Garlic Shrimp 

Except for shucking the shrimp this is a fast and easy appetizer. 

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

6 cloves garlic, slivered

1 bay leaf

Pinch cayenne

1/4 teaspoon paprika

1 pound large (21/30) shrimp, peeled

Salt

Chopped fresh parsley leaves, for garnish

Lemon wedges

1.  Put the oil in a skillet and heat on a medium setting. About a minute later, when the oil is warm, add the garlic, bay leaf, cayenne, paprika and cook until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. 

2.  Raise the heat to high and add the shrimp; cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. 

3. Transfer the entire contents to a shallow bowl, season to taste with salt, and garnish with chopped parsley and lemon wedges. Serve warm or at room temperature. 

Eggs with Creamy Leeks

serves 2

2 T olive oil
1 small leek, chopped, discard the very green parts

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 T butter
2 eggs
1/4 c chopped basil
3 T heavy cream (or to taste)
salt and pepper, to taste

In a small sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add leek and garlic, and sauté 5-7 minutes, until golden brown. Add the cream and set aside.

Heat a non-stick skillet or a regular skillet greased with a small amount of butter or cooking oil at medium heat.

Break eggs and add to the skillet.

Immediately reduce heat to low.

Cook slowly until whites are completely set and yolks begin to thicken but are not hard. Turn eggs gently to cook both sides.

Top each egg with leeks, basil, and  heavy cream mixture.  

Add salt and pepper, to taste. Serve immediately.

Fish w Soy Butter and Ginger Sauce

Time: 15 minutes 

Use any firm white fillets you like here, from sea bass to red snapper or grouper.

Salt and black pepper

3 tablespoons  corn or canola oil

4 (6-ounce) skinless fillets black sea bass, red snapper, or the like

2 tablespoons butter

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced green onions

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

2 tablespoons soy sauce

=======================

1.  Preheat the oven to 200°F. Preheat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Season the fillets with salt and pepper and add the fillets to the skillet. 

2.  Brown the fish on 1 side for a couple of minutes, then turn and brown on the other side, another minute or two. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the fish to a plate (don't worry if it's done); put the plate of fish in the oven to keep warm. 

3.  When the skillet has cooled slightly, return it to the stove over medium heat. Add the butter and, when it melts, the garlic, onions and ginger. About 30 seconds later, add the soy sauce and 1/4 cup water and stir to blend. Return the fillets to the skillet, along with any of their accumulated juices. 

4.  Turn the heat to medium and cook the fillets for a total of about 4 minutes, turning 3 or 4 times. (If at any time the pan seems to dry out entirely, add 2 or 3 tablespoons water.) At this point, the fish should be done (a thin-bladed knife inserted into its thickest point will meet little resistance). Serve with the pan juices spooned over the fish. 

4 servings

TUNA SALAD - With & Without Mayo Video





TUNA SALAD - With Mayo Video





For more cooking video go to:
http://www.lookinatcookin.com/

Grilled Corn with Lime Butter Recipe


Add an extra zest to picked yesterday corn. You can make the lime butter up to two days ahead and refrigerate. Melt butter before brushing it over the grilled corn.

1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted 1/4 teaspoon grated lime rind 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper 8 ears shucked corn Cooking spray

Prepare grill or broiler. Combine butter, rind, juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Place corn on grill rack or broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Lightly brush on butter and cook 10 minutes, turning frequently. Remove from heat; brush corn with the rest of the butter mixture.

Bluefish and Shrimp

One thin blue fish fillet
One-cup breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons grated Romano cheese
1tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
2-3 eggs
4-5 shrimps, peeled and divined
½ cup olive oil


If the bluefish fillet is not thin enough, approximately one half of the fish body, carefully slice the bluefish in half lengthwise.

In a bowl mix the breadcrumbs, cheese parsley and garlic. Add and stir in the eggs until the mixture is dense and sticky or until it has the consistency of raw chopped meat.

Form the breadcrumb mixture into a half-inch thick patty and lay it on top of a bluefish slice.

Slice the shrimp almost in half, lengthwise, so that it becomes an attached two halves.

Alternately cover the fish slice and patty halves with the other blue fish slices or butterflied shrimp. Do this to all the fish slices.

Pour half the olive oil into a frying pan and heat until the oil is hot.

Carefully place the fish slices in the frying pan. Pout the remaining oil on the fish halves. Cook 3-4 minutes, until the bottom each slice is firm. Turn each piece and fry on the uncooked side.

Cook for another 4 minutes or until the bottom fish slice is very firm.

Remove the slices and place them on dish covered with paper towels. Let stand for 30 seconds to absorb the excess oil.

Serve.

To watch a video of this recipe go to:
http://www.lookinatcookin.com/LaC_sitefiles/

Sesame - Zucchini- Shrimp

1 ½ tsp sesame oil
1 ½ tsp vegetable oil
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tbsp fresh minced ginger
1 minced green onion
1 1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
2 cups sliced zucchini
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp minced parsley

Mix the soy sauce, lime and orange juice, and minced parsley in a jar or food processor and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic,
ginger, green onions and cook for two minutes.

Add the shrimp and zucchini and cook for another five minutes, until the shrimp is bright pink and cooked through and the zucchini is crisp and tender.

Stir in the soy mixture. Serve hot.

Europe's Truffle Shortage Blamed On Global Warming

Farmers say production is down by 50-75% this winter season and they blame global warming, warning that if thermometers keep rising — as many scientists predict they could — France's black truffle will one day be just a memory.

This year, reduced output and good quality truffles have pushed the price of Italy's renowned white truffles to new heights, some reaching up to Lit7.5m (3 873 [euro]) a kilo.

This is not the first time weather has caused a dramatic downturn in French truffle production. A severe drought in the early '60s more than halved the harvest, bringing it down to about 50 tons. But the trufficulteurs, as truffle farmers are known, contend this current dry spell is longer and more acute.

Production in France has been in slow decline for 100 years — from 1,000 tons a year to just 50 tons, according to the Agriculture Ministry — under the march of urban sprawl into the fungus' forest habitat and the migration of farming folk to cities.


http://www.usatoday.com/weather/climate/globalwarming

Mushrooms Prefer Paper to Plastic

FOOD TIP

Mushrooms are special: They detest too much moisture.
In a plastic bag, they drown in their own liquid in a couple of days.
But they keep well close to a week if refrigerated in a closed paper bag.

Easy Mediterranean Tuna Salad

6 medium roasted red bell pepper strips from a jar.
2-3 cans Italian or Spanish tuna packed in oil, about 8 -10 ounces
1/2 pound ripe but firm tomatoes, cut into 1/4-inch slices, then halved
12 green olives, without pimentos
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
6 tablespoons fruity extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon sugar
Kosher or sea salt

Slice the peppers into 3/4-inch strips and place in a bowl. Slice the olives in half. Add the tuna, broken into chunks, the tomatoes, olives, and parsley.

Mix the oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt to taste in a food processor. Fold the dressing into the tuna mixture with a rubber spatula. Refrigerate overnight. Serve cold or at room temperature.