This ceviche recipe uses lemon drop peppers, which have a citrusy and peach-like flavor that perfectly pairs with seafood. Their heat is comparable to the serrano pepper. I grow my own but you can find them at Fiesta or online. There are a couple different varieties of these yellow Peruvian Aji Limo peppers, all perfect for ceviche.
I used a fresh, surf-caught speckled trout for this ceviche recipe and it was honestly the best way I’ve ever had trout. I was surprised. But use your favorite, ultra-fresh fish when making ceviche. My all-time favorite fish is definitely wahoo.
Enjoy!
Lemon Drop Ceviche
1 pound of your favorite, fresh fish fillets
Lime juice
1 whole white onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
3-4 lemon drop peppers, diced
2 tomatoes
1 large avocado
1/2 tsp salt
1 TBSP dried parsley
Pepper to taste
Soak your fillets in lime juice overnight. The next day, cut the fish into small cubes and place into a large bowl. Mince the onion and rinse with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels and add to bowl. Dice the tomatoes, avocado and peppers and add to mixture. Add cilantro, salt, parsley and fresh cracked black pepper to taste. Mix well and chill for one hour. Serve with your favorite chips, cerveza or tequila.
Though darker meats of the Gulf like Amberjack and Kingfish are not the most sought table fare, it’s hard for me to release a nice Amberjack knowing what a crowd pleaser these bruisers can be! It’s taken me a few tries to get this dip the way I like it and I hope you all enjoy it as well!
Marinate overnight:
1lb – Amberjack fillets
Italian Dressing
1 Tbs Brown Sugar
Dash of Old Bay
Smoke at 200° for 2 hrs on your Traeger Grill.
After removing from the smoker, using gloves, break the fish down into a bowl of flaky meat.
Add the following ingredients one at a time and blend until consistency reaches a nice heavy spread.
1 Tsp Minced Garlic
3 Stalks of Celery Chopped
1 Chopped Jalapeño
1/2 Chopped Red Onion
1/2 Cup of real Mayonnaise (I use Duke’s)
1 package of Cream Cheese
1 handful of Chopped Cilantro
1 Tsp of Saté Chili (this will give it a little heat and nice color)
Tip: Using a stand mixer will make this much easier.
Refrigerate and serve chilled with your favorite chips or crackers.
As sea life perks up from the winter water cool down, March is a good month for black drum, speckled trout, redfish and more. With fresh ingredients, you can make magical combinations that are healthy and interesting.
Gulf coast shrimp is arguably the most flavorful in the world, and many people’s favorite shellfish. Below are two colorful recipes which will intrigue your palate and delight your family or guests.
Fresh Chili-Lime Gulf Shrimp Romaine Wraps
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
Juice of 1 lime
2 Tablespoons freshly chopped cilantro.
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Romaine lettuce, for serving
1 avocado, thinly sliced
1/4 cup sour cream or Greek yoghurt
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, stir together shrimp, cumin, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, and 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss until combined, then let marinate in the fridge 10 minutes.
In a large skillet over medium heat, heat remaining tablespoon oil. Add shrimp and marinade, cook until pink, 2 minutes per side.
Assemble wraps: Add shrimp and avocado to lettuce, drizzle with sour cream/Greek yoghurt.
Pairs well with your favorite beer,or sauvignon blanc.
Fresh Fish Lettuce Wraps with Mango Salsa
MANGO SALSA
1 ripe mango, diced into small pieces
2 Tablespoons of red onion, minced
2 mini red bell peppers, chopped small
1 Tablespoon jalapeño pepper, minced
1-2 Tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
juice of one lemon.
Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl, gently. Salsa is best made ahead, and chilled for an hour or so for flavors to meld together.
FISH INGREDIENTS
12-16 ounces fresh catch filets of your choice (salmon works well too)
juice of one lemon
1 Tablespoon olive oil or butter if sautéing
salt and pepper to taste.
DIRECTIONS
Grill on medium-high heat for 8-10 minutes or until fish flakes easily. If sautéing, cook for similar time, turning once half way through. Let fish cool for a few minutes before assembling, tearing fish into bite size pieces.
EXTRAS
1/2-1 avocado chopped
1 to 2 heads Butter or Romain lettuce leaves, rinsed, drained, and dried.
ASSEMBLING
Place desired amount of fish onto a lettuce leaf, top with salsa, avocado, and more cilantro as garnish, if desired.
After the holidays it’s nice to have some lower calorie meals to help us get back in shape and shave off some pounds. Luckily for me, I have a birthday in December, too. Knowing my happy exploration into one pot meals, I was gifted with the latest and greatest kitchen helper: an Instant Pot.
The Instant Pot cooks meals in less time by utilizing pressure cooker technology. Doing research, it is obvious there is a long future of fabulous discoveries to be made. For this article, we’ll touch on two pasta dishes, that are vegetarian. For meat lovers, you can serve baked fish or chicken breasts or lean pork tenderloin, cooked separately.There are a thousand more recipes that include meat, desserts, sauces, dips, and side dishes. The possibilities appear endless.
Veggie Walnut Pesto Pasta
4 cups water
8 ounces whole-wheat rotini pasta
1/2 cup lentils
1 8-10 ounce jar of prepared Walnut Pesto
1/2 cup baby arugula chopped
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1 zucchini, chopped
1 14-ounce can artichoke hearts, drained and rinsed
1/4 or more grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper.
Pour 4 cups water into Instant Pot, add the pasta and lentils, stir well to submerge for even cooking. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve toSealing. Select Pressure Cook to cook at high pressure for 4 minutes. Let the pressure naturally release for 10 minutes, then move the steam release valve to Venting to release any residual pressure.
When the floating valve drops, remove the lid and press Cancel to stop the cooking cycle. Use oven mitts to remove the pot and drain the pasta and lentils in a fine-mesh sieve. Rinse with cold water. Dry the pot and clean anything off the sides and bottom, and return it to the Instant Pot.
Press Sauté and add olive oil to pot. Once the oil is hot, add tomatoes, zucchini, and artichoke hearts. Stir until softened (5 min.). Add the drained pasta and lentils chopped arugula and pesto sauce, tossing well to coat. Stir in Parmesan and pepper to taste.
Cauliflower Mac & Cheese
1 pound whole-wheat or regular macaroni
4 cups water
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
1-2 Tablespoons spicy brown mustard
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 pound fresh or frozen cauliflower florets
4-8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar Cheese, shredded
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
parsley and pepper for garnish.
Pour pasta into the Instant Pot and add 4 cups water, soy sauce, mustard and salt. Stir well to combine, then add cauliflower on top without stirring so the cauliflower layers completely cover the pasta. Secure the lid and move the steam release valve to Sealing. Select Pressure Cook to cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.
When cooking cycle is complete, let the pressure naturally release 10 minutes, then move the steam release valve to Venting to release residual pressure.
When floating valve drops, remove the lid and stir the pasta well, breaking up any pasta that has stuck together or to bottom (which is normal). Use your spoon to mash any intact cauliflower florets against the side of pot to help them dissolve into the pasta sauce. They will be hidden as part of the sauce.
Add the Cheddar and Parmesan and stir well. Adjust seasonings as needed.
Hot food may refer to temperature, like a warm bowl of chicken soup or an aromatic cup of hot chocolate. What’s more fun is to combine that hot with spicy heat, for a warmth from your mouth to your toes experience. Chili style is a very personal taste and creative specialty. No beans, yes beans, and 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 alarm options. Personally, I’ve never met a chili I didn’t like. Nostalgia makes me remember chilly fall nights and my mom’s chili (with beans) served with saltines.
Jalapeño cheese cornbread and Mexican Caesar salad keep the heat going. Add a Margarita as the perfect cooling beverage pairing. Whether concocted with your favorite tequila with hand squeezed lime juice and agave syrup over ice, or using pre-mixed Margarita in a bottle, ready to pour over crushed ice. It’s all good.
Becky’s Chili Beans
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 small onions, finely chopped
1 chopped bell pepper (optional)
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
5 Tablespoons chili powder
2 Tablespoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne (or to taste)
salt/pepper to taste
2 pounds ground beef
1 (24 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 (24 oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce
1 (15 oz.) can drained, rinsed kidney beans
1 (15 oz.) can drained, rinsed pinto beans
In a large pot heat olive oil over medium heat, adding onions, optional bell pepper and garlic. Sauté about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, cumin, cayenne, salt and pepper, stirring for 2 more minutes. Add the beef, brown and stir to break up meat into crumbles. Add all tomatoes and sauce, and beans. Bring to a boil, reduce to low heat, and cook for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Mexican Caesar Salad
SALAD
1 head romaine lettuce, torn into bite sized pieces
1/2 cup cooked corn kernels
1/2 cup black beans (canned), rinsed and drained
1/2 avocado, peeled and cubed
1/8 teaspoon dried chili flakes (optional)
2 handful tortilla chips, crumbled
1/2 cup grated cotija cheese
lime wedges, to serve
DRESSING
1/2 cup Caesar dressing
juice of one small lime
2 teaspoons cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
Combine all ingredients for dressing into a shaker bottle or jar. Shake well and set aside. In a large bowl combine romaine and remaining ingredients, reserving limes and crushed tortilla chips for serving. Dressing may be tossed into the salad or set out for self serving along with the tortilla chips.
Easy Jalapeño Cornbread
1 (8 1/2 ounce) box Jiffy cornbread mix
1 egg
1/4 cup melted butter
1/3 cup milk
3 Tablespoons jar or can jalapeños, diced and drained well
1/2 to 1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Combine cornbread mix, egg and butter in a mixing bowl.
Stir in remaining ingredients and mix well.
Place mixture in greased muffin tin or 8” by 8” greased pan.
Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes of until cornbread is golden brown.
Sometimes you want to entertain light. You’ve had a big mid-day meal and the party continues. That’s when you plan a fun wine tasting and include nuts, cheese and apples for substance.
Plain nuts are fabulous on their own, but savory nuts add a bit of spice, salt and aromatic zest. They also show a little TLC for your guests. The following recipes pair well with Brie. The creamy butteriness balances the spice. Wines that pair well will be more sweet, without tannins. Examples are Riesling, pinot noir, rosé, or bubbles! A jar of rosemary-herbed Spanish Marcona almonds are an easy third nut option.
Baked Brie
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place 1/4 wheel brie on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper. Optionally, you may drizzle withhoney. Bake 5 to 7 minutes, or until cheese starts to ooze but not melt.
Hot & Spicy Pecans
2 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cups pecan halves
1 Tablespoon chili powder
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
In a medium bowl, mix butter (melted), Worcestershire sauce, red pepper, salt and garlic powder. Stir in pecans and gently toss with chili powder until coated. Spread pecans on a baking sheet and cook 30 minutes in oven. Stir every 10 minutes.
Curried Cashews
1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 cups roasted cashews, salted
2 Tablespoons curry powder
salt to taste
Melt butter in a sauté pan. Add nuts. Cook slowly over medium heat until cashews are browned. Move to a plate covered with a paper towel to dry. Sprinkle with the curry powder.
Buggy Whippin: Galveston sight casting with Capt. Clay Sheward
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