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Firecracker Shrimp
These make for a great cocktail party hors d’oeuvre or snack.
For the shrimp:
1 large egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 3/4 pounds peeled and deveined large shrimp, tails intact
Vegetable oil, for frying
1 cup cornstarch
Coarse smoked kosher salt
1/4 cup hot sauce (Crystal/ Frank’s or your favorite)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Celery sticks, for serving
For the dipping sauce:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon finely minced dill
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 ounces blue cheese
1 teaspoon ground chipotle chile
Coarse kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Prepare the dipping sauce:
In a food processor, combine all the ingredients except the salt and pepper and purée. Season with salt and pepper.
Make the shrimp:
In a large bowl, beat the egg with the buttermilk. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.
Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a large saucepan to 375 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking pan with paper towels. Spread the cornstarch in a shallow bowl. In three batches, remove the shrimp from the buttermilk mixture, allowing the excess to drip off, and dredge in the cornstarch. Add the shrimp to the oil and fry over high heat, turning occasionally, until golden and just cooked, about four minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to the sheet pan and season with salt.
Whisk the hot sauce with the melted butter in a large bowl. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Transfer to a warmed serving platter and serve with the blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.
Yield: 4 servings as an appetizer
Heat Scale: Medium
Jamaican Spicy Red Snapper
Although this Jamaican dish is traditionally prepared with whole fish this recipe uses haddock snapper fillets so guests don’t need to worry about bones. Halibut or cod fillets could be substituted for the snapper.
4 (5-ounce) red snapper fillets or 4 (8-ounce) cod or halibut fillets
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Coarse smoked kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Ground cayenne chile
1 teaspoon ground allspice
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet bell pepper
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1 Scotch Bonnet chile, seeded and finely diced
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce such as Walkerswood Jamaican Scotch Bonnet Pepper Sauce
2 cups peeled, diced and drained tomatoes
Lime or lemon wedges, for serving
Fried plantains, for serving
Coconut rice, for serving
Rinse the fillets under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the fillets with lemon juice. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cayenne. Dust with allspice.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the bell pepper, onion and Scotch Bonnet; cook, stirring, until the onion softens, about five minutes. Add the fillets and cook one to two minutes per side depending on thickness.
Add the wine, parsley, basil and cayenne pepper. Cover and simmer for two minutes. Add the hot pepper sauce and tomatoes.
If using the thicker cod or halibut fillet, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Transfer the fillets and sauce to an ovenproof baking dish and sprinkle with pepper sauce. Spoon the bell pepper, onion, tomatoes and chile over the fish. Bake until the fish is opaque (140 degrees F.), about eight minutes.
Serve with lime or lemon wedges, fried plantains or yams and coconut rice.
Yield: 2 servings if using snapper; 4 for other fish
Heat Scale: Hot
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