Memorial Day: Grilled Shrimp with Tequila Lime Butter and Green Sauce

 

              

American summer.  An ideal SO IDEAL that it begins and ends with 2 huge outdoor parties and...just in case you forget how much fun you're supposed to be having, there's another one WITH FIREWORKS right in the middle!

This recipe is perfect for the grilling holidays.  Based on a recipe by the great Steven Raichlen that I came across almost 20 years ago and have been playing with ever since, it's spicy/smoky flavors pair well with all the side dishes and cold drinks you'll be serving, and can easily be multiplied for large groups.

Wishing you a glorious summer of beach days and sunset nights, bikinis, ankle bracelets, salt water detangler, jean nate after bath splash, firepits and fireflies, cool cotton covers on your sunburn chills, sticky hands from fresh chilled watermelon and salty lips from too many margaritas, Nantucket Reds and 501 Blues, clam bakes and crab boils, and soft kisses underneath the fireworks.  It’s only 9 weeks long—enjoy every minute of it!

------------------------------------------------------------------
(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

1.5  lbs. shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch Italian flat leaf parsley

5 jalapenos

1 bunch green onions

3 cloves garlic, peeled

1 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt/pepper

1 ½ teaspoons cumin

Cajun seasoning (I use Tony Chacheri’s)

Olive oil

½ stick butter

2-3 Limes

Tequila

Remove most of the seeds from the jalapenos (leave some in for heat), then coarsely chop with the green onions and garlic.  Add to food processor and chop.  Add cilantro and half the parsley, some salt, pepper, cumin, garlic powder, and some olive oil—puree.  

Combine the shrimp and green sauce in a large ziplock bag and marinate for approx 35-40 minutes in the refrigerator. 

In the meantime, make the tequila lime butter:

Melt butter on stove over low heat.  Chop the remaining parsley.  Add some Cajun seasoning, juice of 1 lime, a splash (or 2) of tequila, and the rest of the parsley.  Keep warm and set aside.
Heat grill and skewer shrimp.

tequila lime butter

ready for the grill

Grill shrimp until firm, turning to char both sides.  They only take a few minutes (approx. 3-5 per side)  Baste with the butter sauce but be careful, you don't want it to flame up.  Cut 1 or 2 limes in half, grill fruit side down until nice char marks form.

Transfer shrimp to a platter.  Squeeze fresh lime juice over all and serve.

Cinco de Mayo Tacos: chicken, grilled pineapple, and charred peppers

     

These tacos have a sweet-tart heat that starts slow and reaches the back of your throat by the last lip-tingling bite.  So good!

They're both simple and straightforward, so the fresher your ingredients are, the better.  Combined with salty margaritas and some Camila Cabello on the Sonos, you have the beginnings of a fun, sexy celebration.  The rest is up to you :)

--------------------------------------------
(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

serves 4

NOTE:  the pickled onions are so simple, and should be made the day before or morning of the day that you will be using them.  See my post from 5/3/19 or the link below:
 

https://dishingmemories.blogspot.com/2019/05/pickled-onions.html 

1 whole chicken, roasted in the oven and shredded OR
4 large chicken breasts, grilled and shredded
1 whole pineapple, cored and sliced into long rectangles (that won't fall through the grill)
4 ears corn, shucked
5 or 6 jalapeno peppers, whole
fresh cilantro 
pickled onions 
chicken broth
small flour or corn tortillas
salt/cracked pepper/garlic powder
limes

optional:  your favorite salsa verde

NOTE:  A charcoal grill is my favorite for this because of the flavor it imparts, but propane works fine too

Make chicken by roasting or grilling, and shred.  Set aside.
(however you decide to make it, season it first with salt/cracked pepper/and garlic powder)

pineapple, corn, and peppers ready for the grill

Next, grill corn, peppers until they have blistered, and the pineapple until it has nice marks.
Remove.  Char tortillas slightly, remove.  I also grill my limes, but you don't have to.  

Cut corn off the cob into a bowl, slice peppers (I leave in some of the seeds for heat, but you can take them out entirely if you'd like),  and chop the pineapple into small bite-size pieces.  

charred and blistered peppers

If chicken needs moisture:

In a skillet on the stove, place the chicken and just a little chicken broth for flavor and juiciness, and heat slightly until the broth has mostly cooked into the chicken. Remove to bowl and place with the rest of your ingredients.  

Place all out for your guests, including the pickled onions and your favorite salsa verde.  Squeeze lime juice over, salt and pepper as necessary, and enjoy!

Radishes with herb butter

Growing up, we didn’t have a lot of money, but kudos to my parents because I never knew it.  I thought we were rich.  For instance:  in my lunch box, my mom would sometimes pack finger sandwiches (like cream cheese and black olives with the crust cut off).  My friends thought these treats were so exotic, so much cooler than what they had, and often we’d trade, so I readily gave away my super cool finger sandwiches for bologna and mayonnaise on wheat and some Cheez-its.  

It wasn’t until I was older that I learned the finger sandwiches were a result of necessity:  we couldn’t afford lunch meat that week and the jar of black olives, unopened at Thanksgiving, was the only thing in the pantry staring my mother in the face.  The cupboard, as they say, was bare.

These lean times, though, would produce what would later become my favorite summertime snack:  fresh radishes.  They were inexpensive and  my mother could buy a whole bag of them for less than $2.  So she did...all the time.   We’d sprinkle salt in one hand, dip the radish in it, and eat it in one or two bites—the whole bowl of them—until the sharpness of the vegetable would start to sting the back of our throats and we’d have to stop.



Fast forward 30 years:  I was at a cozy French Bistro in Chicago called Maisson Brasserie (sadly, now closed), and instead of bread, they brought a tray of radishes, salt, and sweet cream butter to the table. Delicious, and so unexpected!  I’ve adapted the dish for you here. Should you wish to go one step further and incorporate herbs into the butter, I've included that option below.  

I always serve this on Easter and both my mother and I laugh about how far our favorite snack has come.  I hope you love it as much as we do.

 

----------------------------------------
(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

1 bag fresh radishes, cleaned and trimmed on both ends

kosher salt

1 baguette, sliced on the diagonal
8 ozs. unsalted butter (room temperature)

IF YOU CHOOSE TO MAKE HERB BUTTER, ALSO PURCHASE:
2 tsp. fresh chopped dill
1 tsp. fresh chopped chives
1 lemon

                                                

If making herb butter, do so first:  8 ozs unsalted butter (softened, at room temperature), 2 tsp fresh chopped dill, 1 tsp. fresh chopped chives, 1 pinch salt, the juice of 1/2 lemon.  Mix all together and place in bowl.  Can be refrigerated until ready to use, but bring back to room temperature before serving.

Place kosher salt in a small bowl for dipping.  Assemble all on tray, in a way that looks pleasing to you.  Uncork a crisp, bubbly, icy-cold prosecco to share with your friends and enjoy!







Vanilla Caramel Sundae topped with Smoked Almonds & Cheddar Popcorn

Don't say no to this salty, sweet, creamy, crunchy dream until you've tried it. Pure heaven--  

---------------------------------------

(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

French Vanilla ice cream (I use Breyers)

Caramel sauce (I use Smuckers)

Cheddar popcorn 

Smoked, salted almonds

Put ice cream in a dish, spoon caramel sauce over.  Add popcorn and almonds to the top and eat with a really big spoon :)

so good

Meatballs and Sauce

Meatballs and a glass of red wine.  Really, is there anything better?

---------------------------------------

WHAT YOU WILL NEED

meatballs

1.5 pounds ground chuck (or a meatloaf mixture of ground chuck and pork)

3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs

3/4 cup milk

1 egg, beaten

1  tbs. garlic powder

1 tbs. Italian seasoning

2 tbs. parmesan cheese (the green can is fine for this)

salt/pepper

1 small onion chopped

sauce

1  28-ounce can tomato sauce

1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes in puree

1 small onion, chopped

salt

garlic powder

1/4 cup red wine (a good wine you would drink so you can finish it with dinner)

olive oil

 also:  ricotta cheese, fresh basil, crusty bread

Make meatballs:  In large bowl mix bread crumbs, onion, egg, and milk.  Let sit to soak.  Add garlic powder, italian seasoning, parmesan cheese, and sprinkle in some salt and pepper.  Mix together and add ground chuck.  Mix with clean hands until all incorporated, shape into 8 meatballs.  Bake in 350 degree oven for 1 hour.

In the meantime, make the sauce:  drizzle olive oil in deep pan and saute the other onion on lower heat until translucent.  Add minced garlic and saute (do not let brown).   Add tomatoes, then sauce and red wine.  Sprinkle with salt and garlic powder and simmer on low, just bubbling, for approx 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

When meatballs are done, remove from pan and add to the sauce with any pan drippings.  Simmer another 15 minutes to let the flavors come together.

Serve meatballs in bowl with sauce, fresh basil, parmesan cheese, a spoonful of ricotta cheese, some grilled/crusty bread for dipping, and pour yourself a glass of the red wine you used for the sauce :)

Zuppa di Scarola e Ceci: escarole and garbanzo bean soup

Brrrrr...it's cold outside!  Make this for dinner on Valentine's Day and cuddle up close with someone you love :)

----------------------------------------------
(WHAT YOU WILL NEED)

the perfect pasta for soup

64 ounces chicken broth
1 head Escarole
1  15-ounce can garbanzo beans, drained
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 pound ditalini (half a box), uncooked
salt/black pepper/garlic powder
olive oil
parmesan cheese (for grating)
dutch oven or soup pot
crusty bread



A head of escarole looks like this:

Wash it as you would any lettuce.  Break leaves into big pieces. Set aside.

Drizzle approx 3 tablespoons olive oil in large dutch oven.  Add garlic and garbanzo beans and saute over medium heat for approx 3-5 minutes.  Sprinkle salt over beans.

Add torn escarole pieces a few at a time, stirring to coat all with oil.  Add a little broth to wilt leaves.  When all are coated and wilted, add all the broth and as much pasta as you'd like.  Add a few shakes of the garlic powder and bring to a light simmer, cover, and let cook over low heat until the pasta is al dente (or to your liking), stirring occasionally.   

When soup is ready, turn off the stove but do not remove pot from the heat.  Let sit for approx 15 minutes to soak up some of the broth.  Adjust seasonings.

Heat up bread in the oven so it is hot and crusty

Serve soup in bowls with parmesan cheese grated over the top and some bread on the side.

Hoppin' John

Long considered the staple of new year’s luck in the South, Hoppin’ John is always eaten on January 1st to ensure prosperity.  It’s made with black eyed peas and rice, sometimes a ham hock and sometimes giblets.  My recipe is simple in that it’s a one-pot meal…it goes from stovetop to table effortlessly, with little cleanup.  Perfect.  Just follow the cooking instructions on the box of rice and you’re good to go.  Pass it with freshly shredded cheddar cheese (for melting on top) and Texas Pete’s Pepper Sauce…and the strongest bloody mary’s you can make!  As your New Year's Eve hangover starts to fade and 2022 comes into focus, get ready…the best is yet to come!  :)

---------------------------------

mmmmmm...

WHAT TO BUY:

1 - 16 ounce can black eyed peas, drained
1 - 6 ounce box Long Grain and Wild Rice - not quick cooking (I use Uncle Ben's)
Hot Sauce (I use both Crystal and Texas Pete Pepper Sauce)
butter
cheddar cheese, freshly shredded

Follow the directions on the back of the rice box--that's all.  As you're putting the rice and seasoning packet into the water:  add 1 tablespoon butter, as much Crystal hot sauce as you'd like (I do 10 shakes of the bottle...lol) and the can of black eyed peas. Stir, then cover and heat as directed (my rice box says 20 min).

Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.  Bring pot to the table.  Spoon into bowls, passing shredded cheddar cheese and Texas Pete Pepper Sauce on the side.

Now sit back and wait for your good luck to arrive...