Asian-Style Shrimp and Grits

Spicy chili crisp adds flavor and depth to this starter or main

Shrimp-and-grits is a classic dish from the southern US – and one we love. We also love Asian-style shrimp stir fried with chili sauce. So why not combine them?

This Asian-Style Shrimp and Grits would make a great starter, with piquant flavor that can wake up any taste bud. Or you could serve this dish as the main event. Because it’s so tasty that a starter portion might not be enough to satisfy you.

And it’s good to be satisfied.

Quick and Easy Shrimp Creole

Let the good times roll with this spicy New Orleans classic

Mardi Gras – aka Fat Tuesday – is next week. And you know what that means, right?

Par-tee!

Even if you don’t have much time to cook, you can whip up the perfect dish. Shrimp Creole (a classic dish made all over Louisiana) is extremely fast to put together.

Which works for us. Because less time in the kitchen means more time to eat and drink. And party!

Shrimp in Chipotle Sauce

Spicy tomato zips up this traditional Mexican dish

When Americans think of Mexican food, we picture tacos, enchiladas, and refried beans. But seafood? Not so much.

Which is odd, because Mexico has a long coastline with some extremely productive fishing grounds. Mexicans eat lots of seafood, and many famous seafood dishes are well known throughout the country. It’s just that many of us gringos aren’t familiar with them.

With Cinco de Mayo on the horizon, you may be planning a festive menu. So how about a traditional shrimp dish from Veracruz? It has all the zesty flavor you expect from Mexican food, but it’s lighter and healthier than many of the dishes you may know.

Sounds like a winner. Olé!

New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp

Spicy, garlicky sauce cries out for dunkable bread

If there were a “truth in advertising” law for recipes, this one would get busted. Because New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp isn’t really barbecue at all. And shrimp don’t even play the leading role. Instead, it’s the sauce you’re after—a butter-heavy dunking mix that’s liberally spiced (and delightfully seasoned with garlic). You’ll want to mop up every last drop with crusty French bread.

Given the amount of butter in the sauce, this dish clearly is no diet food. But did you really expect it to be, with “New Orleans” in the name? That part, at least, is for real.

Shrimp Toast Dip

Lighten up this deep-fried Chinese/Tiki classic by turning it into a versatile dip or spread 

The Shrimp Toast you find on dim sum carts and Tiki-themed platters is totally delicious — but also insanely caloric.  The dish features a tasty shrimp mixture spread on very thin pieces of crustless dried white bread (usually cut into triangles).  These morsels are then deep fried until crisp and irresistible. 

Luscious.  But not for the faint of heart.  If only we could capture the deliciousness of Shrimp Toast without all that deep-fried fat . . . .

Hey, wait.  We can!  Just drop the “toast” (who’s going to miss white bread anyway?) and turn the shrimpy mixture (aka “the good stuff”) into a tasty dip/spread that’s party-ready and hostess-friendly.

Set out a bowl of it as dip, accompanied by crackers, crudités, whatever.  Or stuff the shrimp spread onto cucumber boats, mushroom caps, or some other tasty base, and serve as canapés. 

More good news:  You can prepare Shrimp Toast Dip several hours ahead, since there’s no last-minute deep frying required.  You’ll have more time to chat with guests, less mess to clean up.  And your bathroom scale will still respect you in the morning.

Pasta with Shrimp and Fennel

A Piquant Tomato Sauce Adds Full Flavor

Lots of us eat more fish this time of year.  Some are still following New Year’s resolutions to eat healthier.  And what’s healthier than fish and seafood?  For others, Lent means fish or seafood every Friday at a minimum, so new recipes are always welcome.   And some of us just crave the taste. 

Shrimp is a favorite of most seafood lovers.  Almost everyone likes its briny tang.  But in much of the US, it’s still cold, so we’re also craving hearty dishes.  Like a big, warm plate of pasta — which just happens to pair wonderfully with shrimp.

So why not combine the two in a spicy tomato sauce?  Then add some fennel (a perfect winter veggie) for extra credit.  The result?  A welcoming cold-weather dish with flavor that won’t quit.

Singapore Noodles

This Restaurant Favorite is Easy to Make

You’ll find Singapore Noodles at Chinese restaurants around the world.  This dish offers a spicy blend of noodles and curry, along with veggies and often shrimp, pork, and chicken.  I can never resist ordering it when I see it on a menu.

If you’re like many of us in the US, though, you’d never dream of making Singapore Noodles (or any other Chinese dish) at home.  The ingredients may seem unfamiliar, and some of the cooking techniques can be terra incognita.  But there’s really no mystery to it — after all, millions of Chinese folks cook at home every day!  

Chinese New Year is just a few weeks away.  (It begins on Sunday, February 10.  We’ll be entering the year of the snake).  So isn’t it time to learn a dish or two, and celebrate in style? 

Almost everyone likes Singapore Noodles — we’re talking pasta, after all.  And it’s a fairly easy dish to make (less complicated than spaghetti and meat balls).  Best of all, the ingredients will already be familiar to you. 

Chinese lore says having a snake in the house is a good omen — it means your family will never starve.  I’m not sure about that, but I do know this:  Learn to make Singapore Noodles, and you’ll never need to eat from those little white cartons again.

Fennel Soup with Shrimp and Beans

Serve this Hearty Soup as a Starter or a Main Course

You’ve probably seen fennel in the produce department at your local supermarket.  It’s a bulbous plant with stalks maybe a foot long, and topped with feathery green foliage.  Here in the US, not many cooks use it.  Too bad, because fennel has a great, distinctive flavor that combines well with other ingredients.

If fennel is new to you — or you haven’t used it for a while — why not try some in this terrific soup?  January is the time of the year when many of us determine to eat healthier, and there’s nothing healthier than eating your veggies.  And the more veggies you know how to use, the more likely you are to eat them.

That’s logic, isn’t it?