Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

I'm not sure where this recipe came from, but it's a family favourite and I surprisingly hadn't made it for my husband yet. I'm happy to say this recipe is now on his favourites list too. Shrimp, feta, tomatoes, garlic...how could that not be amazing? 

What you'll need

3 tbsp olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

2 tbsp thinly sliced garlic

1 kg (2 lb) ripe tomatoes, halved, seeded, and chopped

1/2 tsp dried oregano

1/4 tsp sea salt

Freshly ground pepper

750 g (1 1/2 lb) large shrimp, peeled and deveined

250 g (1/2 lb) feta cheese, crumbled into large chunks

3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

Capellini (Angel-hair) pasta, cooked according to package directions

How to

1.  Preheat oven to 400°F.

2.  In a large frying pan over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent, 5-8 minutes. 

3.  Stir in the tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper to taste and simmer until slightly thickened, 5-8 minutes.

4.  Pour about half of the tomato mixture into a 2 L baking dish. Arrange the shrimp over the tomatoes and scatter the cheese over the shrimp. Spoon the remaining tomato mixture over the top and spread evenly.

5. Bake until the shrimp are opaque throughout but still tender when tested with a knife, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve at once with freshly cooked Capellini pasta. Serves 4-6.

Shrimp and Pineapple Stir-fry with Coconut Rice

Recipe slightly modified from Fine Cooking Magazine.

This is a nice light stir-fry perfect for summer. What is better than shrimp, pineapple and mint? The directions tell you to make the rice in the microwave. I was very sceptical and was tempted to do it over the stove, but it actually turned out great. I kind of want to make this coconut rice for every stir-fry I make from now on. It was so good! 

What you'll need

1 1/3 cups jasmine rice

3/4 cup canned unsweetened coconut milk

kosher salt

1/3 cup golden rum

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp packed brown sugar

freshly ground black pepper

1 1/4 lbs. jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 cups peeled, cored, chopped pineapple

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint

How to

1.  In a microwave-safe-8 to 10-cup bowl, combine the rice, coconut milk, 3/4 tsp salt and 2 cups water. Microwave on high, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Let stand in closed microwave until the water is absorbed, for 5-15 minutes.

2.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk the rum, lime juice, cornstarch, sugar, 1/4 tsp pepper and 1/4 tsp salt until the sugar and cornstarch dissolved.

3.  Pat the shrimp dry and season with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. 

4.  Heat the oil in a wok or 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot, 1-2 minutes. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until partially cooked, about 2 minutes. Add the pineapple and continue to stir-fry until heated through, about 1 minute.

5.  Whisk the sauce and add it to the skillet, and stir until the shrimp are just opaque in the centre and coated with the thickened sauce, about 1 minute. Stir in the mint and remove wok from the heat. 

6.  Fluff the rice with a fork, spoon it onto 4 dinner plates, top with the stir-fry and serve. 

Pad Thai

Recipe from the Winnipeg Free Press.

I have to say, I think this pad Thai recipe makes the best pad Thai ever! Seriously, I'd rather make it myself than get take out. I especially like how many vegetables are in this recipe. I used wider noodles than I usually do this time, just because it's what I had on hand, but you could definitely use ones half the size of what's shown here.

What you'll need

3 tbsp Fish sauce

3 tbsp White sugar

3 tbsp Ketchup

1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp Chili-garlic sauce (or more to your taste)

250g Thick white rice noodles

2 tbsp Peanut oil

6 Garlic cloves, minced

8 Chicken thighs, boneless, skinless and cut into thin strips

500g Shrimp, uncooked, peeled and cut into bite size pieces

1 Red pepper, cut into thin strips

1 Yellow pepper, cut into thin strips

3 Eggs, beaten

2 cups Bean sprouts, washed

1 bunch Green onions, green parts only, sliced

1 cup Cilantro, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup Dry roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

2 Limes, cut into wedges

How to

1.  Prepare and organize vegetables and other ingredients into separate bowls. Combine the fish sauce, sugar, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and chili-garlic sauce in a small bowl.

2.  Boil a large pot of water. Place the rice noodles in a lasagna dish or flat roaster and cover with boiling water. When the noodles are al dente, drain into a colander and set aside.

3.  Heat up a large wok on high heat and add peanut oil. Add the garlic and fry briefly. Add the chicken and the shrimp and fry until the chicken is just cooked through and the shrimp are pink.

4.  Add the pepper and fry lightly. Add the sauce to the pan and stir through for about 2 minutes.

5.  Turn heat down to medium and add the eggs. Toss for 1 minute. Add the noodles and stir until well-coated. Add bean sprouts, green onions and half the cilantro. Continue stirring until all are heated through.

6.  Top with the remaining cilantro and peanuts and serve. Garnish each plate with the lime to squeeze over the pad Thai.

Pickerel with Lemon Mushroom Sauce

Recipe from www.canadianliving.com.

This meal was quite a treat. I try and stay away from cream sauces, but I couldn't help myself this time! Lemon and mushroom...seriously, so good! I served it with some lemon dill potatoes, which was the perfect pairing (in my opinion). You can try this lemon dill potato recipe, if you like. It's very tasty. If you like pickerel and you love mushrooms, this recipe is for you!

What you'll need

1/4 cup All-purpose flour

2 tbsp Fresh chopped dill (or 1 tsp dried)

Pinch salt

Pinch pepper

2 Pickerel fillets, skin on (about 625g)

2 tbsp Butter

1/4 cup Lemon juice

Lemon Mushroom Sauce:

1 tbsp Butter

1 cup Finely chopped mushrooms

1/4 cup Chopped onions

1 Garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup Whipping cream

1 tbsp Lemon juice

Pinch salt

How to

1.  Lemon Mushroom Sauce: In small saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; cook mushrooms and onion, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes, or until onion is softened. 

2.  Add garlic, cream, lemon juice and salt; cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until reduced to half and thickened enough to coat back of spoon. Keep warm.

3.  In shallow dish, mix together flour, dill, salt and pepper; gently press fillets into flour mixture, turning to coat and shaking off excess. 

4.  In large skillet, melt butter over medium heat; cook fillets, skin side up for 4 minutes. Turn and sprinkle with lemon juice; cook for about 3 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with fork. Serve with sauce. 

Pea and Shrimp Penne with Basil

Recipe slightly modified. Original recipe from Fine Cooking Magazine.

Mmmmm this pasta is so tasty and the shrimp are absolutely scrumptious!

What you'll need

560 grams Shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup Fresh basil, roughly chopped

5 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil

1 tbsp Lemon zest, finely grated

Kosher salt

1 1/2 cups Frozen peas (or fresh shelled peas)

340 grams Dried penne

Freshly ground black pepper

1/3 cup Shallots, finely diced

2 Garlic cloves, minced

1 Serrano chile, seeded and minced

2 cups (lightly packed) Arugula, trimmed, washed and dried

How to

1.  In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with half of the basil, 2 tbsp of the olive oil, and the lemon zest. Cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

2.  Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Put the peas in a large metal sieve and dip them into the boiling water. Cook until just tender, 2-4 minutes. Lift the sieve from the water, let the peas drain, then spread them on a baking sheet in a sing layer to cool.

3.  Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook, following package directions, until al dante. Reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking water and drain the pasta.

4.  Meanwhile, take the shrimp out of the fridge and season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat the remaining 3 tbsp olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add the shallots, garlic, chile, and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are soft and lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

5.  Add the shrimp and continue to cook, stirring, until the shrimp have turned pink and are almost cooked through, 2-3 minutes. Stir in the peas and remove from heat.

6.  Return the drained past to its pot and add the shrimp mixture and 2 tbsp of the pasta water. Cook over medium heat until the shrimp are completely cooked through, about 1 minute more.

7.  Toss the arugula and the remaining basil into the pasta. Add more pasta water as necessary to keep the pasta moist and continue tossing until the arugula is wilted, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately. Serves 4. 

BBQ Jumbo Shrimp with Sweet Chili Sauce

Recipe by Canadian Living.

Sweet chili sauce is one of those things that is so easy and tempting to just buy in a bottle, but this recipe is so fresh and delicious I'd really encourage you to make it rather than buying it. After making it yourself, you may be forever converted!

What you'll need

2 lbs Jumbo shrimp, raw

1 tbsp Vegetable oil

Sweet Chili Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup Rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup Brown sugar, packed

1 tsp Lime rind, grated

4 tsp Lime juice (fresh is better)

2 tsp Asian chili hot sauce

2 Garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp Cornstarch

1 tbsp Fresh coriander, chopped

How to

1.  Sweet chili sauce: In a saucepan, bring vinegar, sugar, 2 tbsp water, lime rind, and juice, hot sauce and garlic to boil over medium-high heat.

2.  Whisk cornstarch with 1 tbsp water, whisk into pan and boil until thickened, about 1 minute. Stir in coriander. Set aside.

3.  In large bowl, toss shrimp with oil and half the sauce; let stand for 10 minutes.

4.  Place shrimp on greased grill over medium-high heat; close lid and grill, turning once, until pink, about 6 minutes. ( Note: I chose to grill my shrimp on skewers. If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in warm water for 30 minutes before using)

5.  Serve hot with remaining sauce for dipping.

Roasted Corn Avocado Salad with Smoked Paprika Prawns

Recipe from Anna Magazine.

Don't ask me why, but when I decided to try this recipe, I thought it would be okay at best. Well, I can tell you I was pleasantly surprised. This recipe is amazing and I will most certainly make it again!

What you'll need

12 Jumbo prawns, deveined and peeled

2 tsp Smoked paprika

6 Red pearl onions, peeled (I didn't have any, so I just used a red onion chopped into bite size pieces)

1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and cracked black pepper

6 Skewers (if wooden, soaked in water overnight)

1 cup Canned corn, drained

2 Avocados, peeled, halved, pitted and cubed

4 cups Arugula

1 Ciabatta loaf, sliced diagonally

Vinaigrette:

1/3 cup Fresh orange juice

3 1/2 tbsp White wine vinegar

2 tbsp Chopped fresh chives

1 1/2 tsp Orange zest

1/4 cup Olive oil

How to

1.  For vinaigrette, in small bowl, whisk all ingredients until blended; set aside.

2.  Preheat grill to medium-high heat. In medium bowl, toss prawns in paprika and tread onto 3 skewers. Thread onions onto remaining skewers. Brush both with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill, about 3 minutes per side.

3.  Brush ciabatta with olive oil and place on grill until golden.

4.  Remove prawns and onions from skewers. In large serving bowl, toss prawns, onions, corn, avocado and arugula with vinaigrette. Serve immediately with grilled bread. Serves 4. 

Coconut Shrimp with Mango and Cilantro

Recipe from Anna Magazine.

I love this recipe. 

What you'll need

1 lb Large raw shrimp, tails on (I removed them, just cause I find it easier to eat that way)

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to season

2 tbsp Unsalted butter

2 Cloves garlic, minced

1 Red pepper, finely diced

1/2 cup Mango, chopped

1 cup Coconut milk

1 tbsp Fresh lime juice

1 tsp Hot chili sauce

1 tbsp Fish sauce

1 tsp Sugar

Fresh cilantro leaves, to garnish

How to

1.  Rinse shrimp in cold water and season with salt and pepper.

2.  In a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp butter over high heat. Add the shrimp and cook 1-2 minutes; remove and set aside.

3.  In same skillet, add remaining butter, garlic, red pepper and mango. Cook over medium heat 2 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, lime juice, chili sauce, and fish sauce; cook 5-7 minutes, until sauce thickens.

4.  Stir in sugar. Return shrimp to skillet and cook another minute, or until heated through. 

5.  Garnish with cilantro leaves. Serves 4 to 6.

Salmon Stir-fry

Recipe from Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution.

What can I say?  Jamie's my hero.  Here is a super easy and delicious meal.

What you'll need
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup wild rice
3/4 lb Salmon fillet, skin off and bones removed
A handful of raw shelled peanuts
1 Garlic clove, finely chopped
A thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 Fresh red chile, seeded and finely sliced
A small bunch of fresh cilantro
Peanut oil
1 heaping tbsp Mild curry paste
A handful of snow peas
1/2 a 14-oz can of coconut milk
A handful of beansprouts
1 lime

How to
1.  Cook your rice according to the packages instructions.

2.  Chop the salmon into 1-inch chunks.  Crush the peanuts.  Pick the cilantro leaves from the stalks, finely chop the stalks, and put the leaves to one side.

3.  Heat a wok over high heat and add 2 lugs of peanut oil.  Add the garlic, ginger, most of the chile and the cilantro stalks.  Stir for 30 seconds, then add the curry paste and stir for another 30 seconds.

4.  Add the salmon, cook for a minute, then add the snow peas and coconut milk.  Let everything cook for another minute.  Taste and season with salt and pepper.

5.  Spoon cooked rice into serving bowls.  Spoon over the salmon and sprinkle with the beansprouts and peanuts.  Halve your lime and squeeze over the juice.  Sprinkle with the remaining chile and the cilantro leaves.

Cuban-Style Grilled Salmon

Recipe modified. Original recipe from the Food Network Magazine.

The recipe is a nice change from some of your more typical salmon recipes. It has a nice bite to it, but it's not overpowering and doesn't take away from the natural flavour of the salmon itself.

What you'll need

2 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil

Juice of one lemon

2 Garlic cloves, minced

2 Large shallots, minced

1 tsp Ground cumin

1 tsp Cayenne pepper

1 tsp Salt

1 small bunch Cilantro, roughly chopped

4 - 6oz Center-cut salmon fillets, skin removed

How to

1. Preheat grill to medium high.

2. In a bowl, whisk the oil, lemon juice, garlic, shallots, cumin, cayenne salt and cilantro. Add the salmon and turn to coat. Let marinate for 15 minutes at room temperature.

3. Brush the grill with a bit of oil. Grill the salmon, round side down, until marked on the bottom, about 4 minutes. Turn and continue grilling until marked on the other side and cooked through, 2 to 3 more minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Grilled Halibut with Salt and Vinegar Potatoes

Recipe modified. Original recipe by Real Simple.

I feel like the end of summer is just around the corner, so I'm trying to enjoy as much grilled food as possible. I love fish, but my husband doesn't really enjoy seafood. Halibut however he has discovered he likes, as it doesn't have a very strong fishy taste to it. If you're not a big fish eater, halibut is a good place to start. It's light, low in fat and delicious!

What you'll need

1 lb Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch thick rounds

2 tbsp Cider vinegar

2 tbps Extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the grill

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

4 6-oz pieces Halibut

1 large Red onion, slicked into 1/2 inch thick rings

Lemon wedges for serving

How to

1. Heat the grill to medium-high.

2. In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, vinegar, 1 tbsp olive oil and 1/2 tsp of each salt and pepper. Divide between 2 large pieces of heavy-duty foil (potatoes and juices). Fold the foil over the potatoes and seal the edges to form 2 packets. Place on the grill and cook, turning once, until the potatoes are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, rub the halibut and onion with the remaining tbsp oil and season with 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. After the potatoes have cooked for 15 minutes, oil the grill. Add the halibut and onion and cook until the halibut is opaque throughout, 3 to 5 minutes per side, and the onion is tender, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

4. Serve the halibut with onions, potatoes and lemon wedges.

BBQ Shrimp with Lemon Garlic Aioli

Recipe modified. Original recipe by Company's Coming.

I love shrimp, lemon and garlic! That makes this recipe quite wonderful in my eyes!

What you'll need
18 Fresh uncooked jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (The shrimp I had weren't jumbo, which was sad cause that would have made them even more delicious!)
Wooden skewers, soaked in water overnight, or metal skewers

Aioli:
1 Large egg
1 Large egg yolk
1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice
1 Garlic clove, minced
1/8 tsp Salt
3/4 cup Extra-virgin olive oil

Marinade:
3 tbsp Fresh parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp Extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp Lemon zest
1/2 tsp each Salt and freshly cracked pepper

How to
1. Marinade: Combine the parsley, oil, zest, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the shrimp. Rub in the marinade until the shrimp are well coated. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Aioli: Add the egg, egg yolk, lemon juice, garlic and salt to a blender and blend until creamy (about 2 minutes). While still blending, slowly pour (in a thin stream) the oil through the hole in the lid. Blend until mixture is pale and thickened. Cover and chill for 1 hour.

3. Heat the grill to medium heat.

4. Skewer the marinated shrimp onto the skewers. Barbeque until shrimp are just pink, do not overcook (about 2 minutes on each side).

5. Plate and serve with aioli. Delicious!

Szechuan Shrimp

Shrimp was always a treat in our family. Growing up, my mom would make this recipe on special occasions. I hadn't had it in so long, I forgot how delicious it is.

What you'll need
2 pounds Fresh uncooked shrimp
1/2 cup Water
1/2 cup Ketchup
1/4 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Chili sauce
2 tbsp Corn starch
1 tbsp Soy sauce
2 tsp Sesame oil
2 tbsp Olive oil
6 Green onions, chopped
3 Cloves garlic, minced
8 oz can Water chestnuts, sliced
1/2 tsp Chili flakes
1 tsp ginger, minced
1 tsp pepper

How to
1. Mix together the water, ketchup, sugar, chili sauce, corn starch, soy sauce and sesame oil.

2. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Add the onions, garlic, water chestnuts, chili flakes, ginger and pepper. Fry for about 3 minutes. (In the future, I would add sliced green peppers to this recipe...this is probably a good place to add them, and fry for a couple extra minutes).

3. Add the sauce from step #1 to the pan. Stir.

4. Add the shrimp and cook until pink.

5. Serve over rice.