Tag: #appetizer

Super Crunch Coconut Shrimp

On By Leslie Byars RegisterIn appetizers, Ask Leslie, Buy the Book, mains, The Parties, The Recipes6 Comments

I have to admit, I’m a seafood snob. When I decide to cook any seafood, I go to the most reputable seafood market in town. I don’t cook it that often, but when I do I want it to be as fresh as possible. And it is usually about the same price as what you can find at the grocery store.

“I don’t mess around when it comes to purchasing seafood—a business that relies solely on it to survive is your best bet.”

Seafood markets have a quick turnover and take great care at preserving their fresh catches.

For this impressive recipe, you will need the large size shrimp, 16 to 20 count per pound. The tails remain attached for easy dipping. It takes only a few minutes to devein and butterfly this larger size shrimp. If you can find this size deveined with tail in tact, all the better, but it really is quick for this amount.

Look how pretty these babies are!

“Don’t be afraid to fry.”

This recipe easily can be adjusted for any size crowd. Allow for two per person (at least) for an appetizer portion.

“I’d rather have 2 to 3 fried ones than 6 baked!”

I’ve never felt more like an accomplished, professional fryer until I made this recipe. It worked. I know frying can be intimidating to attempt when you have a house full of guests, or when trying it for the first time, but trust me, once the shrimp are breaded, it takes only about 5 minutes to fry the entire batch!

This is my first attempt EVER at frying coconut shrimp. This is SO easy. (I”m a paper towel snob too.) Paper towels by Bounty, bounty.com

I can’t think of a more delicious appetizer or main course—that’s relatively inexpensive. The dipping sauce is two ingredients. Yes, I said two!

“I can’t do a cheese plate for under 50 bucks!”

Take this to your next gathering, or cook it whenever you are hosting. They will be gobbled up, I promise. So let’s get started!

“I love a recipe with the WOW factor.”

Super Crunch Coconut Shrimp

Makes 16 to 20 shrimp

 

1 pound large shrimp, 16 to 20 count, peeled and deveined, tails attached

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

2 eggs

1 cup sweetened coconut

¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs

½ cup orange marmalade

¼ cup Thai chili sauce

3 to 4 cups vegetable oil

Lime wedges, optional

 

With a paring knife, butterfly the peeled shrimp. (Learn from Leslie: This is basically making a deeper cut, without going completely through the shrimp, during the deveining process. This flattens them out, or to be more technical, it’s called butterflying. This allows more surface for the breading to stick.)

Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Combine well; set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk eggs with a fork or a whisk, beating well; set aside.

In a food processor, pulse the coconut several times to make the pieces smaller. (I use my mini-chopper for this.) Combine the pulsed coconut with the Panko in a third bowl. Now you are ready to start the breading process.

Set up your dipping station. I like to keep one hand dry and one hand wet! You’ll see what I mean once you start dredging.
In a shallow dish you will be able to do two or three at one time. Be sure to coat the shrimp completly in the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

Dip prepared shrimp into flour mixture, then eggs, allowing any excess to drip off before dipping it into coconut mixture. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Repeat with remaining shrimp.

You now can easily see how the shrimp are supposed to look after they have been butterflied and breaded.

Combine marmalade and chili sauce in a small bowl for dipping.

“There is no need for ‘designer’ jelly. Any kind will do. I actually found the marmalade on special at the Piggly Wiggly for $1.95.”

Now here comes the fun! In a large cast-iron or heavy skillet, fill oil to about 1/2-inch depth. Heat to medium-high heat. (I test with a flake of coconut—if it “sizzles” with gusto (you are ready to start frying).

It goes really fast, so be ready once you start. It should take only about a minute per batch.

Fry 4 to 5 at a time, for about 1 minute, turning once. Remove shrimp and place on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Repeat until all shrimp are cooked. Serve with dipping sauce. Garnish with lime wedges if desired.

Serve on vintage comic book pages for an extra “BANG.” They are easy to find. I actually saw some at my FedEx location the other day. But you can for sure find them at most flea markets or second-hand stores. I love the colors and age on the pages. They would also look cute in a basket with hotdogs or chicken fingers for a kids party. Note to self.

Drum roll…

Now here’s the good news. After you have fried the shrimp you can refrigerate them for several hours or up to 12 hours, and then simply reheat on a baking sheet at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. No one will even notice that they are not hot out of the oil. (I tested it and was amazingly surprised!)

So the frying and cleanup can be done before your guests arrive if you prefer. Either way you will be the appetizer super hero!    

Yields 16-20 pieces of Shrimp

Super Crunch Coconut Shrimp
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Ingredients

  • 1 pound large shrimp, 16 to 20 count, peeled and deveined, tails attached
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup sweetened coconut
  • ¾ cup Panko breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup orange marmalade
  • ¼ cup Thai chili sauce
  • 3 to 4 cups vegetable oil
  • Lime wedges, optional

Instructions

  1. With a paring knife, butterfly the peeled shrimp. (Learn from Leslie: This is basically making a deeper cut, without going completely through the shrimp, during the deveining process. This flattens them out, or to be more technical, it's called butterflying. This allows more surface for the breading to stick.)
  2. Combine flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl. Combine well; set aside.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk eggs with a fork or a whisk, beating well; set aside.
  4. In a food processor, pulse the coconut several times to make the pieces smaller. (I use my mini-chopper for this.) Combine the pulsed coconut with the Panko in a third bowl. Now you are ready to start the breading process.
  5. Dip prepared shrimp into flour mixture, then eggs, allowing any excess to drip off before dipping it into coconut mixture. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment or wax paper. Repeat with remaining shrimp.
  6. Combine marmalade and chili sauce in a small bowl for dipping.
  7. Now here comes the fun! In a large cast-iron or heavy skillet, fill oil to about 1/2-inch depth. Heat to medium-high heat. (I test with a flake of coconut—if it "sizzles" with gusto (you are ready to start frying).
  8. Fry 4 to 5 at a time, for about 1 minute, turning once. Remove shrimp and place on a paper towel to drain. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Repeat until all shrimp are cooked. Serve with dipping sauce. Garnish with lime wedges if desired.
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And if you are wondering, the chopsticks are not really needed. It’s the prop stylist in me coming out. I loved the color and graphic element they added to the photo. If you do remove the tails though, you might need a cute colorful pair or two!
It’s not too early to preorder for the holidays. I don’t have many books left, but I am happy to pre sell and ship when specified. Contact me for more details.

 

 

 

Pickled Shrimp and Veggies

On By Leslie Byars RegisterIn appetizers, Ask Leslie, Buy the Book, The Parties, The Recipes2 Comments

My bookshelves are filled with books, mostly cookbooks. It’s a good problem. I am obsessed with all types of cookbooks—old and new. When I want to try a new recipe, I go to my shelves and pull out a stack and start looking. No matter how many times I have looked at each of them, I always see a recipe I’ve never noticed before.

Pickled shrimp is a classic recipe that has been around for a long time. When I ran across Frank Stitt’s recipe from his first cookbook, Southern Table, I knew his recipe would be foolproof—his restaurant Highlands Bar and Grill did just win the James Beard’s Award for Most Outstanding Restaurant! That is good enough for me.

Here’s the cover of the book. If you don’t have one, I highly recommend. highlandsbarandgrill.com
This shrimp cooking process and marinade are inspired and adapted from Frank Stitt’s recipe. I added my own twist by adding capers, plus extra vegetables and seasonings.

I followed Frank’s shrimp cooking technique for this recipe, WELL ALMOST! I misread the instructions, which I do A LOT, and peeled the shrimp before I boiled them. So, FYI, if you are in a hurry and want to buy your shrimp peeled and ready to go, the recipe WILL work both ways. But, when in doubt, go with the professional chef and James Beard Award winner’s recommendations.

Cooking the Shrimp

In a large pot filled with water, combine 1 onion, quartered, 1 celery stalk, cut into 3 to 4 large pieces, 1 lemon, sliced, and several parsley sprigs. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Add a tablespoon of salt, and shrimp. Allow the water to return to a simmer and then remove from the heat. The shrimp will turn pink. Drain and peel (if you have not already done that!). Set aside while preparing the ingredients and making the marinade.

The Ingredients

2 ½ pounds cooked medium-size shrimp, peeled

2 lemons, thinly sliced

½ red onion, sliced

1 fennel bulb, sliced

1 bell pepper, cut into bite-size pieces

5 to 6 pieces of fresh okra, cut in half lengthwise (look for smaller ones)

2 small pickling cucumbers, sliced

2 jalapeños, sliced (do not remove seeds)

1 carrot, peeled and sliced

4 tablespoons capers

6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

12 to 14 bay leaves (I use fresh)

The Marinade

1 ¾ cups olive oil

1 cup white wine vinegar

½ cup fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons celery seeds

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Once the shrimp is cooked, then it’s playtime!

Be creative… jalapeños, peppers, carrots, cucumbers, red onion, okra, …etc.

 

A handful of fresh okra adds a southern twist to this tasty appetizer.
I prefer using a red onion instead of yellow. I guess it’s the artist in me that likes that extra pop of color!
You can use all of one bell pepper or part of several different colored ones. Your call!
And, if you don’t have a bay leaf tree, go get one today. It will be the best $15 you have ever spent. The leaves are spectacular in the fresh form.
Now for the final step. Pack the shrimp and veggies tightly in a jar or jars, then pour the marinade over to cover. Place in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. It will keep for several days. This recipe makes about 8 cups and can easily be doubled or halved for any size crowd.
When ready to serve, simply pour the entire jar into a shallow, attractive bowl. Serve with toothpicks. (When divided into smaller, pint-size jars, this appetizer would make a wonderful gift during the holidays or anytime!)

The Tail Discussion (I’ve saved this for last.)

I know it’s proper and chef-like to leave the tails on shrimp. But let’s be honest, folks; they get in the way! So I prefer to remove them in 99% of all shrimp dishes. The fact is, I’m the one that cleans up during and after a party, and I’d rather not pick up shrimp tails on cocktail napkins all night long. So there you have it. Tails off, please.

The Toothpick Trick

I always love when I learn a new trick. Last weekend I took this recipe to the mountains. While I was choosing a serving bowl, my gracious host cut a lemon in half for the discarded toothpicks. It was such a great idea that I felt like sharing it.

Have a great week and stay cool!

I still have a few books left in the basement. If you need a gift or two go to Buy the Book on this post, or to my website at lesliespartydiaries.com

Squash It!

On By Leslie Byars RegisterIn appetizers, appetizers, Buy the Book, mains, sides2 Comments

Believe it or not, dining out almost always inspires me to cook. It’s like the first time I saw a Jackson Pollack painting.

I can do that!

Well, not exactly. He did invent the concept and technique. Anyway, back to the blog. For instance, while Sallie and I were in Charleston a few weeks ago, we went to the seasonal, farm-to-table restaurant The Grocery. The menu consisted of the usual seafood choices for that area and a very interesting selection of vegetables. In fact, several of the appetizers were vegetarian. Sallie and I started with a plate of roasted carrots and a baked spaghetti squash!

Motivated upon my return, I was inspired to try to re-create the squash first. I did not ask for the recipe, but this is my attempt to duplicate the yummy dish from The Grocery.

Spaghetti Squash Bowl

Serves 4 to 6 as a side, or 2 as a vegetarian main course

1 spaghetti squash

Olive oil

1 cup good-quality marinara sauce

4 ounces fresh mozzarella “pearls”

12 basil leaves, chiffonade, and extra for garnish

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

CAREFULLY cut the squash in half lengthwise. With a large tablespoon, scoop out all seeds, and discard. Drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place squash “cut side” down on a baking sheet, and cover tightly with foil.

It is always an option to boil the squash in a pot of water to soften skin if this is too hard for you to cut. I’ve always been able to cut it though. Take your time.
Flip squash over onto baking sheet.
Cover tightly with foil.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until tender. (This may vary slightly depending on size of squash.) Remove from oven, and shred squash with the tines of a fork.

How fun is this?
Place shredded squash into a medium bowl, reserving the squash shells.
Add remaining ingredients (except Parmesan cheese); combine thoroughly.

Place squash mixture back into the shells. Top with Parmesan cheese, and bake 25 to 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and the cheese has melted.

Garnish with fresh basil.

LESLIE LIKES: I’m enamored by the ease of these “pearls,” but if you cannot find them in your grocery store, simply substitute any cubed or shredded mozzarella.

My second squash recipe is quick and delicious and goes perfectly with steak, chicken, or any Mexican meal. Not only is it an inexpensive option, but it also looks beautiful on the plate. Think of it as a Southwestern succotash. If there are any leftovers, make a cheese and calabacitas quesadilla the next day. There are a million options for this simple recipe. Give it a try.

Healthy, delicious, and pretty. What more can a girl want? 

Leslie’s Calabacitas 

(A Southwestern Squash Sauté)

Serves 6 to 8

3 ears of fresh corn

2 yellow squash

2 zucchini

1 large sweet onion

1 to 2 fresh jalapeños, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon butter

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish with fresh basil, optional

A handful of ingredients make an impressive side.

With a knife, remove kernels from corncobs, and place in a medium bowl. Chop the remaining vegetables uniformly into a small dice (about ¼ to ½ inch); add to the bowl.

The chopping step can be done the day before; keep chilled in a ziplock bag.

Heat olive oil to medium-high heat; add all vegetables and garlic, and stir continuously for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender. Add butter, salt, and pepper. Serve immediately.

Yields 6-8 Servings

Leslie’s Calabacitas
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Ingredients

  • 3 ears of fresh corn
  • 2 yellow squash
  • 2 zucchini
  • 1 large sweet onion
  • 1 to 2 fresh jalapeños, minced
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Garnish with fresh basil, optional

Instructions

  1. With a knife, remove kernels from corncobs, and place in a medium bowl.
  2. Chop the remaining vegetables uniformly into a small dice (about ¼ to ½ inch); add to the bowl.
  3. Heat olive oil to medium-high heat; add all vegetables and garlic, and stir continuously for 10 to 15 minutes or until tender.
  4. Add butter, salt, and pepper.
  5. Serve immediately.
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Only one skillet to wash. Sweet!
This is only half of the recipe. It makes a lot!
I thought I would share a sneak peek of my natural light photo studio. (It’s the corner of my living room!)

It’s going to be a busy week as Jon and I try to get the garden planted. It’s time to plant herbs, vegetables, and flowers. Summer will be here soon. I hope!

I would love to hear from you. Don’t be shy about making comments or asking questions. I love getting mail! Leslie

Fond Food Memories

On By Leslie Byars RegisterIn breads & pastas, soups, The Recipes7 Comments

I often have trouble remembering someone’s name, but I never forget a good meal, whether in a restaurant or in someone’s home.

In the early ’90s, while I was on staff at Southern Living magazine, I remember going to dinner with friends at Chris and Idie Hastings’ house. Although it’s been almost 30 years ago, I can remember the meal they served.

Chris prepared a whole fish (I think snapper), stuffed it with fresh herbs and lemon slices, and tied it up with kitchen twine, and cooked it on the grill, of course. It was beautiful and delicious. The side dishes were simply prepared silver queen corn and lady peas. Idie made a homemade loaf of peasant bread, which she baked in a clay cloche. ( I owned one the next day.) We finished off the night with a warm peach cobbler right out of the oven served with a scoop of ice cream. Unforgettable.

One of the reasons I wanted to write Leslie’s Party Diaries last year and now my blog, DearPartyDiary.com, was to encourage people to take the time and confidence to entertain those they love and make fond food memories for life. There are few better memories.

To me nothing is more soothing than a warm bowl of soup off the stove and a savory, homemade bread.

This is the creamiest non-cream soup I’ve ever tasted.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Makes 2 quarts

1 large butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces, or 30 ounces of precut (4 to 5 cups)

1 onion, cut into 8 wedges

4 garlic cloves, crushed

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon honey

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

3 (14.5-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth

3 to 4 slices of good bread, cubed and toasted

Garnishes: ground nutmeg and pomegranate seeds

Squash can be confusing if you don’t buy it a lot. The butternut squash is pale peach with an elongated pear shape.
Removing the skin from a butternut squash is not an easy task. If you see a butternut squash precut it is worth every penny—and almost worth driving to store #2 or #3 to find!

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

I love a recipe that comes together easily with little mess. Roasting the onions, garlic, and squash together in one pan makes for a quick cleanup.

Place squash, onion, and garlic on a large baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat completely. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes until tender.

Place roasted vegetables in a blender. Add honey, nutmeg, and chicken broth, gradually. Blend until smooth.

This soup is so delicious and creamy—you’ll feel like you could open your own restaurant.

This soup can be made ahead and refrigerated or warmed and served immediately.

Serve with toasted bread cubes, and garnish.

For the toasted bread cubes: Remove the crusts from several slices of multi-grain bread; cut into squares. Spray both sides with butter-flavored cooking spray. Toast for 10 to 15 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Serve with soup.

Yields 2 quarts

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup
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Ingredients

  • 1 large butternut squash, cut into 1-inch pieces, or 30 ounces of precut (4 to 5 cups)
  • 1 onion, cut into 8 wedges
  • 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 (14.5-ounce) cans low-sodium chicken broth
  • 3 to 4 slices of good bread, cubed and toasted
  • Garnishes: ground nutmeg and pomegranate seeds

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Place squash, onion, and garlic on a large baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss to coat completely. Roast for 30 to 35 minutes until tender.
  3. Place roasted vegetables in a blender. Add honey, nutmeg, and chicken broth, gradually. Blend until smooth.
  4. This soup can be made ahead and refrigerated or warmed and served immediately.
    5. For the toasted bread cubes:
  5. Remove the crusts from several slices of multi-grain bread; cut into squares. Spray both sides with butter-flavored cooking spray. Toast for 10 to 15 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Serve with soup.
  6. Serve with toasted bread cubes, and garnish.
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It doesn’t take any time to make a homemade crouton.
I love to serve this in espresso cups as a starter. It’s a nice change from a normal appetizer and it can be passed easily. (Note: if passing to sip, I omit the croutons.)

Leslie Likes: Dave’s Killer Bread

Easy Drop Biscuits

Makes 2 dozen

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

¾ cup cold butter

1 ½ cups whole milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the cold butter into smaller pieces to incorporate it quickly into the flour mixture.
Don’t worry if there are a few clumps of butter here and there. What’s not to love about a little pocket of butter?

Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut butter into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly. Add milk a little at a time, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

I use two teaspoons to drop the sticky dough onto the baking sheet.

Drop with two teaspoons onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown.

Serve immediately.

If you are not going to eat immediately, which I highly suggest, allow to cool on a wire rack.
Easy Drop Biscuits can be made in advance and frozen. (Note: it’s best to split before freezing if you plan to fill them with ham.) Remove from freezer, add thinly sliced ham, and warm before serving.
They are also delicious with plain old honey.

10 Live and Learn Party Tips

  1. Chop onion and garlic before you shower.
  2. PREP! Chop, measure, and prewash anything and everything and have it ready to go.
  3. Avoid bell or long sleeves on party night. They will drive you crazy. I prefer three-quarter sleeves or sleeveless for cooking.
  4. Run the load of last-minute dishes in the dishwasher, and unload before guests arrive. Start empty!
  5. Designate the coat and bag area on the front end, before they are strung out all over your house in messy piles lining the walls.
  6. Empty all trashcans.
  7. Never run out of alcohol.
  8. Nothing chills a party in a bad way than running out of ice. Have an extra bag or two in a cooler or the freezer.
  9. Be sure all doors are well lit and welcoming. The last thing you want is an ambulance at your house during a party—not festive.
  10. Change your shoes before the final cleanup at the end of the night. Your feet will thank you the next day!

Be sure to subscribe so you won’t miss next weeks food gifts, gift wrap ideas, and fabulous finds for stockings and more!

I would love to hear from you. Don’t be shy about making comments or asking questions. I love getting mail! Leslie