Shrimply Irresistible

I'm a shrimp lover from way back; I could double as Forest Gump's friend Bubba in describing all the shrimp dishes that I love.  This summer, Mexican shrimp have been showing up here in San Diego at great prices, and I've got a freezer full of my favorite crustacean just waiting to be transformed into new dishes.  Leftover Chino Farm corn gave me the inspiration to make a soup with a Cajun twist, the sweet corn and shrimp are balanced by the heat of the Cajun seasoning.  This soup is terrific any time of the year, but when fresh corn is available,it's spectacular.          

Cut the corn off the cob

Better than Bouillon reconstituted lobster stock, Penzeys' Cajun seasoning, flour and corn from the cob

Cooking the shallots and Cajun seasoning

Add the flour, and cook for 3 minutes after white bubbles form on the bottom of the pan

Add the stock and bring back to a boil, otherwise it won't thicken correctly

Add the corn and break it up

Cooked shrimp, chop up large ones, you want the shrimp to be bite size

Looking good

Good enough to eat!


Creole Corn and Shrimp Soup

Serves 6

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

1/4 cup finely chopped shallot

1/4 cup finely diced celery

1 teaspoon Creole Seasoning or Old Bay Seasoning

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 cups seafood stock

4 cups white corn, fresh cut from the cob, or frozen and defrosted

1/2 pound medium cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup heavy cream

1/4 cup snipped chives

1. Melt the butter in a 4-quart saucepan and add the shallot, celery,and Creole Seasoning, sautéing for 3 minutes, until the shallot is softened.

2. Add the flour, and stir until the flour begins to bubble in the bottom of the pan.

3. Slowly add the stock, and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Add the corn, and bring to a boil. Simmer the soup for 3 to 4 minutes, add the cream and shrimp bring to serving temperature and serve garnished with chopped chives.

Cooks Note: If you would prefer to use chicken, substitute 2 cups of cooked chicken for the shrimp and chicken broth for the seafood stock. For a vegetarian soup, omit the shrimp and substitute vegetable broth for the seafood stock. I have a friend who makes this soup with leftover ham (about 2 cups cut into 1/2-inch dice)

I'm taking the weekend to finish my editing, so I'll be back early next week with eating and cooking adventures from the weekend. Although it's the end of the summer, I'm looking forward to a scrumptious fall!     

One Smart Chick

I'm not a big fan of chicken; serve me turkey,duck,or goose,and I'm a happy girl, but I find chicken tasteless and  dry to the point of being jerky: that is, until I met the Smart Chicken.  Now this is the place where you start saying, "well, where did it go to school, Harvard or Yale?"  Actually, these air chilled chickens don't have salt water pumped into them, it's just a chicken, air chilled, and sent to your supermarket. So, what do you do with a smart chicken? No, it won't do Junior's homework for him, but tonight I made a lemon oregano chicken in the oven, and it was succulent, juicy and nibble at the bone delicious.  I'm sold!  You will pay more for this chicken, but it's worth it to get something that tastes this good.  

I

I needed some lemon, so I walked out to the lemon tree (yes, this monster is a DWARF MEYER LEMON) and picked a few.  I'll tell you the story of the lemon tree another time, it's a great story of resurrection.  

 Good extra virgin olive oil, lemons, garlic, salt, and oregano.

 

 Here's the chicken:  there was none of that gooey mess in the bottom of the container, it was almost dry.  I cut up the chicken into pieces, and then poured a mixture of 1/2 cup olive oil, 1/3 cup lemon juice, 1 teaspoon sea salt, 6 cloves garlic, minced, and 2 teaspoons dried oregano over the chicken in an ovenproof pan.  Broil the chicken until it is golden brown on all sides, then heat the oven to 350 degrees, and cook another 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (165 degrees on an instant read meat thermometer)  Remove from the oven, and squeeze a bit more lemon juice over the chicken, and garnish with finely chopped oregano.  Voila, Smart Chicken!

 I couldn't resist some Chino farm corn to serve alongside! 

Happy Weekend everyone; enjoy these last days of summer.  I'll be back on Monday with more.