Article by Mama Jock
Shrimp and
Fresh Asparagus Over Penne
Courtesy of Gabby Mancini
Mancini’s Italian Restaurant and Brick Oven Pizzeria
Fenwick Island, DE
2 lbs fresh asparagus
1 lb. large (U10) shrimp, peeled w/tail on
2 TBSP. butter
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup dry white wine
¼ cup heavy cream
1 TBSP. chopped garlic
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper
In a medium sauté pan, heat 2 TBSP butter over medium heat.
Sauté 1 TBSP chopped garlic in butter until tender.
Add shrimp
When shrimp are salmon color on both sides, remove from pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Deglaze pan with white wine.
Add ½ cup chicken stock and asparagus puree (see following recipe) to the butter and garlic.
Add remaining asparagus tips and shrimp.
Mix thoroughly while heating. Approximently 3 to 5 minutes.
To serve, combine heated mixture with 1 lb. cooked penne pasta in a large bowl or pasta platter.
Toss and serve from platter “family style”.
Finish with freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Asparagus Puree
Thoroughly wash asparagus bundles (leave the rubber bands on) and trim the bottom by 1 inch.
Cook bundles in boiling water for 7 to 10 minutes depending on asparagus size, making sure not to overcook.
When tender, remove from boiling water and rinse with cold water to stop cooking.
Cut asparagus into thirds, saving the tips in one bowl and the bottom two-thirds into another.
Using a blender or food processor, blend bottom 2/3 of asparagus with heavy cream, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper until the mixture becomes a smooth puree (thick but not a paste).
Set aside.
Striped Bass with Mushrooms
3 TBSP. unsalted butter
2 sprigs fresh thyme
5 large shallots, thinly sliced
Salt
Pepper
10 oz. white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
4 striped bass fillets, one inch thick with skin on
2 TBSP. extra-virgin olive oil
¾ cup dry white wine
¾ cup heavy cream
Chopped fresh parsley or chives, for garnish
Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
Add the shallots and thyme. Cook until the shallots are translucent, about 7 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Add the mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and tender, about 8 minutes.
Season fish with salt and pepper.
Heat the oil in another large skillet over medium heat.
Add the fish, skin side down; cook until the skin is crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
Add the wine to the skillet and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon.
Boil over high heat until syrupy, 2 to 3 minutes.
Add the cream and simmer to thicken slightly, 3 minutes.
Season with salt and pepper.
Pour the cream sauce over the mushrooms in the skillet and add the fish, skin side up.
Simmer until the fish is firm and translucent.
Garnish with parsley or chives, if desired.
Serves 4.
Seafood Enchiladas
2 medium onions, coarsley chopped
1 (7oz.) can of diced green chilies
1 ½ TBSP. butter
1 lb. crabmeat
1 lb. shrimp
1 cup walnut halves, toasted
1 can medium pitted ripe olives, drained and halved
1 lb. Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
Vegetable oil
16 corn tortillas
2 cups half & half
1 cup sour cream
½ cup butter, melted
1 ½ tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. garlic salt
Saute onions and chilies in butter until onions are transparent.
Remove from heat; add crab, shrimp, walnuts and olives.
Combine cheeses.
Set aside 1 ½ cups of cheese mixture for top of casserole.
Stir remaining cheese into seafood mixture.
Fry tortillas in ¼ inch of oil, just long enough to soften, about 30 seconds. Drain on paper towels.
Fill each tortilla with seafood mixture, roll up and place seam-side down in large greased baking dish.
Can be prepared in advance and refrigerated or frozen at this point.
In a medium saucepan, combine half & half, sour cream, butter, oregano and garlic salt.
Stir frequently over medium heat until lukewarm and blended.
Pour over enchiladas.
Sprinkle with reserved cheese mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbly.
Garnish with avocado slices, shredded cheese and sliced black olives.
Serves 6-8.
Broiled Flounder with Parmesan and Herbs
½ cup parmesan cheese, divided
2 TBSP. mayonnaise
2 TBSP. Greek style yogurt or sour cream
2 TBSP. melted butter
2 TBSP. lemon juice plus zest from 1 small lemon
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried tarragon
1/8 tsp. onion powder
Sea salt and black pepper, to taste
4 flounder fillets
Combine ¼ cup parmesan cheese with remaining ingredients (except fish).
Coat fillets in mixture and place in baking dish.
Marinate for 15 to 20 minutes.
Pre-heat broiler.
Transfer fillets to foil-lined broiler pan.
Spoon a few TBSP. of marinade on top and sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese.
Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat until topping is lightly browned and fish flakes easily with fork.
Baked Tuna with Sweet and Sour Cucumber Salad
8 tuna steaks
8 tsps. butter
8 sprigs fresh tarragon
8 lemon slices
4 cups cucumber, peeled, seeded, thinly sliced
2 tsps. sugar
3 TBSP. white wine vinegar
2 TBSP. olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place a 12-inch square piece of foil on a flat surface.
Lightly butter center of foil.
Place 1 tuna steak in center; season with salt and pepper.
Top with 1 tsp. butter, 1 sprig of tarragon and 1 slice of lemon.
Bring 2 sides of foil together and fold over.
Fold remaining sides over to create tightly sealed package.
Repeat with remaining tuna.
Bake in oven for 12-15 minutes or until tuna is cooked to desired doneness.
While tuna is cooking, prepare cucumber salad.
Combine cucumbers, and next five ingredients and mix well.
Serve tuna over salad.
Serves 8.
Scalloped Oysters
1 medium onion, chopped
3 sticks butter, melted
1 ½ tsp. celery salt
Dash of pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1 ½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 TBSP. parsley, chopped
5 cups coarsley crumbled saltine crackers
1 quart shucked oysters, drained (reserve liquor)
1 cup reserved oyster liquor
½ cup light cream
½ cup milk
Saute onion in melted butter until tender, not browned.
Add celery salt, pepper, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, parsley and crackers.
In a buttered 2 ½ quart casserole, layer 1/3 of the crumbs, half of the oysters, another 1/3 of the crumbs, remaining oysters and the remaining 1/3 of the crumbs.
Pour oyster liquor, cream and milk over all.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 45 minutes or until oyster edges curl.
Serves 6-8.
Flounder with Creamy Spinach Sauce
6 flounder fillets
6 TBSP. butter
4 TBSP. flour
1 (10 oz.) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
Salt
Pepper
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 TBSP. minced garlic
1 tsp. fennel seed
¼ cup minced white onion
1 ¼ cup plain yogurt
Scallions, thinly sliced
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large saucepan, melt the butter.
Stir in the flour; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until smooth.
Reduce heat; stir in the spinach, salt, pepper, nutmeg, garlic, fennel seed and onion.
Stir and cook just until heated.
Remove from heat and gradually stir in the yogurt.
Grease a baking pan with olive oil.
Spoon in the spinach mixture.
Place the fillets over the spinach and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste.
Place the scallions on top and then sprinkle with the parmesan.
Bake 375 degrees for 15-25 minutes or until the fish flakes easily with fork.
Serves 6.
Scallops, Pineapple and Bacon with Jalapeño Vinaigrette
4 slices bacon
16 scallops
Fresh pineapple cut into 1 ½ inch cubes
2 fresh jalapeños
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 TBSP. fresh lime juice
1 TBSP. honey
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ cup chopped parsley
2 large scallion greens, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 oz. rice noodles
1 lime, cut in 4 wedges
Fry bacon until cooked but not crisp. Cut into 1 ½ inch pieces.
Prepare grill, slightly oiled at medium heat.
Alternately thread pineapple, scallops and bacon onto 8 metal or soaked bamboo skewers.
Grill jalapeños, turning until charred and tender. Remove seeds and stems and coarsley chop.
Transfer to blender with oil, honey, lime juice, cilantro, parsley, scallion greens and garlic. Pulse until just combined for vinaigrette.
Coat skewers with cooking spray and grill, turning until golden and scallops are cooked through, about 5 minutes.
Prepare noodles per package directions while skewers cook.
Drain noodles and immediately toss with ¼ cup of the vinaigrette.
Season with salt and pepper.
Divide among 4 plates and drizzle with remaining vinaigrette and serve with lime wedges.
Serves 4.
Lobster
Mac and Cheese
2 TBSP. vegetable oil
Salt
1 lb. cavatappi or elbow macaroni
1 quart whole milk
1 stick unsalted butter
½ cup flour
4 cups grated Gruyere cheese
2 cups grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
½ tsp. black pepper
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
1 ½ lbs. cooked lobster meat, ½ inch dice
1 ½ cups Panko bread crumbs
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Place oil in a large pot of boiling water, add the salt and pasta; cook al dente according to the directions on the package. Drain well.
Heat the milk in a small pan, but do not allow it to boil.
In a large pot, melt 6 TBSP. of the butter and add the flour, stirring constantly, over low heat for 2 minutes, with a wisk.
Still wisking, add the hot milk and cook for 2 minutes until thickened and smooth.
Off the heat, add the Gruyere, cheddar, 1 tsp. salt, the pepper and nutmeg and stir until the cheese melts.
Stir in the cooked pasta and lobster.
Pile the mixture into 6 to 8 (2 cup) gratin dishes.
Melt the remaining 2 TBSP. of butter with the breadcrumbs and sprinkle on top.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes until the sauce is bubbly and the top is lightly browned.
Serves 6 to 8.
Cajun
Shrimp Alfredo
8 oz. linguine or fettuccine
10 oz. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 TBSP. Cajun seasoning
3 TBSP. butter
1 ½ cups chopped mushrooms
2 tsp. garlic, minced
¾ cup diced tomatoes
½ cup milk
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg yolk
½ cup chopped green onions
In a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta al dente; drain, but do not rinse.
Toss shrimp in 1 TBSP. of the Cajun seasoning.
In a heavy skillet, melt the butter; add the shrimp and saute for 1 minute, turning several times during the cooking process.
Add the mushrooms and cook for several minutes.
Add the garlic and tomatoes, continue stirring for a few seconds.
Add the milk, cream cheese, egg yolk and green onions; stir over medium heat until the sauce thickens, but DO NOT BOIL. (Too high a heat will cause the egg yolk to curdle.)
Place the drained pasta in a serving bowl and tossing lightly, pour sauce over all.
Serves 4.
Fish and Chips with Spicy Tartar Sauce
Large deep skillet or deep fryer (375 degrees)
Peanut oil
2 cups flour, divided
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 tsp. garlic powder
¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. smoked paprika
1 tsp. baking powder
Ground black pepper
1 cup beer
8 flounder fillets
In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup of flour, the cornstarch, garlic powder, cayenne, smoked paprika, baking powder, salt and pepper.
Add the beer and whisk until incorporated.
The batter will be slightly lumpy.
Place the remaining 1 cup of flour in a pie plate.
In batches, dredge the fish fillets in the flour, then the beer batter.
Let the excess batter drip off and gently lower into skillet or fryer.
Fry until golden brown and flip.
Remove to drain on paper towels and arrange on serving platter.
Spicy Tartar Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
3 TBSP. hot pepper relish
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash hot sauce
Salt and pepper
Combine all ingredients; cover and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.
