Category Archives: Seafood

Shrimp Scampi Pizza

Appetizers, Events, Game Day, Italian, Kids, Pizza, Seafood, Shrimp

This past weekend was one of those special days for many people. Yes, it was Valentine’s day, and it was that time of year when it seemed as though every male was in a panic mode around 5:00 p.m. on that Friday, hustling to purchase a card, and a bunch of red roses. It’s sad to say the least. I say that only for the fact that the thought only occurs once a year for many people. I often joke with my wife that she gets Valentine’s day, every day, as I am the one cooking, and cleaning up the dishes, every. Single. Day. Plus I’m funny, at least in my book.

Kidding aside, I’m game when it comes to that special day, and as we both my wife and I agreed that we were not going to do much, I decided to add a special touch to the evening, not just for my wife, but also for my kids.

Shrimp Scampi Pizza Recipe

I decided to buy some chocolates for my wife, as well as purchase a handful of purple iris’s, and well, make a crab and shrimp boil for the family.  Crab clusters, along with shrimp, corn, and potatoes, were the center piece of the dinner table, and it is always a great time watching the kids dig in. With that said, I had made plenty of clarified garlic butter for dipping, and I had plenty left over. That’s when it sparked an idea, only to reuse the butter and poach some shrimp in it to be used in a shrimp scampi pizza. Yes, a shrimp scampi pizza that was to die for.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 batch of your favorite pizza dough
  • 12-15 shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 stick of unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1/2 tsp red chili flakes
  • 1/4 cup of white wine
  • 2 tbsp Italian flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, shredded

Set your oven rack, closet to the top of the oven, and preheat your oven, and pizza stone (if you have one) to 500 degrees. Let the oven preheat until you prepare all of the remaining items.

To a small pot, add the butter, and let this melt. Skim any of the foam off of the top and discard. If you want to strain the butter into a fine mesh sieve, you can go that route, but for this recipe, any of the solid fats that might remain are fine. Reduce the heat to low, and add the garlic, chili flakes, wine, and shrimp.

Poach the shrimp just until the become opaque, about 5 minutes on low heat.

How to make a shrimp scampi pizza

Stretch out your pizza dough for about a 14 inch pizza. Once stretched, remove the stone from the oven and carefully place the dough on top.

Add the cheese, the place the shrimp on top of the pizza. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the garlic butter. Place the stone back into the oven, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the pizza dough is golden, and everything is cooked through.

Remove the pizza from the oven and place onto a wired rack. Let the pizza cool for about 5 minutes, then shower with the parsley. Slice and serve.

Shrimp Scampi Pizza

I ended up making this pizza only because I had that leftover butter, well, not only that, but my wife (and I for that matter) really loves shrimp scampi. As I would normally eat this with some pasta, or just the shrimp by itself, this pizza was incredible to say the least.

I served my wife the first piece, and I heard her from afar talking to herself with food ‘umms and ahhs’, that I knew this was going to be great. The smell of the garlic buttered shrimp, with that white wine was apparent right off of the bat, and believe it or not, the cheese just held things together and did not interfere much with the shrimp. I know I say this from time to time, but this pizza was really, really good.

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Shrimp Scampi Pizza
Author: 
Recipe type: Pizza
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • ½ batch of your favorite pizza dough
  • 12-15 shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • ½ stick of unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, grated
  • ½ tsp red chili flakes
  • ¼ cup of white wine
  • 2 tbsp Italian flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
  • 2 cups of mozzarella cheese, shredded
Instructions
  1. Set your oven rack, closet to the top of the oven, and preheat your oven, and pizza stone (if you have one) to 500 degrees. Let the oven preheat until you prepare all of the remaining items.
  2. To a small pot, add the butter, and let this melt. Skim any of the foam off of the top and discard. If you want to strain the butter into a fine mesh sieve, you can go that route, but for this recipe, any of the solid fats that might remain are fine. Reduce the heat to low, and add the garlic, chili flakes, wine, and shrimp.
  3. Poach the shrimp just until the become opaque, about 5 minutes on low heat.
  4. Stretch out your pizza dough for about a 14 inch pizza. Once stretched, remove the stone from the oven and carefully place the dough on top.
  5. Add the cheese, the place the shrimp on top of the pizza. Drizzle with a few tablespoons of the garlic butter. Place the stone back into the oven, and cook for about 15 minutes, or until the pizza dough is golden, and everything is cooked through.
  6. Remove the pizza from the oven and place onto a wired rack. Let the pizza cool for about 5 minutes, then shower with the parsley. Slice and serve.
  7. I ended up making this pizza only because I had that leftover butter, well, not only that, but my wife (and I for that matter) really loves shrimp scampi. As I would normally eat this with some pasta, or just the shrimp by itself, this pizza was incredible to say the least.

 

Grilled Shrimp with Cilantro Pesto

Appetizers, Barbecue, Events, Game Day, Grilling, Kids, Sauce, Seafood, Shrimp, Sides

Are you like me when it comes to pesto? You love it right? I think pesto goes great with so many things, whether you are simply dipping vegetables into it, lathering it on a sandwich, or going with a classic and tossing it with pasta, pesto is really bright and delicious. I’ve made everything from your classic pesto, to a pea pesto to be used on pizza, and lately a carrot top pesto. All were very delicious, and extremely easy to make.

Grilled Shrimp with Cilantro Pesto Recipe

Recently I had an abundance of cilantro, and an idea sparked to use the cilantro and make a pesto out of it. Why not, right? After all, pesto is typically herbs, nuts, and cheeses crushed together to make a sauce, so why not try it with cilantro. At first, I had no idea what I was going to make to accompany the cilantro pesto, and as I quickly thought of pasta, or mixing it into some rice, I decided to lather it onto some shrimp skewers that I had grilling. They were a total hit, and everyone of them consumed.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients:

  • 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, cleaned
  • 1/4 cup lightly salted almonds
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
  • 1/4 – 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt, to taste
  • Raw shrimp, deveined, tails on
  • Skewers, soaked in water

Toss the cilantro, almonds, cheese, garlic, water, and salt into a food processor. Pulse until things become rather smooth. Start adding the olive oil, using a nice drizzle, until things become really nice and smooth. Scrape out the pesto into a small serving bowl. Taste, and season with any salt, if you desire.

Next, take the shrimp, and run the skewer through them. You can probably get 5-6 shrimp on each skewer. I like the 21-25 shrimp, raw, from the store. They are a good size, and hold up well, texturally.

Heat your grill. Again, I am a fan of charcoal, but you do what you need to do. Gas or coal, your call.

Once your coals are heated, and the grates are super clean, add the shrimp skewers, over indirect heat if you can. Cook for a few minutes, then flip. Brush on a nice amount of the cilantro pesto. Cover, or close the lid, and let cook another couple of minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK THE SHRIMP. Who likes overcooked shrimp anyway?

Cilantro Pesto Recipe

Remove the skewers from the grill, and place the skewers onto a serving dish. I find that people tend to like removing items from a skewer, or going full force and eating directly off of the skewers (that would be me). Brush more of the fresh cilantro pesto onto the skewers. The heat from the cooked shrimp with pair nicely with the fresh pesto.

Dig in. There is a great freshness to this cilantro pesto. Sure, you get a bit of garlic, and a bit of saltiness from the cheese, but when when grilled with the shrimp, well, it takes you over the top.

My daughter, who doesn’t even like shrimp, devoured a handful of these great grilled shrimp with cilantro pesto, and that always scores in my book. That should say something, at least it did for me. I hope you enjoy.

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Grilled Shrimp with Cilantro Pesto
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 4
 
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch of fresh cilantro, cleaned
  • ¼ cup lightly salted almonds
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 2 tbsp grated parmesan cheese
  • ¼ - ½ cup of olive oil
  • ¼ tsp salt, to taste
  • Raw shrimp, deveined, tails on, approximately 25
  • Skewers, soaked in water
Instructions
  1. Toss the cilantro, almonds, cheese, garlic, water, and salt into a food processor. Pulse until things become rather smooth. Start adding the olive oil, using a nice drizzle, until things become really nice and smooth. Scrape out the pesto into a small serving bowl. Taste, and season with any salt, if you desire.
  2. Next, take the shrimp, season with a bit of salt and pepper, and run the skewer through them. You can probably get 5-6 shrimp on each skewer. I like the 21-25 shrimp, raw, from the store. They are a good size, and hold up well, texturally.
  3. Heat your grill. Again, I am a fan of charcoal, but you do what you need to do. Gas or coal, your call.
  4. Once your coals are heated, and the grates are super clean, add the shrimp skewers, over indirect heat if you can. Cook for a few minutes, then flip. Brush on a nice amount of the cilantro pesto. Cover, or close the lid, and let cook another couple of minutes. DO NOT OVERCOOK THE SHRIMP. Who likes overcooked shrimp anyway?
  5. Remove the skewers from the grill, and place the skewers onto a serving dish. I find that people tend to like removing items from a skewer, or going full force and eating directly off of the skewers (that would be me). Brush more of the fresh cilantro pesto onto the skewers. The heat from the cooked shrimp with pair nicely with the fresh pesto.
  6. Dig in. There is a great freshness to this cilantro pesto. Sure, you get a bit of garlic, and a bit of saltiness from the cheese, but when when grilled with the shrimp, well, it takes you over the top.
  7. My daughter, who doesn't even like shrimp, devoured a handful of these great grilled shrimp with cilantro pesto, and that always scores in my book. That should say something, at least it did for me. I hope you enjoy.

 

Tuna Cakes Recipe

Appetizers, Delicious, Fish, Game Day, Sauce, Seafood, Sides, Snack

My wife is a serious fan of crab cakes. Whenever she sees them on a menu, whatever restaurant she is at, I know what she will say, and it goes a little something like this “Oooh, hmmm, they have crab cakes!”. That will often differ, but you get my point. Crab cakes are money, but let me point out, and I’m sure many of you can agree, it’s hard to find a great crab cake. Either the texture is not right, or the flavor, or heck, there is very little crab meat in them. So I decided to put my twist on a crab cake, primarily because I had no fresh crab meat in the house, and make something along the lines of a tuna cake.

How to make Tuna Cakes

I had this thought a few months ago that I would start eating tuna during the week for lunch. I would incorporate some into a small salad, along with plenty of vegetables, and maybe a few crackers. That idea fell through, so as I normally do I glanced into my pantry one fine weekend morning and saw the cans of tuna. As my wife has been working out during the week, and weekend mornings, I decided that a nice tuna cake would be really satisfying and offer up something a bit different than her normal salad.

I think I have a winner. Let’s get started on the tuna cakes. Tuna cakes just sound weird, but trust, these things are really delicious.

Ingredients:

  • 3 5 oz cans of tuna, in olive oil, drained
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1/2 cup of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 serrano chili pepper, seeds removed, minced
  • 2 whole eggs, beaten
  • 1/4 cup of roasted cherry tomatoes, chopped
  • 1/3 cup of Italian bread crumbs
  • Generous pinch of salt
  • Generous pinch of cracked black pepper
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Sriracha sauce
  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • Boston lettuce, optional

Make the mayonnaise by adding the Sriracha and mayonnaise together. Stir well, and set it aside.

To a medium sized mixing bowl, add in the tuna, and flake it with a couple of forks, leaving some chunks. Toss in the lemon juice, shallot, cilantro, garlic, serrano chili, beaten eggs, roasted tomatoes, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper. Pretty much everything else but the olive oil.

Mix that with a fork, ensuring that everything is well incorporated.

Tuna Cakes Recipe

Now it is time to shape our tuna cakes. I’m a big fan of these plating rings, but if you do not have any food preparation molds, basically divide the tuna mixture into three even cakes, and shape them into patties.

Heat a non-stick skillet to medium heat. Add one tablespoon of the oil to the center, and swirl it about the diameter of the formed caked.

Add the tuna cake to the center of the skillet, and cook for a few minutes. After a few minutes, cover, and cook an additional minute.

Carefully flip the tuna cake over, reduce the heat a bit, and cook another few minutes, then cover another minute.

If you are using the mold ring, and are ready to plate, take the tuna cake and place it on your serving plate. Run a sharp knife along the interior in case the tuna cake tries to stick and lift up the mold. If you are not using the mold, simply use a spatula and lift that on to your serving dish.

Drizzle with the Sriracha mayonnaise, and serve with some fresh lettuce.

My wife and I really loved these. They had a brightness from the lemon, and the cilantro and roasted tomatoes really brought them to life, even more, with each bite. Don’t even get me started on the Sriracha mayonnaise sauce. That sauce balanced everything out and added a bit of creaminess. I love the weekends and I’m certain we all do for that matter. But I love the weekends because it gives me a chance to come up with great recipes like this one for my wife. I hope you enjoy!

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Tuna Cakes Recipe
Author: 
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 3
 
Ingredients
  • 3 5 oz cans of tuna, in olive oil, drained
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • ½ cup of fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 1 serrano chili pepper, seeds removed, minced
  • 2 whole eggs, beaten
  • ¼ cup of roasted cherry tomatoes, chopped
  • ⅓ cup of Italian bread crumbs
  • Generous pinch of salt
  • Generous pinch of cracked black pepper
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 tbsp Sriracha sauce
  • 3 tbsp mayonnaise
  • Boston lettuce, optional
Instructions
  1. Make the mayonnaise by adding the Sriracha and mayonnaise together. Stir well, and set it aside.
  2. To a medium sized mixing bowl, add in the tuna, and flake it with a couple of forks, leaving some chunks. Toss in the lemon juice, shallot, cilantro, garlic, serrano chili, beaten eggs, roasted tomatoes, bread crumbs, and salt and pepper. Pretty much everything else but the olive oil.
  3. Mix that with a fork, ensuring that everything is well incorporated.
  4. Now it is time to shape our tuna cakes. I'm a big fan of these plating rings, but if you do not have any food preparation molds, basically divide the tuna mixture into three even cakes, and shape them into patties.
  5. Heat a non-stick skillet to medium heat. Add one tablespoon of the oil to the center, and swirl it about the diameter of the formed caked.
  6. Add the tuna cake to the center of the skillet, and cook for a few minutes. After a few minutes, cover, and cook an additional minute.
  7. Carefully flip the tuna cake over, reduce the heat a bit, and cook another few minutes, then cover another minute.
  8. If you are using the mold ring, and are ready to plate, take the tuna cake and place it on your serving plate. Run a sharp knife along the interior in case the tuna cake tries to stick and lift up the mold. If you are not using the mold, simply use a spatula and lift that on to your serving dish.
  9. Drizzle with the Sriracha mayonnaise, and serve with some fresh lettuce.

 

Crispy Shrimp with Citrus Glaze

Appetizers, Game Day, Holiday, Sauce, Seafood, Shrimp, Sides

I had decided to make two different shrimp dishes this past holiday. I wanted to start with a shrimp appetizer that was marinated in alcohol and served with a vinegar based dipping sauce, as well as provide a shrimp dish that would go with my New York Strip roast, much like a surf and turf experience. With that said, I also wanted the shrimp to be as much as a star on the plate as the beef, and I believe I hit this one on the spot.

Crispy Shrimp with a Citrus Glaze Recipe

I went with making two styles of shrimp primarily because I always want to experiment with different types of batters. I have my go to recipe for making tempura based food, or better yet a beer batter for fish fries or green beans, so this batter was no different, well, it actually was. I decided to try using egg whites in this batter to achieve, hopefully, a nice crispy exterior, while retaining a nice, and plump interior. I won at both.

Let’s get started.

Ingredients for the Shrimp Batter:

  • 4 egg whites, beaten
  • 1/4 milk
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1 1/2 lbs of fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 3 cups of canola oil

For the Glaze:

  • 1 cup of orange juice
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 grapefruit, juiced
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 cup of chicken stock, or water
  • 4 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce, or your favorite hot sauce

Start by making your glaze. Add everything to a saucepan, stir well, and bring that to a medium heat. Cook this glaze until it reduces by half and becomes what you would expect in a glaze.  This should take about 35-40 minutes, stirring often. Set to low heat or remove it from the heat until you are ready to serve.

Next, take your cleaned shrimp and pat them dry.

Take your egg whites, milk, corn starch, lemon juice, paprika, and salt and pepper and give that a good mix.

Add your shrimp to a sealable plastic bag. Pour in the batter, seal the bag, and give the shrimp a good toss in the bag, ensuring that you lightly cover the shrimp with the batter.

Add the oil to a medium sized pot for frying, and bring the oil up to around 350 degrees on medium, to medium-high heat.

Once the oil has reached temperature,  add in enough of the shrimp so that they are not touching one another. You basically do not want to overcrowd the shrimp.

Cook the shrimp for a few minutes, or until they are nice and golden color. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set them on a paper lined plate to drain any excess oil.

Repeat with remaining shrimp.

When you are ready to serve, Add the shrimp to a serving plate or bowl, and drizzle the glaze all over the shrimp.

These shrimp with perfect as they were crispy, tender and plumb, and that citrus glaze…. Need I say more?

If you are looking for a great shrimp appetizer or side dish, give this one shot. I know all of the family members loved it!

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Crispy Shrimp with Citrus Glaze
Author: 
Recipe type: Appetizers, Sides
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 
Serves: 8
 
Ingredients
  • 4 egg whites, beaten
  • ¼ milk
  • 2 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • ½ tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp cracked black pepper
  • 1½ lbs of fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 3 cups of canola oil
  • For the Glaze:
  • 1 cup of orange juice
  • 1 lemon, juiced
  • 1 grapefruit, juiced
  • 1 lime, juiced
  • 1 pinch of cayenne pepper
  • ¼ cup of chicken stock, or water
  • 4 tbsp light corn syrup
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 4 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 1 tbsp Sriracha sauce, or your favorite hot sauce
Instructions
  1. Start by making your glaze. Add everything to a saucepan, stir well, and bring that to a medium heat. Cook this glaze until it reduces by half and becomes what you would expect in a glaze. This should take about 35-40 minutes, stirring often. Set to low heat or remove it from the heat until you are ready to serve.
  2. Next, take your cleaned shrimp and pat them dry.
  3. Take your egg whites, milk, corn starch, lemon juice, paprika, and salt and pepper and give that a good mix.
  4. Add your shrimp to a sealable plastic bag. Pour in the batter, seal the bag, and give the shrimp a good toss in the bag, ensuring that you lightly cover the shrimp with the batter.
  5. Add the oil to a medium sized pot for frying, and bring the oil up to around 350 degrees on medium, to medium-high heat.
  6. Once the oil has reached temperature, add in enough of the shrimp so that they are not touching one another. You basically do not want to overcrowd the shrimp.
  7. Cook the shrimp for a few minutes, or until they are nice and golden color. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set them on a paper lined plate to drain any excess oil.
  8. Repeat with remaining shrimp.
  9. When you are ready to serve, Add the shrimp to a serving plate or bowl, and drizzle the glaze all over the shrimp.
  10. These shrimp with perfect as they were crispy, tender and plumb, and that citrus glaze.... Need I say more?