An Elegant Hot Dip and Shrimp Boil Chowder

Last week, a ziplock full of leftover shrimp boil came my way again (see "Shrimp Boil Artichoke Salad" here). Juicy shrimp, spicy sausage, mushrooms, corn, and potatoes soaked with the flavorful boil. We ate with gusto, and still there was enough left over for me to "play" with. Cold outside, fireplace burning, I made a chowder with the remaining potatoes, shrimp and corn. And a lush "shrimp boil avocado" dip. Both recipes below, and as usual: the list of ingredients suggests alternatives if you do not have the same leftovers. You will need to spice it up to taste, though: it's only when you have such wonderful shrimp boil leftovers that the main ingredients provide a depth of flavor that needs very little else.

Shrimp Boil Chowder

A great way to use those leftover red potatoes, cooked in the spicy boil and soaked with seafood and spice flavors. This chowder could not be any easier: it takes all of its flavor from the shrimp boil. The only "extra" ingredients in this chowder are the stock, the cream, and 1/2 cup of finely diced celery, which I add for a refreshing depth, but could be left out. One thing: these shrimp boil potatoes are spicy. And as a result, your chowder will be spicy. If you want to tone down the heat in the chowder, add a large russet potato, chopped up and cooked (remember: you are using boiled potatoes, so you can't just add the russet potato uncooked - it's why I suggest you use cooked russet potato).

Ingredients

10 or so small boiled red potatoes (leftover from shrimp boil)
1 large russet potato, cooked (optional: it tones down the overall spiciness if using shrimp boil leftovers)

1 cup cooked corn kernels, scraped from the ear (leftover from shrimp boil, keep the "stalk")

1 cup chopped cooked shrimp (leftover from shrimp boil, keep 1 or 2 for garnish if you wish)

1 liter well-seasoned organic stock (approx. 4 cups, or 1 quart)

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/2 cup double (whipping) cream

salt/pepper to taste

Heat the stock, and add the bare corn "stalk". It will lend some additional flavor to the stock. Take it out before you blend the soup! Peel the red boiled potatoes, cut up and add to the stock in a large pan. Cook to infuse for 2-3 minutes, then puree with an immersion (handheld) blender, but watch the ratio potato-liquid. You want a thick, creamy soup, so it may work best to keep a cup or so of the stock separate, blend the rest to a puree and add the remaining stock as you go until you achieve the desired thickness. At this point, add the finely chopped celery to soften. After 2-3 minutes, add the corn kernels, chopped shrimp and cream, and cook through for 2-3 minutes. Check the taste and adjust if needed. Serve hot with crusty French bread.

Shrimp, Corn and Avocado Dip

1 cup chopped boiled shrimp (or leftover from shrimp boil)
1/2 cup fresh cooked corn kernels (or leftover from shrimp boil, scraped from the ear)
2-3 cloves garlic from the shrimp boil (soft and soaked with flavor) or 1 large fresh garlic clove, chopped fine
1 cup cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1 medium ripe avocado, cut into chunks
1 handful fresh parsley (leaf only), chopped fine
1 handful fresh koriander (leaf only), chopped fine
1 tsp (or a squirt) fresh lime juice
a few drops of tabasco, or to taste
salt/pepper to taste
1 cup grated cheese (I use a 50-50 ratio of parmesan and mild aged farmer's Gouda), optional

Mix together cream cheese and sour cream until creamy and free of any lumps. Mix in chopped herbs and finely chopped garlic. Season with the lime juice and tabasco (careful with the latter if you are using shrimp boil leftovers). Add the chopped shrimp, corn and avocado chunks, and carefully spoon through. Put in an ovenproof serving dish, cover with the cheese and bake in a hot (400F, or 200C) oven for 10-15 minutes, or until cheese has melted and dip is bubbling. Serve immediately, for instance with blue corn chips.

For an elegant appetizer, spoon the avocado shrimp boil dip in filo cups, and bake at 350F for about 10 minutes, or until hot throughout.

You can also serve this avocado shrimp dip cold (room temperature). In that case, leave out the cheese and sprinkle with fresh herbs and chunks of avocado instead.

You may also enjoy: "Shrimp Boil" and Artichoke Salad


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"Shrimp Boil" & Artichoke Salad

This recipe is based on leftovers, from fresh artichokes and roasted sunchokes to a precious gift: a ziplock bag full of leftover shrimp boil. A shrimp boil is a one-pot meal that starts with a good, well-spiced stock in a large pot with strainer. My friend cooks it outside, on a big burner. A born and bred New Orleanian of Italian descend, he is one of these innate gourmands whose body language even changes when talking about food. As if he's physically embracing all the deliciousness of what he is talking about. His eyes sparkle with pleasure when he describes a recipe, a method of smoking, a time to "soak up all these flavors".

In making shrimp boil, he carefully seasons his stock, always smiling when he mentions the "holy trinity" of Cajun cooking: onion, bell pepper and celery. When he is happy with the taste of the stock, he adds skin-on baby potatoes, pieces of andouille, and whole button mushrooms, each ingredient enjoying the interaction of giving and taking flavor. He adds corn on the cob just before adding the main characters: a huge heap of unpeeled shrimp. He stirs, times, tastes, stirs again, fishes out a potato, breaks it open, takes a bite, looks pensive across to the rest of us, and - nodding happily - he grabs the bag of ice he has ready, and empties it in the steaming hot pot of shrimp boil. It is to stop the cooking. He leaves the shrimp to soak up all the flavors, and shortly after lifts out the strainer. The shrimp boil is ready to be eaten. He can't wait for the crawfish season to begin, he says. And the mere thought is making my mouth water.

When we left that evening, he rushed to the fridge and handed me a ziplock bag with leftover shrimp boil. The only reason there were any leftovers, by the way, is that his generous shrimp boil had been preceded by an irresistible scrumptious house-smoked turkey and andouille gumbo.

Below recipe gives an option for this salad if you do not have leftover shrimp boil. As for the roasted sunchokes and artichokes, they were leftover from another meal (with seared tuna). Note: while roasted sunchokes are divine, and will add a great dimension to this salad, they are also not always available. So add if you can find them, but don't despair if you have none. The main flavor-interaction is between the shrimp and artichokes, liaised with the sour cream "tartar". Just make sure you use fresh artichokes!

"Shrimp Boil" & Artichoke Salad with Sour Cream Tartar

Appetizer for 4

16-20 peeled large cooked shrimp
2-3 roasted sunchokes, cut into smaller pieces (optional)
4 cooked baby potatoes, halved
4 cooked button mushrooms, halved
4 cooked small artichokes, quartered*

Sour Cream Tartar

1 cup sour cream

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley

1 clove of garlic, minced

1-2 small cornichons, chopped fine

1/2 tbsp capers (tiny ones or chopped larger ones)

1-2 slices jalapeno, chopped (optional)

1 tbsp chives, chopped fine

salt/pepper to taste

lemon juice to taste

For the sour cream tartar: mix all ingredients together, taste, and adjust to your liking. Make a little ahead so the flavors can mingle!

Being leftovers from a shrimp boil, your potatoes, mushrooms and shrimp will be bursting with flavor. Simply use as is, and arrange with artichoke quarters and sunchokes on a plate. Add dollops of the sour cream "tartar" et voila.

If your salad-ingredients do not come from a shrimp boil, you could cook the baby potatoes, mushroom and shrimp in a flavorful stock (including bayleaf, celery, bell pepper, onion, garlic, cayenne pepper) as follows: start with the potatoes, then add the mushroom, and last: add the shrimp. 

Arrange all ingredients on a plate or platter, top with the shrimp, add dollops of sour cream, and serve.

if you can't find baby artichokes, use large ones: boil them as you would an artichoke, eat the fleshy ends of the leaves with a dipping sauce, and keep the heart (bottom) for this salad.

* baby artichokes can be eaten whole. You take off the hard outer leaves, cut the sharp tops of all leaves, peel the stem back. Rub with lemon juice. I quarter the artichokes before boiling: I trim the inner core (usually fibrous and hairy in larger artichokes, in baby artichokes it's just a tiny bit of fuzz), trim the harder top some more, and then boil the quarters until soft. Immediately after, put in ice water to cool down. Drain and use.

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Beetroot Polenta Croquettes with Mango Ratatouille

It is time for another "leftovers" recipe. This time, I am using leftover beetroot polenta to make croquettes, and leftover roasted eggplant and capsicum to combine with mango and cherry tomatoes into a ratatouille.

Because of the nature of leftovers (it is what is left over from my meal, not necessarily yours!), I give you the recipes to make from scratch.

These are two separate recipes that combine extremely well together in an all vegetarian meal.

The recipe here is one that I vary with polenta and risotto, and of various flavors at that.

Beetroot Polenta Croquettes

For the polenta

medium beetroot bulb

1 clove of garlic, crushed and minced

2 cups (or as needed) vegetable stock (from organic cube is fine)

1 cup (organic) fine polenta

1/2 cup grated parmesan

salt/pepper to taste
Breading
one (small) bowl each of flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs

• Grate the beetroot on a fine grater (it goes into the polenta: you do not want large chunks). 
• Bring 2 cups of vegetable stock to boil, add the grated beetroot and garlic. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes to cook the beet, and infuse all the flavors. 
• Add the polenta, and stir well. It will thicken quickly, and depending on the quality polenta you use, you may need to leave it to bubble and frequently stir. If the polenta gets too thick, add more water (gradually) or milk for creaminess. You want a polenta that is firm enough to cut into squares and grill, or as in this recipe: roll into balls to bread and fry.
• Taste polenta, adjust seasoning and add parmesan. Pour the cooked polenta into a tray to cool.
• When cool enough to handle, roll into balls to be breaded.
• set up your "breading station": the bowls of flour, beaten egg and breadcrumbs (I like to use Japanese Panko*, but you can use any breadcrumb you like. Or try breading with cornmeal, for instance!)
• The polenta croquettes are now ready to deep fry: heat oil to 180C and fry the croquettes until golden and crisp (4-5 minutes)

*Panko are flaky, coarse Japanese breadcrumbs. Panko tends to soak up less oil and has a very light crunch.

Ratatouille of Roasted Eggplant, Red Pepper, Cherry Tomatoes and Mango

1 medium eggplant, diced

1 red capsicum diced (or roast whole, peel and seed, and then dice)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

1 cup mango (one that is not too ripe), diced

1 small red onion, sliced

1 clove of garlic, crushed

1 tbsp olive oil

salt/pepper to taste

This is an all-oven roasted, dead easy recipe for ratatouille. I made mine with leftover eggplant and capsicum that was already roasted, so I merely sauteed the onion, added all other ingredients at once and warmed through for about 5-10 minutes on low heat.

If you roast all in the oven, you will have to watch timings: start with the eggplant, capsicum, and onion. There are many kinds of mango "out there", varying from sweet with hints of coconut, to sour and almost savory. I like a mango in this recipe that has a bit of acidity and is not overly sweet. However, the recipe works with whatever mango you like (or for that matter: is available). Use a mango that is not too ripe.

• Preheat the oven to 200C
• Season the eggplant and red pepper (if you are using from raw), mix with the sliced onion, toss with the olive oil and roast for 20 minutes, or until caramelizing and getting soft. 
• For the last 5 minutes: add the garlic, cherry tomatoes, and mango for the last 5 minutes. Mix in carefully!
• Season to taste

This recipe also featured in a previous post: Mango Mania (here).

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The Pantry Appetizer Platter

For a wine evening, I had said I would bring "a plate of something". That "something" wasn't defined until after I rummaged in fridge and pantry, and scanned over the herbs I have in my garden (the ones that survive my very un-green fingers). I love this kind of cooking: be creative with whatever your pantry and fridge hold for you. It is also a fabulous way to use leftovers and/or items that need finishing.

For this evening, I found a can of white beans, a chunk of parmesan, mild chorizo, fresh lemons, a large eggplant, leftover roasted red capsicum, soft goat's cheese, cream cheese, leftover sun-dried tomato tortillas, olives (from Markets and Platters), salami, and rosemary and basil begging to be picked.

A platter of a white bean dip, roasted eggplant relish, and creamy goat's cheese pinwheels was in the making.

white bean dip sprinkled with leftover dried espelette (see lamb shanks )

White Bean, Rosemary and Parmesan Dip
1 can white beans
juice of a lemon (or to taste)
1 clove of garlic, crushed and minced
olive oil
salt/pepper to taste
1/2 cup grated parmesan (or to taste)
1 sprig of fresh rosemary, leaves chopped

• as if making a classic hummus, pulse the white beans in a food processor with olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic until smooth but still thick in consistency. 
• heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a frying pan. Add the chopped rosemary and quickly stir until you can smell its fragrant essence (it is less than a minute).
• Add the rosemary as well as the olive oil it fried in to the white beans, pulse some more. Taste and adjust seasoning.
• spoon in the grated parmesan, and there you have it: white bean, rosemary and parmesan dip

Roasted Eggplant and Chorizo Relish
1 large eggplant
1 roasted red capsicum, skinned, seeded, and diced very small
1/2 cup chorizo, diced small
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pinch of espelette (or chilli powder to taste)
salt/pepper to taste
fresh lemon juice (to taste)

• Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, and make a couple of cross cuts in the flesh (do not cut through to the skin). Sprinkle with coarse salt and a little olive oil, and roast in a hot oven (200C) until soft.
• Scrape the eggplant flesh out, and discard the skin. 
• "dry fry" (means without adding oil) diced chorizo in a hot nonstick frying pan until its oil comes out. Do not brown or fry overly crisp. Drain and add to the eggplant. Add the chorizo oil if you like.
• Add the diced red pepper, the lemon juice, espelette or chilli powder, and season (all to taste)
• Mix all ingredients well together, and let stand for at least 30 minutes to infuse all flavors before serving.

Goat Cheese, Basil and Pine Kernel Pinwheels

4 medium size round soft tortillas (I had sun-dried tomato tortillas in my fridge)
100 gr creamy goat cheese, room temperature
100 gr cream cheese (philadelphia), room temperature
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 tbsp toasted pine kernels

• In a mortar and pestle, pound the basil leaves to a paste, add the pine kernels mid-way. 
• In a deep bowl, mix together the goat and cream cheese until smooth, and add the very basic pesto of basil and pine kernels (I did not add garlic: I think it takes away from the flavors of the goat cheese mixed with fresh basil and nuttiness of the pine kernels, but feel free to add it!). Leave to infuse for at least 10 minutes.
• Spread the goat cheese and basil mixture in a generous layer on a tortilla.
• Roll up tight carefully. Repeat with the remaining tortilla and cheese mixture. 
• Wrap the rolls in plastic and chill in the fridge for at least one hour.
• Cut just before serving into 1cm wide "rings" and let come to room temperature.

Pea & Okra Barley Risotto with Fried Porcini

This barley risotto is all vegetarian, and has garden peas, okra, and parmesan cheese. I comes topped with fried porcini, which you could easily replace with a mushroom to your liking (or availability) or if you don't like mushrooms: try it with grilled halloumi, for instance. For the carnivorous, I attach a link at the bottom of this post for braised lamb shanks that would go wonderful with this barley risotto instead of the porcini.

Culinary Trivia
Pearl Barley is a chewy grain with a nutty, hearty flavor. It is a wholesome grain, even if it has been polished (to which it owes it's name: pearl). Polished barley is still very rich in dietary fiber.

Okra is a pod vegetable also known as lady finger. Highly nutritious and loaded with dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins, it has a very distinctive-hate-it-or-love it characteristic: it is slimy. It is why okra can be used as a thickener, as it is in a thick, spicy soup served over rice called gumbo. Okra in this risotto has the same effect: it thickens and thus binds stock and barley grains, giving the barley risotto a little more depth of flavor in the process. I tell you, even if you're not a fan of okra because of its sliminess, you will like it in this risotto, where the sliminess "dissolves" into a creaminess you would associate with a classic risotto.

I use dried porcini - somehow, this mushroom packs deeper, almost meaty flavors dried than it does fresh. I use some of the rehydration water to add to the stock used to make the barley risotto.

Leftovers
I use pea and okra here, which you could easily substitute for whatever leftover vegetables you have. If the vegetables are too big, just cut them up. And if they are cooked already, add them last minute. I have made this barley risotto with sauteed mushrooms, with leftover fresh tomato and basil sauce, with grilled eggplant, with sauteed zucchini.



Pea and Okra Barley Risotto with Fried Porcini
(recipe for 3-4)

about one cup dried porcini, rehydrated
1 cup pearl barley, rinsed
1 cup cleaned fresh garden peas
1 cup okra
1/2 small preserved lemon (if you have no preserved lemon: use a tsp grated fresh lemon peel)
1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 garlic cloves, crushed and minced
1 tbsp (or to taste) grated parmesan
salt/pepper to taste
hearty (vegetable) stock (about a liter), add a tbsp of the porcini soaking water
1 tbsp olive oil

• rehydrate the porcini: place in a bowl and cover with hot to boiling water. Leave to stand for about 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are soft. Drain and pat dry. Use some of the liquid to add to the stock!
• bring the stock to a boil and keep on a very low simmer.
• Heat the olive oil in a casserole over medium heat. Add the onions and sweat for 3-4 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and the pearl barley, toss in the onions and add a cup of stock.
• Simmer gently so the barley can soak up all the liquid. When the liquid has gone dry, add another cup of hot stock. 
• After about 20 minutes cooking time, taste the barley, cut the okra in small rings and add to the barley. Stir and continue to add stock whenever the liquid has gone dry, and repeat this process until the barley is soft to eat : it will still have a chewy bite, but is pleasant to eat. It takes about 30-40 minutes, from the first cup of hot stock you add.
• In the last 5 minutes of cooking the barley, add the garden peas. They do not need long to cook. Finish the risotto to taste with the preserved lemon (skin only, discard the pulp), salt/pepper to taste, and grated parmesan.
• pat the rehydrated porcini dry, and heat a tbsp olive oil in a frying pan. Add the porcini (cut into smaller pieces if you prefer) and fry crisp in 1-2 minutes. 
• spoon the barley risotto onto plates, and top with the fried porcini. To taste, grate some more parmesan over the dish, and serve.
• ps. you can precook the barley for about 10 minutes, drain and then proceed. It will speed up the process (in a way: you will have another dirty pan and colander...)

This barley risotto is also excellent as a side for braised lamb shanks. In this case, leave off the porcini mushrooms. Of course you could add porcini as well, but it will be an overload of flavors.

Recipe for braised lamb shanks (click)

these fork-tender lamb shanks combine well with the nutty and refreshing tastes of pea and okra barley risotto

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Braised Quail & Marinated Zucchini Salad

This is a recipe based on leftovers. Simple, straightforward. I had leftover braised quail, but this works equally well with leftover roast chicken, or even easier: smoked salmon, prosciutto, (grilled) prawns. The choice is yours: it is all about what you have (leftover) in your fridge, and how you can use it in a creative, mouthwatering way. Or, you can go and get the same ingredients to make this refreshing salad (see below for alternative vegetarian and/or vegan suggestions).

This is what I had:

2 leftover quail (braised with fresh za'atar (the herb), garlic, onion, carrot, celery, and red wine)
1 large zucchini (courgette)
lemon
fresh parsley
microgreens (see picture below)
and from the pantry: olive oil, Maldon salt flakes, and rose peppercorns

Pluck or shred the meat from the quail carcass. If you think the meat is too dry to eat as is, add a little olive oil and some fresh lemon juice to the quail meat, and spoon through. Adjust seasoning to your liking. I did not add anything: the quail meat was tender and juicy, and well-infused with flavors from the braising liquid. Shred parsley leaves into smaller pieces and mix in with the quail meat.

Slice the (raw) zucchini very thin. Whisk olive oil with lemon juice until well-mixed. Pour over the zucchini and carefully mix into the prepared zucchini without breaking the delicate slices. Let marinate until the zucchini slices have softened (10-20 minutes). Arrange on a plate and sprinkle salt flakes over the slices.

Arrange the quail meat in the middle on top of the zucchini slices. Garnish with the rose peppercorns and microgreens (if you don't have these, use garden cress and a combination of green herbs such as parsley, basil, and chives).


VEGETARIAN VERSION: USE CRUMBLED GOAT CHEESE (WITH A LITTLE HONEY AND THYME)

VEGAN VERSION: USE ROASTED RED PEPPER (PEELED & SEEDED) AND FRESH BASIL

microgreens: mustard cress (left), shiso cress (middle), and one I forgot the name of

zucchini carpaccio: same marinade (here with shredded basil) and preparation for the raw zucchini