Summer Shrimp Scampi with Tomatoes & Corn

This summery version of shrimp scampi is an amazing upgrade of this classic dish. Best of all, it is prepared in one pan. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle; I modified the proportions. I served it over pasta, but it could also be served with crusty bread. Delicious.

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used 21 to 25 shrimp per pound)
• Kosher salt and black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
• 2 (or more) cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (from 4 to 5 ears)
• 7 large garlic cloves, minced (I used my special CSA hard neck garlic)
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon), plus wedges for serving (optional)
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 5 pieces
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley or chives, or torn basil leaves
• 12 to 16 oz linguini fini, spaghetti or bucatini, for serving, if desired
• crusty bread, for serving, if desired

1. If serving over pasta, prepare per the package directions while the rest of the dish is being prepared.
2. Pat the shrimp very dry and season with salt and pepper.
3. In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and lightly golden in spots, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a plate.
4. Add the tomatoes to the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring just once or twice, until they start to blister in spots, 3 to 4 minutes.
5. Add the corn, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring just once or twice, until the tomatoes burst and the corn is golden in spots, 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and red-pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until you smell garlic, about 1 minute.
7. Reduce heat to medium, and add the wine and lemon juice, scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Cook until nearly evaporated, then add the butter and stir until melted.
8. Add the shrimp and its juices and stir until warmed through. (If the sauce breaks and looks greasy, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of water and stir until emulsified.)
9. Remove from heat, add the herbs, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve with extra lemon for squeezing over, if you like.
10. Serve over pasta or with crusty bread, if desired.

Chicken Tikka Masala

For years, this was the most popular recipe on Food and Wine.com. It was included in the 40th Anniversary edition of Food and Wine magazine titled “Our 40 Best-Ever Recipes.” I have tried several recipes from this wonderful collection.

This is an easy version of this classic and popular Indian dish. I especially loved it because the sauce was so amazing. The original recipe makes a note that the marinade and sauce are also delicious with shrimp, lamb, and vegetables.

The recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Grace Parisi. I doubled the garlic and used slivered almonds. We ate it over brown Basmati rice with warm naan and sautéed spinach. Yum!

Yield: Serves 4

For the Marinade:

• 1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 T finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the Chicken:

• 2 1/2 pounds skinless, boneless chicken thighs, fat trimmed (8 to 10 thighs)
• coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T plus 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup blanched whole or slivered almonds
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tsp minced fresh ginger
• 1 1/2 T garam masala
• 1 1/2 tsp pure chile powder
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• One 35-ounce can peeled tomatoes, finely chopped, juices reserved (I used San Marzano tomatoes)
• pinch of granulated sugar
• 1 cup heavy cream
• warm naan and/or rice, for serving

1. In a large glass or stainless steel bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cayenne and turmeric. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Using a sharp knife, make a few shallow slashes in each piece of chicken. Add the chicken to the marinade, turn to coat and refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat the broiler and position a rack about 8 inches from the heat.
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade; scrape off as much of the marinade as possible.
5. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and spread the pieces on a baking sheet. Broil the chicken, turning once or twice, until just cooked through and browned in spots, about 12 minutes.
6. Transfer to a cutting board and cut it into 2-inch pieces.
7. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil.
8. Add the almonds and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until golden, about 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a plate and let cool completely. In a food processor, pulse the almonds until finely ground.
9. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering.
10. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 8 minutes.
11. Add the garam masala, chile powder and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
12. Add the tomatoes with their juices and the sugar and season with salt and pepper.
13. Cover partially and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
14. Add the cream and ground almonds and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes longer.
15. Stir in the chicken and pan drippings; simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, and serve.

Note: The Chicken Tikka Masala can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently before serving.

Pressure Cooker Shrimp Biryani

Compared to my last post, this pressure cooker biryani is an even faster version of this full-flavored Indian dish- very tasty but possibly a little less authentic.

There are a couple points to note in order for this dish to be a success. It is very important to use the largest shrimp available to prevent over-cooking. Secondly, when adding the water to the pot, it must be boiling in order for the rice to cook in the allotted time frame.

This recipe was adapted from The Complete Indian Instant Pot Cookbook by Chandra Ram via The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I increased the amount of garlic, omitted the curry leaves, and used a stove-top pressure cooker instead of an Instant Pot. Nice.

Yield: Serves 6

• 2 cups Basmati rice
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 Serrano chile, minced
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (I used 4 large cloves)
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon Chile powder, preferably Kashmiri (I used Ancho)
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 10 fresh curry leaves, torn into pieces, optional (if available)(can substitute curry powder, to taste)
• 1 ½ cups boiling water
• 1 ½ pounds jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 or fewer per pound, see note), peeled and deveined
• 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with juice
• 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice, plus more wedges for serving
• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Place the rice in a bowl and cover with 2 cups water. Let stand for 20 minutes, then drain and rinse.
2. Heat oil in the pot of a pressure cooker (set to the sauté function set on high in an electric pot), until oil is shimmering.
3. Add onion; cook for about 4 minutes, until softened.
4. Stir in Serrano chile, ginger, garlic, salt, chile powder, turmeric, paprika and curry leaves (if using); cook for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
5. Stir in boiling water; using a wooden spoon, stir, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.
6. Stir in soaked rice, shrimp and tomatoes (with juice).
7. Secure the lid and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes. Quick-release the pressure (on my pot, I rotate the release valve 90 degrees), stir lime juice into the rice, then cover the pressure cooker with a kitchen towel and the lid; let it sit for 5 minutes.
8. Give rice another stir, then taste and add more salt, if needed.
9. Transfer to a platter, garnish with cilantro and serve with lime wedges on the side.

Note: Make sure to use jumbo shrimp or larger for this recipe. Look for “16/20” or “U/15” on the package; this indicates how many shrimp there are per pound.

One-Pan Shrimp Scampi with Orzo

This is an incredibly full-flavored one-pan dish. I made it when my mom was visiting because she is such a fan of shrimp. She loved it! 🙂

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. Fast and fabulous.

Yield: Serves 4

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted dry
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice (from 1 lemon)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced, divided
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup orzo
• ⅓ cup dry white wine
• 2 cups boiling water, seafood stock, or chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the shrimp, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the lemon zest, red-pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and half the garlic. Set aside to marinate (this step can be done up to 1 hour in advance).
2. To a medium skillet, add the butter, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and remaining minced garlic; heat over medium.
3. When the butter starts to bubble, add the orzo and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the orzo is toasted, about 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent the garlic from burning.
4. Carefully add the wine (it will bubble) and stir until absorbed, about 1 minute.
5. Stir in the water or stock, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the orzo is al dente, about 12 to 16 minutes.
6. Add the shrimp in a snug, even layer on top of the orzo, cover, and cook until all the shrimp is pink and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 2 minutes.
8. Sprinkle with parsley and lemon juice, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Greek Shrimp, Farro & Greens with Feta

Shrimp & Grits with Mustard Seed Chowchow

Charleston, South Carolina is a very special place for me. As a tribute, I make a lot of Southern food. 🙂 I also make shrimp and grits as part of our traditional Easter celebration.

We were lucky enough to travel back to Charleston recently and we brought home a couple of different types of grits. The fresh from South Carolina grits really made this dish extra special. I also baked the grits for the first time and the results were amazing. I used a blend of stone ground white and yellow grits for this dish, but, I also have special pink “unicorn grits” from Millers All Day which I’ll be sure to share with you in another dish.

This dish is from a Food and Wine “staff-favorite” recipe, contributed by Isaac Toups of Toups South in New Orleans. It was absolutely incredible. (We need to go to his restaurant!)  It may be quite difficult to try a new version next year. I served it with roasted asparagus. Lovely.

Yield: Serves 4

• 1 pound peeled and deveined tail-on raw large shrimp
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning (such as Tony Chachere’s)(I used Slap ya Mama)
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (4 ounces), divided
• 1 cup uncooked freshly ground grits (such as Bellegarde Heirloom Grits)(I used stone ground yellow & white grits)
• 3 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
• 3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup yellow mustard seeds
• 1 medium-size (8-ounce) green tomato, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (I substituted a red tomato and it was still delicious!)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3-4 diagonally sliced scallions (about 1/4 cup)

1. Preheat oven to 200°F, preferably on convection.
2. Toss together shrimp and Cajun seasoning in a medium bowl. Cover; refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Place milk and 1/4 cup butter in a medium ovenproof saucepan. Bring to a vigorous simmer over medium, stirring occasionally.
4. Gradually add grits, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, whisking constantly, until mixture thickens slightly and grits are evenly suspended in milk, about 6 minutes.
5. Cover saucepan; transfer to preheated oven. Bake until grits are tender, 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes. Remove from oven; stir in 2 teaspoons salt and remaining 1/4 cup butter. Cover to keep warm until ready to use. (I put the pot in a warming oven.)
6. While the grits are in the oven, stir together vinegar, 3/4 cup water, sugar, and remaining 1 1/4 teaspoons salt in a saucepan; bring to a boil over high.
7. Stir in mustard seeds. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, stirring occasionally, until seeds are tender, about 35 minutes.
8. Add tomato and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender and mixture has thickened, 14 to 16 minutes. Remove from heat.
9. Remove shrimp from refrigerator. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over high until smoking.
10. Add shrimp to skillet in a single layer; cook until opaque and lightly charred, about 1 minute and 30 seconds per side.
11. To serve, divide grits among 4 bowls. Top evenly with shrimp and chowchow; sprinkle with sliced scallion.

Note: The chowchow can be made up to a week in advance.

Roasted Shrimp with Salsa Calabrese

Did I mention that I met Bobby Flay this summer? It’s true! It was fun but really not that exciting. 😉 He came to our mall for the 10th anniversary of his first “Bobby’s Burger Palace” restaurant. I stood outside in a huge line in 90+ degree heat with my kids and friends for the opportunity to meet him. I think that I waited so long to share this news because the photo of me with Mr. Flay is terrible. I was also too shy to ask him to write to “the brook cook” in my new Bobby Flay cookbook. Ugh. Overall, we all had good time, I bought a great cookbook, and we got free milkshakes. 🙂

Now seems like the time to share this dish because it’s from his “Fit” cookbook, healthy and tasty. Perfect for the season of resolutions and dietary changes.

The recipe is adapted from Bobby Flay Fit: 200 Recipes for a Healthy Lifestyle by Bobby Flay with Stephanie Banyas and Sally Jackson. I used graffiti eggplant instead of Japanese, grape tomatoes instead of plum, and increased the garlic. I made the dish a little more caloric by serving it over brown Basmati rice. Cauliflower rice would also be a nice option- or without rice as in the original recipe.

Yield: Serves 4

• 2 graffiti eggplants or 4 Japanese eggplants, about 1 pound, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 12 grape tomatoes or 2 seeded plum tomatoes, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
• 1 small red onion, diced
• 8 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1/4 tsp to 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes, to taste, preferably Calabrian
• 5 T olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 T red wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped, plus whole leaves for garnish
• 1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used 21-25 count)
• 1 tsp ground fennel
• brown Basmati rice or cauliflower rice, for serving, optional

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees, preferably on convection roast.
2. In a large bowl, combine the eggplant, tomatoes, bell pepper, onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, and 3 tablespoons of the oil, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
3. Spread the vegetables on a large, parchment paper-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Roast, stirring a few times, until soft and lightly golden brown, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Transfer the vegetables to a food processor and purée until almost smooth. Add the vinegar and 1/4 cup of water, and continue processing until smooth.
5. Add the basil and the parsley and pulse a few times to incorporate while still leaving flecks of herbs. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and transfer to a bowl.
6. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and the fennel and season with salt and pepper.
7. Spread the shrimp in an even layer on a large, parchment paper-lined, rimmed baking sheet. Roast, turning once, until pink and firm and just cooked through, about 8 minutes.
8. To serve, spoon sauce over prepared rice, if desired, or in the bottom of a shallow bowl. Top with about 5 shrimp and garnish with whole basil leaves.

Note: The vegetable sauce can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.