Lobster tails went on sale last week. $5 each! So, of course, I picked up a few. Then it was just a matter of figuring out what to do with them. I was already leaning toward making this clambake. And then I ended up with an accidental surplus of potatoes and corn. And I already had some extra fennel left over that needed to be used up. So this recipe was pretty much perfect to use up those ingredients.

To do it properly, I really should've gotten live mussels and clams and some jumbo shrimp to throw in the pot. But I was trying to do this as a relatively affordable meal, so instead of getting live shellfish, I got some frozen, pre-cooked, in-shell clams, plus a bag of frozen mixed seafood that included squid, mussel meat, and a few teeny, tiny shrimp. Obviously, this wasn't as nice as doing it properly, but it was still very good. Especially the lobster!

Clambake

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 small bulb fennel, chopped and fronds reserved
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp. dried thyme)
• 1/2 tsp. Old Bay (optional)
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 1/2 c. white wine
• 3 c. chicken stock
• 450g small potatoes, quartered
• 450g kielbasa, sliced
• 1-2 lobsters (or 4 small lobster tails)
• 2 ears of corn, husked and quartered
• 24 mussels, scrubbed and de-bearded
• 24 clams, scrubbed
• 12 large shrimp (preferably in-shell)
• lemon wedges (optional)

Directions

1. Melt the butter over medium heat.
2. Add the onion, fennel, and garlic and cook until softened (5-8 minutes).
3. Add the thyme, Old Bay (if using), and pepper and cook for another minute or two.
4. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half.
5. Add the chicken stock.
6. Add the potatoes, then layer the kielbasa on top.
7. Place the lobsters/lobster tails on top of everything, cover, and cook for 10 minutes.
8. Add the corn, mussels, clams, and shrimp.
9. Cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
10. Scoop out the solids and place in a serving dish.
11. Taste the broth and adjust seasonings as desired.
12. Pour broth into the serving dish with everything else.
13. Garnish with fennel fronds and serve with lemon wedges.

This makes a large batch. I tried to do a half batch and still had to remove some of the broth partway through cooking to make room in my largest pot for all of the other ingredients!

The original recipe did not specify a quantity of liquid. It just said to "fill a large pot" with water. But it did call for 6 Tbsp. of Old Bay seasoning. And I thought that sounded like about enough for 6L of water. So I decided to start with 3L or water and 3 Tbsp. of Old Bay. Unfortunately, it turns out that, by the time I'd put all the other ingredients in, there was only enough room in the pot for 2L of stock, not three.

I also found the finished dish a little light on corn. Next time I think I'd double the corn so that everyone can get a hefty portion.

The broth that this made was excellent. But I did feel like it needed a little more... something. So I decided to add just a bit of creole seasoning to the pot as well. Not a huge amount, but just enough to give it a bit of a boost.

I love the concept of this dinner. The "chuck a bunch of things in a pot with some water and seasonings" approach is quite fun. I do, however, find it a bit messy and tedious to eat. I think I would rather have it as a soup than trying to mop up my fingers after eating broth-covered cobs of corn and trying to shell saucy shrimp at the table. It's one of those things that's a neat idea, but that I find I don't actually enjoy the execution of.

Cajun Shrimp Boil

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 2L water
• 2 Tbsp. Old Bay
• 1/2 Tbsp. creole seasoning (optional)
• 500g new potatoes
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
• 1 lemon, halved
• 2-4 ears of corn, husked and quartered crosswise
• 350g smoked sausage, cut into discs
• 700g shrimp, unpeeled

Directions

1. Combine the water, Old Bay, creole seasoning (if using), potatoes, onion, garlic, and lemon and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Add the corn and smoked sausage and cook for another 5 minutes.
4. If using fresh shrimp, add them, remove from heat, cover, and allow to sit for 4-5 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through. If using frozen shrimp, add them and simmer until shrimp are cooked through (5-8 minutes).

This was pretty tasty! Definitely not health food. But a nice treat. Especially on the first day. (I do think it loses something in the reheating. It's still good. Just not as good.)

Marry Me Shrimp Pasta

Slightly adapted from Delish.com

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. sun-dried tomato oil¹
• 450g shrimp, shelled and deveined
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 450g dry pasta (rigatoni, shells, or penne all work well)
• 4-5 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. tomato paste
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 c. sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
• 2 c. chicken stock
• 1 c. heavy (35%) cream or half-and-half (10% MF)
• 1 tsp. Italian seasoning²
• 300g spinach
• 1/2 c. grated Parmesan
• fresh basil, to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Heat the oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the shrimp, season with salt and pepper, and cook until pink and opaque (3-5 minutes).
3. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, boil the pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserving ~1/2 c. of pasta water, and set aside.
5. Reduce pan temperature to medium.
6. Add garlic, tomato paste, and red pepper flakes and cook until paste darkens (1-2 minutes).
7. Add sun-dried tomatoes, broth, cream, and Italian seasoning, deglaze the pan, and bring to a simmer.
8. Cook until the sauce thickens slightly (~5 minutes).
9. Add spinach and cook until wilted (1-2 minutes).
10. Add pasta, shrimp, and reserved pasta water, stir vigorously for a few seconds, and cook until pasta is well-coated and sauce is glossy.
11. Stir in Parmesan.
12. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
13. Sprinkle with fresh basil (if using) and server.

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¹ My tomatoes were not oil-packed, so I didn't have any tomato oil for my sauce. Instead I used a bit of oil from some spicy, oil-packed anchovies. I feel like this was an acceptable substitute. ^Back
2 I didn't have any ready-made Italian seasoning, so I just mixed in a few herbs separately: mostly parsley, oregano, and basil with just a touch of rosemary and thyme. ^Back

Cochin Jhinga (Kerala Shrimp Curry)

I made this tasty shrimp curry on Easter to go with the fish and dal when we had Reiver's parents over for dinner. The kahawai was definitely the standout of the night, but the shrimp seemed to be thoroughly enjoyed as well.

Photo goes here.

Cochin Jhinga

Slightly adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil
• 1/2 c. chopped shallots
• 10 fresh or frozen curry leaves
• 1-2 fresh green Thai, jalapeño, or serrano chiles, halved lengthwise
• 200mL diced tomatoes
• 2 Tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1 tsp. ground Kashmiri chilies¹
• 500g peeled and deveined shrimp
• 3 slices of fresh ginger² (each 6x2.5x0.3cm), julienned

Directions

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat.
2. Add the shallots, curry leaves, and chilies and sauté for 2 minutes.
3. Add the tomatoes, vinegar, salt, and ground chilies and bring to a boil.
4. Add the shrimp and stir to coat.
5. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and poach, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are cooked through (~5 minutes).
6. Sprinkle with the ginger and serve.

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¹ As I was trying to make this curry extra mild, I used only half of a fresh jalape&ntile;o with its seeds removed and 1/2 tsp. of Kashmiri chiles. This produced a flavourful curry and, more importantly, everyone was happy with the spice level. That said, if I were making it again, in a situation where the spice level didn't matter, I would probably put 1 fresh chile and a whole teaspoon of ground chiles in. ^Back
2 I didn't have any fresh ginger on hand when making this, so I ended up just tossing a few Tbsp. of ginger paste into the sauce. Obviously, that is not ideal and produces a different effect, but the overall result was still quite tasty so I'm not upset about that! ^Back

I wasn't a huge fan of this salad. I find glass noodles can be pretty hit-or-miss for me. And I think this preparation was more miss than hit. I mean, they were okay they just weren't great. I think I probably prefer my bean noodles in soups rather than as a salad in general.

That said, the Kidlet liked these. And they weren't bad, just not my favourite.

Glass Noodle Salad with Chicken and Shrimp

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 150g bean thread noodles
• 1/2 c. chicken stock
• 200g ground chicken
• 2 green onions³, greens and whites separated and chopped
• 150g shrimp, peeled and deveined
• juice of 2 limes
• 3 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 2 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. nam prik pao (Thai roasted chile paste)¹
• 2 large red Fresno chilies², seeded and minced
• 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh mint
• 2-3 Tbsp. fried shallots (or onions)
• red or green leaf lettuce, to serve
• 老干妈 (Laoganma/spicy chili crisp), to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Soak the noodles in cold water for 10 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring the broth to a boil and add the chicken and white parts of the green onions.
3. Cook, breaking up the chicken, until meat is cooked through.
4. Remove the chicken and green onions with a slotted spoon and set aside.
5. Add the shrimp and simmer until cooked through (~1 minute).
6. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.
7. Add water to the pot with the broth until the pot is at least half full and bring to a boil.
8. Drain the noodles and add to the boiling water.
9. Boil until tender (1-2 minutes).
10. Drain noodles and rise thoroughly with cold water.
11. Combine the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, nam prik pao, and chilies in a large bowl and mix well.
12. Add the chicken and shrimp and toss to combine.
13. Add the noodles and toss to coat.
14. Add the cilantro, mint, and green parts of the green onions and toss to combine.
15. Top with fried shallots (or onions).
16. Serve on a bed of lettuce and top with Laoganma (if using).

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¹ The original recipe just called for "roasted chile paste" and didn't specify what kind. That could plausibly be any number of things! 辣豆瓣酱 (là dòubàn jiàng/Sichuan spicy bean paste), gochujiang (Korean red chile paste)... possibly even red curry paste or chipotle chile paste. Based on the rest of the recipe and the other ingredients, I'm pretty confident that they wanted nam prik pao for this, but I wish they'd been explicit about that in the instructions! Also, I didn't have any nam prik pao on hand, so I ended up substituting gochujang instead. ^Back
2 I couldn't find any Fresno chiles, so I just minced a jalapeño and tossed it in instead. I used only one, since jalapeños tend to be a bit hotter than Fresnos. That said, the overall dish was still pretty mild, so I think it would have been fine to use two. Maybe I'll add another jalapeño and/or a bell pepper to the leftovers... ^Back
3 The original recipe only calls for 1 green onion and that's all I used, but, having tasted it, I really think it would be better with more. Acutally... Now that I think of it, I think putting one in with the chicken and the rest at the end would be excellent! Or maybe, put the whites with the chicken and save the greens as a garnish for the end... Yes! Brb, updating recipe. ^Back

I have some serious questions about this recipe. On the one hand, it was both easy and tasty, so it had that going for it. On the other hand, the proportions seemed way off. As written, it called for 250g of chicken, 125g of shrimp, and 375g of noodles. I had a 450g package of chicken, 340g of shrimp, and 400g of noodles. So, initially I was thinking that I'd just use half each of the chicken and shrimp and all of the noodles and that would be only slightly off from the recommended amounts. But, after seeing just how many noodles that was, TF and I decided that using all of the proteins would be more appropriate.

Honestly, I still found it pretty noodle heavy. I think it probably could've also used doubled veggies. But it at least had a reasonable amount of protein this way.

I think next time I'd just halve the noodles and sauce and call it a day. That seems easier than doubling everything else. And it means it would actually produce a reasonable amount. (Rather than enough noodles to feed a freaking army!) Oh well... at least now I know.

Rice Vermicelli with Chicken and Shrimp

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 250g skinless boneless chicken breasts and/or thighs
• 6 Tbsp. chicken stock
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp. dark soy sauce
• 1/2 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 200g rice vermicelli
• 2 Tbsp. corn or peanut oil, divided
• 125g shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 Tbsp. ginger paste
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 1 large (or 2 small) carrots, grated
• 2-3 c. shredded napa cabbage
• 2-3 green onions, sliced
• Sriracha, to serve (optional)

Directions

1. Poach the chicken in a bit of water or stock. Once cooked through, drain and shred. Set aside.
2. Combine the stick, fish sauce, dark and light soy, and sugar and mix well. Set aside.
3. Place the noodles in a heatproof bowl. Pour over enough boiling water to cover the noodles. Soak for 2 minutes. Then drain, rinse, and set aside.
4. Heat a wok over medium-high heat.
5. Drizzle in 1 Tbsp. of the oil and swirl to coat.
6. Add the shrimp and stir-fry for a minute or two until cooked through.
7. Remove shrimp from wok with slotted spoon and set aside.
8. Return wok to medium-high heat and add the ginger, garlic, onion, and carrot. Stir-fry until vegetables soften (2-4 minutes).
9. Add vegetables to bowl with shrimp and set aside.
10. Return wok to medium-high heat.
11. Drizzle in the remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil and swirl to coat.
12. Add the noodles and stir-fry for a minute or so.
13. Add the cabbage and chicken and stir-fry until combined and heated through.
14. Add the shrimp and veggies and toss to combine.
15. Pour in the sauce and stir-fry until sauce is absorbed (2-4 minutes).
16. Sprinkle with green onions.
17. Serve and top with Sriracha (if desired).

Miso Soup with Shrimp

This was supposed to be miso soup with shrimp and pea sprouts, but I didn't have any pea sprouts and I didn't feel like trying to go out and get some when TF and I were already hungry. I just wanted something quick and easy that I could throw together for lunch. So, I just did the miso soup without the pea sprouts. (I had intended to get some sprouts from Noki Farms to add to the leftovers when I was downtown later in the day, but then ended up meeting up with TM instead and didn't make it to the mall to get my sprouts in the end.)

Miso Soup with Shrimp (and Pea Sprouts)

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 (~15cm) piece of konbu
• 3 c. cold water
• 15g bonito flakes
• 2 Tbsp. white miso paste
• 125g shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 10g pea shoots (optional)

Directions

1. Bring the konbu and water to a boil over medium-high heat.
2. Remove from heat and remove and discard the konbu (or reserve for making second dashi).
3. Add the bonito flakes, stir once, and let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Strain the broth and discard the bonito flakes (or reserve for making second dashi¹).
5. Combine 1/4 c. of the hot broth with the miso paste and stir until smooth.
6. Pour the miso mixture into the rest of the broth and warm over medium heat until almost (but not quite) boiling. Do not let the broth boil!
7. Add the shrimp and cook until shrimp are pink and cooked through (3-4 minutes).
8. Stir in the pea shoots and serve.

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¹ To make second dashi: Take the konbu and bonito used to make the first dashi (which is what you've just made for this miso soup) and add it to another 3 c. of water. Bring nearly (but not quite) to a boil and gently simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and reserve the broth. Discard the solids. Second dashi is good in dishes with other strong flavours where the dashi stock is not front-and-centre. ^Back

We've been on a bit of a shrimp and pasta kick lately. After six years of avoiding it due to suspected allergies, it's nice to finally be able to enjoy a bit of seafood again. And TF is a big fan of shrimp with pasta, so we've been leaning into that now that the shellfish ban has been lifted.

Spaghetti with Shrimp and Fennel

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
• 1 fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced, fronds chopped and reserved separately
• 1 onion, halved and sliced
• 1/4 tsp. red chile flakes
• 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
• 1/8 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• 1 large (~800mL) can whole or diced tomatoes (preferably San Marzano)
• 1/4 c. kalamata olives (~15), pitted and quartered
• 3 Tbsp. dry white wine
• ~350g spaghetti (or other long pasta, preferably multi-grain or whole wheat)
• 350g raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Parmesan or pecorino Romano, to serve

Directions

1. Heat olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add fennel seeds and sizzle for 10-20 seconds.
3. Add fennel bulb, onion, chile flakes, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for ~10 minutes.
4. Add tomatoes, olives, and wine and cook until thickened slightly (5-8 minutes).
5. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti according to package directions, reserving ~1 c. of the pasta cooking water before draining.
6. Add shrimp to sauce and cook until shrimp are just done (~3 minutes).
7. Add reserved pasta water to sauce and stir vigorously.
8. Add drained spaghetti and toss to combine.
9. Adjust seasoning to taste, top with reserved fennel fronds and Parmesan, and serve.

Fettucini ai Gamberi, Pomodoro e Capperi

The Kidlet is cleared to eat shrimp now, so we are taking advantage of that. This was a convenient recipe that we had all the ingredients for ready to go, and it went over well.

As usual, I find Hazan's sauces to be delicious, but too scant for the amount of pasta. Consequently, this is scaled up significantly from the original.

Fettucini ai Gamberi, Pomodoro e Capperi (Fettucini with Shrimp, Tomatoes, and Capers

From The Classic Pasta Cookbook by Guiliano Hazan (p. 73)

Ingredients

• 500-600g shrimp, deveined
• ⅓ C olive oil
• 3 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 750mL)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large tin (~750mL) diced tomatoes
• 1 tsp chopped fresh oregano (or ½ tsp dried)
• 3 tbsp capers
• ½ C chopped fresh parsley
• 450g dried, store-bought fettucini or similar pasta

Directions

1. Bring a generous quantity of water to boil in a large pot.
2. Add a small amount of salt and the shrimp. Gently braise until cooked, 2-3 minutes if fresh, 7-10 if frozen.
3. Remove shrimp (with a spider; retain the water!) to a colander until cool enough to handle.
4. Heat the olive oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
5. Add the onions and cook until soft and starting to brown.
6. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, ~1 minute.
7. Add the tomato sauce, increase the heat to medium high, and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
8. Meanwhile, peel shrimp, and return water to a boil.
9. Add oregano, capers, and shrimp to sauce. Cook until heated through and set aside on low heat.
10. Add pasta to shrimp-water and cook until al dente. Add two ladlefuls of pasta water to the sauce, then drain pasta.
11. Return sauce to medium heat and cook, stirring, until thickened.
12. Add pasta and parsely. Toss until well mixed.
13. Serve with freshly grated parmesan.

Trottole ai Gamberi e Funghi

This recipe is specced for long pasta like tonnarelli or fusilli lunghi, but we had a bag of never-before-seen trottole and decided to use that instead. As usual, we ramped up the quantity of sauce significantly compared to what the recipe calls for. The result was delicious, although the sauce took longer to make than planned due to taking longer to cook down the liquid.

The recipe also calls for heavy cream (35% MF) and raw, shelled shrimp. We have a surplus of half-and-half (10% MF) right now, so I used that and increased the quantity. For the shrimp, we had frozen cooked shelled shrimp, which I tossed into the sauce a bit earlier than called for to let them thaw; I might experiment with alternate approaches in the future, since they released a lot of moisture when doing so.

Trottole ai Gamberi e Funghi (Trottole with Shrimp and Mushrooms)

The Classic Pasta Cookbook by Guiliano Hazan (pp.104-105)

Ingredients

• 450-500g dried pasta
• 45g dried porcini mushrooms
• ½ C olive oil
• 1½-2 C yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 650g fresh cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 450mL diced tomatoes (or whole plum tomatoes, smashed)
• ¾ C heavy cream, or 1½ C half-and-half
• 500-600g cooked peeled frozen shrimp
• freshly grated parmesan for serving

Directions

1. Place dried porcini in a bowl and pour over 1½ C warm water. Let stand 20 minutes.
2. Drain, reserving mushroom water. Rinse mushrooms and coarsely chop.
3. Pour mushroom water through a coffee filter and buffer.
4. Heat oil and onion in a large, deep-sided skillet over medium heat. Cook until the onion softens and turns golden.
5. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, 30-60 seconds.
6. Increase heat to medium-high and add the porcini and their filtered water. Cook, stirring often, until the water has evaporated.
7. Add the cremini slices, season with salt and pepper, and cook until they are tender and the water they release has evaporated.
8. Add the tomatoes and cook until about half the liquid has cooked off.
9. Meanwhile, start the pasta cooking.
10. Reduce heat to medium, add the cream, and cook until reduced by half.
11. Add the shrimp and simmer until thawed and heated through.
12. Toss with the cooked pasta and serve.

This is another recipe from my backlog that didn't get written up right away. So, as with so many of the others, I don't remember it very well. But I'm going to try to write it up anyway for completeness sake.

Garlicky Shrimp and Kale Sauté

Slightly adapted from Dish of the Day by Kate McMillan

Ingredients

• 450g shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt, divided
• 1 orange
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
• 300g chopped frozen kale
• 6 cloves garlic, minced and divided
• 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes, divided
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 Tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley

Directions

1. Toss shrimp with 1 tsp. of the salt and set aside for 15 minutes.
2. Zest and juice the orange.
3. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil over medium-high heat.
4. Add the kale, half the garlic, 1/4 tsp. of the pepper flakes, and remaining 1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt and sauté until wilted (3-4 minutes).
5. Transfer kale to a plate and sprinkle with orange zest.
6. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil to the pan.
7. Add the shrimp, remaining garlic, remaining 1/4 tsp. pepper flakes, and the bay leaf and sauté until shrimp turns opaque (1-2 minutes).
8. Add the orange juice and cook for another minute or so.
9. Top the kale with the shrimp and any pan juices.
10. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

We don't have shrimp very often anymore since the Kidlet started having bad reactions to shellfish. But, I picked up some small shrimp on sale and decided to give this a go as a brunch thing for me and TF.

I really like this salad! It's a great combo of flavours, satisfying, and easy to make. I do think it would be nice with a few capers added, but it's really good as-is.

I didn't have any fresh dill, so I just used dry instead. It's not quite as aromatic and vibrant as fresh would have been, but it was still tasty and much more convenient this way. I also ended up using a mix of peas and corn since I was a bit short on peas. I think both work well in this salad. And, while I did use the sweet onion as prescribed by the recipe, I think that green onions would make a decent substitute if you don't happen to have any sweet onions on hand. Oh, and I also added an extra egg just because I thought the proportions looked better that way. I might even consider adding a sixth egg next time.

For a somewhat lighter option, I think that you could probably get away with swapping out up to half the mayo with plain Greek yogurt. Especially if you added a bit of extra salt and/or capers.

Shrimp, Potato, and Egg Salad

Slightly adapted from The Good Egg by Marie Simmons

Ingredients

• 450g small potatoes
• 340g cooked and peeled tiny shrimp (150-200/lb. size)
• 1 c. frozen green peas
• 1/2 c. frozen corn (optional)
• 5-6 hard-boiled eggs¹
• 1/2 c. mayonnaise
• 2-4 Tbsp. minced sweet onion
• 2 Tbsp. minced fresh dill (or 1 Tbsp. dried)
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp. capers (optional)
• 1/2 tsp. coarse sea salt²
• 1/4 tsp. black peppercorns, ground
• cherry tomatoes (optional)
• lettuce (optional)

Directions

1. Boil the potatoes until fork-tender (~20 minutes).
2. Place shrimp, peas, and corn (if using) in a colander in the sink and drain the potatoes into the colander. (The hot water will thaw the shrimp and veggies.)
3. Peel and dice the potatoes and the eggs.
4. Combine the potatoes, eggs, shrimp, peas, corn (if using), mayo, onion, dill, lemon juice, capers (if using), salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Stir to combine.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
6. Serve as is or on a bed of lettuce with cherry tomatoes.

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¹ I actually just dropped the eggs into the pot with the potatoes to cook. I took them out after 12 minutes and let them sit in a bowl of cold water to cool down while the potatoes finished cooking. ^Back
2 Reduce or omit salt if using capers. ^Back

This was really tasty! I'm no stranger to shrimp alfredo but I think the addition of the salmon and bell peppers really elevates it. The original recipe calls for baking the salmon and peppers in the oven; I did them in the skillet, which makes things take longer (since you can't parallelize) but also results in having fewer dishes to do, and lets you incorporate the salmon juices into the sauce.

This was a two-person recipe, but I got three fairly generous portions out of it and I think with a robust side dish it would comfortably serve four, so I've written it up as is.

Linguine with Creamy Salmon-Shrimp Sauce

Hello Fresh

Ingredients

• 250g salmon filets, skin on
• 250g shrimp, peeled (tails permitted but optional)
• 250g fresh linguine
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ bunch parsley, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 bell peppers, cut into 1cm half-length strips
• ¼ tsp chili flakes
• 120mL heavy cream + 120mL milk (or 240mL half-and-half)
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp butter
• zest of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Add 1 tsp oil and the bell peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender-crisp.
3. While peppers are cooking, combine lemon zest, half the parsley, half the garlic, chili flakes, and ½ tbsp oil in a small bowl.
4. Push peppers to the edges of the skillet. Add salmon and pour parsley-garlic mix overtop. Cover and cook until cooked through.
5. Break apart salmon into flakes, remove salmon and bell peppers from pan, and buffer.
6. Reduce heat to medium. Add shrimp, 1 tsp oil, and remaining garlic.
7. Cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are pink all over and just cooked through; remove and buffer.
8. Add butter and onion to the pan. Cook until softened, 5-6 minutes.
9. Add flour and stir until well coated, ~30 seconds.
10. Add cream and milk and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened and gently simmering. Season with salt and pepper.
11. Return salmon, bell pepper, shrimp, and accumulated juices to the pan and continue simmering on low heat.
12. Cook the pasta, then add to the skillet and toss with the sauce.

Jhinga Balchao (Pan-Seared Shrimp with Chile Vinegar Paste)

This is a dish we can only make when the Kidlet isn't around, because it contains shrimp (which she is mildly allergic to) and is quite spicy. It's really, really tasty though! And not too hard to make, either, especially if you already have the masala on hand. Strongly recommended.

Jhinga Balchao

660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer, p.270

Ingredients

• 1 lb large (16-20/lb) shrimp, peeled and deveined, with the tails left on
• 2 tbsp balchao masala
• 4 tbsp oil
• 1 small red onion, halved and thinly sliced
• 8-10 large fresh curry leaves
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• ½ tsp salt

Directions

1. Toss the shrimp with the balchao masala until thoroughly coated. Cover and refrigerate for 30-120 minutes.
2. Heat half the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add the shrimp with their marinade and cook until seared pink on one side, about 1 minute.
4. Flip the shrimp over and sear the other side, too; remove and buffer.
5. Reduce heat to medium and add the remaining oil, onion, and curry leaves.
6. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until onions have softened and darkened, 10-12 minutes.
7. Stir in tomato paste and salt to make a thick sauce.
8. Stir in shrimp, cover, and cook until shrimp are orange and cooked through, ~5 minutes.

Gyin Thoke (Ginger Salad)

This was part of the spread for TF's birthday dinner. I wasn't really expecting to like it since I don't really care for pickled ginger. But I wasn't making it for me, I was making it for her and she quite enjoys pickled ginger.

In the end everyone liked this salad! Well, except for the Kidlet who couldn't eat it due to the shrimp powder. I didn't worry about including the shrimp since I was so sure the ginger would put her off anyway. I think next time I'll try it without the shrimp so the Kidlet can eat it too. It's really delicious! And, having tried it, I think she probably would like it after all.

Gyin Thoke

Slightly adapted from Burma: Rivers of Flavor by Naomi Duguid

Ingredients

• 1 c. pickled ginger¹
• 1/2 c. pumpkin seeds, toasted
• 1/2 c. chopped roasted peanuts²
• 1/2 c. roasted or fried split soybeans or split peas³
• 1/2 c. sesame seeds, toasted
• 1/4 c. dried shrimp powder (optional⁴)
• 1-2 Roma tomatoes, cut into thin wedges
• 1 c. shredded Napa cabbage
• 1/4 c. fried garlic⁵
• 2 Tbsp. lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. garlic oil
• 1 tsp. coarse sea salt

Directons

1. Rinse the ginger in cold water, then drain and slice into thin strands.
2. Combine ginger, pumpkin seeds, peanuts, fried soybeans, sesame seeds, dried shrimp powder, tomatoes, Napa cabbage, fried garlic, and lime juice in a bowl and mix to combine.
3. Add garlic oil and salt and mix again.
4. Adjust seasoning as desired and serve.

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¹ Japanese gari works well for this purpose. ^Back
2 You can toast raw peanuts in a dry pan and then chop them or chop commercial dry-roasted unsalted peanuts. ^Back
3 You can substitute an extra 1/2 c. of peanuts for the soybeans if you can't find or make fried split soybeans. ^Back
4 Obviously you would need to omit the shrimp to keep this vegetarian. If you're going for vegan as well, you may need to make your own pickled ginger from scratch as not all sugar is vegan and you generally can't tell just by looking at the ingredients. ^Back
5 Duguid actually suggests slicing the garlic fairly thick when making fried garlic for Burmese recipes. Either way will work; you may just need to adjust your cooking times accordingly. ^Back

I was kind of surprised that you had to rehydrate the shrimp before grinding them into powder. It's almost more of a shrimp fluff. A fluff that adds a bit of delicious umami to dishes it's used in!

Sadly, it doesn't see much use in our due to the Kidlet's shellfish allergy. But I figure it's still worth having the instructions up here for the times when we do get to cook with shrimp.

Dried Shrimp Powder

From Burma: Rivers of Flavor by Naomi Duguid

Ingredient

• 1 c. high-quality dried shrimp¹

Directions

1. Place the shrimp in a bowl and add enough water to cover them. Set aside for 10-20 minutes.
2. Drain the shrimp and path them dry.
3. Transfer to a food processor (or a blender with a "food chop" setting) and process into a sluffy powder. This may take several minutes if your shrimp are tough.
4. Store in a glass jar in the fridge.

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¹ Duguid notes that it's best if you can get "largish" dried shrimp that are at least 1cm long. She also mentions that the darker the colour the better. Try for dark pink or red rather than beige or light pink. ^Back

This is pretty much exactly what it says on the tin: get some dried shrimp, soak them, then grind them up. The author stresses the importance of getting good-quality dried shrimp. She recommends getting the largest ones you can find with the darkest colour: Red > pink > beige. She also advises looking for shrimp that still have a little give to them rather than being rock-hard and completely dry.

Dried Shrimp Powder

From Burma: Rivers of Flavor by Naomi Duguid

Ingredients

• 1 c. dried shrimp

Directions

1. Place the shrimp in a bowl and add enough water to just cover them. Set aside for 10-20 minutes.
2. Drain the shrimp and dry them off.
3. Use a mortar and pestle or a food processor to grind them into a somewhat fluffy powder.
4. Store in the fridge until ready to use.

It's been a while since I made this stir-fry and I'm feeling pretty tired, so this write-up may not be as detailed as it should be, but at least it'll be recorded. There's not much to it though. You stir-fry your shrimp in a ketchup-based sauce and serve over rice with some sort of veggie side. We did garlic broccoli to go with it.

Ketchup Shrimp Stir-Fry

Slightly adapted from Woks of Life

Ingredients

• 350g raw shrimp¹
• 2 Tbsp. canola (or other neutral) oil, divided
• 7 (3mm thick) slices fresh ginger
• 1-2 cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 scallions, sliced, green and white parts separated
• 1/4 c. ketchup
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1/8 tsp. white peppercorns, ground
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine
• 1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
• 1 tsp. cornstarch (optional)
• 1 tsp. water (optional)

Directions

1. Rinse shrimp and thaw if frozen.
2. Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil over medium-high heat.
3. Add the shrimp and cook for 15-20 seconds per side. (15 seconds for shelled, 20 seconds for unshelled.) Remove from wok and set aside.
4. Reduce heat to low and add remaining 1 Tbsp. of oil.
5. Add ginger and cook for 15-30 seconds.
6. Add garlic and the white parts of the scallions and increase heat to medium. Cook for 10-15 seconds.
7. Add ketchup and Worcestershire sauce and cook for another 15-20 seconds.
8. Add the shrimp (along with any collected juices), white pepper, and wine and cook for another 20 seconds or so.
9. Stir in soy sauce and cook until sauce thickens and coats the shrimp.
10. If you would like and even thicker sauce, you may make a slurry of 1 tsp. of cornstarch + 1 tsp. of water and stir that into the sauce.
11. Stir in green parts of scallions and cook for another 10-20 seconds.
12. Serve hot or room temperature.

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¹ You may use either headless, deveined, shell-on shrimp or shelled raw shrimp. If using shelled shrimp, be sure they still have the tails on. The tails (and shells) add extra flavour during cooking. Making this dish with shelled shrimp makes it easier to eat, making it with shell-on shrimp makes it a little more flavourful. We opted for shelled shrimp and ease of eating. It was still plenty tasty. ^Back

It takes a bit of time to get your eight treasures ready but, once you've got all the prep out of the way, it goes really fast. I appreciate the use of garlic as a vegetable rather than a seasoning here. And I think the use of Szechuan spicy bean paste and black bean Laoganma works very nicely too.

I made a few substitutions for my version. I swapped out the edamame for sweet peas. And I used rehydrated dried mushrooms instead of pork. I kept the peanuts in, but I'd be tempted to try it with cashews next time. I think I'd prefer their slightly softer texture.

Chinese Eight Treasure Stir-Fry

Slightly adapted from Woks of Life

Ingredients

• 1 c. cubed spiced dried tofu (五香豆腐干)
• 1 c. diced carrot
• 3/4 c. dried shiitake (Chinese black mushrooms), rehydrated and quartered
• 2 bulbs/heads of garlic, large cloves cut in half
• 1/2 c. dried shrimp, rinsed
• 1 c. raw peanuts
• 1 c. diced pepper (hot or sweet according to your preference)
• 1 c. frozen peas
• 2 Tbsp. Shaoxing wine (绍兴酒)
• 2 Tbsp. Szechuan spicy bean paste (辣豆瓣酱)
• 1/2 tsp. sugar
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. black bean Laoganma
• 3 Tbsp. oil, divided

Directions

1. Prep all your treasures and get them ready to go by the wok.
2. Combine wine, bean paste, sugar, sesame oil, and Laoganma to make a sauce.
3. Heat wok over medium heat.
4. Add 1/2 Tbsp. of oil and swirl to coat the wok.
5. Add tofu and stir-fry for ~2 minutes.
6. Remove from wok and set aside.
7. Add another 1/2 Tbsp. of oil and the carrots.
8. Stir-fry for ~2 minutes.
9. Remove from wok at set aside. (You can combine it with the tofu at this point if you like.)
10. Add another 1/2 Tbsp. of oil and stir-fry the mushrooms for 2 minutes.
11. Remove from wok and set aside. (The mushrooms can also go with the carrots and tofu.)
12. Add 1 Tbsp. of oil to the wok and stir-fry the garlic for ~1 minute.
13. Add the (rinsed) shrimp and stir-fry for a few seconds.
14. Add the peanuts and stir-fry for 3-5 minutes.
15. Add the (bell or hot) pepper and stir-fry for ~1 minute.
16. Add the peas and stir to combine.
17. Return the cooked ingredients (tofu, carrot, and mushrooms) to the wok and stir to combine.
18. Add the sauce and continue to stir-fry until most of the liquid has evaporated.
19. Serve over rice.

Rotelle coi Gameberi e Asparagi (Rotelle with Shrimp and Asparagus)

Shrimp is a rare treat in this household, since the Kidlet is allergic to it, but the other day I had a chance to indulge and I took it. This is heavily adapted from tagliatelle coi gamberi e asparagi; apart from changing the pasta shape, I switched from boiling the asparagus separately to sauteeing it with the shrimp, and then boiling the asparagus trimmings to add a bit more flavour.

I was cooking just for myself, so I scaled it down; I have used the original recipe here.

Rotelle coi Gameberi e Asparagi

Adapted from The Classic Pasta Cookbook, p.98

Ingredients

• 1 lb rotelle
• ¾ lb asparagus, whole
  
• ¼ C olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¾ lb raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and chopped into ½" pieces
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp butter, at room temperature
  

Directions

1. Put on some salted water to boil, for the pasta.
2. Break the ends off the asparagus and reserve them; cut the rest of the asparagus into 1" pieces.
   
3. Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat.
4. Add the cut asparagus and garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant and the asparagus just starting to soften, 1-2 minutes.
5. Add the shrimp, season generously with black pepper. and cook, stirring often, until the shrimp is cooked through; remove from the heat.
6. Once the water boils, add the pasta and asparagus trimmings. Cook until the pasta is al dente; drain, reserving half a cup of water. Discard the asparagus trimmings.
7. Add the water to the skillet and return to the heat until it has mostly cooked off. (You can do this while the shrimp is still cooking if the pasta finishes early.)
8. Add the pasta to the skillet, toss with the sauce, and serve.