Thai Style Coconut Shrimp Tacos

Tacos make great weeknight meals because they’re quick to pull together. And, if we've learned anything over the years it's that -- as weird as it may sound -- almost anything tastes good wrapped up in a tortilla. 

We've pulled off some pretty interesting tacos and wraps in our time, a number of which were edible, but definitely not fit for blogging.

But here's one we made more recently that is entirely worth the minimal effort.

We took inspiration from the fish tacos we make at least once every couple of weeks. But, this time we added shrimp. And we dredged the shrimp in coconut. 

And then --  instead of topping them with chipotle slaw -- we subbed out the chipotle for Thai red curry and made it Thai style. 

Along the way, we came up with a great way to batter and bake shrimp. 

Turns out dipping the shrimp in a spicy butter mixture and dredging them in coconut before baking ensures rich flavor and a crispy coating that’s almost as good as fried.  Huh, who would've known?

Well, now we do. And this one is a keeper.

Thai Style Coconut Shrimp Tacos

There are more great recipes where this one came from! We created this dish as part of our work with the Go Bold with Butter blog, where you'll find an amazing collection of delicious recipes using real butter.

©BURP!

Luscious Lobster Risotto

Got a birthday coming up? An anniversary? A new job?

Or maybe you just want an excuse to eat something amazing? Don't worry, we won't judge. We're big fans of celebrating the little moments in life -- like a beautifully sunny day or a random weeknight evening when there's nothing to do but cook something delicious.

And on days like that, there's nothing more perfect than this deliciously creamy lobster risotto.

If you love seafood, this is a meal you won't want to pass up. And if you love a good risotto, that's an even better reason to copy down this recipe to make at the next available opportunity.

The dish takes on a nutty character from slightly browned butter, and a creamy character from being finished with Mascarpone cheese. A bit of lemon zest cuts the richness and brightens the entire dish.

Intimidated by working with lobster? You needn't be.

This luxurious dish is remarkably easy (and affordable) to make with frozen lobster tails, which are available at a variety of better meat counters. You won't have to tangle with a live lobster, or deal with digging meat out of obstreperous claws. You simply thaw, steam them and then slice them open with a knife or kitchen shears to remove the delicate sweet meat.

Hint: rather than opting for one large tail, choose smaller tails, since their flesh is more delicate and their lobster flavor often sweeter.

Luscious Lobster Risotto

There are more great recipes where this one came from! We created this dish as part of our work with the Go Bold with Butter blog, where you'll find an amazing collection of delicious recipes using real butter.

©BURP!

Spring Scallop Tacos with Strawberry Salsa

Although summer has been slow to arrive here in Wisconsin, and we're growing impatient for the bountiful produce that promises to show up at the farmer's market ANY DAY NOW, we're making a real effort to enjoy the best of the season.

Just take a look at the delicious scallop tacos we threw together last weekend -- grilled sea scallops on a bed of fresh cucumber slaw and topped with a deliciously sweet & spicy strawberry salsa.

It was a deliciously light entree, and one of those dinners perfect for throwing together on a sweltering summer evening when it's simply too hot to turn on the stove.

It was also uncommonly delicious.  The strawberry salsa, which contained scallions, lime juice, and a bit of bite from jalapeno peppers, perfectly complemented the buttery scallops, while the shredded cucumbers (which had been drained and tossed with cilantro), provided a crisp, fresh crunch.

I was particularly proud of the fact that a significant percentage of the ingredients to make this dish were both local and seasonal...  with one pesky exception.  The seafood.

It can be difficult being a locavore if you're a seafood lover living in Wisconsin.  For, while we do have our fair share of lake-sourced fish -- including Walleye, Northern Pike, Trout, Bluegills, and Perch --  there are some items blatantly missing from the locally sourced fish list.

Sea scallops are at the very top of my list.  These delicious bi-valves are meaty, clean-tasting and uncommonly sweet.  Even better, in most cases scallops are a good choice when it comes to sustainable seafood.  But, there is nowhere in Wisconsin to buy a locally raised scallop.

So, what's a gal to do?
For a while, as we initially made the transition to eating more local foods, I avoided eating seafood that I couldn't source from "home".  But, after giving the situation a great deal more thought, we've since changed our tune.

When it comes to our local eating philosophy, it's probably important to clarify that we are hardly purists or perfectionists.  The fact is, MINDFUL eating is really more of what we espouse.  While we pay attention to where our food comes from, we also care about but how it's been produced, and the impact its having on not only our bodies & health, but the world around us.  We are responsible for the foods that we allow into our bodies, and we make decisions accordingly.  Likewise, we emphasize a way of living that is clearly sustainable for us all year round (not just during the summer months).

If we have the choice between eating a locally grown apple and one imported from Washington State, we'll be most likely to opt for the local apple.  Likewise, if we can find local sources for meat, dairy, and cheese, we'll be unlikely to bother with purchasing products from outside of Wisconsin.  However, the fact also remains that there are highly nutritious and delicious foods that  it makes sense to import because we can’t grow them here.  This list includes items like bananas, pineapple, coffee, coconut, and the like.  For us, it also includes seafood.

We choose to purchase scallops every now and again, and we don't feel badly about it. We choose sustainable sources and attempt to support local fish mongers whenever possible.  Most of all, we make sure to take the time to enjoy the food we're eating.

I should mention that we made this dish again last night for company, and we substituted thinly sliced red cabbage for the cucumber.  Also delicious -- and I really liked the additional color & crunch!

Spring Scallop Tacos
Strawberry Salsa

Mardi Gras in Milwaukee: Langostinos & Caramelized Onion & Parmesan Grits

One of the things I love about having a food blog is that we get to make excuses for celebrating all sorts of crazy holidays that we wouldn't normally observe.  One of these happens to be a particular favorite of mine -- Mardi Gras.  And one of my favorite recipes to celebrate Mardi Gras just happens to be the classic shrimp & grits, a low country dish that makes use of two southern classics, creamy grits and plentiful gulf shrimp.

According to the Houston Press, shrimp & grits "started out as a seasonal fisherman’s dish of shrimp cooked in bacon grease served over creamy grits in the Low Country where they were also known as “breakfast shrimp.” The simple seafood breakfast became an iconic Southern dish after Craig Claiborne wrote about it in the New York Times in 1985"

 
In an effort to be frugal, I decided that this year I was going to rely on pantry & freezer staples to make our Mardi Gras inspired meal. Although we didn't have shrimp, we were fortunate to have a bag of frozen Langostino tails on hand from Trader Joes. An affordable (and delicious) alternative to lobster, langostino tails are meat from squat lobster, a shellfish with a similar flavor and texture.  And I just knew they would be perfect for this dish.

I also decided that, rather than the classic andouille sausage that often appears in New Orleans' style shrimp & grits dishes, that we'd rely on locally produced applewood smoked bacon to provide a bit of smokiness to the final dish.

And off to the kitchen we went. 

In our version, creamy grits are embellished with a hefty dose of caramelized onions and plenty of Wisconsin Parmesan cheese & enrobed in a delicious cream sauce made with langostino tails, local applewood smoked bacon, celery, onions, and deliciously decadent Crystal Ball Creamery cream.

The results, if I do say so myself, were positively divine.  Sweet and creamy, slightly spicy and full of great texture, this dish made impeccable use of simple quality ingredients.  The grits were particularly heavenly -- with the sugary sweet onions balancing perfectly with the flavor of the salty parmesan.

The dish also got reviews from Peef, who declared that I could make it for him once a week for the rest of his life and he'd never grow tired of it.


So, pour yourself a nice big Hurricane and whip up up a batch of Langostino Tails & Grits for your own Shrove Tuesday celebration.  What do you have to lose?

Langostino Tails with Caramelized Onion & Parmesan Grits


©BURP! Where Food Happens
Want more? Read Lo's latest ruminations at FOODCrush, her Milwaukee Magazine blog.

Shrimp and Grits Turn Political

This is one of those blog posts that may never have been written had the circumstances been different.  The fact of the matter is, this recipe (a modified shrimp & grits made with locally sourced wild mushrooms, shrimp, and cheesy polenta) was pretty much a flop.  What started as a great idea (using deliciously fresh ingredients) turned out to be a royal mess-up at worst, and a learning experience at best.

The flavors were off, the shrimp got slightly overcooked, and the overall dish just didn't have that *something* that made it worthy of becoming a published Burp! recipe.  But, it got me thinking -- really thinking -- about seafood, particularly Gulf seafood.  And I though it was important to share my thoughts.

If you've been a reader for a while, you might remember me talking last summer about our discovery of the Fabian Seafood truck  --  a purveyor of Gulf seafood based in Galveston, Texas.

Fabian started their family business selling fresh shrimp throughout most of Texas and Oklahoma from the back of pick-up trucks. Back then, they would buy the shrimp fresh from the shrimping boats, ice them down, and drive overnight several hundred miles or more inland to sell them the very next day.   People were skeptical of buying shrimp out of the back of a truck (as was I) -- but Fabian proved themselves by supplying some of the freshest shrimp anywhere and developing a loyal following of customers.

The BP spill happened about 300 miles away from Galveston and the oil headed primarily north and east, away from Fabian's business. In fact, these days their business has been primarily affected -- not so much by the oil contamination & dispersants -- but by overall higher wholesale prices and low supply due to the closure of about a third of the fishing grounds in the Gulf of Mexico. 

Unfortunately, they have also felt a drop in business due to the perception that all Gulf seafood is contaminated -- which isn't the case. In fact, according to Fabian's Web site, two thirds of the Gulf is still open to fishing and the shrimp boats.  And businesses are still able to source fresh, uncontaminated seafood from these areas.  They've even posted information on their Web site to ensure that their customers have the information they need to make an educated decision about buying their seafood.


We're doing a fund-raiser here in Milwaukee this weekend called the Gumbo Git Down which aims to bring some relief to the Gulf region through money donated to the Gulf Restoration Network.  And, while you may not live close enough to attend, I'd ask you to consider doing something locally to help out those Gulf fishermen (like Fabian) whose livelihood is at stake.  Keep buying seafood from safe sources.  Keep supporting those workers who keep the Gulf seafood industry alive.  And do your part to spread the truth about what's going on in the Gulf.  

Even better, read up on the work that the Gulf Restoration Network is doing to mediate the issues in the Gulf -- and consider giving them your support.  After all, the BP well might be plugged, but the issues in the Gulf are a long way from being solved.   




©BURP! Where Food Happens

Seared Scallops with Creamy Spring Ramps

For me, spring is truly marked by the arrival of certain spring vegetables -- asparagus, morel mushrooms, fiddleheads... and, of course, the ubiquitous ramp.

Ramps (Allium trioccum), often called wild leeks or wild garlic, are a member of the lily family -- which also includes garlic, leeks, and onions. Resembling scallions, ramps begin at their base as lovely white bulbs whose gorgeous reddish-purple stalks rise upward into a plume of elegantly silky green leaves.  With a mild flavor poised deliciously between that of leeks and garlic, they make a delicious addition to pasta dishes and pestos. And they marry particularly well with farm fresh spring eggs.

But, they're also fantastic when featured on their own -- which is how we decided to showcase these lovely locally grown spring vegetables for the Virtual Vegetable of the Month Club challenge, hosted by our friends over at  innBrooklyn (If you haven't taken the opportunity to check out their blog, you really must. It's positively gorgeous! And a good read, to boot!).  

Having been inspired by a gorgeous posting on The Sprouted Kitchen for Scallops on Creamy Leeks, we decided to take Sara's concept in a new direction by simplifying it a bit, and using ramps in place of the leeks.

Since the delicately flavored leaves of the wild leek cook much faster than the bulbs and stems, we chopped each separately.  First, we sauteed the bulbs and stems gently in a few tablespoons of butter.

And then, when the stems were quite tender (10-15 minutes), we added the ramp leaves, along with about 1/4 cup of heavy cream.  We turned the heat to medium low and allowed the cream to bubble gently while we prepared the scallops.

We purchased 10 gorgeous dry packed sea scallops from the lovely Colleen who was working the fish counter at our local Whole Foods (we may joke about "Whole Foods" being synonymous for "whole paycheck" in our house... but the truth is, they have some of the best and most sustainable fresh seafood for purchase in the city of Milwaukee).  Dry packed scallops are particularly good for searing, since they are free of sodium tripolyphosphate (STP), a chemical additive added to many scallops to reduce the natural loss of moisture after harvest. STP can affect the flavor of the scallop, and it also increases their moisture content -- which hinders browning.

We dredged the scallops lightly in a mixture of white whole wheat flour and salt (not necessary, but a step that adds a delicious crust to the final product), and then set them to cook in a pan of hot bacon fat.  This is the point in the story when Peef begins to swoon, and it's no wonder.  You can just imagine the sweet, smoky odor that infused our kitchen as the scallops were cooking...

By the time the scallops were cooked (about 3 minute per side did the trick nicely), the ramps were tender and the cream had reduced slightly.  So, we spooned the wilted ramps onto warmed plates, topped them with the scallops, and sprinkled everything with a bit of chopped fresh tarragon from the garden.

We ate in near silence -- paying homage to the amazingly complimentary flavors on our plates. The ramps were sweet, fragrant, and slightly earthy -- with a green, almost forest-like flavor that belies their "wild" nature. The sweet licorice flavor of the tarragon played nicely off of both the ramps and the scallops -- whose crisp browned crust gave way to succulent, briny, perfectly cooked meat.

In less than 40 minutes, dinner was served. And it was Spring Heaven. On a plate.
Or, as Peef would say, "This is the best use of tarragon. Ever."  And I'd have to agree.

Seared Sea Scallops with Creamy Spring Ramps

Inspired? Well, why not try your own hand at something equally delicious? And you have at least two more days to submit your own spring garlic recipes to the Veg of the Month Club!  We'll see you there!


©BURP! Where Food Happens

Milwaukee Creole: Barbequed Shrimp

When you live in Wisconsin, finding fresh (never been frozen) seafood can be a challenge. One of the things you will almost NEVER find is fresh shrimp. So, when we heard that the Fabian Seafood truck was coming around last weekend, we knew we had to pick up a few pounds of fresh, wild caught, gulf shrimp.

Sure, we were a bit tentative about buying shrimp out of a truck in a gas station parking lot. But, our minds eased a bit when we saw the incredibly long lines of people waiting to buy shrimp. And we started salivating when we caught site of the shrimp itself -- firm and pink-fleshed with virtually no signs of discoloration. They also smelled fabulous (well, as fabulous as uncooked shrimp CAN smell).
Once we got the shrimp home, of course, the only question was -- how do we prepare them?

I was having a bit of a craving for creole fare. So, I started channeling some of my favorite Louisiana dishes. Barbequed shrimp seemed like a natural choice. After all, it was made famous by Pascale's Manale in the Big Easy.

I've heard that this dish is really best when prepared with head-on shrimp (aren't they all?). The fatty red substance in the shrimp heads, akin to the lobster’s tamale, is highly valued, and is often used to flavor the sauce. I respect this tradition, but am a little creeped out by foods that stare back. Plus, the seafood-in-a-truck people weren't carrying head-on shrimp this time around. So, we opted for the headless variety in our recipe.

Now, despite the "barbeque" in the name, traditional barbequed shrimp are not cooked on a grill at all. But, it was a gorgeous day -- so we decided to break all the rules. Not only were we going to make Nola Barbequed Shrimp with headless shrimp, but we were going to expose them to our trusty Weber.

But, first, we needed to make up a little bit of creole dry rub. A bit of salt, some cayenne pepper, thyme, oregano, garlic, white pepper, paprika, and celery seed should do it.
We tossed the shrimp liberally in the dry rub and a bit of olive oil.
And then we skewered those shrimp up.
If you've not tried the "two skewer" trick with shrimp, you're in for a treat. The double skewers really make flipping the shrimp on the hot grill a breeze (the shrimps can't play spinning tricks on you when you're not looking).
Next, we composed the sauce. First saute bit of onion, garlic, and celery in liberal amounts of butter with a couple of tablespoons of chopped fresh rosemary. Add some Worcestershire, some beer, lemon juice (throw part of the rind in too, for good measure), a tablespoon of agave nectar, a couple of tablespoons of hot sauce. And finally, a nice whorl of heavy cream. Stir it all up, let it come to a simmer, and cook it until thickened.
When you've got the sauce prepared, it's time to take those shrimps out to the barbie. Place them on direct high heat and let them sizzle for 3-4 minutes on the first side.
Then, flip them over and give them another 3-4 minutes on the other side (this depends heavily on the size of the shrimp) -- or until the flesh is firm and the shells are bright pink.
When the shrimp are cooked, it's time to bring them inside and marry them with that luscious creole "barbeque" sauce. Trust me when I say that you really won't be sorry about this.
Just look at that rich, creamy, spicy, smoky malange... the shrimp in this dish definitely lived up to our expectations. And that sauce! Lawd, the sauce!

Our advice? Dress down when you eat these shrimp (hear that ladies?? this is not the time for looking all nice). Gather up a nice loaf of French bread for dipping, and roll up your sleeves. Cuz this is some serious food. *slurp*

Burp! Barbequed Shrimp

This post was submitted as part of Real Food Wednesday!

©BURP! Where Food Happens

Seafood Enchiladas

I started cooking seriously while I was in college. Sure, I did my share of playing with ramen noodles and making boxed macaroni and cheese... but, most of the time I was trying to come up with good food that met a couple of basic criteria:

1. It was something I could afford.
2. It didn't take too terribly long to make.

If I could accomplish both of the above, and make something that was also a bit inventive, I felt like I'd really accomplished something. So, I made that a primary goal.

Some of the staples I always seemed to keep around my tiny apartment kitchen were milk, tortillas, and mushrooms (I happened to really LIKE mushrooms. They were relatively affordable, and they subbed in for meat fairly easily in most recipes.) I also kept a bag of flour around, just in case I had the urge to bake cookies or brownies or something. But, I also had a tendency to keep a box of imitation crab meat around.

I'm not really sure where I acquired my affinity for imitation crab. But, it seemed to elevate my cooking (at the time) to a level not previously achieved. So, I started to stockpile packages of it when it went on sale. Suddenly, I had a box of "crab" in the freezer at almost any given moment... and it led me to a bit of new-found inspiration.

Combining a bit of the "crab" meat with a few mushrooms, some corn, and a few select seasonings, I found that it made a decent filling for enchiladas.
So, I started wrapping a bit of the filling in flour tortillas.
Cloaking the delicious bundles in a bit of spicy bechemel sauce seemed intuitive, so I tried that.
And adding a bit of cheese (and a sprinkling of cayenne pepper) as a topping, and baking the whole mess in the oven for 20-25 minutes granted me a dish that was rich, creamy, and satisfying.
I started making my "seafood" enchiladas on a fairly regular basis. They were a dish that "christened" every new apartment into which I moved... and I started making them regularly for friends when they moved into THEIR apartments. And soon, the dish caught on and became a bit like a signature dish.
These days, making seafood enchiladas is a practice that not only takes me WAY back... but it also fulfills one of my most basic comfort food cravings as the autumn weather begins to encroach. I've started adding embellishments here and there -- a bit of cilantro, a few salad shrimp, and often some sweet bell peppers to add a bit of additional flavor and some color. This particular version happened to contain a couple of Holy Mole peppers from the garden, which added a nice bit of depth. But, no matter how much the dish evolves, it always carries with it a bit of that original inventive spirit.

I can't possibly package up all the good memories that this dish brings with it. But, I am more than willing to share the recipe that made them all possible. So, here goes.

Seafood Enchiladas


©BURP! Where Food Happens