Spicy Shrimp with Zucchini Pasta

I love pasta but I've been trying to cut a few calories.  I saw a recipe using zucchini "pasta".  I was a little nervous and I actually made some spaghetti to go with this dish just in case.  My husband, the runner, who can never get enough calories had the spaghetti but I did not.  Oh my gosh, this was so good!  I like zucchini but this didn't even taste like zucchini.  It was just great!

I bought a new kitchen gadget just for this dish.  This little tool is amazing - the Julienne slicer.  How did I not know about this before.

2 T olive oil, separated

10-12 large wild-caught uncooked shrimp
2 T Emeril's Essence Creole Seasoning
5-6 large mushrooms, sliced thin
2 medium zucchini, julienne-cut
4 cloves garlic, diced
20-25 grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 lemon

Peel and devein the shrimp.  Put the shrimp and the creole seasoning in a small bag and shake to coat.  Return to the refrigerator while you prepare the vegetables.

Add a couple teaspoons of olive oil to a large frying pan.  I use one that's shaped somewhat like a wok, with a large deep bowl.  Add the shrimp and cook for a minute or so on each side until the shrimp turns pink.  Be careful not to overcook or your shrimp will have the texture of shoe leather.  Remove the shrimp to a bowl.  Add the mushrooms and more oil, if necessary.  When the mushrooms  are tender, remove those to the shrimp bowl.  Add the zucchini and garlic and saute for about 2 minutes. Don't over cook or the zucchini will turn to mush and start to fall apart.  Add the tomatoes and the shrimp and mushrooms back to the pan.  Cook just to heat (less than a minute).  Squeeze the lemon juice into the pan and give it a quick stir.

2 servings

Chicken Tortilla Soup

This is pure comfort.

1 T olive oil

1 C sweet onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, diced

1 serrano pepper, seeds and membrane removed and diced 

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

4-5 C chicken broth
4 Roma tomatoes, skinned and diced

3/4 t paprika

2-3 radishes, sliced thin
1/2 t ground coriander
1 T chili powder
1 t ground cumin
1/2 t salt 

black pepper, to taste
1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups frozen corn
1 lime

Garnishes:

chopped fresh cilantro
Tortilla strips or tortilla chips
Shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
Diced avocado

Diced Roma tomatoes

Diced green onion

Sauté onion in oil until tender; do not brown.  Add garlic and pepper and sauté another minute or so.  Remove onion mixture to a plate.  Add a little more oil to pan, if necessary.  Brown chicken breast over high heat, 2-3 minutes on each side until just cooked.  Remove chicken from pan and chop in grape-sized chunks.

Return chicken and onions to pan.  Add remaining ingredients except lime juice and simmer for 30 minutes.  Just before serving, juice lime into soup.  Serve with garnishes on the side.

Marinated Beef Tenderloin

My brother made this on the grill.  The meat just melts in your mouth.  So good.

1 C soy sauce
3/4 C beef broth
1/2 C olive oil
2 T red wine vinegar
4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
1 t coarsely ground pepper
1 t dried thyme
1/2 t salt
1/2 t hot pepper sauce
1 bay leaf
1 beef tenderloin roast (3-1/2 to 4 pounds) 

In a bowl, combine the first nine ingredients; mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 cup for basting. Pour remaining marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add bay leaf and tenderloin. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate overnight.

Drain and discard marinade and bay leaf. Place tenderloin on a rack in a shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, at 425° for 55-60 minutes or until meat reaches desired doneness (for medium-rare a meat thermometer should read 145°; medium, 160°; well-done, 170°), basting often with reserved marinade. let stand for 15 minutes before slicing. 

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Lincoln Kale Salad

Last trip to Washingon, DC we dined at Lincoln.  They serve small plates and this was the salad I had.  It was so good and it's good for you, as well.  This isn't the official recipe.  It's my best shot and I think its pretty close.

1/2 bunch curly kale, chopped thinly
1/2 C pine nuts or hazelnuts
1/2 C parmesan cheese, grated

1/4 C craisins

1/4 C dried currants

lemon dressing (see below)

Lightly toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan over medium heat until they just begin to emit an aroma.  Set aside.  Be careful, the pine nuts can burn quickly.  Wash and dry the kale. Remove the stems and thick center vein.  Chop it into strips by rolling the leaves into a ball and making thin slices. Turn and cut the other direction so you end up with a pile of nicely chopped greens.  Gently massage the Kale with your hands to tenderize.

Add the pine nuts, 1/4 cup of and cheese, craisins and currants to the greens and toss them to combine. Add the dressing and toss to combine. Season with additional salt and pepper, as needed.  Top each serving with some of the remaining cheese.

Lemon Dressing
1 lemon, juiced
½ cup olive oil

salt and pepper

Combine the juice of one lemon and the olive oil in a small jar.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and shake it vigorously.

Galumpkis

Cabbage rolls stuffed with beef, pork and rice and smothered in a sweet and sour tomato sauce. Pure Polish comfort food. 

Cabbage Rolls
2 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 T tomato paste
Splash dry red wine
2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 lb. ground beef
1 lb. ground pork
1 large egg
1 1/2 C steamed white rice
salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

2 large heads green cabbage, about 3 pounds each

Sweet and sour tomato sauce (see below)

Sauté the onion and garlic in oil for about 5 minutes, until soft. Stir in the tomato paste, wine, parsley, and 1/2 cup of the prepared sweet and sour tomato sauce.  Mix to incorporate and then remove from heat. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground meat, egg, cooked rice, and the sauteed onion mixture. Mix together with your hands and season with a generous amount of salt and pepper.

Remove the large, damaged outer leaves from the cabbages and reserve.  Remove the cabbage cores with a sharp knife and carefully pull off all the rest of the leaves, keeping them whole and as undamaged as possible.  Discard the small leaves and use them for another recipe. Blanch the cabbage in the pot of boiling salted water for 5 minutes, or until pliable. Run the leaves under cool water and carefully lay them out. Cut out the center vein from the leaves so they will be easier to roll up. Take the reserved big outer leaves and lay them on the bottom of a casserole pan, let part of the leaves hang over the sides of the pan to prevent the cabbage rolls from burning on the bottom of the pan. Place 1/2 cup of the meat filling in the center of the cabbage and starting at what was the stem-end, fold in the sides and roll up the cabbage to enclose the filling. Place the cabbage rolls side by side in rows, seam-side down, in a casserole pan.

Pour the remaining sweet and sour tomato sauce over the cabbage rolls. Fold the hanging leaves over the top. Bake for 1 hour in 350 degree oven until the meat is cooked.

Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce
2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 quarts crushed tomatoes
2 T white wine vinegar
1 T sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Sauté the garlic in oil for 1 minute in large saucepan. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add the vinegar and sugar. Simmer, until slightly thick, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.