Linguine with Shrimp and Scallops

We stayed with my mother-in-law recently, and the hubby likes to make sure that we make plenty of yummy food for her in exchange for taking over her house while we're there.

Also, I usually eat most of the contents of her candy bowl. There, I admitted it.

This is a modified version of a Rachael Ray recipe, which we made because my mother-in-law loves seafood (especially scallops). This dish is sort of like the shrimp scampi that I make for the hubby, but with more lemon and less heat.

Linguine with Shrimp and Scallops
Serves 2-3

8 ounces linguine
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, and patted dry
1/2 pound sea scallops, muscle removed, and patted dry
1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 lemon
1/2 stick butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup white wine

1. Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions, and reserve 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.

2. Meanwhile, toss shrimp and scallops with Old Bay seasoning and half a lemon, cut in slices. Set aside.

3. Melt butter over low heat and stir in garlic and crushed red pepper flakes. Let bubble gently for 10 minutes.

4. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp, scallops, and sliced lemon.

5. Cook 5-6 minutes, turning once, until seafood is opaque and are cooked through. Add wine and the juice of the remaining half of lemon to deglaze the pan.

6. Transfer mixture to a bowl.

7. Stir parsley into garlic butter. Add to seafood mixture.

8. Stir in pasta and the reserved pasta water and toss gently. Let pasta sit for a few minutes until liquid is absorbed by pasta. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Chinese Crab Cakes

I suffer from extreme indecisiveness, which is one reason why I'm thrilled when the hubby picks up a cookbook and asks me to make a particular recipe. In this case, the hubby pointed to a picture of some Chinese crab cakes in a small cookbook with no apparent author, and said, "These look good."

Very well, then.

Not only was this my first time making crab cakes, but this was my first time cooking with lump crabmeat. This was an adventure for me, because according to the unnamed author of this cookbook, I should attempt to save myself some cash and choose refrigerated, special grade crabmeat for this recipe, which is cheaper than lump crabmeat and already flaked.

Now, crabs aren't exactly indigenous to North Dakota. So ... I don't really have much of a choice. My options were the canned crabmeat or the vacuum-packed, refrigerated, "exclusive" lump crabmeat. With the $1 per pound difference, well, I went for the good stuff. (I had pictured myself returning home with a plastic container full of fresh crabmeat. But Barefoot Contessa, I ain't.)

So in addition to being a recipe that I've never tried, it was quite the spendy endeavor. And did I mention that I don't care for seafood?

Luckily, the crab cakes turned out wonderfully. The hubby loved them. The little man loved them. I deemed my taste to be surprisingly yummy for something that includes seafood ... not overly fishy, and the sesame oil is a standout. Go team!

Chinese Crab Cakes
Makes 4 servings (2 cakes each)

1 lb. fresh or canned pasteurized lump crabmeat
1/2 c. plus 1/3 c. panko bread crumbs, divided
2 eggs
2 green onions, chopped
1 Tbsp. dark sesame oil
1 Tbsp. grated fresh ginger
1 Tbsp. Chinese hot mustard
2 Tbsp. canola oil, divided
1/2 c. sweet and sour sauce, for dipping (optional)

1. Combine crabmeat, 1/2 c. panko, eggs, green onions, sesame oil, ginger, and mustard in large bowl. Mix well, using a fork.

While you're doing this, you might also want to sift through the crabmeat for any shells. Now, my hoity-toity packaging said "virtually shell-free," but that's just not good enough for me.

2. Shape mixture into 8 patties about 1/2" thick. (This is about 1/3 c. of mixture.)

3. Heat 1 Tbsp. oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet.

4. Place remaining 1/3 c. or so of panko on a plate. Dip each crab cake lightly in panko to coat.

The cakes were very fragile at this point, but adding the panko to the outside not only makes the finished cakes crispier, but also makes the uncooked cakes easier to handle.

5. Add 4 crab cakes to skillet and cook 3-4 minutes per side, until golden brown. (I had to crank up the heat to medium-high to get them as golden as the hubby wanted them.) Repeat with remaining cakes. Serve warm with sweet and sour sauce, if desired.

Steamed Snow Crab Legs

The hubby and I had a few things going on this week, including a child-care class. The hubby was the star student. ("Why do babies cry?" "Because they can!") And some friends of mine threw a lovely, fun baby shower for me, and everyone spoiled me rotten. I have really great friends. Many of them are my co-workers, as well, which makes things even more fun. I was giddy.

But giddiness is exhausting. Aside from wrapping things in bacon on Monday, I didn't really cook this week, opting instead to come home from work and sleep in my recliner. The hubby brought me food. And flowers. ("Aw, you brought me roses? And a chicken!")

So today, we made up for lost time and cooked a surf 'n' turf feast for the hubby's mom and sister. The hubby was in charge of the steak, snow crab, and salad, while I took care of the strawberry-rhubarb pie, roasted garlic smashed potatoes, and cheddar-garlic biscuits (more recipes to follow).

Why yes, we do this every Saturday at 11:45 a.m.

Or maybe not. The hubby had never had really fresh-steamed snow crab before, but was intrigued by them, so we decided to give it a go. There are a variety of cooking methods for snow crab -- steaming, boiling, baking, and grilling, to name a few. We chose steaming because, well, everyone on the interweb seemed to recommend it. And it was fast and seemed foolproof.

You should be able to find frozen snow crab clusters at your local supermarket. They're precooked, so all you really need to do when cooking them is to heat them through. But they do tend to lose flavor as soon as they're thawed. We left ours frozen until about a half-hour before we were going to steam them; then we ran them under some water to melt off the ice. Then into the steamer basket they went.

The results were excellent, or so I'm told (I don't eat seafood). But we had ourselves a nice little party, complete with seafood crackers, little seafood forks, and lots o' garlic-infused lemon butter.

And then we napped.

Steamed Snow Crab Legs
Serves 4

1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 stick butter
1 clove garlic
1 lemon, cut in wedges
3-4 pounds frozen snow crab clusters

1. Heat water to boiling in a pot with a steamer insert. Add salt.

2. Meanwhile, heat butter and garlic in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.

3. Rinse snow crab clusters, so they're no longer covered in ice, like this.

These are huge, by the way -- much bigger than I was expecting. And also a lot longer than our steamer basket. You might have to bend the claws inward, like a giant skeletal hand, to make them fit.

I found this a bit creepy. But we moved on.

4. Add crab clusters to steamer basket insert, and steam about 5 to 7 minutes, until heated through. (We went with 7, because we hadn't thawed our clusters for very long.)

5. Remove butter from heat. Remove garlic clove, and squeeze two lemon wedges into butter. Stir and pour into serving dishes.

6. Serve crab with melted butter and additional lemon wedges.

Smoked Paprika Shrimp with Sweet Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

The hubby and I spent most of our free time this week shopping for a TV and a daycare. We're batting .500. This may surprise you, but a TV is actually a lot easier to find. I'm getting a lot of that whole "Don't call us; we'll call you" thing. I assume that means "We don't want your kind here," not "We don't have any open spots."

After a busy day of daycare tours and naps, I had just enough time to throw together a recipe the hubby had been wanting to try. This is a modified version of a McCormick recipe that the hubby saw in bon appetit.

Yes, he reads it for the pictures.

This dish makes a good light main course, and would be perfect as an appetizer or an addition to a tapas party. Note that the sauce recipe makes a ton; if you plan on doubling or even quadrupling the shrimp, you can make the same amount of sauce and be fine. You can also substitute chicken for the shrimp, if you're so inclined. I'm not a shrimp person, so I made a batch of each.

This recipe did call for agave nectar, which I couldn't find. (I was going to run over and ask to borrow some from the neighbor, but he was gone.) Apparently honey is an approved substitute. So if you can find the agave nectar, give it a try, but don't sweat it.

Smoked Paprika Shrimp with Sweet Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Makes 2 main dish servings

Sauce
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. chopped red onion
3 Tbsp. agave nectar or honey
1 12-oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained
1/2 c. chicken broth
1/2 c. heavy cream
1 Tbsp. tomato paste

Shrimp:
1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (optional)
1/2 tsp. Sicilian Sea Salt (obviously, McCormick would like you to use theirs; I had hickory smoked sea salt on hand, so I used that)
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 green onions, thinly sliced

1. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook and stir until softened, about 2-3 minutes. Add agave nectar or honey; cook and stir until onion starts to caramelize, about 1 minute.

2. Place onion mixture, roasted peppers, broth, cream, and tomato paste in blender or food processor. Puree until smooth.

3. Pour sauce into a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened.

4. Meanwhile, toss shrimp with 1 Tbsp. olive oil. Sprinkle with paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper, and mix up with your hands or a fork.

Although we use fresh shrimp on occasion, we typically use frozen because that's what we always keep on hand. North Dakota is the geographical center of North America. That means we're as far as you can get from a fresh seafood supply.

Toss THAT one out during a conversational lull at your next cocktail party, huh?

5. Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp. Cook and stir about 3 minutes, or until shrimp turn pink.

6. Sprinkle shrimp with green onion, and serve with sauce.

Shrimp Scampi

The hubby once told me how much he enjoyed ordering shrimp scampi when we went out, and I always take that sort of comment as a challenge to learn how to make a dish at home. It didn’t look like it would be too difficult. Garlic, wine, lots of butter … and shrimp.

I don’t like shrimp. I realize it goes against foodie ways to swear off a food entirely, but I. Don’t. Like. Shrimp. I apologize. It’s a texture thing. (You wouldn’t believe how many people try to change my mind on this. That just makes me not like it even more.)

Anyway, I did some research and came up with what I think is the perfect shrimp scampi for the hubby. And then, because even a great wife has her limits, I made him help me make it. Because I didn’t want to be the only one in the house who knew how to make a dish that I didn’t want to eat. Selfish, huh?

We had a fun time experimenting with the recipe. I had never cooked with shrimp before; the hubby had never minced garlic or used my pretty, shiny saute pan. And at one point, he started pulling individual hairs from my head. Because my recipe called for angel hair.

The hubby declared the scampi to be wonderful, and now he makes this dish on a regular basis, and for family and friends.

And what do I do while the hubby is enjoying his delectable shrimp scampi? Sometimes, like tonight, I eat something else. But I also worked on creating an equally delicious chicken scampi recipe, which I shall post the next time I make it.

Shrimp Scampi
Serves 3-4

10 oz. angel hair (cappellini)
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. minced onion (optional)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1½ lbs. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
½ c. white wine
3 Tbsp. fresh minced parsley or 1 Tbsp. dried parsley
¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
4 oz. butter
Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cook and drain pasta as directed on package.

We proudly support our local Dakota Growers. When they make the shapes we want. (The hubby loves product placement.)

2. Meanwhile, heat oil over medium heat in a saute pan. Add onion and saute 1-2 minutes; add garlic and saute 1 minute.

3. Add shrimp and cook 1-2 minutes, or until shrimp is pink.

4. Add remaining ingredients and cook until butter is melted and sauce is slightly reduced.

5. Serve over pasta.

Tapas Party

Although we’d planned on having smoked ribs today, the weather didn’t cooperate, so we had a tapas party for two, instead.

The best thing about a tapas party is that when you say “tapas,” it sounds a lot like “topless.” Needless to say, the hubby was very excited.

Of the four dishes I made, three of them – the chicken, shrimp, and chorizo – are Rachael Ray recipes or were based on them. And I just threw the potatoes together. Because deep down we’re good, Midwestern, meat-and-potatoes folk. Which is also why we ate this with crusty bread. (I was raised to eat with bread in one hand and a fork in the other.)

I loved all the dishes, except the shrimp, because I don’t eat shrimp. My shrimp-loving hubby, who excels as a recipe troubleshooter, says he would recommend grilling the shrimp before tossing them into the infused oil. Duly noted. In spite of this, he ate all the shrimp, while suffering only minor injuries.*

*Surgeon General’s warning: Squirting hot red pepper oil into your eye while biting into shrimp may cause temporary blindness.

Chorizo Tapas
Serves 2-3

A drop of olive oil
2 links (about 6-8 oz.) smoked chorizo, sliced on an angle in ½” slices
A few splashes Rioja wine

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat until pan smokes.

2. Add chorizo slices and brown for about a minute on each side.

3. Add a few splashes of Rioja to the pan, and shake pan until wine is mostly evaporated.

4. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving dish.

Piquillo Potatoes
Serves 2-3

2 medium red potatoes
1 Tbsp. olive oil
½ medium red onion, chopped
1 roasted piquillo pepper*, chopped
½ tsp. hot pimenton
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh parsley, minced, for garnish

*Piquillo peppers are Spanish peppers. They’re available roasted and jarred. You can substitute roasted red peppers.

1. Scrub the potatoes and poke them with a fork. Microwave them about 5-6 minutes, or until tender. (You can also boil them; I didn’t have enough burners). Cut the potatoes in bite-sized chunks.

2. Heat oil in a heavy pan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and saute 2-3 minutes, or until it starts to brown. Add piquillo pepper and saute 1 minute.

3. Add potatoes to pan. Sprinkle with pimento, salt, and pepper, and saute 2-3 minutes.

4. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Herbed Chicken Tapas
Serves 2-3

1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in bite-sized pieces
2 Tbsp. olive oil
Juice of ½ lemon
1 stem fresh rosemary, leaves striped and minced
¾ tsp. dried thyme
Salt and pepper, to taste
¼ c. chicken broth

1. Toss chicken with oil, lemon juice, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper. Let sit about 10 minutes.

2. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan, reserving marinade. Cook 6-7 minutes, or until golden and cooked through. Remove chicken from pan.

3. Add chicken broth to reserved marinade. Pour marinade mixture to pan, and scrape any loose bits from the pan into it. Pour over chicken in serving dish.


Shrimp Pil-Pil
Serves 2-3

½ lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on (can uses frozen, if thawed)
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ c. olive oil
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp. sweet smoked paprika
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley, minced

1. If desired, grilled shrimp beforehand, seasoning with salt and pepper.

2. In a skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic, crushed red pepper, and paprika. Cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.

3. Add shrimp to pan, seasoning with salt and pepper if not previously grilled. Cook about 1-2 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and stir in parsley. Transfer to serving dish.