Shrimp Guacamole

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The big game is this weekend! Anyone planning on having a party? Or heading somewhere where you want to bring something to share? I’ve got the perfect munchie to fit the bill, if that’s the case!

Y’all know I love to incorporate seafood into my dishes whenever possible, and for a throw-down like Sunday’s event – it’s always fun to splurge a little bit for your spread…

Since most of my local seafood shacks are closed for the off-season here on the island, I took a road trip “across the bay” to my closest Whole Foods Market – in Hampton Roads, to see what kind of goodness they were offering for the big game!

While I’m usually not a purveyor of pre-made items, their uber-tubs of guacamole have always been a favorite for me (incidentally on sale this week). I’ll usually buy one to snack on with some chips on the way home! So, I decided to use that as a base for my guacamole for both simplicity, and times sake.

For the shrimp salsa, I picked up some of the gorgeous grey shrimp found at their seafood counter. Their fishmongers are always so knowledgeable, and always ready to answer any question you can throw at them! I love that they work with small, local fisheries whenever possible. Knowing that I can still support sustainable fishing practices, while shopping at a large grocer, is very important to me. Just another reason why I love Whole Foods, and everything that they stand for.

So, those shrimp. I roasted them with the shell on (helps to retain moisture and tenderness) with some fresh lemon, oregano, and lots of pepper. Once they were perfectly cooked I let them cool down enough to peel, then give a rough chop. Combined with a little tomato, red onion, jalapeno, lime juice, and a bit of cilantro to brighten it up – the rustic, chunky salsa was the perfect contrast against the smooth, creamy guacamole. And, it was so pretty on the plate!

The perfect addition to your big game day buffet.  

Shrimp Guacamole

3/4 lb large shrimp, shells on (cut up the back with shears to remove vein)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
1 lemon, sliced
olive oil
2 roma tomatoes, chopped
1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 lime, juiced
kosher salt
black pepper
1 cup guacamole
tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and drizzle with olive oil. Toss shrimp, garlic, oregano, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp of black pepper in a large bowl – with an additional Tbsp of olive oil.

Place onto sheet pan in an even layer. Scatter lemon slices on top. Roast for 15 minutes until shrimp are pink and starting to curl up. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature, before peeling and roughly chopping.

Combine the chopped shrimp, tomatoes, onion, cilantro, and lime juice to form the salsa. Season to taste with salt.

To plate, I used a large biscuit cutter to form a mold for the guacamole. Not necessary, but makes a prettier presentation! Place the mold in the center of the plate, and fill with guacamole. Top with the shrimp salsa mixture, packing in slightly before removing the mold. Scatter tortilla chips around the edges to serve.

Alternately, you could serve it in a bowl.

Disclosure: I have a partnership with Whole Foods Market and was compensated for my work, but all words and opinions are my own.

Eastern Shore Paella

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Paella is one of those dishes that was always on my “to make” list, but I just never got around to. Honestly, I don’t know why I waited so long to give it a whirl. Chicken, spicy chorizo, shrimp, clams, white wine, saffron – all cooked together, with a hefty portion of rice acting as a bed to absorb all that goodness.

I love one dish meals to begin with. But, the flavor that comes out of this simple – yet sophisticated dish, is un-paralleled.

Yeah, I know it’s traditionally made with mussels. But, that’s something we don’t come by too often here on the Eastern Shore. They tend prefer rocky coastlines, and we have alot of marshy muddy coast here. That being said, I love this Eastern Shore twist of the littleneck clams. Juicy and tender – they add wonderful flavor to the paella. That I’m not so sure you’d get with mussels to begin with…

I’ve never had a paella pan (don’t believe in uni-taskers), but if you have a heavy dutch oven – you’re all set! The good folks at Le Creuset were so kind to send me this gorgeous Mariner Star Dutch oven a couple of weeks ago. I love it’s nautical look and feel, it looks right at home in my island kitchen.

Oh yeah, by the way – they have one to give away to one lucky reader! Details can be found at the end of the post.A quick sear of the chicken and chorizo, followed by a saute of onion and garlic. Tomatoes, wine, chicken stock saffron, and bay leaf create a rich broth in which the rice cooks, along with the chicken and chorizo, in the oven. The seafood is added for the last few minutes, so it doesn’t get overcooked in the process.

To attain the soccarat, or the crispy edge on the bottom of your paella, just takes a few minutes on the stovetop once the paella is removed from the oven. And trust me, it’s worth it. Don’t skip this step.

An easy garnish of a lemon wedge and some fresh parsley, a green salad, and a bottle of wine – and you’ve got a lovely meal fit for company!

Le Creuset has graciously offered to giveaway one of the Limited Edition Mariner Star 5.5 Quart Round Dutch Oven to one lucky reader. What’s your favorite thing to make in a dutch oven? Leave a comment telling us what that is, here on this post, to be entered to win. Winner will be chosen on February 10th at 12 PM, via random number generator.

WINNING COMMENT WAS #46! Congratulations, Sarah – I hope you enjoy the dutch oven, and make many treasured family recipes in it over the years. Thank you again, Le Creuset!

Eastern Shore Paella

3/4 pound large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
3 chicken thighs
10 garlic cloves, minced or pressed through a garlic press (2 generous tablespoons)
1 Tbsp paprika
kosher salt
olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into strips
8 oz chorizo sausage, casings removed
1 red onion, diced
1 (14.5 oz) can tomatoes – drained, minced, and drained again
2 cups medium-grain rice
3 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup dry white wine (I used Chardonnay)
hefty pinch saffron threads, crumbled
1 dried bay leaf
15-20 small (littleneck) clams, scrubbed and rinsed
1/2 cup frozen peas
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position; heat the oven to 350°F. Toss the shrimp, 1 tablespoon oil, 3 teaspoons of the garlic, and 1 tsp of salt in a medium bowl; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed. Season the chicken thighs with salt and 2 tsp of paprika; set aside.

Heat 1 Tbsp oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add the pepper strips and cook, stirring occasionally, until the skin begins to blister and turn spotty black, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the pepper to a small plate and set aside.

Add the chicken pieces to the pan in a single layer. Cook, without moving the pieces, until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn the pieces and brown on the second side, about 3 minutes longer; transfer the chicken to a medium bowl. Reduce the heat to medium and add the chorizo to the pot; cook, stirring frequently, until deeply browned and the fat begins to render, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the chorizo to the bowl with the chicken and set aside.

Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes; stir in the remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes; cook until the mixture begins to darken and thicken slightly, about 3 minutes. Stir in the rice and cook until the grains are well coated with the tomato mixture, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the chicken broth, wine, saffron, bay leaf, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Return the chicken and chorizo to the pot, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a boil, uncovered, stirring occasionally. Cover the pot and transfer it to the oven; cook until the rice absorbs almost all of the liquid, about 15 minutes.

Remove the paella from the oven. Uncover the paella; scatter the shrimp over the rice, insert the clams hinged-side down into the rice (so they stand upright), arrange the bell pepper strips in a pinwheel pattern, and scatter the peas over the top. Cover and return to the oven; cook until the shrimp are opaque and the clams have opened, 10 to 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and place onto stovetop, uncovered, over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes, rotating the pot 180 degrees after about 2 minutes for even browning of the bottom.

Recover dish and let stand about 5 minutes. Discard any clams that have not opened and the bay leaf. Sprinkle the paella with the parsley and serve, passing the lemon wedges separately.

Source: adapted from Cook’s Illustrated

Disclaimer: I received a 5.5 Quart Round Dutch Oven from Le Creuset for review. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Shrimp in Tomato-Spinach Cream Sauce

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Shrimp in Tomato-Spinach Cream SauceIt’s getting to be that time of year when we spend a lot of time outside. After a long day out on the boat or at the beach, I always have a hungry crew ready to eat dinner. Often times I’ll plan a dinner around what I have at home, and then swing by the store to pick up a few things to bring it all together.

I live in a pretty remote area here on the Eastern Shore, so a “one stop shop” grocery store is really a blessing during these busy summer months. For me, that place has always been my local Food Lion.

Since they opened around 15 years ago in my small community, they’ve offered the freshest and best selection of produce in the area. They are the only place in a 60-mile radius that I can find fresh bean sprouts for my homemade egg rolls. Or, alfalfa sprouts. Or, any sprouts for that matter!
Fresh Blooms
I also love their small fresh flower section. For just a few dollars, a pretty bouquet really brightens up the dining room table for the week. That’s something else I’ve always had a hard time finding in my rural area, especially in the winter months when I’m not foraging for wildflowers or marsh grasses for centerpieces!

Their MVP Specials are another favorite for me. When we had our first baby and I gave up my job to stay at home, their weekly MVP specials were what I based our meal plans around. Always affordable, without sacrificing quality to do so – how refreshing!

So, when Food Lion reached out to me to share a recipe featuring some fresh finds from their produce section, I was happy to oblige! As I mentioned above, I’m often swinging in to pick up a few fresh components to make a quick dinner after being out in the surf and sun all day.

Food Lion Produce

For these occasions, you can never go wrong with a delicious shrimp pasta. Just a few minutes and a handful of ingredients – and you’ve got a filling and satisfying meal. One that I turn to again and again in the months ahead. And, all of the ingredients are just a quick stop on my way home. How refreshing!

Thank you for making freshness available at such an affordable price, Food Lion!

Shrimp in Tomato & Spinach Cream Sauce

1 pound medium or large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 small red onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine (I use dry vermouth)
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
4 Roma tomatoes, diced (a small handful reserved for garnish)
2 cups baby spinach
1 pound cooked linguine (or your favorite pasta)
2 scallions, chopped (for garnish)
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper

Cook pasta according to package directions, set aside.

Season shrimp with a pinch of salt and black pepper. Heat butter in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp to skillet, and cook for about 2 minutes. Flip shrimp over and cook for 1 minute more. Remove to plate and set aside.

Add the diced onion and garlic to the pan, saute for a minute or so – until fragrant. Carefully add the white wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to deglaze, let reduce for around 2 minutes. Add the cream, Parmesan, chopped tomatoes, and spinach. Cook sauce over medium-low heat for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until spinach has wilted completely.

Add the shrimp back to the sauce and simmer for around 3 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour the sauce on top of the pasta and toss to combine. Sprinkle with scallions and reserved tomatoes for garnish.

For more great recipes visit the Food Lion Recipe Hub.

What recipes do you love to make with fresh ingredients? Leave a comment for a chance to win a $100 Visa Gift Card. You can use this gift card to shop for delicious fresh ingredients at Food Lion!

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Garlic Herb Seasoned Salt

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Garlic Herb Salt

Back at Christmas time I bought an insane amount of pre-peeled garlic due to poor grocery shopping planning, and needed something to do with it. I’d remembered a recipe they’d talked about on The Splendid Table a while back for homemade seasoned salt using fresh garlic, and decided that since I had a plethora of the stuff that I needed something to do with…this was the perfect opportunity to try out said recipe.

You guys, it’s been pretty much the only seasoning I’ve used since then – save chili powder and cumin. Not a meal goes by that I don’t find myself dipping into the stuff. I keep a mason jar curing of it at all times, just because it’s so perfect to use on everything – any protein under the sun, to any vegetable or starch you can throw at it! It really heightens the flavor of whatever it is you use it on, without overwhelming it…which many store-bought seasoning blends tend to do!

I roasted the garlic first – to intensify and deepen the flavors. Then, toss it into bunch of salt along with some freshly chopped herbs. Any mix of your favorite will do – I’ve been using rosemary and thyme recently, just because it’s been pretty readily available during the cold months.

However now that it’s warming up and I’m starting to think about my herb garden – I’m looking forward to experimenting with different blends of herbs this season. I also think that bit of citrus zest would also be a welcome addition to the party! Or maybe a smidge of lavender for an Herbes de Provance twist? Have fun with it, you can’t mess this one up!

Garlic Herb Seasoned Salt

20 large cloves garlic, peeled
2 tsp olive oil
1.5 cups kosher salt
1/4 cup fresh thyme leaves, removed from stems
1/2 cup fresh rosemary leaves, removed from stems

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Place garlic in small baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Place garlic in preheated oven for about 25 minutes, until brown on the edges and fragrant. Roughly chop and set aside.

Combine kosher salt, roasted garlic, and herbs into a quart size mason jar. Seal with a lid and shake well to combine. Store in a dark space, shaking occasionally every other day or so, for about 5 days.

Place salt infusion into a food processor and blend for a few pulses until garlic and herbs are mostly chopped and uniform. Place back into the mason jar or another airtight container for storage.

Source: adapted from The Splendid Table