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Blackened Shrimp Caesar Salad
When I walked outside this morning to fill the bird feeders, I withered like a delicate flower. Seeing as how I am not a flower (nor delicate), this is my poetic way of telling you it was already scorching hot at 8AM. So how does a withered flower combat a hot day that will only get hotter? Blackened Shrimp Caesar Salad, of course! This salad is 200% awesome. 50% because cool + creamy Caesar dressing 50% because piquant + spicy blackened shrimp 50% because crunchy + garlicky croutons 50% because rich + sapid Parmesan cheese Actually, it’s probably more like 300% awesome. (You’ll agree once you dive in.) It’s a…
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Easy Spicy Ahi (+ Ebi) Stacks for 2
When I go out to eat, I often have When Harry Met Sally moments. Let me clarify. I scrutinize what the waiters serve to other patrons as they saunter past my table. And sometimes, without even having an idea of what is on the plate, I will simply say, “I’ll have what she’s having.” The last time I tried that technique was when I saw this glorious tower of crab + rice + tuna + avocado in a saucy puddle, sprinkled with sesame seeds. When it came time to take my order, the Tower of Seafood my heart yearned for was no more. Much to my chagrin, they sold the…
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Quick + Easy Blackened Shrimp
A gold star on my forehead. There was nothing I treasured more than that sticky foil star, smack dab between my eyes. I intended to wear it the entire day, as a trophy, a distinction. Unfortunately, within the hour my forehead was glistening with perspiration and the star lost its grip. Such is life in New Orleans where the weather is either balmy, hot, or ooh-wee chile’ scorching. What had I done to receive such a high honor? I cleaned my plate. Almost to the point of licking. I was at K-Paul’s, Paul Prudhomme’s restaurant, experiencing blackening seasoning for the first time. On redfish, I recall. Redfish seasoned and seared…
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Low Country Boil aka Frogmore Stew
One of the new gals at work is from California, and I have taken it upon myself to play Southern Tour Guide to help her settle in. For convenience, let’s call her Becky. Becky and I have gone to museums and the theater, canal cruises, cultural festivals and SEC games—the full gamut. There is no dearth of activity in our area, so our orientation schedule has been pretty packed. “We will leave no stone unturned!” I told Becky. Becky smiled politely…and then I think she rolled her eyes. I am on a mission. Part of this mission means hosting a lowcountry-ish shindig. Every newbie to the South needs to experience…
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Sesame Crusted Ahi Tuna Bites + Ginger-Soy Butter
I wanted to call this recipe Seared Tuna and the Puddle of Love, but The Man nixed that straight outta the gate. Too weird, he said. You’re weird, I said. I love you, he said. Same, I said, and then sulked my way back to the kitchen, my cooking metaphor not having passed muster. You have several options for serving this Sesame Crusted Ahi: as a first course or a party app; sliced on top of a salad; or as entree steaks. Whichever you choose, be sure to use the freshest tuna steaks and pat lots sesame seeds into them (your rule of thumb is about 4 tablespoons of sesame…
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Shrimp + Scallop Ceviche
It is already hot as Hades outside. Who in Augusta can fathom turning on the oven for dinner? I.can’t.even. So it was a no-brainer that we would have crisp + cool Shrimp + Scallop Ceviche for dinner. I was much younger when I had my first experience with ceviche. It was on a trip to Chile, and I remember being intrigued when the waiter said the lime juice cooked the fish. What he wanted to say was the fish was denatured by the citric acid, but the easy translation for the gringo he was serving was “cooked.” As you can imagine, the weather in Chile was quite balmy, so eating…
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Seared Pepper Ahi Tuna + Wasabi Vinaigrette
I am about to blow your mind with this recipe, so pay attention. Seared Pepper Tuna is such an indulgence for me. Something about clean tuna crusted with freshly cracked pepper throws me into a drooling tailspin. So.Many.Times I have put all dinner plans aside to drive directly to a sushi house to get my fix. For some reason it never occurred to me that I should (or could!) make it at home. That is, until I had this chat with myself: Girl, you are a bad ass, and you can make this yourself! So here we are. Lean in. I have to tell you a secret. You can be…
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Seared Sea Scallops with Caramelized Corn + Tomatoes
Of all shellfish, my very favorite is scallops. Their porcelain creaminess is so pure and elegant, their bouquet an intoxicatingly sweet brininess. I imagine it to be like mermaid’s breath. For this recipe, I nestle those succulent pillows of goodness on a bed of fresh corn sautéed with bacon, shallots, and thyme. I have three words to describe these scallops–Mmm, mmm, mmm! Seared Sea Scallops with Caramelized Corn + Tomatoes is the first meal I made for The Man. It was back in the flirting stages of things. Apparently it blew his mind because all these years later he is still around. The key to the deliciousness of this dish…
