Haddock Meuniere

 

 

The key is soaking the fish in milk. Don't skip this step!

1.5 pounds haddock (skin removed)

milk (any kind, including buttermilk) - enough to cover fish

3/4 cup flour

salt, pepper and any seasoning you like on the fish (I use something spicy like blackened seasoning)

2-4 Tbsp butter

fresh lemon juice

chopped fresh parsley

 

Place fish in a shallow dish and pour milk over them to cover. Soak for 5 to 20 minutes, but no longer than 20 minutes.

 

Mix flour and seasoning in a shallow pie pan or on a plate.

 

Melt butter in a frying pan and have it ready to go as you prepare the fish.

 

Dry off each fish filet with paper towel - working one filet at a time. Place fish in flour and coat until all fish is covered with flour. Then place in the frying pan with melted butter. Work quickly to repeat this with all fish fillets. Add extra seasoning on fish as desired.

 

Cook about 2 minutes and flip fish and when second side is golden brown, check to make sure fish is done (I use an instant read thermometer). Fish should be at least 145 degrees and flake easily.

 

Butter should begin to brown -- add additional butter as desired (butter should smell a bit nutty). Pour about 1 Tbsp of lemon juice over the fish and remove from pan, pouring butter on top.

 

Garnish with fresh parsley and serve immediately.

 

The fish will be tender, moist and flaky and should not taste fishy at all! Fast, easy and currently my favorite way to prepare white fish.

 

Serve with rice and fresh green beans, or other favorite sides.

 

 

Gumbo with Shrimp and Andouille

Adapted from a recipe I found on the Internet, this recipe is full of flavor and medium heat. Be sure to use large Gulf shrimp and allow plenty of time to make this! Between chopping, cleaning the shrimp and making shrimp broth, allow at least 1 1/2 hours! If you have a sous chef, you can cut that time down by quite a bit. I recommend a spouse who can assist with cleanup too! :)

1 pound large Gulf shrimp in the shell
1/2 tsp (about 2) garlic cloves, crushed
1 tsp. dried or 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
salt & pepper (season well)

4 Tbsp. olive oil (or more)
1 1/2 cup diced onion
1 cup red chopped bell pepper
3/4 cup chopped celery (with some celery leaves mixed in)
2-3 cloves, minced
4 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp tomato paste (from a tube)
1 tsp paprika
1/4-1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 heaping cup fresh tomato, seeded and chopped
12 oz. smoked andouille sausage (I use Chicken andouille from Trader Joe's), sliced into 1/2 to 1/4 inch round slices
6 cups shrimp broth OR low sodium chicken stock/broth
2 cups chopped okra, thinly sliced and fried in olive oil (see note below)*
file' powder (to taste)

Cooked white rice

Peel shrimp and save shells for broth. To make broth: heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a 9-10 cup stock pot, add shells, 1 bay leaf, fresh thyme, 2-3 cloves garlic (sliced), and 1/2 onion roughly chopped, allow to sizzle for about 1-2 minutes, but don't allow to brown. Add 7 cups of water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 minutes, Strain and refrigerate if making earlier in the day.

Devein shrimp and place in a bowl. Add crushed garlic, thyme and salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate until later.

Now it's time to make the gumbo roux. Heat olive oil in a large stock pot (can use the same one you used for broth, but make sure it is dry and clean). Add onion, red bell pepper and celery. Stir fry until vegetables are soft and lightly browned. This will take about 8-10 minutes. Sprinkle flour in slowly and mix with oil and veggies. If too dry, add a bit more olive oil until you get a nice thick paste. Cook until well browned. A good roux takes time, so don't hurry this step. Flour will stick on the bottom of the pot, so stir well so it doesn't burn. Add tomato paste, paprika, cayenne and minced garlic. Stir fry about 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes and stir well. Season with salt and pepper.

Add the stock (shrimp or chicken) slowly, mixing the roux into the liquid and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the andouille sausages and then heat to a boil. The liquid might be foamy (this is natural). Give it a stir and simmer for about 25 minutes on low.

While gumbo base is simmering, prepare okra and rice.

Fresh okra is slimy, but don't worry, it won't be slimy in your gumbo! Wash, cut off ends of okra and slice it very thin. You will see the slime, but press on! If you love okra, you can add more than 2 cups, but be sure to do at least 2 cups of okra. Now take a large frying pan and add a small amount of olive oil. Add your okra and stir fry on medium heat for about 10-15 minutes or until the slime is gone. Okra will brown, but don't allow it to burn. Once cooked, add to the gumbo base and bring it up to a slow boil. Add shrimp and cook no more than 2-3 minutes or until shrimp is just pink.

To make rice fluffy, after rice is done cooking, remove lid and place an old flour sack dish towel on top and place lid on top to hold it in place. The towel absorbs the extra moisture and rice is not sticky or gooey that way.

Serve gumbo in a large bowl by adding rice to the bowl and then ladling gumbo on top. Top the gumbo with generous amount of file' powder. Adjust salt and pepper levels to taste and add hot sauce if you want it extra spicy.

*If you cannot find fresh okra, use frozen. No need to fry it first, just drop it in the pot and cook until done.

I cannot say enough good about this recipe. This is the first time I've made gumbo and the first time I prepared fresh okra. I'm a huge fan and plan to make this again. I cannot wait to eat the leftovers too!

Bourbon Glaze for Salmon, Chicken, etc.

3 Tbsp. brown sugar
3 Tbsp. bourbon
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. fresh ginger, minced
1 Tbsp. fresh garlic, minced (about 2-3 cloves)
1 Tbsp. freshly-squeezed lime juice
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black peper

Mix together until sugar is dissolved. Place in a large ziplock bag with 1 1/2 -2 lbs. of fish or chicken (recommend cut up so marinade penetrates the meat). Marinate for 1 1/2 hours.

Heat large skillet and and coat pan with non-stick spray. Add the protein and cook for 4 minutes on a side (turning once) or until fish flakes easily or chicken is done. Add the marinade to the pan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Marinade will reduce quickly and burn, so be sure to watch carefully. Serve fish or chicken with the glaze on top. Sprinkle with fresh green onion, sliced thinly and toasted sesame seeds, if desired.

Fish Tacos

Why didn't we try these sooner? These are simple, yet tasty and a great change from our normal "Mexican" food choices. Enjoy!

4 tilapia fillets (about 1 1/3 pounds)
Marinade:
1/2 lime, juiced
1 large clove garlic
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder (I use Frontier Coop brand)
1 Tbsp. canola oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Cabbage Topping
1 pound cabbage (green or red), sliced very thin with a sharp knife
1/2 - 3/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
1 Tbsp. canola or olive oil
1 Tbsp. honey
Salt and Pepper to taste

12 corn tortillas
guacamole
sour cream
corn salad (see recipe)
Salsa

Prepare marinade and coat tilapia fillets on both sides. Allow to marinade about 15 minutes on the counter or, if longer, in the refrigerator. Heat grill and oil a fish grate well.
While grill is heating, prepare the cabbage topping and warm the corn tortillas in a pan, keeping them warm under a flour sack towel on an oven-safe plate in a 200 degree oven until ready to eat.

To make cabbage topping, Stir together all ingredients and set aside. Adjust salt and sweetness to taste.

Prepare guacamole and corn salad as desired.

Once grill and fish grate are hot, grill fish on medium high for about 3 minutes per side or until fish turns opaque on both sides. Adjust salt level to taste. Break apart fish fillets to serve in tacos.

To make fish tacos. Take 1 warm corn tortilla, add about 1/4 to 1/3 of the grilled fish, top with cabbage, guacamole, corn salad (if desired) and sour cream and salsa (or whatever toppings you like).

This recipe makes about 12 fish tacos -- about 3 tacos per person, using 1/3 pound per person of fish is a good serving.

Pesto Orzo with Salmon

 Inspired by a Pampered Chef recipe, I modified this slightly to create
 a simple pasta side dish for chicken, fish, or shrimp.

1 cup dry orzo
2 plum tomatoes
1/2 c. green onions
1/3 c. black olives
2 1/2 Tbsp. Pesto
1 tsp. lemon zest

For fish:

16-20 oz salmon, skin removed 

4-5 tsp pesto

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cook orzo until al dente, drain well. Meanwhile, seed and chop tomatoes, slice green onions with the green tops, slice black olives and place into an 8 inch square baking dish. Add the cooked orzo and stir well. Add the pesto and stir until well mixed. Sprinkle lemon zest on top.

Top Orzo with salmon cut into 4-5 pieces. Top salmon with additional pesto (about 1 tsp per piece). 

Cover dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for about 13-20 minutes or until fish flakes. 

This also makes a great side dish without fish and can be baked at almost any temperature.

Makes 5 servings.

Crispy Baked Haddock

2 lbs. fresh haddock, cut into serving pieces
1-2 cups buttermilk
3/4 c. Panko breadcrumbs
1/2 c. fresh, grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 c. melted butter
salt (to taste)
Paprika
Lemon

Place haddock in a large glass baking dish. Pour buttermilk over the top making sure the fish is covered (it's okay if the skin is up and is not covered). Cover and place in the refrigerator. Soak for at least 1 hour, but no more than 12 hours.

Heat oven to 475 degrees. Cover a shallow baking pan with aluminum foil and set aside. Mix breadcrumbs, cheese, and thyme in a shallow bowl. Remove fish pieces and allow to drain slightly and then dip (flesh side down) in the breadcrumb mixture, pressing to make sure they are sticking. Place fish pieces on foil-lined pan.Repeat until all fish pieces are covered in cheese-crumb mixture, pressing any leftover crumbs on top of the fish.

Drizzle melted butter over the top of all the fish. Sprinkle with salt and paprika.

Bake on top rack of oven for about 13-15 minutes or until fish is flaky. Be sure not to over-bake or it will be dry. Serve with lemon wedge and sprinkle lemon juice on top just before eating.

This recipe can be used for any fish, but works best with white fish and not too good for a more meaty fish (like salmon, tuna, or swordfish).

Serve with salad and a side of orzo-pesto bake.

Makes 5-6 servings.

Christmas Eve 2012 Appetizers

 Smoked Salmon on Crostini

1 large cold-smoked salmon fillet
Red onion, chopped
Capers
Fresh dill
1/4 lemon - cut in small wedges
French baguette
Tub of onion and chive cream cheese

Place smoked salmon on a large decorative platter. Sprinkle capers and dill on top and along the sides. Place chopped red onion along the sides. Allow to come to room temperature (about 30 minutes) before consuming.

Meanwhile, cut thin slices of bread from a large baguette loaf (we used about a half loaf) and place on a large baking pan. Toast in a 450 degree oven (preheated) for about 8 minutes -- you may have to turn them once to get both sides toasted.

Serve salmon by placing a smear of cream cheese on the bottom, top with a nice chunk of smoked salmon, capers, dill and onion. Give a small squeeze of lemon on top. Enjoy!

Cheeseball, brie cheese with jalapeno jelly, bourbon meatballs, smoked salmon crostini.

Other appetizer recipes will be posted separately.

Salmon Tacos Topped with Creamy Coleslaw

1.5 pounds of Alaskan Salmon
Frontier Mexican Seasoning (or Taco Seasoning if you don't have this)
Salt (unless you use taco seasoning, then skip)
1 lime
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 head of cabbage, washed and shredded
1 small red onion, diced
3-4 green onions, sliced (with green part)
1 Anaheim pepper, diced
1/2 c. fresh cilantro
1/2 cup sour cream
Salt to taste
Sugar to taste
10 flour tortillas (6 inch), warmed
1 jalapeno pepper, sliced (and seeded)
Favorite salsa or homemade pico de gallo
Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

Sprinkle Mexican Seasoning generously on salmon filet. Juice the lime -- save the juice and use the pulp to spread over the salmon (add additional cayenne pepper for extra heat). Salt salmon to taste. Allow the salmon to come to room temperature while heating the gas grill.

In the meantime, make the coleslaw. Mix cabbage, red onion, green onion, Anaheim pepper, and fresh cilantro in a large bowl. Mix sour cream and lime juice (from fresh lime) until completely mixed. Sour cream should be creamy and not too runny. Add salt and sugar to taste. Mix sour cream dressing with coleslaw mix. Refrigerate until ready to use (you can make this ahead to allow flavors to blend).

Grill salmon on high heat, skin side down just until center is beginning to flake. Remove from heat and allow to stand for 5 minutes.

Place 1/8 of the salmon (removing the skin) on a warm tortilla, top with coleslaw, jalapeno peppers, salsa (or pico) and cheese (if desired). To add more heat, put some hot sauce in the coleslaw or use a chipotle chili in the dressing.

 Makes 8-10 salmon tacos. Serve with favorite sides. We would have also added avocado slices if we had them and maybe a corn-bean salad. Lots of ways to make these, but they are easy, healthy and delicious!

Quick and Easy Shrimp Creole

First start boiling the water for the rice, then start the shrimp creole because this shrimp creole takes only about 30 minutes to make. This quick and easy recipe is packed with punch that will please any shrimp-loving, creole-loving person!

1 medium onion (about 1 cup), chopped finely
1 medium green pepper, chopped finely
2 stalks celery (about 1 cup), chopped finely
2-3 cloves of garlic, pressed
1 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. olive oil
14 1/2 oz. crushed tomatoes
14 1/2 oz. petite-diced tomatoes
1/4 c. water
1 fresh bay leaf (can substitute dried)
1/2 tsp salt
pepper to taste
1 1/2 tsp. red pepper (cayenne)
Hot sauce (I used Tabasco or Louisiana hot sauce) to taste
1 pound raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and thawed (30-40 count or bigger)

Melt butter in a large frying pan, add olive oil and heat. Saute onion, green pepper, celery and garlic until tender crisp (about 5 minutes). Stir in tomatoes, water, bay leaf, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper and hot sauce. Simmer about 10 minutes until it starts to thicken.

Add raw shrimp and simmer until shrimp is pink and cook through (about 5-10 minutes). Rice should be done!

Serve over rice and pass extra hot sauce. Makes 4 generous servings. Serve with hot french bread and a lettuce salad.

Tuna Melts on Ciabatta Bread

A quick meal you can make when you have little time to cook. Ready in about 10 minutes! Serve with homemade soup, a salad, or chips.

1 loaf of ciabatta bread (I get mine at Trader Joe's)
Olive oil
15 oz. canned Albacore white tuna
1/2 c. Hellmann's Mayonnaise (whatever kind you like)
1/4 c. pickle relish
1-2 stalked celery, finely diced
pepper to taste
12 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
(optional -- sliced tomatoes)

Cut ciabatta bread in half horizontally and then into fourths (you should have 8 pieces of bread). Brush with olive oil and either grill bread or put on a pan and lightly toast under the broiler.

Mix tuna, mayo, celery, pickle relish and pepper until well blended. Spread generously on the 8 slices of toasted bread. Top with shredded Swiss cheese (if adding sliced tomatoes, put tomatoes on top of tuna and then top with cheese).

Broil until cheese is melted and bubbly - about 3-5 minutes. Remove from oven and serve open-faced. You don't need a knife and fork to eat -- just pick it up and enjoy!

Shrimp with Linguine in a Pesto Cream Sauce

• 1 pound linguine
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tablespoons Essence, divided, recipe follows
• 1 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 1/2 cup pesto
• 1/2 cup reserved pasta cooking water
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

Cook the pasta until tender but al dente. Melt the butter and olive oil in a 12 inch frying pan. Once the butter has melted, season the shrimp with 1 tablespoon of the Essence and add the shrimp to the pan. Cook the shrimp until pink, about 1 minute, then turn over and cook for another minute. Remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. Add the onions and saute until softened and lightly caramelized, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cream, pesto, remaining tablespoon of Essence, and bring to a boil. Cook the sauce until the cream is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Return the shrimp, linguine and the reserved cooking water to the pan and cook, tossing to incorporate for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove pan from the heat and add the parsley and parmesan cheese and toss to blend. Serve immediately.

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2006

Mother's Day Meal Recipes

Menu

Barbecue-grilled Alaskan Salmon

Vegetable Kabobs

Grilled Asparagus

Garden Salad with Blue and Feta Cheeses

BBQ-Grilled Alaskan Salmon

4 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp brown sugar
3-4 garlic cloves, pressed
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 pounds Alaskan salmon (thawed) fillet (or 4 salmon steaks)

Wash and pat dry the salmon. In a saucepan, mix the first 6 ingredients. Cook and stir until sugar is melted, boil about a minute. Remove from stove. Heat grill to medium. Spray skin of salmon well with oil. Place salmon, skin-side down on grill. Baste with butter glaze and cook just until salmon begins to flake. Do not overcook! If using salmon steaks, turn once and baste on both sides. Grilling salmon takes around 15 minute total. Be sure salmon stay warm until ready to serve. Makes 4 servings.

Veggie Kabobs

24 Small purple potatoes (or any color will work)

1 orange and 1 red sweet bell pepper, cut into 24-32 pieces

1 sweet vidalia onion, cut into chunks (about 32 pieces)

Par-boil potatoes on the stove for about 7 minutes, until firm, but not hard. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Dry off with paper towel.

String (alternatively) the potatoes, peppers and onions on kabob skewers (we used metal). Coat with olive oil and spice of your choice (we used BBQ spice). Cook on grill until peppers and onion are tender crisp (about 5-7 minutes). Makes 6-8 veggie kabobs.

Grilled Asparagus

2 pounds fresh asparagus

Olive Oil

Spicy seasoning Mix of your choice

Wash and snap off hard ends of asparagus spears (keep whole). Dry asparagus well and place in a 2 inch deep pan so that they can be coated with oil. Sprinkle olive oil and mix so that spears are well covered. Just before grilling, sprinkle with seasoning (generously). Grill 5 minutes until tender, but not falling apart. Move asparagus around so that they are grilled evenly on all sides. Makes 4 generous servings.

Fresh Garden Salad

1 head romaine lettuce

1/2 orange bell pepper

1/2 red onion

1/2 pt. grape tomatoes

1/2 cucumber

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/3 cup chunk blue cheese, broken into pieces

1/3 cup feta cheese

Salad dressing of choice (I recommend Hidden Valley Ranch, but poppy seed or balsamic vinegarette are good too!)

Wash and tear up lettuce, dry well (use a paper towel to blot off most of the water). Place in a bowl and refrigerate until serving time. Wash and cut up veggies (except tomatoes) and place on a plate in the refrigerator to keep cold. Just before serving, add the veggies and sunflower seeds to the salad. Serve with the blue cheese and feta for guests to add themselves (they can add one or both). Top with dressing of choice.

The finished salad in individual wooden bowls.

Foil Dinner: Greek Island Fish Packets (A Pampered Chef Recipe)

This recipe is so easy, low calorie, low fat and very filling. And did I mention, it tastes great?!

1 md. onion, sliced

1/2 each green pepper and red pepper, sliced into long strips

1 large zucchini, sliced

2 garlic cloves, crushed

1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

4 white fish fillets (4-6 oz ea) like tilapia, orange roughy, etc.

salt, pepper

16-20 pimento-stuffed green olives, sliced

Mix tomatoes, garlic and Italian seasoning into a small bowl. Divide the veggies into 4 equal piles.  Cut four 20x12 inch pieces of heavy duty aluminum foil. Place one fourth of the veggies on the bottom, spoon 2-3 Tbsp. of  tomato mixture on top, place fish piece on top of veggies, sprinkle fish with salt and pepper and top with 1 Tbsp. tomatoes and sprinkle with 4-5 sliced olives. Repeat for the other 3 foil dinners.

If grilling, preheat your grill and place on grill for about 18-22 minutes or until fish is flakey and veggies are tender-crunch. Turn packets half-way through cooking time.

Otherwise, bake at 375 degrees for about a half hour on a baking sheet. Do not turn packets if baking.

When opening, be careful to allow steam to escape.

Serve with whole wheat couscous.

Crescent Tuna Melt

2 pkg. Pillsbury Crescent rolls
2 (6 oz) cans of Albacore tuna in spring water, drained
1/4 c. Hellman's Mayo
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. pickle relish
Dash pepper
2/3 c. shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 c. toasted almonds

Unroll crescent rolls into triangles and place in a ring on a baking stone with the wide ends of the triangles toward the center. Flatten and seal seams slightly where the rolls overlap. Mix together the tuna, mayo, celery, mustard, pickle relish, pepper and cheese until well mixed. Place tuna mixture around the ring of rolls and then fold the small pointed ends up and over the tuna mixture to form a wreath effect. Sprinkle (and press into) the almonds on top of the rolls. Bake in preheated 375* oven. Bake 20-25 minutes until mixture is bubbly and rolls are completely cooked and not doughy. Top will be browned and crispy.

Cut into 8 pieces and enjoy as an appetizer or light lunch. Serve with soup or salad for a complete lunch.

Favorite Holiday Appetizers

Here's a simple one made famous by my mom!

Nelda Stefan's Garlic Cheese Dip
1 jar Old English cheese spread
1 pkg. Philly cream cheese, softened
2 small cloves of garlic, sliced in quarters
0-2 Tbsp. whipping cream or whole milk

Place all ingredients into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Leave out the cream or milk for a thicker dip or add more cream or milk depending upon the consistency you want. Can add more or less garlic cloves depending upon personal taste. Start light and build. Serve with crackers, potato chips, or fresh veggies (broccoli is my favorite!)

You can also mix together in a bowl, skip the milk and make into a cheese log and serve on crackers

Hot Crab Dip
1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
1/2 c. sour cream
2 Tbsp. green onions, sliced (including the greens)
1 (6 oz) can crab meat, drained
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp granulated garlic or garlic powder
1 Tbsp. half-and-half
1 tsp, freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp. fresh-ground pepper
Opt: Dash of hot sauce
1/2 c. toasted sliced almonds

Combine all ingredients except the almonds and mix well. Spread into a pie pan or shallow 1 qt. casserole dish; sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes or until bubbly and heated through. Serve with crackers. Makes 2 cups. Delish!

Crab dip is on the wooden hot plate in the pie plate.

Seafood Chowder

5 red potatoes cut into 1 inch cubes
1 c. chopped onion
1 c. sliced carrots
1 c. sliced celery
1/2 c. red bell pepper, diced
*1 large can (15 oz) clams, reserve juice to measure 1 c. (add water if it doesn't) (optional)
1 Tbsp. butter
29 oz. chicken broth (add an additional cup if you don't add water/clam juice above)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3/4 c. flour
2 c. half-and-half
2 pounds uncooked shrimp, peeled & deveined
1 pound fresh bay scallops
2 Tbsp. dry sherry
1/2-1 tsp. grated nutmeg
Snipped fresh parsley

Melt butter in a large dutch oven, add onion and cook until tender. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, bell pepper, reserved clam juice, chicken broth, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes until potatoes are tender, but not mushy.

Whisk half-and-half and flour until smooth. Gradually add to the broth and whisk until smooth.

Add clams (if using), scallops and shrimp to the chowder and bring to a boil, then turn down to low simmer so half and half doesn't curdle. Cook until shrimp is pink, stirring constantly so it doesn't stick to bottom of the pan. The chowder should be getting thick and the veggies should be tender. Add sherry and stir. Cover until ready to stir, removing from heat to avoid burning.

When ready to serve, sprinkle nutmeg on top and garnish with fresh parsley. Goes well with hot crescent rolls or warm crusty bread.

*Feel free to substitute crab or lobster (or both) for the clams. Clams make the soup turn "gray" and is not appetizing, so I've stopped adding clams and clam juice for this reason.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Modified Emeril Lagasse recipe.

1 c. chopped onions
1/3 c. chopped bell pepper
4 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. Emeril's Essence
2-3 Tbsp. flour
2-3 Tbsp. dry white wine (pinot grigio)
1 c. chicken stock
1 c. whole milk
10 oz. wide egg noodles
2 (6 oz) cans solid white tuna (Albacore), drained and broken up
Small handful chopped flat-leafed parsley
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/3 c. freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
1 c. baby frozen peas, thawed
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs tossed w/ 1-2 Tbsp. melted butter

Saute onions and peppers in 4 Tsp. butter in Dutch oven until soft. Add garlic and cook until soft, but not burned (2 minutes). Add Essence, pepper and sprinkle with flour. Cook for 2 minutes until flour is well-blended. Add wine and chicken stock, cook until smooth and thick. Add milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is thick enough to coat back of a spoon. Add more broth if too thick. Maybe simmer about 10 minutes or so.

Cook egg noodles until al dente. Drain and set aside. Butter a large baking dish (9x13). Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

When sauce is thick enough, add noodles, tuna, peas, parsley, Parmesan cheese and stir until combined and warm. Transfer to baking dish and top with buttered bread crumbs. Bake uncovered until bubbly and top is golden brown (about 25 minutes).

Note: Emeril's Essence can be found at https://www.emerils.com/124746/emerilized-tuna-casserole

Dave's Spicy Shrimp & Pasta

This recipe was created by my husband, Dave, on July 30, 2007 when we had fresh basil and lots of extra jalepeno peppers and tomatoes growing in our small garden. The creation works in summer when the veggies are fresh, but equally well in the winter months. The heat from the jalepeno pepper isn't intense, but adds enough zip to leave you saying -- ah!

1/2 # baby pasta -- like pennette or mini farfalle - cooked, drained and sprinkled w/ a little olive oil
3 Tbsp. EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and sliced
1 green pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 of a large sweet onion, chopped
3-4 Md. tomatoes, chopped*
1/4 c. snipped fresh basil
1 lb. Gulf shrimp, peeled & deveined and tails removed
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Small squirt fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
Freshly-grated parmesan cheese
(other herbs, as desired)

In a wok, stir fry onion, both peppers, and garlic in half the olive oil until tender crisp. Remove from pan and keep warm. Add other half of olive oil and stir fry shrimp with other garlic clove until opaque. Sprinkle w/ lemon juice.

Place veggies and shrimp back in wok, add pasta, tomatoes, salt, pepper and any other herbs. Stir until warm. Sprinkle fresh basil and parmesan cheese on top.

Serve w/ crusty, warm bread and a fresh green salad.

Makes 6 servings.

*Can use diced, drained, canned tomatoes in place of fresh tomatoes.

(c) Dave & Camille Cantwell, July 30, 2007