Grilled Coconut-Lime Shrimp Skewers

1-12 oz. can Coca-Cola                                                                              1/3-cup coconut milk

3 cloves garlic, mince or pressed                                                             Juice of 2 limes

1 tsp. minced ginger                                                                                  2 TBSP dark brown sugar

¼ cup soy sauce                                                                                         1-½ lbs. shrimp

½ tsp. Sriracha sauce                                                                                 1 TBSP ketchup

Combine all ingredients, except shrimp, in a small saucepan and bring to a boil.  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.  Place the meat in a large Ziploc bag and pour the cooled marinade over it.  Refrigerate at least 4 hours.  When ready to cook, thread the meat onto skewers and grill 2 minutes per side or until desired doneness is reached. 

Stuffed Cherry tomatoes with Crab and Tarragon

• 24 cherry tomatoes, about ¾ pound
• ½ pound cooked lump crabmeat, flaked
• 1 TBS. lemon juice
• 2 tsp. finely chopped tarragon, plus 24 whole leaves
• 1-2 TBS. mayonnaise
• Several drops of Tabasco or other hot-pepper sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste 

Cut a slice ¼ inch thick off the top of each tomato and discard the tops. Scoop out the seeds of each tomato, sprinkle the insides with salt and invert onto a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Set aside for 30 minutes to drain.

Mix together the crab, lemon juice, and chopped tarragon. Stir in enough mayonnaise to bind the mixture. Season with Tabasco,salt and pepper. Cover and chill thoroughly.

Fill each tomato with a heaping teaspoon of crab mixture. Garnish with a tarragon leaf. 

Pepper Jack Shrimp

Shhhh.... It's a secret

Shrimp & Scallion Stuffed Sole with Lemon Dill Seasoning

YIELD: Serves 4

• 1-2 tbs.lemon pepper 
• 1  tsp.celery salt
• 2  tbs.  Fresh parsley
• 2 tsp. dill
• 1 tsp onion powder

 Mix seasonings all together.

• 1-2 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4 c. zucchini, diced
• 1/4 c. scallions, chopped (I like vidalla onions better)
• 4 oz. shrimp, peeled & deveined
• 1 tbs. bread crumbs
• 4 fillets sole (or tilapia) 3-4 ounces each
• 1 c. white wine (or stock)
• 1/4 c.creme fraiche or sour cream
• sea salt to taste

In a deep sauté pan with a lid, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the zucchini until soft, then add the scallions and shrimp and cook until shrimps turn opaque


Transfer to a small bowl and stir in the bread crumbs and the dry seasoning mix, reserving a 1/4 or so for the sauce.


Lay the fish fillets on a prep surface and lightly salt. Place 1/4 of the shrimp mixture in the middle of each fillet. Wrap the thicker end of the fillet over the stuffing while folding the thinner end over to meet and cover the first. Secure each fillet with a toothpick.


Place the 4 stuffed fish fillets back in the sauté pan. Pour in the wine and bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for about 12 minutes (about 7 min. if using Tilapia) or until the fish turns opaque. Remove the stuffed fillets to a warm plate.


Boil the remaining liquid and the remaining seasoning mix until it reduces to 1/4 cup. Remove from heat and stir in the crème fraiche or sour cream. Garnish each portion with 2 tablespoons of the mixture and serve. 

Grilled Ahi With Cilantro Pesto

• 1 ½ Lbs. of fresh Ahi tuna

Cilantro pesto

• 1 Tb chopped garlic
• ¼ freshly grated parmesan cheese
• 1 cup cilantro leaves
• 3 Tb olive oil
• 3 Tbl pumpkin seeds
• 3 Tb white wine
• 14 tsp salt
• ½ juice of a lime
• Mix well in blender

Cut into 1 inch stakes, marinate in pesto sauce for 20-30 minuets
Brush grill with oil, grill on high, 6 minuets for each side
Let rest 6 minuets then slice into strips

Sweet Asian B.B.Q Sauce

• ¼ cup dark soy sauce
• ¼ cup distilled vinegar
• 1/3 cup oyster sauce
• 1 cup plum sauce
• 1 cup hoisin sauce
• 3 Tb canola oil
• 3 Tb honey
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tb finely minced ginger
• 1 tsp. minced orange zest
• ¾ cup chicken stock

 Drizzle over the jicama slaw and the ahi tuna.

Crab Cakes

• 1 pound crabmeat, picked free of shells – or used canned
• 1/3 cup crushed crackers 
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• ½ cup finely chopped bell pepper
• ¼ cup mayonnaise
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• ½ lemon – juiced
• ¼ tsp. garlic powder
• Dash of cayenne pepper

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except for the flour and peanut oil. Shape into patties and dust with flour.
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes, in batches, in pan and fry until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Serve warm with preferred sauce.

Alternative Crab Cake – without the Crab – “Zucchini Cakes”

• 2 1/2 cups grated zucchini
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning TM
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil for frying

 In a large bowl, combine zucchini, egg, and butter or margarine. Stir in seasoned crumbs, minced onion, and seasoning. Mix well.

Shape mixture into patties. Dredge in flour. In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium high heat until hot. Fry patties in oil until golden brown on both sides.

Spicy Jambalaya

• 2 pounds boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 TBS Creole seasoning, divided
• 2 pounds large fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails left on)
• ¼ cup olive oil, divided
• 1 pound andouille sausage, cut into ½ inch thick slices
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 3 cups long-grain white rice
• 1 TBS. minced garlic
• 2 quarts chicken broth
• 2 cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, undrained
• 2 TBS. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. hot pepper sauce
• 3 bay leaves

In a medium bowl, combine chicken and 1 TBS. Creole seasoning, set aside. In another medium bowl, combine shrimp and 1 TBS Creole seasoning, set aside.

Heat 2 TBS. olive oil over medium high heat. Add chicken and sausage; cook for 10 – 12 minutes, stirring frequently, or until browned. Remove chicken and sausage from pan and set aside.

Heat remaining 2 TBS olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, peppers, celery and 1 TBS. Creole seasoning. Cook for 5 minutes, or until tender. Add rice and garlic, cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Add reserved chicken, sausage, chicken broth, tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, salt, hot pepper sauce and bay leaves, stirring to combine.

Reduce heat to medium low. Cook, covered for 30 – 35 minutes, stirring occasionally until rice is tender.
Add reserved shrimp; cover and cook for 5 more minutes or until shrimp are pink and firm. Discard bay leaves. Serve as a main course or a side.

Grilled Halibut

Just for the Halibut!:)

Marinade (4 steaks worth)

• ¼ cup lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup white vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon lemon pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt

Mix ingredients together and place in a Ziploc bag.
Place fish carefully in bag, coat all steaks. Let marinate for 1 hour in fridge.
Grill on medium high for 10 – 12 minutes. Flipping only one time. Fish should be flakey and opaque all the way through.

Tip: Spray the bottom of a grill basket with oil and cook fish in basket. If you don’t have a basket…buy one. Otherwise coat the grill with oil before igniting.
This is a new recipe…we couldn’t resist pairing it with cranberry relish – Hope you like it!

Cranberry Relish

Fresh and Yummacious!

• 1 orange
• 2 cups fresh cranberries
• 1 cup diced red delicious apple
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) can unsweetened crushed pineapple, drained

Cut unpeeled orange into 4 pieces, remove seeds.  Position knife blade in food processor bowl.  Add orange, and process until finely chopped.  Transfer to a non-aluminum bowl.

Place cranberries in processor bowl, process until coarsely ground.  Add cranberries, apple, sugar, and pineapple to chopped orange; stir well.  Cover and chill at least 8 hours.  Yield: 12 (1/4 cup) servings.

This is one of Mike’s Family recipes….try it with turkey!

Sugar Cane Skewered Shrimp

• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup Thai chili soy paste
• 1/2 cup sweet chili paste
• 1/2 tablespoon chopped ginger
• 1/2 tablespoon garlic
• 1/2 cup chopped Chinese parsley leaves
• 16 shrimp
• Sugar cane stalk, cut into skewers

Directions

Place chili pastes in bowl and add water. Mix the remaining ingredients together to make a thin mixture. Put shrimp in marinade and refrigerate overnight. Place shrimp on skewers, 4 pieces on each skewer, and grill.

Kona Lobster Bisque

• 2 pc frozen lobster bodies, chopped (Lobster Base can be substituted) I used 1 Tbsp. lobster base
• 2 carrots, rough chop
• 1 onion, rough chop
• 6 ribs celery, rough chop
• 4 clove garlic
• 5 pc lime leaf (can use zest of one lime)
• 1 finger fresh ginger, rough chop
• 2 stalk lemongrass, rough chop
• 3 qts Coconut Milk
• 1 qt Heavy whipping cream
• 1 qt water
• 1 tbl tomato paste
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• ½ cup fresh basil, chopped
• 2 oz olive oil
• 2 tbl kosher salt (to taste)
• ¼ cup cornstarch – 1 tbl water (for thickening slurry)

Method:

In a medium to large soup pot, bring to medium heat, add olive oil chopped lobster bodies, sauté for about 90 seconds, add garlic, ginger, lemongrass and lime leaf, sauté another minute, add tomato paste, celery, onion and carrots, sauté another minute. When all ingredients have had a chance to become translucent, add water. Reduce your new “lobster stock” by at least half, this is where you will get maximum flavor, you can choose to add a small amount of lobster base if you have some available.

Once your stock has been reduced by half, you will add your heavy cream and your coconut milk, bring to boil and turn to low and simmer 30 minutes, add basil and simmer for another 10 minutes.

To thicken your soup slightly you will want to use a cornstarch “slurry”, take about a quarter cup of cornstarch and mix it with a little bit of water until you get a nice white paste, add this to your simmering bisque, very important that the soup is still rolling or simmering when adding your starch. Mix thoroughly, season with fish sauce and salt, season to your likening, strain soup through a fine mesh strainer and serve with some chopped chives and croutons.

Macadamia Crusted Halibut with Lime-Ginger Butter Sauce

• 4 pieces halibut
• 1 ½ cup Macadamia Nuts, finely chopped
• 1 pinch Cayenne pepper
• Salt and black pepper, to taste
• 2 large eggs
• 3/4 cup flour
• 4 tablespoons Canola or Vegetable oil
• 1 Tablespoon water

Rinse and pat dry 4 Halibut. Lay on clean work area. Season each piece with the salt, pepper, and cayenne. Beat eggs and water in small bowl. Dip halibut into flour, remove excess flour. Then dip halibut into egg mixture and then press halibut into macadamia nuts. Heat pan with oil to med heat. Cook 4 minutes on each side.

Lime-Ginger Butter Sauce

• 6 Tbsp. Butter
• Fresh lime juice
• Grated ginger

Mix in saucepan over low heat. Drizzle sauce over Halibut. Serve immediately
 

Grilled Herb Shrimp

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium yellow onion, small-diced
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
• ¼ cup minced fresh basil
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• ¼ cup olive oil
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 pounds jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound), peeled, tails on, devined

Combine the garlic, onion, parsley, basil, mustards, salt, pepper, olive oil, and lemon juice. Add the shrimp and allow them to marinate for 1 hour at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
Prepare a charcoal grill with hot coals, and brush the grilling rack with oil to prevent the shrimp from sticking. Skewer the shrimp. Use 5 or 6 shrimp on a 12” skewer for a dinner serving. Grill the shrimp for 1 ½ minutes on each side. Serve with the Mango Salsa (below). Serves 6 people.

Grilled Salmon Sandwich

• 1 lb salmon fillet, skinned and cut into 4 portions
• 2 tsp. blackening or Cajun seasoning
• 1 small avocado
• 2 Tb mayonnaise
• 4 crusty rolls
• 1 cup arugula
• 2 plump tomatoes, thinly sliced
• ½ cup red onion, thinly sliced

Oil grill rack, preheat grill to high.

Rub seasoning on both sides of salmon.

Grill until until cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

Mash together avocado and mayonnaise in a small bowl.

Spread the avocado mixture on the bottom half of each roll.

Top with the salmon, arugula, tomato and onion