EASY CRAB CAKES

Our friend Jimmy Hughes on his pier in the Inland Waterway at Holden's Beach checking the crab traps. Steamed crabs, crab cakes, crab bisque...

2 1/2 finely crushed potato chips
1 lb. lump crabmeat
1/3 cup tartar sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons butter, divided into 6 pieces
1 lemon, cut in wedges

Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a sheet of aluminum foil; set aside.
Place potato chips through pepper in a bowl, stirring just to combine. Shape mixture into 6 patties and place on baking sheet. Top each pattie with a pat of butter.
Broil until browned, 2 to 3 minutes, watch carefully. Serve with lemon wedges.

"why my good sir, this is a krabby patty, smothered in jellyfish jelly"~spongebob

SHRIMP SCAMPI

I take for granted that others should know how to cook this most special dish, as it's simplicity leads me astray. It is sweet, succulent, and satisfying when cooked to perfection. The main thing to remember when cooking this dish is not to overcook it. It only takes 3 minutes at the most. Remember that, and use a light hand, and the end result will be worth your effort.

1 lb. shrimp, shelled and deveined
3 Tbsp. butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
splashes of white wine, whatever kind you have
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Melt butter in skillet, add shrimp and garlic, stir-fry for a couple of minutes then add a healthy splash of white wine. Cook just until shrimp curl up and turn pink. Remove immediately from heat. Serve with a crusty homemade (preferably) bread.
Serves:4

“When we got married in the early '50s, Judy was still very beautiful, ... She was only 5 foot tall — just a shrimp of a girl, really — but she had a very sensuous body and, up close, her skin was like porcelain, pure white. I was crazy about her. She had incredibly kissable lips.”-Sid Luft

MONTEREY JACK CRAB CAKES

These delicious crab cakes make a memorable first course or hors d'oevre for your holiday feasts.

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tablespoon finely chopped red bell pepper
1/2 small clove garlic, finely minced
12 ounces lump crabmeat
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack Cheese
2 green onions, finely chopped
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon sherry vinegar
1 1/2 cups soft breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil

Aioli
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup roasted red bell pepper, peeled and roughly chopped
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh basil
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cooking Directions: For the crab cakes, in a sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the celery, onions, chopped bell peppers and minced garlic. Cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. In a large bowl, mix the crabmeat, cheese, green onions, eggs, 3 tablespoons mayonnaise, sherry vinegar, breadcrumbs and cayenne. Stir in the sautéed vegetables. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours.

For the aioli, while the crab mixture is chilling, combine the garlic, roasted red pepper, lemon juice, basil, 1/3 cup mayonnaise and 2 tablespoons olive oil in a food processor bowl with a metal blade. Process until finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

To complete the recipe, remove the crab mixture from the refrigerator and form 6 round cakes, 3 x 1-inch thick. Heat 4 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the crab cakes 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and thoroughly heated. Serve with the aioli.

COOKS NOTE: Refrigerating the crab mixture makes it easier for the cakes to hold their shape when patted together.

"...crabmeat, one of the world"s most delectable foods...Crab may be very close to what the God's eat if they have fisherman up there...."-James Michener

THAI SHRIMP & SESAME NOODLES

Alright, this is it, our all time favorite dish. Everything that is in it works for me all the way around. Exotic is my word for it. Just one bite and you will fall in love.

1 lb. shrimp, shelled and deveined
8 oz. Newman's oil and vinegar dressing

2 Tbsp. crunchy peanut butter
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. honey
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
8 oz. angel hair pasta
2 Tbsp. sesame oil
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 medium carrot, shredded
1/2 cup chopped spring onions
2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro

Mix the shrimp with 1/2 cup of Newman's dressing. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Whisk the peanut butter through red pepper with the remaining dressing. Prepare pasta to al dente. Heat the oils until very hot. Cook carrot 1 minute. Drain shrimp and add it with onion to the carrot and cook 3 minutes. Toss the pasta with the peanut mixture, shrimp and cilantro. Better the next day! Serves 4.

"“The wildest thing I ever did was, one night at a Thai restaurant in Paris, I got wasted and stood up on a table full of food and sang? I Will Survive.? It was during a modeling industry dinner, so all the bigwigs from my agency were there with a bunch of clients. I know it was inappropriate, but it probably helped my career!”-Charlotte Dodds

ROCK LOBSTER TAILS

My first cooking job was at GGCC in the early 80's under the one and only Glen Hicks. He had been an Army cook and I learned many a valuable lesson under his watchful eye. The only lobster I had ever cooked was a live one in a pot of boiling water, and though I love lobster, I felt so sorry for it being cooked alive that I never cooked another. Glen taught me how to cook rock lobster tails and I have been smitten with them ever since. It's really a very simple procedure, so try it. I guarantee you will love it.

4 med. Rock lobster tails, frozen
1/4 c. butter, melted
2 tsp. lemon juice
salt and freshly ground pepper

Thaw Rock lobster tails and cut off the thin undershell with scissors. Bend tail back to crack shell to prevent curling. Combine melted butter and lemon juice, brush over lobster, sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake in 350 degree oven meat side up for 10 to 15 minutes or until meat has lost its transparency and is opaque. Serve immediately.
Serves: 2 to 4

"Infatuation is when you think he's as sexy as Robert Redford, as smart as Henry Kissinger, as noble as Ralph Nader, as funny as Woody Allen, and as athletic as Jimmy Conners. Love is when you realize that he's as sexy as Woody Allen, as smart as Jimmy Connors, as funny as Ralph Nader, as athletic as Henry Kissinger and nothing like Robert Redford - but you'll take him anyway"~Judith Viorst, Redbook, 1975

SHRIMP-IN-A-PICKLE

I love shrimp anyway that it can be fixed, but this recipe may very well be my favorite way to prepare them. I have friends who thought they would not like them and now they are as addicted to them as I am. Set them on your Holiday table with a stack of Saltine crackers and watch them disappear.

8 cups water
2 1/2 lbs. unpeeled fresh shrimp
3 medium onions, sliced
2 1/2 Tbsp. capers with juice
1 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup tarragon vinegar
juice of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
8 bay leaves, broken up
1 tsp. hot sauce

Bring water to a boil, add shrimp, and cook just until pink, 3 minutes should do it, no more. Drain well in colander, rinse under cold running water. Peel and devein shrimp. Layer shrimp and onion in large jar. Combine remaining ingredients, mixing well. Pour over shrimp and onion. Cover and chill at least 24 hours, 2 to 3 days is better, hide them in the back of the refrigerator, stir occasionally.
10 to 12 appetizer servings

COOKS NOTE: Be sure and use all of the ingredients called for. I have used other vinegars for instance but did not turn out as good as the original recipe. Also, break down and buy the capers, the dang lil' things are expensive but they have their own star quality in this dish.

“Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sautee it. There's, um, shrimp kebabs, shrimp creole, shrimp gumbo, pan fried, deep fried, stir fried. There's pineapple shrimp and lemon shrimp, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp salad, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich... That's, that's about it.”-Bubba Blue in Forrest Gump

OYSTER SAUTE IN ASIAN SAUCE (Dated Nov.9th, 2009)

Oyster season is open now in Brunswick county and we love them better than sliced bread. This recipe is a different and unique way of preparing them.

4 cups water
2 (12oz.) containers fresh oysters-drained
2 Tbsp. butter
6 cloves garlic-minced
1 small onion sliced vertically
1 tsp. chopped lemongrass
2 celery ribs-sliced diagonally
1/2 cup each of red and green bell pepper- cut into thin strips
1 Tbsp. each of dry sherry, hoisin sauce, oyster sauce, dark sesame oil, and soy sauce
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
3 green onions-chopped
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
hot cooked rice

Bring the water to a boil in large pot. Add oysters, cook 3 minutes, drain and set aside.
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, onion and lemongrass, saute 2 minutes. Stir in celery through lemon juice; reduce to medium heat, cook 6 minutes or until peppers are tender. Stir in oysters, onion and cilantro. Serve over rice.

"He was a very valiant man who first adventured on eating oysters."-Thomas Fuller

COOKS NOTE: If you buy your oysters already shucked they should be packed in clear, not milky, liquid.

BEST BOILED SHRIMP

Combine 1 1/2 gallons water with 1 cup hot sauce, 1 1/2 cups liquid shrimp and crab boil, 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 large), 1 (3-oz.) pkg. Boil-in-bag shrimp and crab boil, 1/2 cup Creole seasoning, 1/4 cup salt and 5 bay leaves in a large pot, stirring well. Bring to a boil then add 3 lbs. unpeeled large fresh shrimp and cook over high heat 3 minutes, or JUST until shrimp turn pink; drain. Place shrimp immediately in a single layer over ice on a rimmed baking sheet. Let cool 5 minutes. Remove shrimp with tongs to a bowl; cover and chill. Serves 4

THAI SHRIMP WITH CASHEWS

Thai food is one of my most favorites and this is one of my all time favorites.

1/2 lb. finely chopped, cooked shrimp or 1 lg. chicken breast cooked and chopped
1 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1 cup peeled and shredded carrots
1 cup finely chopped Chinese (bok choy) or regular cabbage
1/4 cup finely chopped cashews
2 tsp. corn oil
1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1 tsp. curry powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste

In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, onion, carots, cabbage and cashews.
Combine oils in large skillet over medium heat. Add seasonings and saute 1 minute, stirring. Add shrimp mixture and saite just until heated through, no more than 5 minutes.

Transfer to a serving platter and serve hot, or refrigerate and serve cold. Can use as a filling for little biscuits or put it over rice.
"Familiarity breeds contempt-and children."-Mark Twain

FORREST GUMP SHRIMP BAKE

My brother used to call me all the time wanting quick and easy recipes that he could make when he wanted to show off in front of his friends...mostly women. Don't hear from him as much now that he is engaged to be married and that he has his own cookbook that I made just for him entitled "Recipes Even Bill Can Cook".

1 cup-that would be 2 sticks-melted butter
3/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp. salt
1 Tbsp. coarsely ground pepper
1 tsp. dried rosemary or 1 Tbsp. fresh
1/8 tsp. ground red pepper-i use at least a 1/4
1 Tbsp. hot sauce
3 cloves garlic-coarsely chopped
2 1/2 lbs. unpeeled large fresh shrimp
2 lemons-thinly sliced
1 medium sweet onion-thinly sliced


Combine first 9 ingredients in bowl; set aside. Layer shrimp, lemons, and onions in an ungreased 9-by-13 baking dish. Pour butter mixture over shrimp. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, or most preferably just until the shrimp turn pink; basting occasionally. Serves 6
Be sure and don't overcook the shrimp and serve with big ol' chunks of hearty bread.


"When I'm old and gray, I want a house by the sea and a damn good kitchen to cook in''....amen sister....I think Mae West said this

SHRIMP BAKED RICE

Serve this in place of your 'customary' dressing and expect rave reviews!

1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup each of chopped celery and green bell pepper
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stick butter
1 (10oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (10oz.) can Cheddar cheese soup
1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp. Creole seasoning
2 cups cooked rice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Saute onion through garlic in butter in a large skillet. Add the soups and simmer 10 minutes. Add the shrimp through Creole seasoning. Simmer at lowest heat 30 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice. Spoon the mixture into a greased baking dish. Bake, covered, 45 minutes. Serves 6.

"For each new morning with its light,
For rest and shelter of the night,
For health and food, for love and friends,
For everything Thy goodness sends."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

SHRIMP CRAB DIVINE

This recipe comes from the family I cook for and it is a true treasure. If you don't eat meat but like seafood, this is special enoiugh to take center stage on your Thanksgiving or Christmas table.

1 lb. crabmeat
1 lb. cooked shrimp, peeled
1/2 of a green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 small jar pimientoes, chopped
1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper
3/4 cup raw rice
1 cup celery, chopped
1 lg. jar sliced mushrooms
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup half-and-half cream

Pick over crabmeat, removing bits of shell. Cook rice according to package directions. Combine with all remaining ingredients and pour into large casserole dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Serves 10.

"Do not overcook this dish. Most seafoods...should be simply threatened with heat and then celebrated with joy."~ Jeff Smith

DOUBLE-DIPPED SHRIMP OR NOT

Tonight I owed near by friends (how many can u have in Carey's Flat) a favor so I decided to pay them back with food which always works for all of us. They look after our home and pets when we sneak away to the coast and the last trip ended up with bringing back fresh medium-large shrimp from Holdens Beach which we carried home on ice and then packed in water in freezer bags and froze.
A dear friend of ours from here in C Flat several years ago taught me how to Double-Dip shrimp to fry and we tried it out again tonight. Her name is Kathy (Kat) Coffey and she is the daughter of the late Boyd and Ethalene Coffey of the Globe. Her siblings are Boyd Jr., Sammy, Kaye and Bernice Coffey which many of us went to school with.
Her recipe is as follows: I had 3 lb. of shrimp so I lightly whisked 3 eggs and then added almost a qt. of buttermilk and whisked that up and then put flour in one lg. zip-lock bag and cornmeal in another. Put the shrimp in the egg batter then add so many of them to the flour, then redip in the egg batter, then put in the cornmeal. Lay out on a baking sheet. Redo all of the shrimp this way then we deep-fried them, (did not take long-just until they float). I ended up with about a dozen that did not get double-dipped, just egged and floured and Larry, aka Martha Stewart, insisted these were better and I can agree to a point because you do taste the shrimp more, and these were exceptional shrimp, BUT, the double-dipped r fabulous as well.
Try it both ways and then decide for yourself.
Thanks to Kat Coffey for sharing and my dear friends who always show up to eat and take charge when needed, and to all of you for putting up with me.

SAVORY SHRIMP & GRITS

A girlfriend of mine from Greensboro shared this recipe with me several years back and I have stuck with it because it is truly divine.

2 cups water
1 (14-oz.) can chicken broth
3/4 cup half-and-half
1 tsp. salt
1 cup uncooked regular grits
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/4 tsp. ground white pepper
4 slices bacon
1 lb. medium fresh shrimp-peeled and deveined shrimp
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped green onions
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. hot sauce
chopped green onions

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan; gradually whisk in grits. Reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes or until thickened. Add cheese and next 4 ingredients. Keep warm.
Cook bacon in a large skillet until crisp; remove bacon, and drain on paper towels, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet. Crumble bacon, set aside.
Sprinkle shrimp with black pepper and 1/4 tsp. salt. Dredge in flour.
Saute mushrooms in hot drippings in skillet 5 minutes. Add 1/2 cup green onions and saute 2 minutes. Add shrimp and garlic and saute 2 minutes or until shrimp or lightly browned.
Stir in 1/2 cup chicken broth, lemon juice and hot sauce; cook 2 more minutes, stirring to loosen particles from bottom of skillet.
Serve shrimp mixture over hot cheese grits. Top with crumbled bacon and chopped green onions.
Serves 4

"Old friends pass away, new friends appear. It is just like the days. An old day passes, a new day arrives. The important thing is to make it meaningful: a meaningful friend - or a meaningful day."~Dalai Lama