Pasta Primavera with Grilled Shrimp

Spring is here! This time of year I like to go away from the heavy comfort food I love eating during the winter and enjoy lighter, fresher meals made with the season's best vegetables. A wonderfully light, yet flavorful pasta dish that is perfect for the springtime is pasta primavera. The highlight of this pasta is the variety of green vegetables, all of which are in season this time of year. The lemony grilled shrimp is an addition that contributes delicious protein while complementing the fresh flavors in the pasta.

Ingredients:

Pasta Primavera:
1 bunch asparagus, washed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 cup sugar snap peas, washed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
3/4 cup of shelled edamame (I used frozen; may be substituted with green peas)
1 box pasta, any shape (I used gnocchetti)
1/2 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2 teaspoons of lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon finely grated parmesan, plus extra for garnish
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
salt and black pepper, to taste

Grilled Shrimp:
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and washed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon lemon zest
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon paprika
salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Pasta Primavera:
Heat a large pot of water over high heat. Once the water begins to boil, add a few teaspoons of salt and your pasta. Bring back to a boil and then lower the heat to medium. Cook pasta al dente, or to your liking.

In another large pot, heat the olive oil and garlic over low heat. Doing so allows the garlic flavor to infuse the oil without burning too quickly. Once the garlic starts to brown, add the asparagus, sugar snap peas, and edamame.

Season with salt and pepper, and stir fry for 1-2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, and lemon zest.

Stir the butter into the sauce.

Drain the cooked pasta and add the the vegetables. Add in the chopped parsley and some of the grated parmesan.

Stir pasta well, and then remove from heat. Garnish with extra grated parmesan.

Grilled Shrimp:

Mix the grilled shrimp together with all of the other ingredients in a bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour.








Heat a grill pan over medium heat, greasing lightly with a little olive oil. When the pan is hot, add half of the shrimp.

Cook for about 2-3 minutes on the first side, and then flip each of the shrimp.




Remove the shrimp from the pan once they are pink and opaque.

Serve hot with the pasta primavera. Enjoy!

Salt and Pepper Shrimp

I had lunch recently at my favorite Thai place in NYC, Obao. It is actually a Thai/Vietnamese fusion restaurant, and they are known for recreating delicious Asian street food. While I was there the last time, I ordered their Salt and Pepper Shrimp appetizer, which was deliciously light and crispy, with a delicate balance of flavor. I did some research online and found that dredging the shrimp with cornstarch is what gives the shrimp the characteristic crunch. I had a lot of fun creating the recipe, and the best part was, it was finished in a flash!

Ingredients:
1/2 lb large shrimp (unpeeled)
1/2 cup cornstarch
2 eggs (whites only)
1 jalapeño, sliced, seeds removed
2 scallion stalks, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/4 red onion, sliced
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
oil for frying

To prepare the shrimp, take a sharp knife or kitchen shears and cut the back of the shell open, without actually removing the shell. Slice into the shrimp a little along the way 'til it reaches where the vein is. Devein the shrimp by removing the black part from inside. Here is a video to illustrate the process better.

Once the shrimp are prepared, wash them with a bit of lime juice and water, and drain them completely. Add the egg whites to a bowl and whisk them a little to incorporate some air and make it a little lighter. Add the cornstarch to another bowl. Heat the oil (I used a vegetable oil/canola oil combination) over medium heat. Once it is hot, you can start the dredging process.

Dip the prepared shrimp (shells still on!) into the egg whites, shake off the excess, and then into the cornstarch.

Shake off the excess cornstarch and drop the shrimp into the hot oil. Remember that shrimp cook very quickly, so the oil should be nice and hot when you drop them in. They should begin to sizzle right away. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, but fry in small batches of 4-5 shrimp. Fry the shrimp for about 1 minute, then flip them over and fry for an additional 30 seconds or until they begin to slightly turn golden.

Remove from oil and place on a paper towel-lined plate. Once all the shrimp have been fried, set them aside.

In another pot, add about 2 tablespoons of the oil that you fried the shrimp in. Heat it over high heat, and add the jalapeño slices, onion slices, and scallions. 

Fry until they begin to brown slightly, and then sprinkle in the dry spices (black pepper, white pepper, garlic powder, salt, and sugar) and add the soy sauce. 

Stir to quickly combine and then add the fried shrimp. Toss quickly and remove from heat. Serve immediately.

Pan Seared Salmon with a Light Lemon Sauce

This recipe was created out of my desire to eat healthy, but in a very delicious way! This method of cooking allowed for a tender, flaky salmon that was just so perfectly moist. The sauce is light, and simple, but brings some wonderful flavor without overpowering the fish. I hope you will try it out, it is unbelievably delicious!

Ingredients:
1 pound of wild salmon fillet, cut into 3-4 oz. pieces (with skin)
1/4 shallot, finely diced
1 lemon
1/4 cup white wine
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
Olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Wash the salmon pieces with half of the lemon and some cold water. Pat the salmon pieces dry, and place on a plate, skin side down. sprinkle lightly with salt and black pepper.

Seasoned salmon fillets

Place a skillet on the stove over high heat. drizzle 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil on the pan. Once it is heated, place each salmon fillet, skin side down, on the pan. The pieces should begin to sizzle. The goal here is to render some of the fat on the skin, and sear the skin, leaving it nice and crispy. Cooking with the skin also helps to keep the fish a little more moist.

Pan searing the salmon

Cook the salmon on high-medium heat for about 4 minutes, and then flip it over. Cook the second side for another 4-5 minutes, depending on the thickness of the fillet. Be careful not to overcook the salmon, or it will become too dry. Remove the fillets from the pan and set aside.

In a small pan or saucepan, add about 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil. Turn the heat on to about medium. Add the diced shallot and fry for about a minute or so, until the shallot becomes translucent, and then add the wine and the juice of the other half of the lemon. Simmer the sauce until it has reduced a bit (about 1-2 more minutes), and then stir in the butter. Once the butter has melted into the sauce, add a little salt (to taste) and turn the heat off. Throw in the parsley, and then pour the sauce over the warm salmon fillets.

Garnish with a slice of lemon and enjoy!

Pan Seared Salmon served with Sicilian Roasted Cauliflower and Steamed Green Beans

Nutritional Tidbits:
Salmon is one of the most heart-healthy fish you can eat! It is loaded with omega 3-fatty acids as most people know, but it is also a great source of protein, potassium, selenium, and vitamin B12. It has been observed that diets high in omega 3's tend to help prevent heart disease, but now there is even research that it may help to prevent certain cancers and certain chronic diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, depression, high blood pressure, diabetes, macular degeneration, multiple sclerosis, and rheumatoid arthritis.
(Side note: It pays to opt for wild salmon instead of farm-raised salmon, as the wild variety has a better nutritional profile than the farm-raised. The wild salmon is also safer to eat, as it has lower amounts of pesticide residues than the farm-raised.)

Seafood Fried Rice

This recipe was inspired by the seafood fried rice at Ruby Foo's in New York City. I was missing the American Chinese food over here in Grenada, so I decided to make my versions of a few of my favorite dishes. I kept it quite close to the original, except I used imitation crabmeat instead of real crabmeat like the restaurant uses. Finding good quality crab meat here is difficult, and I do like the flavor of the imitation crabmeat once in a while. 

Ingredients:
3 cups of cooked jasmine rice, at room temperature
Handful of asparagus stalks, sliced into thin rounds
1/2 pound of shrimp, any size you like, shelled, cleaned and deveined
3/4 cup of imitation crab meat, sliced (or 1/2 cup of real crab meat, drained)
3 eggs
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon of minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
salt to taste
5 tablespoons of vegetable oil for frying

Heat the oil in a wok, and add the ginger and garlic. Fry over medium to high heat for a few seconds until aromatic, and then add the shrimp. When the shrimp are just beginning to turn pink, add the crabmeat. Stir fry until the shrimp are fully cooked (opaque and pink), and then add the asparagus. 

Seafood and asparagus being stir-fried

Whisk the eggs together in a bowl, and add the eggs to the wok. Stir fry with the seafood and asparagus until the eggs are fully cooked. Next, add the rice, sugar, and salt. Stir everything together, and fry for 2-3 minutes. I like to fry over high heat and let the rice sit at the bottom of the pan for a bit before stirring so that it browns a little, but that's optional. Add the sesame oil and fry for another minute or so. Remove  from the heat, and serve. 

Tips: It is very important to be careful not to overcook the rice that you will use to make the fried rice, or it will not fry very well. Just boil the rice until it is just cooked, but still firm. Also, allowing the rice to cool before frying it prevents it from cooking too much and becoming mushy. 

Broiled Lobster Tails

I finally discovered the world of fresh lobster tails on the island during my last semester in Grenada. There are local fishermen everywhere in town, and lobster is cheap and fresh when it's in season. At just US $3 a pound, it is easy to have a delicious lobster dinner on any night of the week! There are a few ways to prepare lobster: steaming, poaching in butter, grilling, or broiling. My favorite is broiled lobster, as it seems to concentrate all the wonderful flavor.

Ingredients:

2 lobster tails (defrost if frozen)

1/2 cup of butter

1/2 teaspoon of paprika

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder (or 1 teaspoon fresh minced garlic)

2 teaspoons of lemon or lime juice

salt and white pepper to taste

1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning (optional)

Preheat the broiler. Wash the lobster tails with some lemon juice, and place them on a cutting board. Using strong kitchen shears, cut a line along the top shell from the front towards the end of the tail stopping just before the end.

Fresh lobster tail

Cut and open lobster tails

Pull the shell apart to open it up. Rinse the tails again to remove any pieces of shell and any dirt from inside. Pat the tails dry with a paper towel. If you like, you may pull the meat up and out of the shell (with the end still attached inside), and rest it on top of the shell. This is called piggybacking. My broiler was too small so I had to leave the meat inside of the shell. Place the prepared lobsters on a baking pan. Melt the butter and add the paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper (and Old Bay, if desired). Pour the seasoning butter over the tails and place them in the broiler. Broil the lobster tails (about 15 minutes per pound of tail) about 4-6 inches away from the flame. 

My lobsters sitting in the broiler

Broil them until the meat turns opaque and the shells turn red. Remove from the shell and serve with clarified butter. Enjoy!

I piggybacked mine after cooking them, here is one with some wild rice pilaf I made to go with it.

Sauteed Salmon

This recipe is a quick and easy way to turn leftover or canned salmon into something special.  It is a basic recipe with things that I always have in my kitchen, and it goes well in a sandwich on my soft and fluffy dinner rolls!

Ingredients:
1 6oz. can of boneless, skinless salmon (or the same amount of cooked salmon)
1/4 yellow onion, chopped
1 teaspoon of tomato paste
1 scallion (green onion) stalk, chopped
1 wiri wiri pepper (or any seasoning pepper), seeds removed and finely chopped, optional
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
1 tablespoon of olive oil
salt to taste

Heat the oil in a small frying pan, and add the chopped onion and tomato paste. Let that fry for about 2 minutes, then add the pepper and the salmon. Use the back of your cooking utensil to break up the salmon and allow it to mix with the tomato paste and onions. Add the garlic powder, salt, and chopped scallion. Fry for about 5-6 minutes, or until the salmon is heated through and has picked up all of the wonderful flavors of the seasonings. Enjoy with bread or Guyanese bakes.

Baked Crab Cakes

I have decided that my favorite food in the entire world is crab cakes. I love crab, and having just the meat in a delicately fried cake makes what would be a meal of cracking and digging up shells a whole different experience. In this recipe, I tried a healthier way of cooking them...instead of frying the cakes, I baked them! The secret to this recipe is the quality of the crab meat. You can find canned, frozen, or refrigerated crab meat in the supermarket. My favorite is Phillip's brand lump crab meat, which is usually found in plastic containers in the refrigerated section. It is pricey, but for this one in a while treat, it is so worth it!

Ingredients:

1 8 oz package of lump crab meat

1 egg

2 tablespoons of mayonnaise

1/2 cup of seasoned breadcrumbs (you may use panko breadcrumbs instead)

1/2 teaspoon of old bay seasoning

1 teaspoon of lemon juice

1/4 of a red bell pepper, chopped finely

1/2 celery stalk, chopped finely

1 tablespoon of olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400F. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the egg, mayonnaise, 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs, the old bay seasoning, and the lemon juice. Mix well, and then add the bell pepper and celery. Once combined, gently fold in the crab meat. 

Seasoning before the crab and veggies are added

Crab meat, bell peppers, and celery

Pour the rest of the breadcrumbs in a small plate. Take handfuls of the crab mixture, form balls, and then press gently onto the breadcrumbs on the plate. Turn the cake over to flatten and coat the other side. Continue until all of the cakes are formed. (This recipe makes about 8 small cakes, but can easily be doubled to make more.) Coat the bottom of a baking pan with the olive oil, and place the cakes on the pan. 

Place in the oven and bake for about 10 minutes, or until the bottoms of the cakes are browned and crispy. Gently flip the cakes over and bake for another 3-5 minutes or until they are crispy on the other side. Enjoy!

(For anyone who would like to make crab cakes the traditional way: Make the cakes as directed above, then add 3-4 tablespoons of oil to a frying pan and fry the cakes over medium heat on each side until golden brown and crispy.)

Crab Stuffed Tilapia

Crab is my number one favorite food of all, so if there is any way I can incorporate it into a meal, I will. This is a healthy and light, yet gourmet-quality dish that is sure to impress any of your dinner guests. The key to making this dish wonderful is the quality of ingredients, especially the crab meat. It is expensive, but I promise it will be worth it. You can find crab meat in a plastic tub in the refrigerated section; this type usually tastes fresher and sweeter. If that is not available, there is canned crab meat, which would also work in this recipe. I had to use the canned crab meat for this batch as it was difficult to find any other kind in Grenada right now. Regardless of that, the dish came out delicious, so here it is!

Ingredients:

     4 tilapia fillets (wild-caught is healthier)

     1 cup (8oz) crab meat, drained

     1/4 of a red bell pepper, finely chopped
     1/2 celery stalk, finely chopped

     2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs

     2 tablespoons of mayonnaise (I used low fat)

     1 teaspoon mustard

     1 egg

     1 + 1/2 teaspoon of paprika

     1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

     1 teaspoon of chopped parsley

     1 lime or lemon 

     salt and pepper to taste

     Cooking oil for greasing the pan

     

Preheat the oven to 350F. In a medium-sized mixing bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, mustard, breadcrumbs, egg, 1/2 tsp paprika, garlic powder, parsley, bell pepper, and celery. Once well combined, gently fold in the crab meat and squeeze about 1 tsp of lime or lemon juice into the stuffing mixture. Set aside.

Crab stuffing

Wash the tilapia fillets with lime or lemon juice and set on a cutting board. Slice each fillet down the middle, but only halfway, so that the two halves stay together. Turn the knife to the side and carefully slice each side horizontally to create a pocket on each half. Repeat with the other fillets. Sprinkle salt and black pepper on each side of the fillets.

Slicing the tilapia fillets

Spray a baking pan with cooking oil and place the tilapia fillets cut side up on the pan. Spoon some stuffing in the center of each fillet, stuffing each pocket and filling the center. Sprinkle the remaining 1 tsp of paprika over the fish and place in the oven. Cook for about 20 minutes, and then raise the temperature to 450F. Let the fish cook for another 5 minutes, and then remove from the oven. Be careful not to overcook, or the fish will become dry. Plate and garnish with lime or lemon slices.

West Indian Crab Curry

I was finally able to find some good crab on the island, so I decided to make my personal favorite, crab curry. It is a typical Guyanese-style curry, which is very different from South Asian (East Indian) curry. It's a very quick and easy meal if you can get the crab cleaned and cut ahead of time. Popular versions of this dish are made with coconut milk (which I am not a huge fan of), so I included that ingredient as optional. 

Ingredients:

     1 pound crab, cleaned and cut into pieces
     1 small onion, sliced
     2 garlic cloves, chopped finely
     1/2 teaspoon fresh fine-leaf thyme
     Fresh pepper, cut finely (I used scotch bonnet (habanero), use amount according to how hot you want it)
     1 small tomato, cut into chunks
     2 teaspoons curry powder
     3/4 teaspoon garam masala
     1/4 teaspoon geera (cumin)
     4 tablespoons olive oil
     Lime or lemon for washing the crab
     Salt to taste
     2 scallions (green onions), chopped
     Optional: 1/2 can of coconut milk (about 3 oz.)

Wash the crab using the juice of half a lemon or a lime and water. Set aside. Next, prepare the seasoning. The easiest way to do the seasoning is with a blender, but you can also just chop them by hand. If using a blender, add the onion, garlic, thyme, and fresh pepper with a little bit of water, and blend. Set aside. In a small bowl, add the curry powder, masala, and geera (cumin). Add about a 1/4 cup of water, and mix until the powders make a paste.

Cleaned and cut crab

Curry mix and seasoning

Heat the oil in a medium-sized pot or wok. Add the onions, garlic, thyme, and pepper (or the blended seasoning). Fry for a few seconds, and then add the curry paste. After 4-5 minutes, add the crab and tomato and fry for another 5 minutes. Once all of the water is gone, add 1 cup boiling water (plus the coconut milk) or 1 1/2 cups of boiling water (if not using coconut milk). Add salt to taste. Bring the curry to a boil and then let it simmer over medium heat for 8-12 minutes, or until the gravy has thickened to your liking. Add the chopped scallions towards the end. Serve with rice and enjoy!

Frying the crab (before adding water)

After the water is added

   

Salmon Cakes

I am the biggest fan of crab cakes, so when I saw a packet of wild salmon in my pantry this idea instantly clicked. I make it almost the same way as I do my crab cakes, except this time I was in Grenada, with not many of my ingredients available. I got creative with what I had, and the result was scrumptious!

Note: Panko breadcrumbs work well in this recipe, but I think my toast idea made it even more delicious!

Ingredients:
     5 oz of skinless, boneless, cooked salmon (I used a packet of the Chicken of the Sea 
            Premium Wild-Caught Pink Salmon)
     1/4 red bell pepper, chopped into small pieces
     2 chopped scallions
     1 tsp parsley
     1/2 tsp fresh minced ginger
     1/2 tbsp mayonnaise
     1 small egg, lightly beaten
     1/4 tsp paprika
     2 slices of white toast, left out for a few minutes to dry
     Salt to taste
     2 tbsp oil for frying
     1 lime or lemon
Flake the salmon and add to a mixing bowl. Add the peppers, scallion, parsley, ginger, egg, paprika, and salt. Finely crumble one of the slices of toast into the mixture, and mix well. 

Heat the oil on medium heat in a shallow frying pan. In a separate plate, crumble the other slice of toast finely. Take a spoon and gather some of the salmon mixture. Form a ball with it in your hands and then press lightly onto the breadcrumbs. Turn the salmon cake over to get the other side covered, and then add the cake to the hot pan. Cook about 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove and place onto a paper towel-lined plate. Squeeze some lime or lemon over it and serve immediately. 

Chinese Shrimp w/ Broccoli

Living in the UK and the Caribbean has taught me that popular Chinese food in the US is unique to the US. It is different from Chinese food in China as most people already know, but it is also different from Chinese food in other Western countries. Growing up in the US has left me with a taste for American-style Chinese food, so that is what I was trying to re-create in this dish. As with many Chinese dishes, it is stir-fried on high heat, so it is a quick and easy, yet delightfully delicious dish.

Ingredients:

     8 oz. large shrimp, uncooked, peeled, and deveined

     2 heads of broccoli

     1/3 cup of soy sauce

     1/4 cup of chicken broth

     1/2 tbsp sesame oil

     2 tbsp white sugar

     1 tbsp cornstarch

     1/8 cup of water

     2 small garlic cloves, chopped finely

     1/2 tsp fresh minced ginger

     2 tbsp vegetable oil

Mix together the soy sauce, chicken broth, sesame oil, and sugar in a small bowl, set aside. In another small container, add the cornstarch to the water and stir to dissolve.

Wash and chop the broccoli into florets. Heat the vegetable oil in a wok, and add the minced ginger and garlic. Fry for a few seconds until aromatic, being careful not to brown the garlic. Add the broccoli florets and stir fry for a few minutes, until the broccoli is cooked to desired tenderness. If necessary, add a little bit of water to the wok and cover to help steam the broccoli. Remove the broccoli from the wok and set aside. Add the shrimp to the wok, and cook on medium-high heat until one side is pink. Flip the shrimp over to cook the other side.  

Add the soy sauce mixture to the shrimp and bring to a boil. Allow the sauce to reduce slightly, then add the cornstarch mixture. The sauce should immediately begin to thicken. Return the broccoli to the wok, stir, and remove from heat. Serve with white rice.