Why the Griddle?

There's a new cookbook out, extolling the virtues of grilling on a flat-top griddle. It's called, appropriately enough, Project Griddle. Stephen Raichlan, who's the author of the book, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen, to talk about how he came up with the idea of a cookbook dedicated to how you can get the best out of your flat-top. Stephen told Tonia he decided to cook a Japanese steak, as they do it in Japan. That is, with a flat-top. Stephen told Tonia his Waygu came out seared and crunchy on the outside, juicy and buttery on the inside. That gave Stephen ideas for more on the griddle, moving to shrimp. And behold! Stephen found that to be great. Thus, an idea for Project Griddle was born!

Air Frying...To The Max

 

There's no question, the air fryer has become an essential part of any chef's kitchen. It's amazing to see just what this miracle device can for your recipes. Delicious, tender proteins that don't have a lot of grease, but are amazingly flavorful. So let's really see what your air fryer can do. Becky Abbott and

Jennifer West stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about their cookbook Air Fryer All Day, and some of the incredible recipes located within. Among them, a delicious appetizer for Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Shrimp. Becky and Jennifer told Tonia they use center bacon and a little olive oil spray to make this happen. They add it's very simple to create and could even be used as a main!

From Airfryingfoodie.com

STEP 1
Peel the shrimp and set them aside in a single layer onto a baking sheet.

STEP 2
Sprinkle a small amount of Old Bay Seasoning over the peeled shrimp.

STEP 3
Cut the bacon slices into thirds. Carefully wrap the a slice of bacon around the shrimp, taking care to tuck the bacon under the bottom of the shrimp. Repeat until all remaining shrimp are wrapped.

STEP 4
Prepare the basket of the air fryer with olive oil or with a nonstick cooking spray.

STEP 5
Add the bacon wrapped shrimp to the air fryer basket. Keep the bacon edge tucked under the shrimp. Air fry on 390 degrees F for 9-10 minutes, or until fully cooked.

STEP 6
Carefully remove the shrimp from the air fryer and serve immediately.

Key Lime Shrimp for New Years!

 

This time of year is generally a cold for most of the country, except Florida of course.  So, if you're hosting a party this NYE, why not bring a little bit of Florida to the gathering with a Shrimp Cocktail that includes a tropically delicious Key-Lime Mustard Sauce!  Chef Billy with Restaurant Associates stopped by Tonia's Kitchen with a word on how to make it, including using either fresh limes or key lime juice that you would purchase at the grocer.  Either way, combine that with mayonnaise and some other ingredients for a tropical themed sauce, that on your New Year's Shrimp Cocktail really will be the boss!

Mustard Key-Lime Sauce

• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup lime juice
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• 2 dashes hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco®), or to taste


• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• Stir mayonnaise, lime juice, Dijon mustard, sugar, and hot pepper sauce together in a bowl until smooth; season with salt and pepper.
• Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate mustard sauce for at least 2 hours.

Shrimp Scampi Sans Shrimp

 Everyone loves the fine flavor of Shrimp Scampi, but for those who are vegetarians, it's been a dish that's been unattainable, until now! Amy Traverso, who's the Senior Food Editor for Yankee Magazine, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her Mushroom, White Bean and Spinach Scampi. She told Tonia this recipe does not skimp on the garlic, and that along with the seasonal fall vegetables, really add to the magnificent Scampi flavor that you can have without the shrimp  

Yield:

6-8 servings

Ingredients

1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for the pasta water
1 pound linguine, uncooked
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided, plus more for drizzling
1 pound sliced white mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, or “baby bellas,” or a combination
5 ounces baby spinach
8 large garlic cloves, minced
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup vegetable or chicken stock
2/3 cup white wine
2 tablespoons lemon juice
5 thin lemon slices
Minced parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for garnish

Instructions

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil. Add a palmful of kosher salt, then add the linguine and cook according to package instructions. After the pasta is cooked and drained, do not discard the cooking water.
Meanwhile, in a very large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm 4 tablespoons olive oil, then add the mushrooms and 1 teaspoon salt. If adding all the mushrooms at once crowds your pan, cook them in batches (when the pan is crowded, the mushrooms will steam rather than brown).

Stir the mushrooms with the salt and oil, then let them cook, undisturbed, until browned on one side, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir, then cook until the mushrooms are browned all over, 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and set them aside.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan, then add the spinach, garlic, and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring often, until the spinach is wilted. Add the beans, stock, white wine, and lemon juice. Scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to pick up any yummy browned bits.

Add the pasta to the sauté pan, along with ½ cup of the cooking water. Add the reserved mushrooms and lemon slices, and toss together in the pan. If the mixture seems dry, add more pasta water. Transfer the pasta to a serving bowl. Garnish with parsley, a generous shower of Parmesan, and a drizzle of olive oil.Shrimp

A Great Grilled Shrimp

   

Who doesn't love a beach barbecue? And when you think of what to bring to that party, what comes to mind?  Maybe hamburgers and hot dogs, but why not shrimp? Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby think that's exactly the way it should be!  Both Chris and John are the authors behind the new cookbook, Big Grill Flavor. Both stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about one of their recipes for grilled shrimp. They told Tonia to grill those shrimp, then use fresh corn tortillas, and grilled pineapple. Chris and John say that enhances the sweetness, and adds a smokey aspect to many foods. Chop up the pineapple and add to the shrimp inside the tortilla.  If it sounds complicated, it's not! Chris and John say one of the unique aspects of the book, is how it's laid out. It's an effort to make things as simple as possible, so you spend less time preparing, and more time enjoying!

GRILLED SHRIMP TACOS WITH GRILLED PINEAPPLE

Tacos a la Playa: Born on the beach in Costa Rica, this is among our very favorite lunch dishes. Vamos, amigos!

PREP

While the fire heats up, combine in a large bowl:

1 cup shredded cabbage

2 avocados, diced medium

Next, place in separate small containers:

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1 to 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chiles of your choice

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1/3 cup fresh lime juice (from 2 or 3 limes)

GRILL

When the fire is ready, put on the grill right above the coals:

1 dozen 6-inch corn tortillas

3 (1-inch-thick) slices fresh pineapple, peeled and cored

Grill the tortillas for just 30 seconds

per side to heat, then put them aside; grill the pineapple until golden, 4 to 5 minutes per side. When the pineapple comes

off the grill, cut it into medium dice and put into the large bowl

Now follow step 2 of the recipe for Super-Basic Grilled Shrimp on page 147.

TOSS

When the shrimp come off the grill, slide them off the skewers into the bowl with the cabbage mixture, add all the other prepped ingredients, and toss like crazy. Season to taste and serve with the grilled tortillas.

Super-Basic

GRILLED SHRIMP

2 pounds large shrimp (16/20 per pound) peeled and deveined, tails left on

3 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Build a two-level fire in your grill, which means you put all the coals on one side of the grill and leave the other side free of coals. When the flames have died down, all the coals are covered with gray ash, and the temperature is medium-hot (you can hold your hand 6 inches above the grill for 3 to 4 seconds), you’re ready to cook.

Thread the shrimp onto skewers, about 6 per skewer. Drizzle the shrimp with the olive oil and sprinkle them generously with the salt and pepper, then place them on the grill directly over the coals and cook until slightly charred and golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. To check for doneness, cut into one of the shrimp at its thickest point and peek inside to be sure it is opaque throughout.

Serve hot.

| Serves 8 as an appetizer, 4 as an entrée

For the Seafood Lover in You!

Depressed about your local Red Lobster closing? Don't be, because here's a great, light summer pasta dish with plenty of shrimp. Yasmin Fahr, who wrote the new cookbook Cook Simply Fully, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her Garlicky Shrimp with Angel Hair Pasta. She says this is a very tasty, dish that's full off good stuff. Things like anchovies, tomatoes, and of course plenty of other vegetables. It's a pasta dish that will fill you up, without leaving you feeling full!

Love Letters to the Home Chef

 

One of the things you'll find, beside healthy and delicious recipes, in Marisa Moore's new cookbook are love letters, made out to the meal you just prepared. Marisa, who's the author of The Plant Love Kitchen,  stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about why she wants you to feel good about what you just made and hopefully are enjoying. Marisa admits it was her publisher's idea, but she ran with it and added special notes to many of her recipes, including one involving shrimp and succotash. Marisa told Tonia that while the recipe includes many southern staples like okra, this is a much healthier take on southern classic soul food.

If You Can't Make it To The Tropics....

   

Then bring the tropics to your kitchen. And while a trip to the Caribbean or even Arizona might help with the bitter chill, that's not always going to happen. But here's something to warm you up! Lee Clayton Roper, who wrote the cookbook Fresh Tastes, stopped by Tonia's Kitchen to talk about her recipe for Chipotle Lime Shrimp Tacos with Tomato Mango Salsa.  How Tropical! Lee told Tonia there's a number of flavors at work here, including a smoky depth that comes from the Chipotle. There's also a number of colors that combine thanks to the Tomato Mango Salsa. It's truly a trip to the tropics on your plate. If this doesn't warm you up, there's a always a trip to Florida.

CHIPOTLE LIME SHRIMP TACOS WITH TOMATO MANGO SALSA  

SERVES: 4  

CHIPOTLE LIME SHRIMP  

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil  

1/4 cup fresh lime juice  

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro  

2 teaspoons puréed chipotle peppers in adobo sauce  

1 teaspoon ground cumin  

1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic or shallot  

3/4 teaspoon sugar  

1 1/2 pounds large (21 to 30 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined  

TOMATO MANGO SALSA  

2 small champagne mangoes or 1 regular mango, peeled, seeded and finely chopped  

2 medium ripe tomatoes, seeded and chopped  

3 tablespoons chopped red onion  

1 (2- to 3-inch) serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and chopped  

1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped  

Dash ground nutmeg
 

Dash ground cinnamon 


Salt, to taste  

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste  

1/4 lime
 

8 (5-inch) flour tortillas, warmed  

Soak 15 (12-inch) long wooden skewers in water for at least 30 minutes.  

To make the marinade for the shrimp: In the bowl of an electric blender, process the olive oil, lime juice, cilantro, chipotle peppers, cumin, garlic and sugar until well blended. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Set aside.  

Thread about 6 shrimp on each skewer, piercing through the head and the tail of each shrimp so they form a “u” on the skewer. Place them in a large baking dish or rimmed baking sheet (you may need to turn them on their side to fit). Drizzle with the marinade; turn skewers, making sure each shrimp is coated. Set aside for 1 hour.  

To make the salsa: In a medium mixing bowl, combine mangos, tomatoes, red onion, pepper, cilantro, nutmeg and cinnamon. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Squeeze the juice from the lime over the top; stir until well blended.  

Preheat grill to high.  

Oil grill rack and grill shrimp skewers, uncovered, for 3 minutes (see Tip). When the shrimp no longer stick to the grill surface, flip over. Grill for an additional 2 to 4 minutes or until cooked through (watch carefully so they don’t burn). Serve with warmed tortillas and the salsa.  

MAKE AHEAD: Marinade and salsa can be made up to 24 hours in advance, covered and refrigerated.