Summer Shrimp

As delicious as this dish was, this is not at all what I had in mind to make earlier in the day. I had plans for a lemon-herb risotto with shrimp. However, it ended up being a nice 70 degrees here on the coast and risotto just seemed...wrong. I had already told my roommate to bring home some shrimp, so clearly the evening had to continue in a shrimpy fashion. The question however...in what sort of vessel would these shrimp arrive at the table? Now this where the problem lies for me to convey my recipes...I just started tossing things in a pot. I will give you the ingredients, but I can't promise the outcome since I measured NOTHING, ok well almost nothing. Good luck.



EQUIPMENT
Cutting Board
Sharp Knife
Large Pan w/lid
Wooden Spoon



INGREDIENTS
2 (or so)Tbl. Olive Oil
1 Mdm. Yellow (or white) Onion, Chopped
6 Mini Zuchini, Chopped
4 Mini Pattypan Squash, Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
4 (or 5) Mixed Mini Bell Peppers, sliced
Oregano, roughly chopped
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
White Wine
Lemon Juice from 1/4 of a lemon
Vegetable broth...2T perhaps
Honey



Heat your pan over medium heat, and add olive oil. When Olive oil is shimmering toss in your onions. Cook the onions until fragrant, then add all your squash, peppers and garlic. Ok...here comes the hard part. I'm sorry, but this is where things get a little shaky and I stopped measuring and just started adding.
At this point I still wasn't entirely sure what I was making, and was just adding things that sounded good.
Season dish with salt and freshly ground pepper, a bit of onion powder, some garlic powder, and fresh (or dried if you don't have fresh) oregano. Stir that all together until the seasonings become fragrant. Now add your shrimp, wine, lemon juice, vegetable broth and honey. Cover and let simmer for a couple minutes. Check frequently so as not to over cook the shrimp. When everything is cooked and smells as you would like it to (once again I'm sorry for the flimsy recipe...I will make this again and measure things i promise) then remove it from the heat and serve with a nice hunk of bread.



Comer!

Garlic-Lemon Tilapia w/Spinach

This recipe was inspired by my Food Network Magazine, but I tweaked it a little bit. In my opinion there is too much lemon in the recipe the way it was written, the acid would overtake all the other flavors. We ate dinner a little late last night, as yesterday was "store day". That dreaded day where we make a mad dash for Costco/Fred Meyer/Home Depot/Petco all in a single evening after work, in the hopes that we will not have to return for the rest of the month...well to at least 3 of the 4. Anyways, I digress...as usual. Dinner was consumed around 10pm BUT, it only took me about 20 minutes to prepare this lovely looking (and tasting) dish for two. So no grumbling that you don't have time to make dinner, because I call bull***t!



EQUIPMENT
Large Pan
Cutting Board
Sharp Knife
Liquid Measuring Cup
Zester
Wooden Spoon
Foil
2 Plates
Tongs or Fish Spatula



INGREDIENTS
2 Tilapia Filets (fresh please, not frozen)
1/4C. Flour
Salt and Pepper
4T Olive Oil
3 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced
1/2C. Dry White Wine
3/4C. Chicken Broth (vegetable is fine as well)
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Zest of 1 lemon
1T. Butter
2T. Chopped Parsley
4C Spinach



Pat dry the Tilapia then salt and pepper to taste on both sides. Dredge the fish in your 1/4C. of flour, (I find it the easiest to just pour the flour out on a plate). Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in your large pan. When oil is hot at the fish. Cook roughly 2 minutes on each side. When fish is cooked transfer to a clean plate and tent with foil to keep it warm, while you finish up the dish. Add one more tablespoon of olive oil to the pan, and add the garlic slices. As soon as garlic begins to brown add the wine, chicken broth, lemon juice and lemon zest. Turn heat up to high and allow to come to a boil until it reduces by half.
In the meantime toss your clean (uncooked) spinach with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and couple grinds of fresh pepper. Place on your plate, this will be the bed for the fish.
When the liquid has reduced, remove from the heat and stir in the butter then add the parsley. Put your fish on the spinach bed, and pour the sauce overtop. Serve with a lemon wedge and devour.



Comer!