Crab Dip

This is always a hit with my gang at holiday time. -- Niknak

8 oz. softened cream cheese
1 can 7 1/2 oz of crab meat
3 Tbsp. Seafood cocktail sauce
4 Tbsp. Mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely diced green pepper
Garlic powder and pepper to taste.
A dash or 2 of Shirracha sauce (Horz sauce) optional.

Mix together and refrigerate.

This dip can also be served hot, pop into oven at 350 f. until it bubbles.

Serve with crackers

Alabama Shrimp Bake

Last night I told the hubby that shrimp is on sale and what would he like me to make.  He pulled this oldie but goodie out of his brain.

Do you remember when Forrest Gump was all the rage?  Well Southern Living Magazine took advantage of it and put out a "Bubba Gump Cookbook" that took all the SL shrimp recipes and put them in one book.  Mom gave me and my sis one for Christmas along with the usual "Southern Living Annual Cookbook" and a Chickfila Calendar.  I do believe I have made every recipe in the Bubba Gump Cookbook but this one was very popular with my family.  Enjoy!

1 cup butter, melted (I used 1/2 cup)
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. salt (I used seasoning salt)
1 tbsp. freshly-ground black pepper
1 tsp. dried rosemary
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
1 tbsp. hot sauce (I used Sriracha)
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 lbs. unpeeled large or jumbo fresh shrimp (I peeled mine)
2 lemons, thinly sliced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced


1. Preheat oven to 400F. Combine first 9 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Rinse shrimp with cold water; drain well. In an ungreased 9x13x2-inch baking dish, layer shrimp, lemon slices, and onion slices. Pour butter mixture over shrimp.
3. Bake uncovered for 20-25 minutes (less if you're using peeled shrimp) or until shrimp turn pink, basting occasionally with pan juices.

I like to make some Linguine noodles and cook them al dente.  I will put the noodles in a large bowl and then pour the shrimp on top and let them sit for a minute or 2 so the noodles absorb some of the juice.  

Chicken or Salmon Superfood Salad

Thanks again Eliza for this super-healthy meal, courtesy of The Leon Cookbook.

2 tbsp quinoa
½ head of broccoli
300g free-range chicken thighs, each cut into 4 pieces and marinated overnight, or 4 x 70g slices of salmon fillet
2 handfuls of rocket
2 handfuls of baby spinach
2 vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped
120g frozen peas (if using fresh, use 500g unshelled pods)
1 lemon
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
A light sprinkling of alfalfa sprouts
3 tbsp aïoli
2 tbsp toasted seeds
A hefty sprinkling of chopped mint and parsley
Salt and pepper
Put 80ml of water into a small pan and bring to the boil. Stir in the quinoa and boil fast for five minutes, then turn the heat down and simmer for five minutes more. Turn the heat off, fluff with a fork, and leave until cooled.
Preheat your grill to very hot, or get your griddle pan smoking.
Cut the broccoli into small florets and slice the stalks into 1cm thick circles. Drop into a pan of rapidly boiling salted water for three minutes, then drain and run under the tap until cold.
Season your protein. Then for chicken, grill for five minutes, turn it over, then five minutes more; a scant three minutes each side for the salmon slices.
While all this is going on, build your salad: toss the leaves, tomatoes, broccoli and peas in the juice of half a lemon and the olive oil. Lift on to one big serving dish or individuals, scatter on the cooled quinoa and alfalfa. The next layer is the protein (try feta if you're veggie). Top with the aïoli, seeds and herbs, with the other half lemon, wedged, on the side.

Crustacean-Inspired Garlic Roasted Sea Feast w/ Garlic Noodles

Crustacean is a landmark* San Francisco restaurant that remains well regarded** among locals and tourists alike.***

*     aka "overrated tourist trap"
**   aka  "rests on its previously well deserved reputation and currently provides crap food and service"
*** aka "people who have not yet figured out that there are many dupe recipes for the famous garlic noodles, or how
       easy it is to roast a crab at home or find it at another SF restaurant"

#Occupy Crustacean's Kitchen!

GARLIC NOODLES

20 oz Asian wheat noodles -- your choice of cut  [rice noodles will not work]

Garlic Sauce:

1 stick unsalted butter
2 heaping tablespoons minced garlic (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon Maggi seasoning sauce, or soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce, or 1 shrimp boullion cube
1 tablespoon sugar or honey

cracked fresh pepper, to taste

Garnish:  chopped Vietnamese or regular coriander (cilantro);  grated parmesan  ["Gene-eeeeee!!!"]


Boil the noodles al dente; drain and set aside.

Prepare the garlic sauce using a saute pan on medium to low heat.  Melt butter; add the garlic and saute until aromatic but not browned.  Add all remaining seasonings to the pan, stir to combine well. Transfer the garlic sauce into a small bowl.  Add pasta to saute pan; quickly toss over medium heat, adding garlic sauce in increments until noodles fully coated and re-heated.  Transfer to bowl or individual plating; garnish.

GARLIC ROASTED SEA FEAST

[Serves 2]

1 Dungeness Crab (about 4 lbs), cleaned and cracked
2 lobster tails
1/2 lb. prawns
3/4 stick unsalted butter
6-8 cloves coarsely chopped garlic
2 teaspoons chicken or shrimp bouillon, powdered
2 teaspoons coarse cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 bunch scallions, sliced to 1 inch pieces
1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

Garnish: whole flat leaf parsley shoots; lemon slices.


Clean all shellfish; crack the crab in half and partially crack the claws, reserve the shell; score cut the lobster tails down the soft middle.  Heat up the butter stove top in roasting skillet or pan; cast iron preferred.  Saute the garlic until aromatic, but not brown. Add in the black peppers, chicken or shrimp bouillon, pepper; then add in the seafood [crab, then lobster, then shrimp] and stir well until approx. 1/4 cooked.  Add in the sugar, ginger and scallions, then cook until half done.

Bake in the oven at 350 degree F until done to taste.  Serve on platter with garlic noodles and garnishes.