Shrimps In Coconut Milk

When I got married and came to US, I didn't know how to cook and I ran the phone bills calling my family in the Philippines to ask for recipes. My older sister on the other hand has a talent for cooking and baking and she can make a great chef! Here's one dish I learned from her over the phone. My sister told me to just eyeball the ingredients because that's the way she cooks, but I measured just the same so I can do it again next time, LOL.

SHRIMPS IN COCONUT MILK

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb of Shrimp with shell or tail on;
1 can of Coconut Milk;
1 can of Tomato Sauce;
1 tbsp of minced garlic;
1 tbsp of canola oil;
1/2 tsp of hot pepper flakes;
1/4 tsp of salt for the sauce and
1/4 tsp of salt to season the shrimp.

DIRECTIONS:
1. Season the shrimp with salt and set aside;
2. In medium heat, saute the garlic in canola oil until brown but not burnt;
3. Add the coconut milk and stir constantly until reduced to half;
4. Add the tomato sauce, pepper flakes and salt; stir constantly until the consistency is thick. 5. Add the shrimp and mix with the sauce, cover and let simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Don't overcook the shrimp.

Broiled Salmon with Pesto Mayonnaise

This was a hit in our holiday party especially with the seafood lovers. I got the recipe from Sandra Lee of Semi-Homemade fame at Food TV Network. It was an easy recipe that I made even easier. The original recipe calls for a marinade of olive oil, lemon juice and Italian seasoning and I made a short-cut and just used Italian Dressing instead. It saved me time to squeeze lemons and mix the ingredients together.

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 lbs center-cut fresh salmon fillet, 1 inch thick, cut into 4 pieces
1/2 cup Italian Dressing

For Pesto Mayonnaise
3 Tbsps Mayonnaise
1 Tbsp prepared Pesto (store bought)

PROCEDURE:
1. Preheat broiler. Rinse salmon with cold water, pat dry with paper towels. Line baking sheets or broiler pan with aluminum foil and set aside.
2. In a ziplock bag combine salmon and dressing. Squeeze air out from bag and seal. Gently massage bag to coat fish, set aside.
3. For Pesto Mayonnaise - combine mayonnaise and pesto, stir, set aside.
4. Remove salmon pieces from bag and place on the baking sheet flesh side down. Discard marinade. Broil fish 4 to 6 inches from heat for up to 10 minutes until flesh flakes easily when tested with a fork.
5. Serve salmon with pesto mayonnaise on top.

Almond-Crusted Tilapia

ALMOND-CRUSTED TILAPIA

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 lbs Tilapia fillets
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp water
3/4 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup Panko (Japanese style) bread crumbs
1 Tbsp shredded orange zest
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1. Rinse tilapia with cold water, pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.
   
2. Place flour in a shallow bowl, set aside. In a second shallow bowl, beat together eggs and the water. In a third shallow bowl, combine almonds, panko bread crumbs, and orange zest.
   
3. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, dredge tilapia in flour, shake off excess. Dip in egg mixture. Coat with almond mixture.
   
4. Fry almond-crusted tilapia in hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a ford.
   

Honey Walnut Shrimps

Honey Walnut Shrimps is one of the favorite dishes I love to order in a Chinese restaurant. The very first time I had this dish was during our vacation in Washington state in 2005. I have tried making it once, and it was pretty good. Every time we go to Boston, we usually eat at Jumbo Seafood and of course I never fail to order this entree.

HONEY WALNUT SHRIMPS

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup water
2/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup walnuts
4 egg whites
2/3 cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 lb. large shrimps, peeled and deveined
2 tbsp honey
1 tbsp canned sweetened condensed milk
1 cup vegetable oil for frying
Broccoli florets for garnish, steamed

DIRECTIONS:
1. Stir together the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and add the walnuts. Boil for 2 minutes, then drain and place walnuts on a cookie sheet to dry.
2. Whip egg whites in a medium bowl until foamy. Stir in the mochiko until it has a pasty consistency. Heat the oil in a heavy deep skillet over medium-high heat. Dip shrimps into the mochiko batter, and then fry in the hot oil until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
3. In a medium serving bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, honey and sweetened condensed milk. Add shrimp and toss to coat with the sauce. Sprinkle the candied walnuts on top and serve.

Lobster Sandwich

Lobsters are very popular in New England states and they are always part of the summer experience. My girlfriend was so gracious enough to bring us two big pieces of live lobsters from Maine. It's our first time to cook live ones, we usually just eat them in restaurants, but we didn't do bad. I googled the way to cook it and hb made them into lobster salad. It was so delicious!

BOILING LOBSTER*

1. In order to boil your lobster, you will need a large pot with a lid.
2. Pour enough water in the pot to cover the lobster completely.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of sea salt for every 2 liters (4 pints) of water.
4. Bring the water to a fierce boil.
5. Grasp the live lobster behind the claws and drop it headfirst into the boiling water.
6. Cover the pot and once the water has started to boil again, start timing.
7. Boil the lobster for 10 minutes for the first lb of weight and then 3 more minutes for each extra pound. A two lb lobster will be done in 13 minutes, a 3 lb lobster in 16 minutes.
8. Once cooked, drain the lobster immediately and serve hot.

Alternate way of cooking lobster is by steaming, and here's how:

STEAMING LOBSTER*

You will require a longer cooking time to steam your lobster, however, many people say that the result is even better than boiling, giving you a succulent and tasty lobster meat.

1. Place a steaming rack to hold the lobster in the bottom of a large pot.
2. Pour 2 inches of water into the pot and add 1 tablespoon of sea salt.
3. Cover the pot with the lid and bring the water to the boil.
4. Once the water is boiling fiercely, place the lobster onto the rack, cover the pot and bring back to the boil.
5. Begin timing once the water is boiling again.
6. Steam the lobster for 14 minutes for the first lb of weight and then an extra 3 minutes for each extra lb. A 2 lb lobster will cook in 17 minutes, a 3 lb in 20 minutes.
7. Once the lobster is done, drain immediately and serve

LOBSTER SANDWICH

INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb fully cooked lobster meat
1/4 cup Mayonnaise
Celery, diced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 small scallions, thinly sliced
Wheat bread

DIRECTIONS:
1. Just combine the first five ingredients,
2. Chill until ready to use
3. Fill the bread with the mixture and serve.

*Source: helpwithcooking.com