Archive for May, 2018

This delicious recipe from the LCBO’s Food and Drink is sweet and spicy. Marinate raw shrimp in sriracha while you roast figs and pearl onions. Add the shrimp to the figs and onions for the last 10 minutes of cooking. Cook’s note: Instead of making the fig reduction, I drizzled balsamic vinegar mixed with brown sugar over the finished dish.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use butter that does not contain colour and a sriracha without preservatives; I use Simply Natural brand. Fresh shrimp is often treated with sulfites to keep it fresher longer; look for frozen shrimp with only salt added. If using dried figs, look for ones without sulfites added, such as Aurora brand. Balsamic vinegar usually has sulfites added but you can find brands with only naturally occurring sulfites.

Marinate the shrimp while the figs an onions are roasting

Roasted honey-chili shrimp with figs and pearl onions

Ingredients:

1 tbsp (15 ml) melted butter

3 tbsp (45 ml) runny honey

1 tbsp (15 ml) sriracha

40 (approx.) sustainable, peeled, deveined, medium-size (21/25), raw shrimp

¼ cup (60 ml) melted butter

10 fresh or dried figs or a combination of both

10 pearl onions, peeled

Balsamic fig reduction

2 cups (500 ml) balsamic vinegar

½ cup (125 ml) fig jam

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

Into a large bowl add 1 tbsp (15 ml) melted butter, honey, sriracha and raw shrimp; toss to cover, set aside until ready to roast.

Add the ¼ cup (60 ml) melted butter to an ovenproof casserole or roasting pan, add the figs and onions; put into the oven for about 40 minutes. Remove pan and add the shrimp mixture; toss to combine and pop back into the oven for 10 minutes. Take out, stir, return to oven for another 5 to 10 minutes or until shrimp are pink and just cooked through. Keep in mind, they will continue to cook for a while once removed from the oven.

To a high-sided skillet or saucepan over high heat, add the balsamic vinegar and fig jam. Stir occasionally and boil until reduced to about 1 cup (250 ml), about 20 to 25 minutes.

Transfer to a glass jar and allow to cool. It can be kept covered in the fridge for several weeks.

Bring the casserole right to the table (or transfer to serving platter) with some warmed flatbread, pita or naan. Serve with a drizzle of balsamic fig reduction, if desired. Serves 6 to 8; makes 1 cup (250 ml) balsamic fig reduction.

From Food and Drink

This recipe from Real Simple is low-calorie (205 per serving) and ready in less than 30 minutes. Whip up a buttermilk-based dressing flavoured with fresh herbs, toss Bibb lettuce with radishes and dressing and top with grilled salmon. Cook’s note: I used tarragon instead of mint and it was delicious. I also added some feta cheese to the salad.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use an all-natural or homemade mayonnaise.

Make the herb-buttermilk dressing

Toss Bibb lettuce and radishes with dressing

Grill the salmon

Place salmon on top of salad and drizzle with more dressing

Ingredients:

1 16-oz. (454 g) skin-on salmon fillet, about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick

¾ teaspoon (3 ml) kosher salt, divided

¾ teaspoon (3 ml) freshly ground black pepper, divided

1 teaspoon (5 ml) olive oil

¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk

3 tablespoons (45 ml) mayonnaise

3 tablespoons (45 ml) finely chopped fresh basil, plus leaves for serving

2 tablespoons (30 ml) finely chopped fresh mint, plus leaves for serving

1 small clove garlic, grated

1 4-oz. (113 g) head Bibb lettuce, leaves torn in half

3 radishes, thinly sliced (about ½ cup/125 ml)

Preparation:

Season salmon with ½ (2.5 ml) teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high. Cook salmon, skin side down, until opaque and cooked most of the way through, about 7 minutes. Flip and cook to desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium-well. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Break into large pieces and discard the skin.

Whisk buttermilk, mayonnaise, chopped basil, chopped mint, garlic, and remaining ¼ teaspoon (1 ml) salt in a small bowl. Toss together lettuce, radishes, basil leaves, mint leaves, and remaining teaspoon pepper in a large salad bowl. Top with salmon and drizzle with dressing. Serves 4.

From Real Simple

This excellent recipe from Food and Wine is based on a recipe from Mamma Agata’s, a culinary school on Italy’s Amalfi Coast. Sear the shrimp with their shells on and set aside. Cook the shallots, potatoes and garlic and then add the tomatoes. Once the vegetables are cooked, stir the shrimp in and cook for another couple of minutes. Enjoy!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Fresh and frozen shrimp are often treated with preservatives. I use frozen shrimp with only salt added. Look for a white wine with only naturally occurring sulfites. I used one from Frogpond Farm organic winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

This recipe uses shell-on shrimp, potatoes, tomatoes and basil

Sear shrimp and set aside

Cook potatoes until they start to brown

Add tomatoes and shrimp

Shrimp with potatoes and tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 pound (454 g) head-on jumbo shrimp

6 tablespoons (90 ml) extra-virgin olive oil, divided

2 medium shallots, minced (about 1/3 cup/75 ml)

1 ½ teaspoons (7 ml) seeded minced serrano chile (about 1 medium)

2 teaspoons (10 ml) dried oregano

13 ounces (369 g) baby Yukon Gold potatoes, quartered (about 2 cups/500 ml)

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced (about 1 teaspoon/5 ml)

½ cup (125 ml) white wine

3 cups (750 ml) ripe cherry tomatoes (about 1 pound/454 g)

1 ¼ (6 ml) teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon (1 ml) ground white pepper

½ cup (125 ml) torn fresh basil

Preparation:

Using a knife, make a ¼-inch-deep (0.62 cm) cut along the back of each shrimp shell from head to tail. Leave shell and head intact. Using a small moistened paper towel and a paring knife, remove and discard the vein. Pat shrimp dry and set aside.

Heat ¼ cup (60 ml) oil in a very large skillet over medium-high until shimmering and very hot. Add shrimp, and sear until shells are scorched, about 1 minute. Transfer shrimp to a plate.

Reduce heat to medium. Add shallots, chile, and oregano, and sauté until shallots are sizzling, about 30 seconds. Add potatoes and garlic, cover, and cook, shaking pan often, until edges of potatoes begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Uncover, add wine, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is nearly evaporated, 5 to 6 minutes.

Add tomatoes, cover, and cook until tomatoes start to split and release their juices and potatoes are tender, about 8 minutes. Add shrimp, and cook, turning occasionally, until shrimp are cooked through and tomatoes are soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Season with salt and white pepper; stir in basil. Divide among 4 shallow bowls, drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and serve. Serves 4.

From Food and Wine