Honey Walnut Shrimp

I love Chinese food. I used to eat it at least once a week. Go down to Panda Express or a nearby Chinese restaurant and order up some delicious grub. Here's one of my favorite dishes. If it's on the menu you'd find this on my table. Hands down. Honey Walnut Shrimp. I love the slightly crisp shrimp with the creamy sauce along with the crunch of the walnuts. Yum. Tasty stuff. I'd order that with some peking duck with steamed buns.

I've been making this one for years and I'm happy to share it with you all. I covered the shrimp in a tempura like batter seasoned with salt, pepper and my favorite spice, paprika. Generally, the shrimp are deep-fried, but for those who've been following this blog, I try to avoid deep-frying when I can. So pan-frying was the alternative choice.  Fried them up and drained on a paper towel as I made the quick creamy sauce to go with it. I also boiled the walnuts in sugared water to give the little nuts some sweetness. After frying, I tossed the shrimp and walnuts in a creamy sauce. There you have it. No need to order out when you can now make them at home.

I served this with some Pinoy Style Garlic Fried Rice.

Serves 2-4

Honey Walnut Shrimp

1 lb Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1/2 c walnuts
2 c water
1 c sugar
2/3 c flour
3 egg whites
1 tsp paprika
salt and pepper

creamy sauce:
2 Tbsp Honey
2 Tbsp light mayo
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 Tbsp condensed milk


Combine all the ingredients of the sauce in a large bowl and set aside.

Bring the water to a boil in small pot and add the sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar. Add the walnuts and boil for 2 min. Then drain and place onto a parchment paper lines cookie sheet to dry.

In another bowl combine together flour and egg white. Mix until smooth. Season with some salt and pepper and add the paprika.

Heat the oil and pan-fry the shrimp until golden brown. Roughly 60 second per side. Then drain the excess oil on a paper towel and toss into the creamy sauce mixture. Add the dried walnuts and toss well again.

Serve immediately.

Shrimp Po' Boy (Little J Style)

 "I'm feeling shrimpy," I say to the Cynthia, the vendor at Dry Dock Fish at my local farmer's market, as she packs up the fresh shrimp I had just selected.  I guess some of you loyal readers may have notice that I have a little thing for southern cuisine. Once in a long while I'll take a trip down to the famed Los Angeles Farmer's Market and one the little food stalls I like to frequent is a place called The Gumbo Pot. Louisiana-style southern cooking. I usually get myself a shrimp po'boy (a sub-style sandwich) with a cup of rice and gumbo. Mmmm... I've been meaning to make a version of the po' boy for quite a while, but I've just never gotten a chance to.

So when I had purchased the shrimp that little voice in the head began to whisper, "po' boy, po' boy, po' boy." Sweet! You can read a little of the history of this delectable sandwich on its wikipedia page (here), which also known as a poor boy. As much as I love the traditional way of making the po'boy, I wanted to put a little twist to it. A California twist. Traditionally, it consists of deep-fried breaded meat or seafood with lettuce, tomato, and a remoulade sauce. My version consists of baked-breaded seafood, spinach leaves, tomato, and my own rémoulade.

I peeled and deveined the shrimp. If you can get them already shelled and deveined, go for it. It'll save you time. Covered them in flour, an egg wash and panko crumbs, you know my usually way breading, and baked in the oven for 10-13 minutes. While that baked, I made the simple rémoulade sauce and prepared the spinach, tomato and bread. For the sauce, I finally was able to use the Emeril's horseradish mustard I had gotten a few months back courtesy of Foodbuzz and Emeril. You can simply use dijon mustard and horseradish, if you can't find that brand. I also didn't have the traditional french bread rolls, so I used some good ol' sliced bread (i.e. Nature's Pride 12-grain bread).

For this, I brought out trusty ol' Georgie. But you can toast them like you would a grilled cheese sandwich. Here's a neat trick to get that pressed sandwich look from a skillet. Take a plate and place it flat on top of the sandwich. Put a 12 ounce canned good, of any kind, on the plate to apply pressure. This will give you that "pressed" sandwich look just minus the grill marks. Then flip the sandwich and do the same thing.

I assembled the sandwich. Rémoulade on both slices of bread, placed the spinach and tomato on one and 6 perfectly baked shrimp on the other. Place the tomato side to form the sandwich and grilled away. I had a couple shrimp left to I just ate those like a appetizer with some of the rémoulade sauce I had left, which can be used as a dip as well.  You can see a dollop of the sauce on that tomato slice inthe photos.

Come to think of it...in many ways, it looks like a panini, too. A panini-po' boy hydrid? Either way, this was so freakin' good! You can serve this with a side of chips, fries, salad or soup. Or even a cup of rice and gumbo. Anyway, I think I've babbled long enough. I'll let the recipe and photos speak for themselves. Bon appetite!!

Makes 4 sandwiches.

Shrimp Po' Boy (Little J Style)

1 lb shrimp - peeled and deveined (or your choice of seafood or meat)
1 c flour
1 egg
1/4 c milk
salt
pepper
paprika
1 1/2 c panko bread brumbs
extra virgin olive oil
2 medium tomatoes - sliced
8 slices of bread or 4 sandwich rolls (your choice)
Spinach leaves - rinsed and dried
re´moulade sauce (recipe below)


Preheat your oven to 350˚F

Toss the shrimp ina little drizzle of olive oil. Coating all of them.

In three separate dishes for the breading station.
1. flour, seasoned with salt, pepper, and paprika.
2. egg and milk beaten together, season with a pinch of salt.
3. panko crumbs, seasoned with a little salt.

Bread each shrimp. 1, 2, then 3 in that order and place them on a lightly greased baking sheet.

Baked for 10-13 minutes until tender and slightly white and pink. Flip when half way to give the other side an even cooking.

While the shrimp bakes, prepare the spinach leaves, tomato and rémoulade sauce (recipe below)

Prepare you grill, press or skillet.

Assemble the sandwich. Spread the rémoulade on both slices of bread. Place the spinach, then the tomato on one. When the shrimp is cooked, on the other 4-8 shrimp on the other half of the sandwich. Top with the tomato half and place on the grill or press. Cook until bread is toasted for roughly 5 minutes.

Cut the sanwiches in half on a diagonal and serve warm with a side of soup, salad, chips or fries.


For cooking on a skillet:
On medium heat, toast the sandwich like you would a grilled cheese sandwich for roughly 5 minute each side. To get the "pressed" look, place a plate flat over with a 12 oz canned good, of any kind on top to apply pressure.

Rémoulade Sauce:
2 green onion - chopped
1/2 c lite mayo
1 tsp sweet relish
1 tsp lemon juice
1 -2 Tbsp Emeril's Horseradish Mustard (you can substitute for 1 Tbsp dijon mustard and 1/2 Tbsp horseradish)


Combine the ingredients for the rémoulade together and set aside. Keep chilled, if not using immediately.

Grilled Shrimp Skewers

It's grillin' time again. For this go around, I made some shrimp with pineapple skewers. Who wouldn't love some shrimpy goodness? Unless you're allergic, then you're excused.

These little shrimpies were marinated in a simple soy sauce, lemon and garlic mixture That I marinated for a little over an hour. Skewered it with some fresh cut pineapple and grilled away. The smell around the house with the shrimp and pineapple cooking away. It was tempting not to take a bite, but I slightly burned my tongue on a lone shrimp that had no skewer to attach to. I couldn't resist. Don't tell me you haven't tried taking a bite or a sip of something right from the cooker, only to give the tongue a beating. No matter how many times I say "I won't do that again," I always do.

I served this with a side of Little J's Potato Salad. Little J, being one of my nicknames. Recipe for that coming soon. I also used some of the leftover marinade as a dipping sauce.

This will make roughly 6 skewers.



Grilled Shrimp Skewers

1 lb Shrimp (deveined and shelled)
Pineapple chunks
1 c soy sauce
Juice of one lemon
1 large garlic clove (minced)
6 Skewers

Marinate the shrimp in the soy sauce, lemon juice and garlic for at least 30min to an hour. This may be done in advance.

Prepare your grill.

Soak the skewers in water for at least 30min. This will prevent the sticks from burning while on the grill. Skewer a shrimp and pineapple on the stick, alternating each until you reach the top.

Cook the shrimp until they turn a nice shade white and pink. Roughly 3-5 min per side depending on the heat of your grill.

Serve warm.

Shrimparagus Garlic Mac'n'Cheese

Comfort food with a twang. That's what I like. Mac and cheese would be the ultimate comfort food in my book. It doesn't get any more of a classic than that. And what a better time to make some than on Memorial Day weekend. I like my mac and cheese very cheesy, but I hate it when the cheese is too runny. Creamy, I'll take. But runny...? I made just the right amount to cheese sauce to coat each piece of pasta, shrimp and asparagus that still had a nice little stretch when you pull a piece with a fork.

For the pasta, I used Barilla's Whole Grain Rotini. I also used evaporated milk rather than heavy cream for the cheese sauce and added a some tobasco to give it a itty-bitty kick. Cutting out some calories while having a good and tasty meal is always good.

This could serve 3-5.




Shrimpargus Garlic Mac'n'Cheese

1 lb shrimp (deveined and shelled)
1 box Barilla Whole Grain Rotini pasta
1 bundle thin asparagus
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Bring a stock pot, filled with water, to a boil. When the water is bubbling like crazy, season liberally with salt and add in the pasta. Cook for about 10-12 min. Stir a couple of times to keep the pasta from sticking to the pot. Drain before adding it to a 13 x 9 baking pan.

Rinse the asparagus and cut off 1" from the bottom tip. Then slice the remaining sticks in the length of a toothpick.

Heat some olive oil in a pan and saute the asparagus for roughly 5 min or until tender. Season with some salt and pepper. Remove from heat and mix with the pasta.

In the same pan, heat a little more olive oil and saute the shrimp until pink and opaque. Roughly 3-5 min. Season with salt, pepper and paprika. It will get a nice red tint. When shrimp is ready add into the pasta and asparagus including the juice in the pan.


Cheese Sauce:
1 12oz can evaporated milk
1 1/2 c Shredded mild cheddar (plus extra for topping)
1 1/2 c shredded parmesan (plus extra for topping)
1-2 tsp tobasco
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 Tbsp butter or margarine
1 Tbsp All-Purpose Flour


In a small sauce pan, melt the butter, then add in the flour on medium to low heat. Stir. Add the evaporated milk. Stir to combine until milk looks thick and flour pieces have dissolved. Add in both cheeses and stir to combine. Add in the garlic and tobasco. Stir well until cheeses are completely melted.

Note: You can adjust how much garlic and tobasco you want put in


Putting it all together: Preheat your broiler. Spread the cheese sauce over the pasta mixture and mix the whole concoction together, coating every nook and cranny. Sprinkle extra cheddar and parmesan over the top. Place in the broiler for 3 min or until the cheese is melted.

Wheat Pasta

For my next attempt, I dared to make pasta. The upside to this is that it is homemade and delicious. But the down side out-weighed the upside. I don't have a pasta machine of any kind and had to roll the dough by hand using a rolling pin. Major chore! It was literally a workout. My arms still feel sore from excessive rolling. I literally had sweat falling down my forehead and neck. Trying to get the thickness of the pasta just right. I kept thinking...is this thick enough? And when will I be done because I had some writing to do.

Once I got all the rolling and cutting done, I hung the pasta to dry on the back of two dining chairs overnight, so that way all I had to do was cook it the next day. I had to cook them a little longer than usual because I had made them a little too thick. Note to self: roll dough thinner.



I had gotten the original recipe many years ago. I don't remember who gave it to me or where I had gotten it. It was a recipe for regular white pasta. I modified it a bit to make into a wheat pasta. It was a good experience, but I think I'll stick to the "ready made" version until I get my own little pasta maker.

I served this with some Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto that I had bought from Domenico's Artisanal Foods at Gigi's Farmer's Market the other day. They were the ones that I had mentioned a few weeks ago, who were featured in Bon Appetit Magazine. It was so good! I mixed it with some pan-fried shrimp, liberally seasoned with salt and pepper. Topped it with some shredded Manchego Cheese.



Wheat Pasta

1 c All Purpose Flour
1 c Wheat Flour
3 eggs (beaten)
1 tsp Salt
1 Tbsp olive oil

By food processor: combine all ingredients until it forms a dough.

By hand: Combine the flours and salt. Place on flat surface and create a little well in between. Kind of like a volcano. Place eggs and oil in the well and mix well until a dough forms.

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Knead the dough into a ball then wrap in some plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 min.

Roll out the dough into the desired thickness using a rolling pin. Cut into strips or make into ravioli.

Hang the pasta to dry at least 15 min.

Homemade pasta generally will cook in half the time as store bought.

Shrimpy Love

Course #3 - Main Dish

I had no idea what title to give this. It's either the current one or shrimp in cream sauce with sauteed baby bok choy over garlic and olive oil couscous. Right. That wouldn't fit with the limited space given.

I hope you enjoyed the coming attractions as now I give you the feature presentation.

This recipe will serve 2-4 people. (Depending on how hungry one person is)


Shrimp in Cream Sauce
1 Lb Shrimp - deveined and shelled (you may add more)
1 Garlic clove - minced
2 Tbs Butter or margarine
3 Tbs Lemon Juice
1 8oz can Evaporated Milk.

In a sauce pan, melt the butter and heat garlic. Add in shrimp. Stir constantly until they turn a nice white-pink color.

When the shrimp is cooked, add in lemon juice and evaporated milk. Stir occasionally and bring to s slow simmer.


Garlic and olive oil Couscous

1 box Casbah brand flavored couscous.

Rather than cooking it with water, I used 1 1/2 c chicken stock to add a little more flavor.

Bring the stock to a boil before adding the couscous. It'll cook in about 5 min. Fluff with a fork to break it apart before serving.


Sauteed Baby Bok choy

1 bundle baby bok choy (per person)
2 Tbsp Soy sauce
1 Tbsp Olive oil
Salt and Pepper to season

Heat the oil in a saute pan and add in the baby bok choy. Season lightly with some salt and pepper, then add in soy sauce. Cook for roughly 3-5 min.


Putting it all together: Take a bowl or plate and place a nice helping of couscous as the base. Top with some of the sauteed baby bok choy and shrimp with cream sauce.

The sauce gets absorbed by the couscous giving it a nice lemon-garlic flavor.