Baked Potatoes with Crab

Last Year's Post: Prosciutto-Wrapped Chicken with Asparagus Pesto Sauce
Two Years Ago:   Sea Bass en Papillote

Valentine's Day is coming up.  If you're not going out to a restaurant, you may be thinking about a special dinner at home.  Maybe a nice steak?  If so, think about serving a delicious baked potato with crab on the side.  This recipe also stands very nicely alone as a main dish using a larger potato.  Either way, it's pretty special, not to mention easy.

You just make a regular baked potato, then scoop out the insides and mash them with some butter, salt and pepper.  I added spinach for color and nutrition.

Put the mashed potatoes back in the shells, and top it with the crab that's been tossed with lemon, chives, a touch of jalapeno and some sour cream. Sprinkle with parmesan and pop back in the oven for a few minutes to warm the crab and brown the cheese,

The jalapeno adds a hint of warm but isn't spicy when part of the complete dish, so adjust the amount up or down according to your heat preference.  Yum.

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Baked Potatoes with Crab

Serves 2 as a main dish or 4 as a side

2 large russet baking potatoes (main dish) or 4 small russet baking potatoes (side dish)

2 teaspoons olive oil, plus more for oiling the potatoes

½ pound lump crab meat

2 teaspoons lemon juice

½ teaspoon lemon zest

1 tablespoon chopped chives, plus a few for garnish

½ small jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

4 tablespoons sour cream

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 cup chopped spinach

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450d.

Scrub potatoes under running water; dry them, and rub the skin of each with a little olive oil and a little salt.  Pierce the skin of each in three or four places with the tines of a fork.

Place the potatoes in the oven, and roast for 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the potatoes.

While the potatoes are baking, lightly toss the crab meat in a bowl with the lemon juice, zest, 2 teaspoons olive oil, chives, diced jalapeno and sour cream.

When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and slice them open down the middle.  Use a spoon to carefully scrape out the flesh, leave a ½” thick shell.  Add the butter and spinach to the potato flesh and mash to combine; season to taste with salt and pepper.  Spoon the mixture back into the empy shells, place on a baking sheet, top with the crab mixture and sprinkle with cheese.  Return to the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese is melted and golden.

Serve, garnished with a few chives.

Shrimp and Bacon Ramen

Last Year's Post:  Chicken Pho
Two Years Ago:   Italian Sausage Soup

I love ramen noodles because I love all things pasta, but ramen has the additional benefit of all those fun curls.  Plus, it's cheap, easy to cook, and a perfect blank canvas for nearly any sauce and ingredients.  This particular recipe is sort of an American-Asian mashup of ingredients much like you'd find at a good food truck - good old American bacon pairs up with the typical Asian flavors of soy sauce, sesame oil, shiitake mushrooms, red bell pepper and shrimp for an absolutely delicious result.  Of course, if you want to make it a little lighter you could leave out the bacon but it really added that little extra something.  I adapted it from a recipe that called for a lot of special Asian ingredients and substituted readily-available ingredients instead.

I love my serrated grater for making the thinnest carrot strips, but if you don't have one (hint:  Bed, Bath and Beyond) just cut them as thin as you can.  The benefit to having long thin strips is that after they're briefly sauteed they soften a little and start to mimic the noodles in shape and twirl-ability.

Start by doing all your prep, of course, including the shrimp - peel and devein them, take off the tail shells, then cut them through the back all the way down to (but not through) the tail to butterfly them open.  That does two things:  it allows them to cook faster and more evenly, plus they curl into the coolest shapes as they cook.  Very fancy.

When everything is ready, cook the bacon while you're cooking the ramen noodles.  Use half the bacon fat to cook the shrimp and vegetables, then use the other half to briefly fry the noodles to make them a little crispy.  Toss everything with the sauce until it's absorbed, and you're done - very fast and easy.  And again, if you don't want to include the bacon, just use a little peanut oil instead.  You could also skip the step of frying the noodles to cut down on fat and calories - the noodles will just be a little softer.

I would put this up against your favorite food truck food any day, plus you get to eat it piping hot at home whenever you want.

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Shrimp and Bacon Ramen

Serves 4

For the sauce:

1/3 cup soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons toasted sesame oil

For the ramen:

4 (3 ounce) packages ramen noodles

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

4 strips of bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces

12-14 ounces large shrimp (about 4 per person), peeled and deveined, tails removed

4 green onions, thinly sliced

1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 carrot, peeled and cut into matchsticks (or julienned)

1 tablespoon peanut or olive oil

6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed, and sliced

Toasted sesame seeds for garnish, optional

For the sauce, whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

Cut each shrimp in half lengthwise almost to the tail end (but not cut in half completely). 

For the noodles:  bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Cook the noodles until just barely cooked according to package directions (they will cook more later).  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Using a kitchen shears, cut the noodles into approximately 8-inch lengths.  Toss with 1 teaspoon sesame oil to prevent sticking. Set aside.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until crisp and brown, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.  Remove and reserve half of the bacon drippings in a small bowl for later.  Re-heat the remaining bacon drippings over medium heat, then add the shrimp to the pan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Sauté, turning occasionally, until the shrimp are curled and cooked through, about 4 minutes.  Remove to a plate.

Add a tablespoon of oil to the same pan and place over medium heat.  Add the mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the red pepper and carrots and sauté for additional minute or two, then add the green onions and sauté for 30 seconds.  Remove to a large bowl.

Add the remaining bacon fat to the pan and heat to medium-high.  Add the noodles and cook, stirring minimally, until the noodles are crispy and charred in places, about 3 minutes.

Add the noodles to the bowl with the mushrooms, green onions, red pepper, and carrots.  Add the sauce and toss again.  Divide among bowls, then top with shrimp and bacon.  Garnish with sesame seeds, optional.

Spanish Shrimp

Last Year's Post: Chocolate Honey Almond Tartlets
Two Years Ago:  Spinach, Blueberry & Goat Cheese Salad

I came across this recipe by Mark Bittman of the New York Times and just had to try it, in part because of his description:

Excuse the superlatives; this spin on a Spanish tapa is my favorite, and everyone I serve it to loves it. The shrimp juices infuse the oil, and the sum is beyond delicious. 

The recipe makes the list of his favorites, and he calls it "Simplest and Best Shrimp Dish".  How could you not try it?  And he's right - the recipe is unbelievably simple and beyond delicious.  Buy the best shrimp you can find because it's such a simple dish.  All you do is gently brown some garlic in olive oil, then add the shrimp with salt, pepper, cumin, and paprika for flavor and saute until cooked.  The whole process takes maybe 15 minutes.

The shrimp can be served on their own, over rice or pasta, or even over greens as a salad - the garlic oil makes a great dressing.  Mark Bittman also suggests stuffing them into tacos, or I can also see using them in quesadillas or enchiladas.

The original recipe calls for hot paprika, but I used smoked paprika because it was what I had on hand.  It's your choice - a little more heat, or a little more smokiness.  It will be great either way.

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Spanish Shrimp

Serves 4

Other seafood you can use: similar-sized scallops (or larger, though they’ll take longer to cook).

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed

3 or 4 big cloves garlic, cut into slivers

1 ½  pounds shrimp (20 to 30 per pound) peeled, rinsed, and dried

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons hot or smoked paprika

Chopped fresh parsley leaves for garnish

Warm the olive oil in a large, broad skillet or flameproof baking pan over low heat. There should be enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan; don’t skimp. Add the garlic and cook until it turns golden, a few minutes.

Raise the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp, some salt and pepper, the cumin, and the paprika. Stir to blend and continue to cook, shaking the pan once or twice and turning the shrimp once or twice, until they are pink all over and the mixture is bubbly, 5 to 10 minutes. Garnish and serve immediately.

Good with bread, over rice, tossed with pasta, or over greens as a salad.

Sea Bass in Papillote

Last Year's Post: Coq Au Vin
Two Years Ago:  Lobster with Pasta and White Wine-Butter Sauce

Don't let the term "in papillote" (pa-pee-yoh) scare you - it just refers to something baked in a paper or foil pouch to seal in moisture.  Fish is often prepared this way because it cooks perfectly and the accompanying flavors in the pouch infuse the fish while it cooks.  It's really easy, delicious, and kind of spectacular if you serve individual pouches that the diners can open themselves.

This particular recipe for sea bass simplifies the process by cooking all the fish together in one big foil packet, but you can also make individual pouches.  I was cooking for two people, so I put the two pieces of fish in one packet for simplicity.

Sea bass is a wonderful mild white fish that pairs well with the other Mediterranean flavors in the dish, but if you don't care for or can't find sea bass you could substitute halibut, cod, salmon, swordfish, snapper, or any other fish that you like.  This dish follows the principles of a Mediterranean diet so it's not only delicious, it's healthy as well.  Pair with a green vegetable and some brown rice or other whole grain for a complete dinner.

The process is very simple - just assemble the fish with the other ingredients, seal up the foil around it, and bake.  The foil packet may be assembled in advance and refrigerated which makes it a great make-ahead option for entertaining.

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Sea Bass in Papillote

Serves 4

3 tablespoons olive oil

4 (6-oz) fillets black sea bass or striped bass (1/2 to 1 ¼ inches thick)

¾ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

8 thin lemon slices (from 1 large lemon)

8 sprigs fresh thyme

2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

12 cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, halved

1 ½ tablespoons drained bottled capers

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400d.  Line a large baking sheet with foil, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil.

Pat fish dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper.  Arrange fillets in 1 layer in the center of foil on baking sheet and slide 2 lemon slices under each fillet.  Arrange 2 thyme sprigs on top of each fillet.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 30 seconds.  Add tomatoes and a pinch of salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes have softened, about 1 minute.  Stir in capers.

Spoon hot tomato mixture over fish, then cover with another sheet of foil, tenting it slightly over fish, and crimp edges together tightly to seal.

Bake until fish is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness of fish); check by removing from the oven and carefully lifting up a corner of the top sheet of foil.  If fish is not cooked through, reseal foil and continue to bake, checking every 3 minutes.

Transfer fillets with lemon slices to plates using a spatula (being careful not to tear the foil underneath) and spoon tomatoes and juices over top.  Discard thyme and serve immediately.

Miso-Glazed Scallops with Quinoa and Grilled Pineapple

Last Year's Post: Smashed Potatoes
Two Years Ago:  Shrimp, Grapefruit and Avocado Salad

Time for a confession - I totally stole the concept for this recipe from the Waldorf-Astoria Spa at The Boulders Resort in Scottsdale.  Not the recipe, mind you, but the concept.  I was checking out spas for an upcoming girls' weekend (tough duty) and was cruising by the spa restaurant, so I stopped to read the menu.  One of entrees was miso-glazed scallops with quinoa, pineapple, tomatillo salsa and prickly pear glaze.  I wasn't too sure about tomatillo salsa with miso scallops but liked the concept.

So here we are.  I pulled together components of several miso-based scallop recipes and added a few ingredients of my own to the quinoa.  I say this just in case Waldorf-Astoria employs a word-recognition internet-search service that will immediately flag this post because I would hate to get a cease-and-desist letter in the mail, although I'm sure it would be properly monogrammed on heavy cream paper with a nice gilt edge.

There are a few ingredients that you might not be familiar with:  white miso paste, mirin, and quinoa (keen-wah).

Miso is a paste made from fermented soybeans and is a common seasoning in Japanese cuisine.  It comes in different varieties (white, red, mixed) and is typically savory and salty.  You'll find it in upscale grocers or Asian markets, usually in a tub or plastic bag that needs to be refrigerated after opening.  Mirin is a sweet cooking rice seasoning and can be found in the Asian foods section of most grocers.  Quinoa is a grain that comes in different colors - usually white or red - and can be found in upscale grocers or natural food stores.  I like red quinoa in this recipe because of the color, but if you can't find it the white variety will taste the same.

(If you prefer, you could use shrimp instead of scallops, and if you don't feel like buying miso you could use any soy sauce-based vinaigrette.  It won't taste the same, but it'll still be good.)

The miso glaze adds great flavor to the scallops while the quinoa adds nuttiness and the grilled pineapple brings sweetness and juiciness to the party - it's really a great combination.  When you consider that this is also a spa dish and therefore healthy and low calorie, you have to admit those Waldorf people know what they're doing.

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Miso-Glazed Scallops with Quinoa and Grilled Pineapple

Serves 4

4 (1/2” thick) pineapple slices, outer skin removed

Canola oil, for brushing

3 tablespoons white miso paste

2 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon minced garlic

12 medium sea scallops

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup uncooked quinoa (red preferred)

3.5 ounce fresh shiitake mushrooms, cleaned, stems removed and sliced

1/3 cup slivered almonds, toasted

3 green onions, white and green parts sliced

Preheat a grill or grill pan to high heat.  Brush the pineapple slices with canola oil and grill for about 3 minutes per side until nice grill marks appear.  Remove and set aside.

Toast the dry quinoa in a dry pan for a few minutes to develop a toasty flavor, then combine with 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cover.  Simmer for 15 minutes. 

While the quinoa cooks, heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet and sauté the shiitakes for a few minutes until beginning to brown.  Set aside. 

In a medium bowl, whisk together the miso, mirin, vinegar, 2 tablespoons canola oil, ginger and garlic.  Rinse and pat dry the scallops, then add to the marinade and turn to coat.  Let marinate for 5 minutes (scallops will begin to break down if left in any longer).  Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the scallops and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side depending on thickness.

Combine the quinoa, shiitakes, almonds, and half the green onions; season to taste with salt and pepper.  To serve, place one pineapple ring on each plate; top with quinoa mixture, 3 scallops, and remaining green onions.

Seared Scallops with Herb-Butter Sauce

Last Year's Post: Arroz Con Pollo
Two Years Ago:  Moroccan-Spiced Chicken with Roasted Squash

Scallops make a wonderful special-occasion seafood meal as a change from lobster, shrimp or crab, and are often less expensive.  They're easy to prepare and particularly delicious when seared to a caramelized crust in a very hot pan.  There are two things you need to know about scallops - bay vs sea scallops, and wet vs dry.

Bay and sea scallops taste very similar - the main difference is in size.  Bay scallops are much smaller and are available fall through spring.  Sea scallops can vary from medium-sized to very large and are available year-round.  Your best bet for consistently good quality throughout the year is sea scallops, although bay scallops in season are also delicious.  I personally prefer smaller (vs giant) sea scallops because they're easier to cook correctly without over-cooking the outside or under-cooking the inside.  You never want to overcook scallops or they become tough and rubbery.

The second question is wet vs dry scallops. Wet scallops are commonly treated with phosphates as a preservative.  When scallops are soaked in phosphates, they absorb water making them weigh more and thereby costing you more. (Take in mind, that you are paying for added water.) The absorbed water evaporates during cooking and, in turn, shrinks the scallops leaving them smaller, dry and somewhat tasteless.  Furthermore, the added water doesn't let scallops brown properly during cooking. It's generally easy to tell if they've been treated as they will usually appear snow-white in color.

Dry scallops are all wild and natural, and haven't been treated with any chemicals.  They're harvested directly from the ocean, shucked on deck, then immediately frozen on the boat to capture their quality.  Dry scallops generally have a natural vanilla color and will sear to a deep golden brown color.  If in doubt, ask your fishmonger if their scallops are wet or dry.

I bought  10 dry medium-sized sea scallops (approximately 2/3 pound) for $7.99 at my local Costco weekend "seafood event", and it was plenty for two people as dinner with a big salad.  Scallops are sweet and rich, made more so by the butter sauce of course.  Both The Lawyer and I thought they were the best scallops we've ever had.  And the recipe is very fast to prepare, which makes it perfect for a special occasion or romantic dinner.

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Seared Scallops with Herb-Butter Sauce

Serves 2

For the scallops:

2/3 pound dry medium sea scallops (“dry” means no added preservatives – ask the fishmonger if they are “dry” or “wet”)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Sauce:

3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces

2 tablespoons finely diced shallot (1 medium)

¼ dry white wine

¼ cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley and chives

¼ teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 lemon wedges for serving

Tip:  be sure to have all ingredients prepped (chopped, measured, etc.) before beginning to sear the scallops.

Remove the tough abductor muscle from the side of each scallop (if it hasn’t been removed already).  Rinse under cold water and pat dry with paper towels.

Heat a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the 1 Tbsp oil and 1 Tbsp butter and heat until quite hot.  Pat the scallops dry once more and put them in the pan in a single, uncrowded layer with one of the flat sides down.  Season with salt and pepper and let sear undisturbed until one side is browned and crisp and the scallops don’t stick to the pan, 2-3 minutes.  Using tongs, turn the scallops and sear until the second side is brown and the scallops are almost firm to the touch, about 2 minutes.  Take the pan off the heat, transfer the scallops to a plate, and set them in a warm spot.  Let the pan cool for a minute before making the sauce.

Return the pan to medium heat.  Add one piece of the butter and the shallots and sauté until the shallots begin to soften, about 1 minute.  Add the wine and simmer until reduced by about half, another 1-2 minutes.  Add the herbs and lemon zest.  Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining butter, and whisk constantly until the butter is melted.  Season with salt and pepper.

Serve the scallops with butter sauce poured on top and lemon wedges on the side.

Grilled Lobster Cobb Salad

Last Year's Post: Lemon Polenta Cake

Two Years Ago:  Hoisin Burgers with Wasabi Slaw

It's definitely salad time of the year, and this salad is an interesting twist on the usual Cobb salad that has chunks of chicken; it substitutes lobster meat instead, and grilled lobster at that.  The cooking technique in itself is interesting - remove the lobster meat from the shell and par-boil for a minute, then place on the grill for a minute per side while basting with butter to give the meat a nice smoky taste.  If you really wanted to give the salad a pronounced grill character you could also grill the tomatoes (using something larger than cherry tomatoes) and zucchini as well.  Grilled lobster meat, yum.

I found some beautiful baby Romaine leaves at the store, but you could always used chopped regular Romaine instead.  You can use whatever cheese you prefer and can always substitute other vegetables to suit your choice in addition to using shrimp or crab in place of the lobster.

Other than the lobster, the only other cooked ingredients are hard-boiled eggs (cook in advance) and a little chopped bacon (can also be cooked in advance).  After that, it's really just a matter of whisking the dressing, prepping the other ingredients, and assembly.  Easy, delicious, healthy, and kind of special......a perfect summer dinner.

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Grilled Lobster Cobb Salad

Serves 2

Dressing:

1/2 shallot, finely chopped

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 ½ teaspoons sherry vinegar

2 ½ tablespoons walnut oil

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Salad:

2 (5-6 oz) lobster tails, thawed if frozen

2 tablespoons butter, melted

3 strips bacon, chopped

½ small zucchini, chopped

1 ripe avocado

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

1 heart baby romaine, trimmed and leaves separated

2 hard-boiled eggs, chilled and sliced

1/4 pound red grape tomatoes, halved

2 ounces your favorite cheese, crumbled or diced

Salt

Dressing:

Combine shallot, Dijon, and vinegars in a large bowl and whisk well. While whisking, slowly drizzle in the oils until incorporated into the dressing. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Salad:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Preheat grill to high or preheat the broiler.  Remove the lobster meat from tail and parboil for 1 minute or until no longer translucent. Place lobster meat on the grill basting with butter just long enough to get a little grill flavor (about 1 minute per side). If cooking indoors, broil until lightly golden.  Remove lobster from the grill and cut into cubes.

Cook the bacon until crisp. Drain on a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

Halve the avocado, discard the seed, score the flesh into chunks and scoop out into a small bowl. Toss with lemon juice.

 Arrange half of the romaine leaves on each serving plate and drizzle with some of the dressing.  Add the toppings in strips on top, starting on one end with the bacon, egg, tomato, lobster, zucchini, cheese, and avocado. Drizzle the remaining dressing on top.

Coconut Lime Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Rice

Last Year's Post: Jewels of Spring: Asparagus Soup and Chicken with Rhubarb Sauce
Two Years Ago:  Special Brunch - Egg Strudel

The weather is finally warmer and it's time to switch to lighter, healthier foods and start grilling!  This recipe couldn't be any more fresh and tropical with the slightly spicy shrimp balanced by the soothing pineapple flavor of the rice.  Serve it with your favorite tropical drink (complete with little umbrella, of course) and you have a party in the making.

I love that this meal is healthy and relatively low-calorie in addition to delicious.  It's extremely easy to make and very fast, once you've marinated the shrimp.  Be sure to notice the marinating time of two hours -  I wouldn't marinate it any longer (like, say, from breakfast to dinner much less overnight) or the lime juice will toughen the shrimp.  So, plan on about 2 1/2 hours from start to finish but only about 30 minutes of active time.  It would perfect for a weekend where you start marinating the shrimp, then work on your garden for an hour or two before focusing on dinner (or a two-hour happy hour, who's to say?).  If you're having a party you could always do a huge platter of just the shrimp for an appetizer and it would be fabulous.

As I mentioned, the shrimp are very slightly warm from the jalapeno.  If you like spicy food I'd leave the jalapeno seeds in when preparing the marinade, or add another jalapeno.  Either way, this is a great change from the same-old burgers, brats and chicken on the grill.

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Coconut Lime Grilled Shrimp with Pineapple Rice

Serves 4

Notes:  Requires 2 hours marinating time.  Dried pineapple is more intense than fresh; don’t substitute if possible.  Also, several ingredients are common to both recipes – lime zest, juice and cilantro – and may be prepped one time and divided according to the recipes to save time.

For the shrimp:

2 jalapenos, seeded

1 lime, zested and juiced

2 garlic cloves

1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup soy sauce

1 lb uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

Wooden skewers, soaked in water at least 30 minutes

For the pineapple rice:

2 cups water

1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice

½ cup chopped dried pineapple

1 tablespoon butter

½ teaspoon grated lime zest

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup chopped cilantro

1 tablespoon chopped green onions

3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

To prepare the shrimp:  in a food processor, combine the jalapeno, lime zest, lime juice, garlic, cilantro, coconut, olive oil and soy sauce; blend until smooth.  Place the shrimp in a large zip-top bag and pour the sauce over.  Seal and toss to coat.  Refrigerate for 2 hours to marinate.

Preheat a grill to medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate.  Thread the shrimp onto pre-soaked skewers and reserve the marinade.

While the grill is preheating, make the rice:  bring 2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan and add rice and next 4 ingredients (through salt).  Cover, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes until liquid is absorbed.  Remove from heat; stir in cilantro, onions and juice.

To grill the shrimp:  place skewers on the preheated grill, turning and basting with the reserved marinade, 2-3 minutes per side, until cooked through.

Serve shrimp skewers over rice.

Lobster and Shrimp Gratin

Last Year's Post: Italian Sausage and Wild Mushroom Risotto
Two Years Ago:  Salmon with Pumpkin-Seed Cilantro Pesto

I'm posting this recipe now because Valentine's Day is coming up and you might be thinking about making a special meal.  If you love seafood, this is a great way to enjoy a very special meal without breaking the bank.  I made this gratin with lobster and shrimp, but you could use all lobster or all shrimp or even crab.  The sauce is rich and creamy, and the breadcrumb topping adds a wonderful crunch.  Served over pasta, the gratin is filling enough that a moderate amount of seafood is more than plenty.  I bought two small (6-8 oz) lobster tails and 10 extra-large (U13-15) shrimp at the store for about $30.  Including the other ingredients, this dish cost around $35 to make, which is under $9 per serving.  That's very affordable considering what you would pay for it in a restaurant.

Although the lobster tails were small and there were only 10 shrimp, the lobster meat is cut into pieces and the shrimp are cut in half lengthwise (head to tail) so each diner receives half a lobster tail in addition to 5 shrimp pieces in their portion.  The other cool thing about cutting the shrimp lengthwise is that they curl into very pretty corkscrew shapes when they cook.  (The slight yellow tint after cooking is due to the saffron in the cooking sauce.)

In the interest of full disclosure, I will tell you that there is a fair amount of prep work involved in preparing the seafood, chopping vegetables, making the sauce, cooking the vegetables, and preparing the breadcrumb topping.  First of all, it's SO worth it.  And second, the good news is that it can all be done in advance.  I mean, who wants to be slaving away in the kitchen when you're trying to have a special dinner?  If you assemble the dish in advance you may want to extend the cooking time by a few minutes just to be sure the sauce gets good and hot - check for bubbles around the edges.

Speaking of vegetables, I have to get in a plug for farmer's markets whenever possible - check out the spectacular carrots I found this week.

I know this isn't the lowest-calorie menu I've ever posted, but you can lighten it somewhat if you want by using half and half instead of heavy cream.  And hey, it's a special meal.  I read a quote yesterday by some celebrity or other who said that she tried to eat healthy but also allowed herself to splurge.  She said it's all about the balance of good to bad, and I agree.  What fun is life if you don't allow yourself a treat once in a while?  Just be sure to go back to healthy eating again the next day!

My last comment is about the gratin dish - I love my gratin dish but if you don't happen to have one, don't worry.  Use any baking dish you have that's relatively wide and shallow (this dish is about 12" x 9") rather than small and deep.  That's because it's all about spreading the breadcrumb topping as widely as possible so every bite has that wonderful crunch in addition to the creamy sauce and seafood.

Serve the gratin with a fresh green salad, crusty bread and a good wine and your guests will be very impressed.

printable recipe

Lobster and Shrimp Gratin

Serves 4

1 cup seafood stock or clam juice

1 cup heavy cream (or half and half)

½ cup plus 3 tablespoons white wine, divided

3 tablespoons tomato puree

¼ teaspoon saffron threads

10 very large (U13-15) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed, cut in half lengthwise (head to tail)

2 small (6-8 oz) raw lobster tails, meat removed from shell and cut into pieces

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Salt and pepper

1 leek, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise and sliced

¾ cup chopped carrot

¾ cup panko bread crumbs

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon leaves

2 cloves minced fresh garlic

8 oz spaghetti or fettuccine, cooked

For the Sauce:

Combine the stock, cream, ½ cup of wine, tomato puree and saffron in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and add the shrimp and lobster pieces.  After 3 minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove the shrimp and lobster to a bowl and set aside. 

Continue to simmer the sauce until reduced by half, about 12 minutes.  Mash 1 tablespoon of butter together with the flour.  Whisk the butter mixture into the sauce along with ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper.  Simmer, stirring constantly until thickened, about 5 minutes.  Set aside.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium sauté pan.  Add the leeks and carrots and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, until softened.  Add the remaining 3 tablespoons of wine, ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook for 5 to 10 minutes, until tender.  Set aside.

Combine the panko, Parmesan, parsley, tarragon, and garlic.  Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter and mix it into the crumbs until moistened.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Spray a 9” x 12” grain dish (or similar-sized shallow baking dish) with nonstick cooking spray.  Place the shrimp and lobster pieces in the dish, followed by the vegetables.  Pour the sauce evenly over the top and cover with the breadcrumb mixture.  Place on a baking sheet (for ease of lifting) and bake for 20-25 minutes until the top is browned and the sauce is bubbly.

Serve hot over hot cooked pasta.