Taste With The Eyes

Large shrimp in garlic butter sauce over pasta nests.

Cooking the capelli d’angelo or angel hair nests.

Ingredient Still Life.
Butter, garlic, lemon, parsley, chardonnay, vermouth.

Serve the shrimp in their own little nests.

Saute lots of minced garlic in butter taking care not to brown the butter nor the garlic. Then add a splash of chardonnay and a splash of vermouth, add the shrimp, then finish with a squeeze of lemon and sprinkle with parsley.

Having a dinner party? This would make a fabulous pasta course, serve each guest one nest. Top each shrimp with a little caviar. Very rich, elegant, flavorful!

This post was inspired by Simona of Briciole. She explains the difference between capellini and capelli d’angelo. I have a lot more to learn about scampi vs. gambero, too!
Thanks Simona!

Thanks for stopping by! Coffee anyone?

Salmon Skin Handrolls

Calamari

Garden Salad with Miso Dressing

I especially enjoyed the just under-ripe ultra-thin avocado slices on this salad. They were firm enough to slice very thin and keep their shape. I plan to use that idea in some future salad.

Vegetable Tempura Lunch Special

We had a delightful lunch at Asaka in Rancho Palos Verdes, California. Every dish was so fresh and crisp and flavorful.

Happy Birthday Gina!

Fresh Petrale Sole is sauteed in half butter/half olive oil until browned, then served over the sauce. The sauce is both silky and tart, a perfect complement to the crusty fish.

Saute finely chopped onion or shallot in butter, then add capers, then a squeeze of lemon juice and and a splash of vermouth, then finish with a dollop of crème fraîche. Season to taste.

Panko Japanese Style Breadcrumbs are a bit courser than ordinary breadcrumbs. They give the fish a lighter crunchier texture.
The fresh sole is rinsed and patted dry, then seasoned with salt and pepper, then dredged in flour, dipped in egg, and finally dredged in Panko breadcrumbs, then into the saute pan.

Do you like to cook with Panko? See my August 1st post of Chèvre Chaud!

My butcher (he carries seafood, too) had some great looking shrimp, so I worked on this Cajun style recipe to share.

Roux: Stir olive oil and flour in a heavy skillet over medium heat until it is a rich caramel color, about 10 minutes.

Add: onion, celery, green bell pepper, garlic. Stir until softened, about 8 minutes.

Ingredient Still Life.

Add: clam juice, lemon juice, Worcestershire, cayenne, thyme, (and water). Lots of flavor!
Cook: simmer, stirring occasionally until slightly thickened.

Taste: add salt and Louisiana’s Crystal hot sauce.
Add: peeled deveined shrimp. I like the tail on for presentation.
Cook: until the shrimp are curled and pink, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Serve: over steaming white rice with thinly sliced scallions, and a bottle of Louisiana Hot Sauce on the side.

Ingredients:
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup flour
1 medium onion chopped
1 stalk celery medium slice
½ green bell pepper diced
2 garlic cloves chopped
1 bottle clam juice (8 oz.)
1 cup water
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon thyme
2 teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
10 large shrimp
2 scallions thinly sliced
Steaming fluffy white rice
Crystal Hot Sauce

Étouffée means “smothered” in French. I plate this rich tasty dish without too much smothering. However, there is plenty of sauce in this recipe if you want to smother your shrimp!