Tortillitas de Camerones

Friday, January 27th, 2012 | posted by mike

Serves tapas for 5 or 2 for main course

10-12 oz. Maine shrimp (or gulf shrimp cut into 1/2 inch pieces) peeled

2/3 cup chickpea flour, sold at Sparrow Produce in Kerrytown

1/3 cup white flour

1/2 t baking powder

3/4 cup water

2 T onion (finely chopped)

2 T flat leaf parsley finely chopped

1t salt

1 t black pepper

Olive oil

Add flour to mixing bowl along with baking powder, salt and pepper. Slowly add water while vigorously whisking to get all the lumps out. The consistency should be somewhere between milk and cream. This is a very light batter, it may even appear too light but it should firm up nicely. Stir in shrimp, parsley and onions.

In a med. non-stick pan over high heat add about 1/2 inch of olive oil and when sizzling hot (not quite smoking) spoon in pancakes (about 4-6 inch diameter each) fry for about 2 min. a side or until nicely browned.

Mark Bittman’s method is for one big pancake, served cut into triangles.

If you try this style and don’t have the experience to flip ‘em in the pan, then transfer to plate when one side is finished and then flip it back into pan.

The larger tortillitas will take around 3 min. a side

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Thai Style Maine Shrimp Cakes

Friday, January 20th, 2012 | posted by mike

Serves 4

1 1/2 lb. Maine shrimp – peeled (no need to devein because they’re so small)

Peanut or vegetable oil

1 egg

3 scallions- white section with some green, finely chopped

1/2 t fish sauce

1/2 t sriracha sauce

1 T lime juice

1/2 cup panko crumbs

1/2 bunch cilantro- chopped (set aside for garnish)

Dipping sauce

1/2 cup sweet chili sauce

1 T fish sauce

Juice of 1 lime

1t sriracha sauce- or more if you like it hot

1 t rice wine vinegar

1 scallion- white section with some green, sliced very thinly

 

Purée shrimp in food processor and transfer to mixing bowl

Add egg and stir in until evenly mixed

Stir in rest of ingredients (except cilantro)

Heat non-stick pan over med. heat

Add enough oil to cover bottom of pan about 1/8 inch

When oil is sizzling hot, spoon shrimp mix (about a heaping soup spoon full to make 2-3 inch wide cakes. I flatten them out with a spatula after adding them to pan

Fry for 3-4 min a side or until golden brown and just opaque in the center

Serve with dipping sauce on the side or basted over the top and sprinkle with cilantro

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Tuna Tataki

Friday, January 13th, 2012 | posted by mike

Serves 4

1/2- 3/4 lb. Sashimi grade tuna- cut into long, approximately 1¼ x 2 ½” logs

1/4 cup black sesame seeds

1 T coarse black pepper

1 T peanut oil or olive oil

 

Mike’s Makeshift Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup Kikkoman  ponzu

1/2 T fresh lemon juice

1 t fish sauce

1/2-1 t sriracha sauce to taste

1 T sake or vermouth

(all ingredients except sake or vermouth available at Monahan’s)

 

Mix sesame seeds and black pepper and spread out on a cutting board

Roll and press tuna log to evenly coat each side

Heat a heavy pan or skillet over med- high heat

Add oil, when hot add tuna and sear about 1-2 min on each side – flip when fish looks cooked about 1/8 inch into the log

With a thin very sharp knife, slice thin (about 1/8 inch) and fan out on the plate

Serve with dipping sauce

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Monahan's Mignonette for Oysters

Friday, January 6th, 2012 | posted by mike

Mignonette is one of our favorite, simple accompaniments for oysters on the half shell.

Makes 1/2 cup

1/4 C champagne vinegar

1/4 C fine quality red wine vinegar

2 T finely chopped shallots

1 T of a mixture of finely chopped jalepeño (adjust to your taste), red, green, and yellow peppers

coarsely ground peppercorns to taste

Combine all ingredients and chill. Serve with chilled oysters on the half shell.

For a special treat, top the oyster with some salmon roe (ikura).

 

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