Showing posts with label pepper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pepper. Show all posts
Friday, March 20, 2015
Linguini with Lemon Cream Sauce Lemon Pepper Shrimp Featuring California Lemons from Limoneira
One of my favorite cooking ingredients is lemon…there’s just something about lemons that works so well in a wide range of recipes! They bring a tart finish to mild seafood, a sunny brightness to veggies, and they cut through the sugary sweetness in all sorts of baked goods. Along with garlic, you’ll never find my kitchen without a couple of lemons waiting to be used! Limoneira, a California-based agribusiness, recently sent me a huge box of lemons in three varieties: California yellow lemons, Meyer lemons, and Variegated Pink lemons – striped on the outside and pretty pink flesh on the the inside! They sent the lemons in conjunction with their new Unleash the Power of Lemons campaign. 
The goal of the campaign is to show how lemons can be used in a variety of ways: forhealth, beauty, cleaning, and food and drink. According to Limoneiras COO Alex Teague, “Lemons are one of the most versatile items in the produce department.” I have to agree! When I cook with lemons, I always put the rinds in the disposal afterward to freshen and clean the inside. But…my favorite thing to do with lemons is use them to create fantastic food and drinks! A few weeks ago, I shared my recipe for delicious Sugar-Free Strawberry Meyer Lemonade using some of the Meyer lemons that I received. The lemonade was perfectly tart-sweet and very refreshing on a warm Texas evening. I also used some of the California yellow lemons to create a fantastic quick pasta dish for our dinner: Linguini with Lemon Cream Sauce & Lemon Pepper Shrimp. By using lemon in both the pasta and the shrimp, its sunny brightness was able to shine through in every bite.
To make this recipe weeknight-friendly, I used Buitoni refrigerated quick-cook pasta and easy-peel shrimp. The sauce came together while the water for the pasta came to a boil. Then, while the pasta cooked, I gave my seasoned shrimp a quick sear in a hot pan. This dish took about 45 minutes to make, start to finish…including the time it took to peel the shrimp. Although cream sauces can be very rich, I opted to use half and half. My sauce was rich and creamy, with less fat and calories than if I had used cream.
Linguini with Lemon Cream Sauce & Lemon Pepper Shrimp
Inspired by Martha Stewart Living
Step 1: Bring a pot of salted water to boil. While the water is boiling, make the sauce. Heat a large non-stick pan over med-high heat. Add 1 tbs. olive oil and 1 finely chopped shallot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 4-5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add the zest of one lemon and 1 cup half and half. Bring to a boil and cook for 8 minutes, until slightly thickened. Add the juice of one lemon and stir. Reduce heat to med-low.
Step 2: When the water comes to a boil, add an 8-ounce package of refrigerated linguini. Cook for 2-3 minutes, until tender. While the pasta cooks, add 3-4 basil leaves cut in a chiffonade and 1 cup chopped baby tomatoes. I used sweet mini San Marzano tomatoes, which I love. Drain the cooked pasta and add to the cream sauce. Toss to combine the ingredients and turn off the stove.
Step 3: While the pasta rests, quickly remove the shells from 1 lb. easy-peel jumbo shrimp (10-15 count). Rinse well and pat dry, then sprinkle liberally with lemon pepper seasoning and add 1tbs. Worcestershire sauce. Toss to combine and set aside while you prep the rest of the dish. [Note: I used Sugar and Salt Free Lemon & Cracked Pepper seasoning from Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Cajun Magic line.] Heat 1 tbs. olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over med-high heat. Add shrimp in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt to taste and squeeze half a Limoneira yellow lemon over the shrimp as they cook. Sear shrimp on both sides for approximately 2 minutes, until cooked through.
Step 4: To serve the pasta, use tongs to place some of the pasta on a warmed plate. Top each serving with some of the seared shrimp. Just before serving, sprinkle a bit of parmesan reggiano on top. Garlic bread and a simple tossed salad are the perfect accompaniments to this pasta dish.
This pasta was very good…the lemon flavor really shines through thanks to being prominently featured in both the pasta and the shrimp. The shrimp were quite spicy from the robust Cajun Magic Lemon & Cracked Pepper spice blend, but we thought the spice level paired perfectly with the cream sauce. We loved the hint of sweetness from the San Marzano tomatoes and the herbal freshness of the basil. We liked the texture that the half and half gave the cream sauce, but feel free to use heavy cream if you really want to indulge. We loved the lemons that Lemoneira sent so much that I’m going to be featuring them next month in a very special Lemon Week spotlight. If you love lemons as much as I do, you won’t want to miss this event!
Disclosure: Lemoneira sent me a box of assorted lemons to facilitate this recipe feature. Chef Paul Prudhomme Magic Seasonings also provided me with the seasoning used in this recipe. However, the opinions expressed are my own.
Thursday, February 5, 2015
Kitchen Sink Frittata Featuring Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes with Onion Celery and Green Pepper
My friends at Red Gold Tomatoes recently sent me two cans of their Petite Diced Tomatoes flavored with Onion, Celery, and Green Peppers so I could share an easy weeknight dinner recipe with you. I decided to use the tomatoes to play a game of what I like to call Chopped: Home Edition, my personal spin on my favorite Food Network show. That’s where I create a dinner using only the ingredients I have on hand in my kitchen. It was hot, my sprained ankle was sore after work, and I was tired. Bottom line: I just didn’t feel like stopping at the store on my way home to pick anything up. Instead, I looked at what was in the pantry and fridge that would pair well with the tomatoes. I created my breakfast-for-dinner Kitchen Sink Frittata using eggs, potatoes, onion, flat-leaf parsley, prosciutto, and cheese that I had on hand. After it came out of the oven, I topped it with a mixture of the petite diced tomatoes, a bit of my favorite marinara sauce, and some grated parmesan. It was a complete meal in one skillet!
I love frittatas, because they’re so much easier to make than an omelet…to me at least. There’s no stressing out over trying to perfectly fold it…simply sauté your ingredients, pour the egg custard over the top, and pop it into the oven. That gives you a pocket of time to whip up a nice side dish, then all you do is cut into wedges and serve! For this frittata, I served a combination of berries topped with a mixture of strawberry Greek yogurt and strawberry preserves and a sprinkle of granola. It was a simple and healthy dinner that I had ready in just over 30 minutes start to finish.
Kitchen Sink Fritatta
a Weekend Gourmet Original
Step 1: Preheat oven to 375. Add 1 tbs. olive oil to an oven-safe non-stick skillet over med-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add 2 peeled red potatoes that have been cut into a ¼-inch dice, along with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until the potatoes start to brown – about 10 minutes. Add half of a small yellow onion thats been diced, and 3 pieces of prosciutto (or other thin-sliced ham) thats been cut into bite-sized pieces. Give it a stir and cover to steam the onion and potato. Cook for about 5 minutes, then uncover and give the mixture one stir. By now, the potatoes should be nearly cooked and the onion golden-brown.
Step 2: Make the egg custard by adding the following ingredients to a large measuring cup: 5 eggs (I use Eggland’s Best), 1/3 cup skim milk, ½ cup grated parmesan, 2 tbs. chopped flat-leaf parsley, and salt & pepper to taste. Whisk well to combine, then evenly pour the egg mixture over the ingredients in the skillet. Sprinkle with ½ cup diced or shredded 2% cheese of your choice; I used a combo of 2% cheddar and jack chunks.
Step 2: Make the egg custard by adding the following ingredients to a large measuring cup: 5 eggs (I use Eggland’s Best), 1/3 cup skim milk, ½ cup grated parmesan, 2 tbs. chopped flat-leaf parsley, and salt & pepper to taste. Whisk well to combine, then evenly pour the egg mixture over the ingredients in the skillet. Sprinkle with ½ cup diced or shredded 2% cheese of your choice; I used a combo of 2% cheddar and jack chunks.
Step 3: Place the skillet in the oven and cook until it begins to puff and turn golden, about 10 minutes. I like to turn the skillet around in the oven halfway through baking to make sure it cooks evenly. While the frittata is baking, add the following ingredients to a saucepan over medium heat: 1 can well-drained Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes with Onion, Celery, and Green Pepper, 1 cup jarred thick marinara sauce, and 1/3 cup grated parmesan. Stir to combine and heat until bubbly. When the frittata comes out of the oven, use a slotted spoon to carefully place the tomato mixture in the center of the frittata in a circle. To serve, cut the frittata into wedges.
For something that was created using bits and pieces that I had in my kitchen, this frittata was outstanding! The freshness of the Red Gold Tomatoes worked really nicely with the smoky prosciutto and earthy potatoes. Michael asked for seconds…and thirds...of this, so you know it’s a keeper. This basic formula can be used to create an infinite variety of frittatas…just use whatever veggies, meat and/or cheese you have on hand on a given day. I served this frittata with a berry-yogurt parfaits, but biscuits or toasted English muffins would be great too. I always have a can or two of Red Gold Tomatoes in my cupboard, because they allow me to whip up tasty weeknight dinners like this in a matter of minutes.
Disclosure: Red Gold sent me two cans of their Petite Diced Tomatoes to facilitate this post. However, the opinions expressed are my own.
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