heat to the dish, so you may want to add the remaining Creole seasoning gradually, and adjust to taste, rather than add all at once.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add the shrimp. Cover and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. 

Stir chicken and sausage into rice mixture. 

Add green onions and chopped parsley. Stir well to combine all ingredients. Cover and continue to simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through and rice has absorbed most of the liquid.

This is great served with Cheddar cornbread or jalapeno corn muffins; but even better still, when served with Cajun Beer Bread (which I will post tomorrow).

SPICY CREOLE JAMBALAYA
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 5 to 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs, trimmed of fat and cut in 2-inch cubes (or substitute 1-1/2 pounds chicken breast)
• 2 Tablespoons Creole seasoning, divided* (or adjust quantity to your preference)
• 1 pound (5 to 6 links) Andouille sausage, sliced thin (or substitute any smoked sausage)
• 2 to 3 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, finely chopped (about 1-1/2 cups)
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 green bell peppers, diced
• 1-1/2 cups chopped celery
• 2 Tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 cups raw long-grain rice
• 6 cups chicken stock (or substitute chicken broth)
• 2 cans (10 ounces each) Ro-Tel tomatoes with chiles, undrained
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced fire roasted tomatoes, undrained
• 2 pounds medium sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 to 3/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1/3 cup chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat 2 Tablespoons olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add cubed chicken and season
    with 1 Tablespoon Creole seasoning. Saute until brown, 8 to 10 minutes (longer if using thighs), until
    browned. Remove to platter and set aside.
2. Add another 2 Tablespoons olive oil, then add Andouille sausage. (By now, you are probably hating
    me, saying that the bottom of the pot is a burnt on mess already. That’s good….that’s what you want.
    The accumulated browned bits will loosen up when you add the trinity of veggies and liquid.) Cook
    sausage 6 to 10 minutes, or until browned, stirring often. Remove to platter and set aside.
3. Add final 2 Tablespoons of olive oil to pot. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add onion, bell
    peppers, celery, fresh thyme leaves and flour. Cook, stirring constantly, until onions are translucent
    and vegetables start to soften, about 4 minutes. (As you stir, now you will be able to start scraping up
    the browned bits on the pot bottom.)
4. Stir in rice. Then add chicken stock, tomatoes and bay leaves. Stir well, scraping up any remaining
    browned bits left on bottom of pan. Add Creole seasoning (you can add the remaining amount, or add
    less if you prefer.) The Andouille sausage already adds a good amount of spicy heat to the dish, so you
    may want to add the remaining Creole seasoning gradually, and adjust to taste, rather than add all at
    once.) Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add the shrimp. Cover and
    simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
5. Stir chicken and sausage into rice mixture. Add green onions and chopped parsley. Stir well to combine. 
    Cover and continue to simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through and rice has absorbed most of the
    liquid.



*NOTE: For this recipe I combine a 50/50 blend of Emeril's Essence (also known as Bayou Blast) and Baby Bam. The Baby Bam has no cayenne pepper in it, so it cuts back on the overall heat by replacing some of the Essence with the Baby Bam.


EMERIL’S ESSENCE (also known as Bayou Blast)
Source: Emerils.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 teaspoons salt (reduced from original recipe)
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

DIRECTIONS:
 
Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Store in air-tight container.


EMERIL’S BABY BAM
Source: Emerils.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 teaspoons onion powder
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 2 teaspoons salt (reduced from original recipe)
• 3 tablespoons paprika

DIRECTIONS:
Combine all ingredients thoroughly. Store in air-tight container.

Shrimp Snake Bite Sandwiches

 

I’ve been a big fan of Guy Fieri ever since he competed to win the Next Food Network Star. So, of course, when his first cookbook debuted, I was first in line to purchase one. His food is hearty, packed with heat, and there’s nothing stingy about the portions. However, one thing I discovered about his recipes is, instead of getting layers of flavor, one or more ingredients tend to overpower the others. For this reason, I usually modify his recipes to some extent. These Snake Bite sandwiches are from his book, Cookin’ It, Livin’ It, Lovin’ It. At first, I couldn’t figure out why he would name a shrimp sandwich a Snake Bite. After one taste, it was obvious. These babies are potentially lethal. No complaints here, though. I love a good sandwich that bites back. Even though these are packed with spicy heat, all the different layers of flavor did shine through. Shrimp, bacon, onion, garlic, wine, tomatoes, green onions, cilantro and a perfect combination of spices piled high on ciabatta rolls toasted with garlic butter. Everything about this Snake Bite sandwich is dramatically bold and beautiful! For me, this was a double header. Not only did I find an incredibly delicious shrimp recipe, but I also discovered a mouthwatering garlic butter recipe. Normally, I wouldn’t fuss and would just add minced garlic to softened butter; but Guy’s recipe sounded too tempting not to try. (You may want to “pin” this to revisit later, because once you sample this garlic butter, you won’t settle for any other spread.) 
 

To prepare garlic butter:

Preheat oven to 350° F. Slice the tops off the garlic head. Place cut side up on a piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Enclose the garlic completely in the aluminum foil. Roast for 1 to 1-1/4 hours, or until soft. Set aside to cool.
 

Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves in medium-size bowl. Add the softened butter, mayonnaise, pinch of paprika, Italian seasoning, parsley, sea salt, crushed red pepper flakes and Parmesan cheese. 

Blend well with hand mixer. Refrigerate until ready to use.
 

To prepare Snake Bites:

Dice onions. Mince garlic. Peel, devein and butterfly shrimp. Thinly slice green onions. Chop cilantro.

 
In large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, reserving drippings, and set aside to cool. When cool, chop into small pieces.

In same pan, saute onion in reserved bacon drippings until it just starts to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add 1/4 cup of wine. Stir to remove any bits from bottom of pan.

Add the tomatoes, Worcestershire and chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened. Continue to simmer while you cook shrimp.

In large re-sealable plastic bag, combine cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic powder, dried basil, dried oregano, black pepper, paprika, thyme and sea salt. Add shrimp to bag and shake to coat.

In a separate skillet (on separate burner), over medium heat, heat the oil and 2 Tablespoons butter. (Be careful not to burn the butter.) Add the shrimp (reserving any extra spice mix.) Cook about 3 minutes, or until shrimp are slightly pink, but not fully cooked. Transfer shrimp to plate.
 

Increase heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 1/4 cup wine, scraping up any browned bits. Add the green onion, reserving 2 to 3 Tablespoons for garnish. Add the cream and remaining spice mix. Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by another third.

Meanwhile, spread the ciabatta rolls with garlic butter and toast them.
 

Add the shrimp to the tomato sauce and stir in reduced cream, chopped bacon and cilantro. Simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked. Stir in remaining 1 Tablespoon butter. Garnish with reserved green onions. 

 

 

Pile a generous portion of shrimp and sauce on each of the split roll bottoms. Place top bun offset. Serve immediately.

You will need a fork to eat the overflow, but, after that, the sandwich is sturdy enough to pick up and take a bite out of. However, if it bites back, don’t say I didn’t warn you!

SHRIMP SNAKE BITE SANDWICHES
Source: Adapted from Guy Fieri Cookbook: Cookin’ It, Livin’ It, Lovin’ It
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

Garlic Butter:

• 1 head garlic, preferably elephant garlic
• Olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) butter, softened (room temperature)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• Pinch paprika
• 1/2 Tablespoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 Tablespoon chopped parsley, or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon ground sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Shrimp Snake Bite Sandwiches:

• 6 ounces (1/2 of a 12-ounce package) bacon
• 2 small yellow onions, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1-1/2 Tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/2 cup white wine, divided
• 1 can (28-ounces) diced tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (or, reduce amount for less heat)
• 1 Tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon dried basil
• 1 Tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 Tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon paprika
• 1 Tablespoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined and butterflied
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 3 Tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, divided
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 8 ciabatta rolls, split
• Garlic Butter (ingredients listed above), or substitute garlic spread if pressed for time

DIRECTIONS:

Directions for garlic butter:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Slice the tops off the garlic head. Place cut side up on a piece
    of aluminum foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Enclose the garlic completely.
    Roast for 1 to 1-1/4 hours, or until soft. Set aside to cool.
2. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves in medium-size bowl. Add the softened butter,
    mayonnaise, pinch of paprika, Italian seasoning, parsley, sea salt, crushed red pepper flakes and
    Parmesan cheese. Blend well with hand mixer.

Directions for Shrimp Snake Bite Sandwiches:
1. In large skillet, over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan, reserving drippings,
    and set aside to cool. When cool, chop into small pieces.
2. In same pan, saute onion in reserved bacon dripping until it just starts to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add
    the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes more. Add 1/4 cup of wine. Stir to remove any bits from
    bottom of pan.
3. Add the tomatoes, Worcestershire and chicken stock. Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally,
    until thickened. Continue to simmer while you cook shrimp.
4. In large bowl (or large re-sealable plastic bag) combine cayenne pepper, cumin, garlic powder, dried
    basil, dried oregano, black pepper, paprika, thyme, and sea salt. Add the shrimp. Toss to coat.
5. In a separate skillet (on separate burner), over medium heat, heat the oil and 2 Tablespoons butter.
    (Be careful not to burn the butter.) Add the shrimp (reserving any extra spice mix). Cook about 3
    minutes, or until shrimp are slightly pink (they won’t be fully cooked). Transfer shrimp to plate.
6. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the remaining 1/4 cup wine, scraping up any browned bits. Add
    the green onion, reserving 2 to 3 Tablespoons for garnish. Add the cream and remaining spice mix.
    Lower heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced by another third.
7. Meanwhile, spread the ciabatta rolls with garlic butter and toast them.
8. Add the shrimp to the tomato sauce and stir in reduced cream, chopped bacon and cilantro. Simmer
    for 3 to 4 minutes, or until shrimp are cooked. Stir in the remaining 1 Tablespoon butter. Garnish with
    reserved green onions. Pile a generous portion of shrimp and sauce on each of the split roll bottoms,
    place top bun offset. Serve immediately.

Shrimp Lo Mein

Shrimp Lo Mein has to be one of my favorite take-out choices. Lo Mein is often confused with chow mein. Both refer to noodles with some sort of protein and vegetables, mixed in a savory sauce. The main difference is not the noodle itself, but preparation of the noodles. In Cantonese, lo mein means “stirred (or tossed) noodles,” whereas, chow mein refers to “stir-fried (or fried)” noodles. “Lo mein” noodles are cooked separately then just heated in the wok, so it mixes with the sauce; whereas “chow mein” is completely cooked and stir-fried in the wok, making the noodles crispy. The real star of lo mein is the sauce. That’s why I chose this recipe over others. The seafood flavor is enhanced by using clam juice and oyster sauce, and the addition of honey adds body to the sauce without the need for thickeners. This dish is literally layered with flavor. Besides the incredible taste, what I love most about this meal is the versatility. You can customize it to your own liking, making it as easy and flexible as you want it to be.

Peel and devein shrimp.

If you chop up your vegetables ahead of time and have everything ready to go, you can have dinner on the table in a matter of minutes. So, I would suggest getting your veggies prepped first. You can add or omit any vegetables of your choosing.

Mince garlic. Peel, then mince, or grate, ginger. I cut off a chunk of ginger, peel it with a potato peeler, then slice into thin medallions. I then finely chop the medallions and transfer the chopped pieces into a mini food processor to finely mince.

Slice mushrooms. If mushroom slices are too large, cut in half. Shred carrots (or use a bag of pre-shredded carrots to save time). Coarsely chop 1/2 of a red onion. Slice scallions.

Now that your veggies are prepped, you’re all set to go.

Bring a pot of water to boil. Add noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain the noodles, rinse under cold water and drain again. Shake well to remove excess water. Return noodles to the pot and toss with sesame oil until noodles are well coated. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine clam juice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, dry sherry (or rice wine), and honey. Stir well to combine. Set aside. (Note: if you're not a fan of clam juice, substitute chicken broth.)

Heat a wok (or very large skillet) over high heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates on contact. Add the peanut (or vegetable) oil to wok and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the shrimp and cook until pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

In same wok, add red onions, mushrooms and carrots. Stir fry for about 3 minutes, or until crisp tender. 

Add snow peas (or sugar snap peas) and cook just until heated through. 

Add the garlic, ginger and scallions. Stir fry until aromatic, about 30 seconds. 

Pour in the sauce mixture. Add the noodles and shrimp. Toss until heated through and well-coated with the sauce. Transfer to a platter, or individual bowls and serve.

SHRIMP LO MEIN
Source: Adapted from Appetite for China
Posted by: www.meldingmagic.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 16 ounces lo mein noodles, or whole grain thin spaghetti
• 2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
• 1 Tablespoon peanut or vegetable oil
• 2 pounds small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 Tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced or grated ginger
• 4 or 5 scallions, sliced
• 8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 red onion, coarsely chopped
• 12 ounces sugar snap, or snow pea pods

Sauce:

• 2/3 cup clam juice (or substitute chicken broth)
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 Tablespoons dry sherry, or Chinese rice wine
• 1 Tablespoon honey

DIRECTIONS:

1. Bring a pot of water to boil. Add noodles and cook according to package directions. Drain the noodles,
    rinse under cold water and drain again. Shake well to remove excess water. Return noodles to the pot
    and toss with sesame oil until noodles are well coated. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, combine clam juice, soy sauce, oyster sauce, dry sherry (or rice wine), and honey. Stir
    well to combine. Set aside.
3. Heat a wok (or very large skillet) over high heat until a bead of water sizzles and evaporates on
    contact. Add the peanut (or vegetable) oil to wok and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the shrimp and
    cook until pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
4. In same wok, add red onions, mushrooms and carrots. Stir fry for about 3 minutes, or until crisp
    tender. Add snow peas (or sugar snap peas) and cook just until heated through.
5. Add the garlic, ginger and scallions. Stir fry until aromatic, about 30 seconds.
6. Pour in the sauce mixture. Add the noodles and shrimp. Toss until heated through and well-coated
    with the sauce. Transfer to a platter, or individual bowls and serve.