Shrimp and Crab Au Gratin

"Fourteen Romantic Seafood Recipes for Valentine's Day", "Seafood is For Lovers", and "Best Seafood Romantic Restaurant", are just three of a long list of Google results I got upon posing the question "Why is seafood romantic?".  No, I didn't get an answer to my query, but there is no arguing that seafood and romance are connected.  Fourteen recipes, huh?  Isn't that a bit much for a celebration that only lasts one day?  

This dish is rich, and creamy, and rich, and cheesy, and rich and spicy, and rich and just plain good.  My version calls for shrimp and crab, but you could omit the crab and still have a really special dish.

What's In It:

1 tbs. vegetable oil

6 tbs. unsalted butter

1 lb. white shrimp, peeled and deveined (Wild caught, never farmed)

1 8 oz. container crabmeat (Found in the seafood section of the market)

2 tsp. Emeril Lagasse's Original Essence

1/4 c. minced onion

1 1/2 tsp. minced garlic

2 tbs. + 2 tsp. all-purpose, unbleached flour

1 1/2 c. milk

1/2 c. heavy cream (If all you've got is 1/2 and 1/2, that'll do)

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 1/2 c. nacho cheese (A shredded mix of cheddar and monterrey jack cheese with a dash of spice.  If your market doesn't carry anything like that, sharp cheddar or jack cheese will do)

1 tbs. chive (preferably fresh)

Salt and pepper to taste

2 slices bread, toasted, and made into crumbs (optional)

How To Make It:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Spray 6 - 8 ramekins with cooking spray. (You can make this in a casserole dish but it does lose something in the translation.)

Heat vegetable oil and 1 tbs. butter in large skillet.

Meanwhile, season shrimp with Emeril Lagasse Original Essence.

Add to skillet.

Cook quickly, over high heat, just until done. (Shrimp will curl up and no longer be opaque)

Divide shrimp among prepared ramekins.

Melt 1 tbs. butter in emptied skillet

Add crab meat.

Sprinkle with 1 tbs. Emeril Lagasse Original Essence.

Stir and cook until heated through.

Spoon over shrimp in ramekins.

Melt 3 tbs. butter in small saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add minced onions and garlic, stir and cook 1 minute.

Add flour, all at once, and whisk while cooking for 2 to 3 minutes. (Do not allow to brown)

Add milk and cream.

Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce begins to boil and thicken, about 5 or 6 minutes.

Add lemon juice, chives, and 1 c. cheese.

Salt & pepper to taste.

Spoon sauce over crab and shrimp in ramekins.

Melt remaining tbs. of butter in another saucepan.

Add breadcrumbs and toss.

Sprinkle remaining 1/2 c. cheese evenly over sauce in ramekins, followed by bread crumbs.

Place ramekins on cookie sheet and bake until browned and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes.

Party Shrimp Mold

The 60's and 70's saw cooks, everywhere, attempting to congeal everything.   My octogenarian friend, Joy, seems intent on seeing none of us forget what she fondly recalls as her "cooking heyday".  She often meets me in the break room at work, spoon in hand, eager share a somewhat wobbly "little taste" of her tomato soup or beet salad.  

This recipe reminds me of something my mother might have served on penny-poker night while we kids played hide-and-seek in our very dank, very dark, very scary basement.  And, if she did, I guarantee there wouldn't be any left for us to forage at the end of the night, while our parents walked their guests out to the car. This is one of those dishes that tastes far better than it looks!

What's In It:

1 1/2 lb. med. wild-caught (never farm-raised...watch a documentary)shrimp, boiled (Don't forget to add the crab boil!),cooled and roughly chopped

1 c. chopped green onion tops

1 c. diced green bell pepper

1 c. finely chopped celery

12 oz. cream cheese, brought to room temperature

2 pkg. Gelatin (reserve 1/4 c. shrimp water in which to dissolve gelatin)

1 c. tomato soup, warmed

1 c. mayonnaise

How To Make It:

Spray mold with cooking spray.

Mix all ingredients except for shrimp and gelatin.

Dissolve gelatin in 1/4 shrimp water and add to mixture.

Refrigerate 15 to 20 minutes.

Add shrimp, mix well, and pour into prepared mold.

Refrigerate overnight.

Serve with your favorite cracker.

Crab Souffle

Spring has sprung!  Everything here is in bloom!    As I walked across a department store today, in search of something new and springy to wear to the office this week, my focus was diverted by an assortment of pastel colored Easter icons.  There were hopping bunnies, chirping chicks, and eggs of every size, color, and flavor.  This week, in honor of Spring's much anticipated arrival, we'll focus on her most iconic image, the egg.
You can't make a souffle without eggs.  Try it, I dare you.  This souffle calls for four.  It would take me at least 2 days to collect that number from my tiny flock of four.  But it'd be worth it.  Eggs give a souffle it's souffle.  They make it puffy, and rich, and buttery, and good.
One of my favorite things about this recipe is that as you read it, you can almost taste it.  Make it.  I dare you!

What's In It:

12 oz. fresh crab meat (Quality matters in this recipe.  Spend a couple more bucks for the best.)
1/2 loaf french bread, cubed (Reserve remaining half to serve with souffle)
8 oz. Muenster cheese, cubed
2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley (May substitute dried, if you must.  Increase to 3 tbs.)
1/4 cup shredded swiss cheese
4 eggs (Thank you Chloe, Sylvia, Pat, and Lucy!)
3 c. milk  (I only buy organic.  If I need antibiotics, I'll see my doctor.)
3 tbs. butter, chopped into pieces (Never margarine!)
2 tsp. mustard powder
1 1/2 tsp. grated fresh onion  (Substitute dried, if you must.  Increase to 2 1/2 tsp.)
1 tsp. minced fresh garlic  (I keep a jar of minced garlic in my refrigerator in case I run out of fresh)
1/2 tsp. white pepper

How To Make It:


Preheat over to 350 degrees.
Spray 2 1/2 qt. souffle dish with cooking spray.
Place single layer of bread cubes in bottom of prepared dish.
Cover with a layer of crab and a layer of Muenster cheese.  Sprinkle with parsley.
Repeat layers 2 more times.
Top with shredded swiss cheese.
Whisk together eggs, milk, butter pieces, mustard powder, onion, garlic and pepper.
Pour over layers.
Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Remove from refrigerator approximately one hour before cooking.  Dish should come to room temperature before cooking.
Bake 1 hour and 15 minutes or until puffed and golden brown on top.

30 Days of Holiday: Crazy Easy Crab Cocktail

This dip is outrageously easy to make, especially if you use bottled cocktail sauce.  But why would you?  Add just a few more ingredients and you can have yummy homemade cocktail sauce.  If you've never done it, do it.  You won't believe the difference.

Have fun with this dip! I've detailed a basic presentation below, but as you can see above, being creative doesn't require fancy dishes!

What's In It:

1 8 oz. block cream cheese

6 to 8 oz. canned crabmeat  (Crabmeat comes lots of ways.  You can find cans on the shelf next to tuna.  I've also seen it in foiled bags.  But I wouldn't buy either one of those.  Buy crab refrigerated in your grocer's meat and/or seafood department.)

1 12 oz. jar seafood cocktail sauce (Or make your own by combining 2 c. ketchup with 2 tbl. prepared horseradish and 1 tbl. chili sauce.  Once you've tasted your homemake cocktail sauce you'll never buy bottled again!)

1 head buttercrunch lettuce (Any ornamental lettuce will do)

How To Make It:

Place block of cheese on bed of lettuce.   Using a fork, place crabment on top of cheese allowing it to fall over sides of block.  Pour cocktail sauce over crab long-ways over cheese block.

Serve with your favorite brand of cracker.

© Copyright 2009-2010 Stacye Carroll All Rights Reserved

Tastes of Summer: Seafood Quiche and Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Despite the lack of rain, and some hideously warm temperatures, my gardens and my chickens flourish.
Last week, I pickled for two days.  I'll post those recipes later.
Yesterday, I found myself with several pounds of ripe zucchini and four dozen eggs, despite having given away two dozen earlier in the week.  My girls are prolific layers!
I polled my facebook friends for zucchini recipes and received an overwhelming response.  Many suggested frying slices.  Some shared their favorite grilling recipe, and a European friend shared a recipe involving yogurt and dill that can be used as spread on toast. I do plan to try that one later.
I settled on Chocolate Zucchini bread which I served for dessert after a dinner of Seafood Quiche.  I had thought to have salad with the quiche, but decided against it, as the flavors of the pie were meant to be savored.  They really needed no accompianment.  I hope you agree...

Seafood Quiche (adapted from "Emmaline and Hessie's Seafood Quiche as it appeared in the AJC)

This recipe calls for crabmeat and shrimp, but you could add any seafood you like.  Lobster and scallops would make a nice addition.

Serves 8.

Peel and devein 1/2 pound shrimp. Saute, in one tbl. butter and the seasoning of your choice. (I like Paul Prudhomme's Seafood Seasoning.) Remove from heat just as shrimp begin to get some color.


Bake refrigerated pie shell according to package directions.  (I usually bake a few minutes less than suggested to prevent over-browning.  Be sure to bring the shell up and over the rim of the dish as the filling fills the shell completely.)  Upon removing baked shell from oven, reduce temperature to 325 degrees.

What's in it:

1 tbl. butter
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1/4 c. finely chopped bell pepper (I used chili bells as that is what I have in my garden.  The extra spice was nice.)
1/4 c. finely chopped celery
1/2 crab meat (check for shells)
Cooked shrimp
1 c. grated swiss cheese
1 1/4 c. scalded half and half
2 eggs, plus 2 yolks, beaten (Thank you Chloe, Sylvia, Pat, & Lucy!)
1 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. Old Bay Seafood Seasoning
Pinch chopped basil  (I use fresh, for the flavor and the added color.)

How to make it:
While the crust bakes, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Saute' onion, bell pepper, and celery until translucent, about 5 minutes.  Add crabmeat and shrimp.  Pour into baked crust.  Sprinkle with grated cheese.
Combine scalded half and half, eggs, salt, and Old Bay Seasoning.  Pour over cheese.  Sprinkle with basil.
Bake in 325 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes, or until set. 
Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing.


Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Double the chocolate, double the fun!  Next time, I'll add 1/2 c. toasted, chopped pecans or coconut to this very moist sweet bread.




What's in it:
2 (1 oz) squares unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs (Thank you Chloe, Sylvia, Pat, & Lucy!)
2 c. white sugar
1 c. vegetable oil
2 c. grated zucchini
1 tsp. vanilla extract (Never imitation!)
2 c. all-purpose, unbleached flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 c. semisweet chocolate chips

How to make it:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Generously spray 2 9x5 loaf pans with cooking spray.  Microwave chocolate for 30 seconds.  Stir, and heat for 20 seconds more.  Stir until smooth.
In large bowl, combine eggs, sugar, oil, grated zucchini, vanilla and chocolate.  Beat well.  Stir in flour, soda, salt, and cinnamon.  Fold in chocolate chips.  Pour batter into prepared pans.
Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Allow to cool before slicing.









© Copyright 2009-2010 Stacye Carroll All Rights Reserved