Posted by community member jfield:

Risotto with Garlic Shrimp

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

1 LB 16-20 count shrimp – Peeled and deveined tail-on

1 cup (8 oz) Arborio rice

2 cups chicken stock*

1 cup clam stock*

2 tbsp butter or margarine

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (separated)

1 medium onion – diced small

¼ cup grated Parmesan (fresh if possible)

2 cloves fresh garlic – minced

½ Lemon juiced

2 Tbsp fresh parsley – chopped

Salt and Pepper

Directions:
In a medium saucepan, combine stocks and heat to a boil.  Reduce heat but keep just below a boil.
In a separate large saucepan, sauté onion in 2 tbsp olive oil and butter over medium heat for about 3 minutes.  Add rice and stir for about 2 minutes.  Stir in 1 cup of stock and stir continually until absorbed.  Continually cook, and stir in remaining stock ½ cup at a time. Make sure that all the stock is absorbed before adding the next ½ cup.  This should take about 30-40 minutes in total.  While the risotto is cooking (when you have 1 cup of stock left), sauté garlic in 1 tbsp olive oil over medium heat in a large fry pan.  Add shrimp and lemon juice.  Salt and pepper shrimp to taste and sauté until shrimp are bright pink and just start to curl, about 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat.  Do not overcook, as they will continue to cook in the pan.

As the shrimp are finishing, the final ½ cup of stock should be absorbed into the rice.  Lightly salt and pepper the risotto.  Remember that salt is already contained in the stock and on your shrimp so make sure you taste as you season.  Portion the rice into individual serving dishes and grate the Parmesan over the top.  Place the shrimp onto each dish, garnish with parsley and serve immediately.

*May be substituted with vegetarian/chicken stock if desired

Posted by community member jfield:

Jerk Rubbed Pork Chops

Serves 4

Ingredients:
4 boneless pork chops
2 tbs. Jamaican Jerk seasoning*
⅓ cup soy sauce
¼ cup honey
Juice of ½ lime

Directions:
Mix together Jerk seasoning, soy sauce, honey, and lime juice in a bowl.  Place pork chops in a large container (you can use a Ziploc type bag if you wish) and cover with sauce.  Refrigerate at least three hours, turning once.  Grill on med-high heat for about 4 minutes per side, turning once (or until desired doneness).  Remember thinner chops will cook much quicker.  Serve with Caribbean inspired sides, such as black beans and rice and sautéed sweet plantains.

*May be purchased at most grocery or specialty food stores or made with a simple mix of the following:
1 tablespoon onion flakes
1 tablespoon onion powder
2 teaspoons ground thyme
2 teaspoons ginger
2 teaspoon dried chives
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne
1 teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon mustard seed
¼ teaspoon fennel seed
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Posted by community member jfield:

Spice Rubbed Salmon with Thai Green Curry Sauce

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

4 Boneless Salmon Filets
3 tbsp olive oil
½ lime (cut in sections to squeeze)

RUB

1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp dried basil
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander

GREEN CURRY SAUCE

2 tbsp Thai green curry paste
1 15 oz can coconut milk
1 Cup chicken broth
2 tbsp fish sauce
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tbsp fresh basil (chopped)
Juice of ½ lime

DIRECTIONS:
1.  Preheat grill to med-high heat.

2.  Make a tray out of aluminum foil large enough to hold the salmon fillets, shiny side down.  Grease with olive oil, and place the salmon fillets (skin side down) in the tray.

3.  Squeeze half a lime over the fillets.

4.  Mix together the ingredients for the rub (salt through coriander) in a small bowl.  Sprinkle evenly over fillets.

5.  Place the tray onto the hot grill, and cook about 10 minutes (or until desired temperature).  Do not overcook salmon, as it will be dry and rubbery if you do

6.  While the salmon is cooking, mix all curry sauce ingredients (curry paste through basil) in a small saucepan, and simmer for about 5 minutes.

7.  Plate salmon with jasmine or basmati rice and spoon green curry sauce over salmon.

*May be baked in an oven at 475°F for about 15 minutes, if a grill is not available

Posted by community member jfield:

Vietnamese Summer Rolls – (gỏi cuốn)

Makes 8 rolls – Serves 6-8 as appetizer

Ingredients:

8 – 8½ inch Rice Paper Wrappers (I suggest getting a few extras for breakage)

1  Seedless Cucumber – Julienne cut

1  Avocado – peeled and sectioned into 16 thin wedges

8 oz carrot – Extra fine julienne cut

3 heads bib lettuce

16 large fresh Thai basil leaves – cut in half lengthwise

1 cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves (can use cilantro if preferred)

2 oz cellophane noodles (can use thin spaghetti if preferred)

4 Scallions – thin sliced and cut into 4-inch sections

Sriracha  hot chili sauce

Directions:

Soak cellophane noodles in hot lightly salted water until tender (about 20-30 mins).  Drain and cut noodles into 3-inch sections using a knife or kitchen shears and set aside.

Set aside enough bib lettuce leaves to cover your serving tray.

Lay a large damp kitchen towel down on your work surface and then place your ingredients, in separate bowls, within reach.

Fill a large mixing bowl with warm water and place it on the back of your towel.

Dip one wrapper into the bowl of water for 20 to 30 seconds and then lay it flat on your towel.

Leaving 1-inch open on each end of the rice paper, layer the following ingredients evenly down the middle of the wrapper; 3 tbsp cellophane noodles, a few scallions, some cucumber, some carrots, some mints leaves, some lettuce and 2 pieces of avocado.

Fold the two ends in and roll the bottom around the ingredients.  Before closing the top and finishing the roll, place two basil leaves inside the seam and run one squirt of Sriracha inside the length of the wrapper.  Complete by rolling towards the top.

If serving immediately, place the rolls onto a cutting board and cut in half with an angled slice.  Cover your serving tray with the extra bib lettuce leaves and place the cut rolls onto the tray.  Serve with Mae Ploy (Sweet Chili Sauce) and/or Peanut Dipping Sauce.

If serving later, do not cut rolls until served and store refrigerated in a container large enough that rolls do not touch and place a damp paper towel under them to keep them from drying out.

chimmichurri

Posted by community member Robert:

My buddy Sergio Di Sappio owns a great restaurant in Chicago called Tango Sur. He introduced me to chimmichurri, which the Argentines use to grill everything.  Here is my recipe:

Ingredients

• 5 cups of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 cups of Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 cup of fresh lime juice
• 10 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 pound of parsley
• 2 tablespoons of Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

Chop the garlic and the parsley.  Add the chopped magic to the Olive Oil, Apple Cider Vinegar and Lime juice mixture.  Add the Red Pepper Flakes and stir.  Here are my suggested marinating times for different things:

Fish and Shellfish 30 minutes to 1 hour

Chicken 1 to 2 hours

Pork 1 to 2 hours

Beef & Lamb 2 to 3 hours

You can grill, bake or pan fry anything with this marinade… I think it’s great.  And as my friend Jeff Dattilo would say, “Just Enjoy!”