Tag: #impressive

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

Simply Irresistible Sides

On By Leslie Byars RegisterIn sides, The Recipes4 Comments

I don’t mind serving the same meats or mains over and over again, but when it comes to the side dishes, I like to change it up a bit. Here are two of my most recent favorite side dishes. Both are simple and impressive—with five ingredients or fewer.

These Hasselback-style potatoes are a Swedish version of a roasted potato. It takes its name from the Hasselbacken Hotel Restaurant in Stockholm, Sweden. The name makes me think of David Hasselhoff—from Baywatch—I can’t help it! It’s silly, I know.

Baywatch Potatoes

Serves 6

3 tablespoons butter, melted

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced Hasselback style as directed below

Kosher salt

Toppings: sour cream and chives

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Melt butter in a small microwaveable bowl; stir in olive oil. Set aside.

Place potatoes, one by one, in the bowl of a serving spoon, slicing in 1/8th of an inch increments, stopping when knife hits the spoon. (The spoon prevents the knife blade from going completely through the potato—leaving it intact at the base.)

The metal of the spoon prevents any slipups with the knife.

Brush a 2-quart baking dish with the melted butter mixture. Place sliced potatoes in the baking dish. With a basting brush, brush the potatoes with the butter mixture; sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Bake for 30 minutes; remove from oven, and baste with remaining butter mixture. Return to the oven for an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until brown and crispy. The baking time may vary slightly, depending on the size of your potatoes.

Brush the potatoes with butter and olive oil mixture before baking; sprinkle generously with kosher salt.
The potatoes should be the size of a large egg.

Yields 6 Servings

Baywatch Potatoes (Hasselback Style)
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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, sliced Hasselback style as directed below
  • Kosher salt
  • Toppings: sour cream and chives

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
  2. Melt butter in a small microwaveable bowl; stir in olive oil. Set aside.
  3. Place potatoes, one by one, in the bowl of a serving spoon, slicing in 1/8th of an inch increments, stopping when knife hits the spoon. (The spoon prevents the knife blade from going completely through the potato—leaving it intact at the base.)
  4. Brush a 2-quart baking dish with the melted butter mixture.
  5. Place sliced potatoes in the baking dish.
  6. With a basting brush, brush the potatoes with the butter mixture; sprinkle generously with kosher salt.
  7. Bake for 30 minutes; remove from oven, and baste with remaining butter mixture.
  8. Return to the oven for an additional 35 to 40 minutes or until brown and crispy.
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https://dearpartydiary.com/simply-irresistible-sides/

These are delicious with a steak dinner. Depending on the size of the potato, allow 1 to 2 per person. Pottery by earthbornpottery.net.

Both of these beautiful and tasty sides are even more attractive because they don’t break the piggy bank.

I like to think of the overall look of the recipes on the dinner plate. The Blistered Tomatoes are a nice, colorful addition to a plate of mostly brown food.

How cute are these?
Simple ingredients make this recipe a snap.

Blistered Tomatoes

Serves 3 to 4

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cups (1 pint) of cherry tomatoes

2 tablespoons chopped, fresh basil

Balsamic glaze, to drizzle

Salt and red pepper flakes to taste

In a heavy skillet (I use my cast iron), heat olive oil to medium-high. Add tomatoes to hot oil, and jiggle often. After about 5 minutes the tomatoes will begin to shrivel.

To stir, simply jiggle.

Continue to cook 5 more minutes or until some of the tomatoes begin to pop open.

Drizzle with balsamic glaze, and top with fresh chopped basil. I serve this right out of the cast-iron skillet.
I like the thickness and richness of the balsamic glaze, but a good quality balsamic vinegar can be substituted.
Balsamic Glaze is available at most grocery stores; look for it with the vinegars.

Learn from Leslie: If you have any leftovers, the tomatoes are a treat to serve over pasta.