SEASIDE FAVORITES from the gulf coast
Butter Baked Grouper with Key Lime Juice
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup butter, cut up
- 1 to 1 1/2 pound grouper fillet, skin removed
- 2 tablespoons key lime juice
- salt & black pepper, to taste
- 3/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs*
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. While the oven is heating, place the butter in a baking dish (large enough to hold the fillet) and melt in the oven, about 2 minutes. Remove the baking dish from the oven and place the grouper fillet in the baking dish, turning once to coat with the butter. Sprinkle the fillet with the key lime juice and season with salt and pepper. In a separate bowl, combine the Panko breadcrumbs and paprika and sprinkle the desired amount over the fillet.
Bake the grouper fillet, uncovered, for about 20 minutes, or until the topping is lightly browned and the fish flakes easily when pierced with a knife. Serves 3 to 4.
Tip: Th recipe may be doubled to serve 6 to 8. Choose a baking dish large enough to hold two fillets without overlapping them.
* Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese-style dried breadcrumbs and are available at Asian Markets.
Fried Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce
Ingredients: Cocktail Sauce
- 1/2 cup catsup
- 4 teaspoons prepared horseradish, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- dash Worcestershire sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium to large shrimp (21-25 count)
- sea salt
- peanut or vegetable oil for deep-frying
- 2 egg whites
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs*
Cocktail Sauce: In a small bowl, combine all ingredients for the sauce. Let stand for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
Shell and devein the shrimp leaving the tails intact. Rinse the shrimp in cold water, drain well and pat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle the shrimp lightly with sea salt.
Heat as much oil as needed for frying over high heat in a 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven. (Fill the pan no more than half way up to avoid hot oil bubbling over when frying the shrimp.) While the oil it is heating, whisk the egg whites and flour together in a small bowl. Place the breadcrumbs on a plate. When the oil is hot enough to sizzle, dip 3 or 4 shrimp at a time into the egg white mixture, shake off the excess, then coat them generously with the breadcrumbs. Place the shrimp, 3 or 4 at a time, in the hot oil and cook for about 2 minute, or until golden and cooked through. Remove the fried shrimp with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Serve immediately with the Cocktail Sauce. Serves 4.
* Panko breadcrumbs are Japanese-style dried breadcrumbs and are available at Asian Markets.
Southern-Style Coleslaw
Ingredients
- 1 pound (about 1/2 medium head) green cabbage
- 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded
Ingredients: Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2/3 cup buttermilk
- 1/3 cup onion (sweet variety), finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- salt & black pepper, to taste
Cut the cabbage in quarters and remove the core. (Reserve half for another use.) Separate the cabbage into leaves and stack them into 2 or 3 piles. Press lightly to flatten the stacks. Using a chefŐs knife, cut each stack into thin slices. (The cabbage may also be shredded in the food processor fitted with a shredding or slicing disk, or by hand on a box grater.) You should have about 6 cups of cabbage. Place the cabbage and shredded carrot in a large bowl.
Dressing: In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, buttermilk, onion, apple cider vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt and pepper. Pour as much of the dressing as desired over the cabbage mixture and toss gently to coat. Cover and chill for about 30 minutes before serving. Serves 8.
Hushpuppies with Sweet Corn and Jalape–o Pepper
Ingredients
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 1 small ear sweet corn, cooked
- 1 jalape–o pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1/2 cup onion (sweet variety), finely chopped
- peanut or vegetable oil for deep-frying
Combine the cornmeal, flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, beat together the egg and buttermilk and stir it into the cornmeal mixture. Slice the kernels off the cooked ear of corn and measure 3/4 cup. Stir the corn kernels, jalape–o pepper and onion into the batter.
Heat as much oil as needed for frying over high heat in a 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven. (Fill the pan no more than half way up to avoid hot oil bubbling over when frying the hushpuppies.) When the oil is hot enough to sizzle, drop the batter by tablespoon into the hot oil. Fry the hushpuppies turning once to brown on all sides. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately. Makes 24 to 30 hushpuppies.
Key Lime Pie with Blueberry Coulis
Ingredients: Graham Cracker Crust
- 1 2/3 cups graham cracker crumbs, crushed (about 11 whole graham crackers)
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted
Ingredients: Key Lime Filling
- 4 eggs
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- zest of 1 lime
- 1/2 cup fresh or bottled key lime juice
- pinch salt
- 1/4 cup butter, cut up and softened
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- Ingredients: Blueberry Coulis
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon key lime juice
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 to 2 tablespoons sugar, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 thin lime slices
Graham Cracker Crust: Combine the graham cracker crumbs and sugar in a large bowl. Stir in the melted butter, mixing well. Firmly press the crumb mixture evenly into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake the pie crust in a 350 degree oven for about 8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Makes one 9-inch crust.
Key Lime Filling: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar. Whisk in the lime zest, key lime juice and salt. Pour the mixture into a saucepan and add the butter. Cook the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a sauce-like consistency, 5 to 7 minutes. Do not let the mixture boil or it will curdle. Remove the lime filling from the heat and pour it through a wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl to strain out the lime zest and any curdled egg. Cool the filling to room temperature.
Whip 1/2 cup of whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold the whipped cream into the key lime filling. Pour the filling into the pie crust. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours before serving.
Blueberry Coulis: In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, sugar and lime juice. Simmer the mixture over low heat until the sugar is dissolved and the berries are soft, 5 to 8 minutes. Pour the mixture into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Pour the blueberry coulis through a wire-mesh strainer into a small container. Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
When the pie is ready to serve, whip 1/2 cup whipping cream with sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Cut the pie into servings and place on dessert plates. Drizzle some of the blueberry coulis over top. Top each serving with a dollop of whipped cream and garnish with a lime slice. Serves 8.
All recipes by Jayni Carey, Copyright © 2005.
