Miscellaneous Food Notes and Recipes
As many of you know, Judi moved here from South Carolina and so....the girl was used to REALLY GOOD SHRIMP. She loves shrimp as I do and she's decided that from now on she will eat as much shrimp as she likes! She asked me where was a good place to get coconut shrimp and I was stymied. I like coconut but Ernie doesn't so it's not something we order. Yesterday she went to Siam Terrace with some friends and had a good shrimp appetizer----a jumbo shrimp threaded on a skewer, wrapped in crispy noodles with an orange dipping sauce.
So...with no further ado...what are your shrimp recommendations? Where in town for the best shrimp appetizers or shrimp in general....oh, and if you have a favorite shrimp recipe post that too....
In the comments of one of my last posts, Cathy and Susan both asked about a couple of things. Susan---I usually make red-cooked pork but I tried it with a whole chicken this time and it was great which is nice as it lower fat. I used a whole chicken but it I suppose you could use pieces as well. There are lots of recipes for it---the one I use is from Joy of Cooking 1997 version)---it couldn't be simpler...
Red Cooked Pork Shoulder
Heat in a large, heavy Dutch oven over medium-high heat:
1 T oil
Add and toss in the oil just until heated through, about 1 minute:
4 scallions, cut crosswise in thirds
2 large cloves garlic, crushed
One 1-inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
Add:
4 cups water, or 2 cups chicken stock and 2 cups water
1 cup dark soy sauce
3/4 cup rice wine, scotch or sherry
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
4 star anise, 1 1/2 teaspoons anise seed
one 3-inch cinnamon stick
Bring to a boil, then add:
1 pork picnic shoulder (about 7 pounds)
Turn the meat to cover it with liquid and color it. Reduce the heat and cover the pan. Simmer, turning the meat every hour and basting it, until it is fork tender, 3-4 hour. Remove the meat from the pan and spoon off the fat from the pan juices. Slice the meat, serve with pan juices and white rice.
I think I ordered my star anise from Penzey's. I guess it would be o.k. with anise seed but the star anise is so pungent and gorgeous that I like to use it. Let me know if you try it.
Cathy also asked about my pickled beets recipe. This is the first year I've made homemade pickled beets and it definitely won't be the last----they are WONDERFUL! I got the beets from the farmers' market and roasted them. I just toss them in a pan with a dash of water, cover it with foil, roast at 350 or so until done. The skins generally slip off although I had one renegade bunch this time. The recipe is from Epicurious and is super simple. I didn't have fresh dill so I used dried...oh well--great anyway.
Pickled Beets
Gourmet/December 2000
1 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon pickling spice
1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 onion, halved
1 small bay leaf (not California)
3/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/4 bunch fresh dill
3 beets (1 pound without tops)
Bring all ingredients except beets to a boil in a 2- to 3-quartsaucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cover and simmer 30minutes.
Cool marinade, then chill, covered, 1 day to allow flavors to develop. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl.
Cook beets in a saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, 1 to 11/4 hours. Drain and cool. Slip off skins and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
Stir together beets and marinade, then marinate, covered and chilled, 1 day.
In typical fashion I didn't follow this exactly----I roasted my beets and then once the marinade was made I just dumped them in---I didn't wait a day. I also didn't bother to put it through a sieve but that's just me---might be nice to.... It's one the sweet side, next time I make it I might cut back on the sugar just a bit.