Red Hot, South Texas, Shrimp en Escabache

Red Hot, South Texas, Shrimp en Escabache

Although this is a great appetizer we love it on butter lettuce with a few slices of avocado, warm bread and a good crisp sauvignon blanc!

1 Lemon, sliced

1-cup celery tops

½ cup crab boil

1 ½ Tbl. Kosher salt

½ tsp black pepper

2 ½ Lbs raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 medium white onions, sliced thin

12 bay leaves

1 ¾ cups canola oil

2 cups white vinegar

1 ½ Tbl. sea salt

1 Tbl. Crushed red chile

2 tsp. Pink peppercorn

1/3 cup capers, brine

¼ cup celery seeds

15 cloves garlic, cut in half

2 sprigs fresh thyme

8-10 pickled bird peppers or 2 pickled Jalapeno chiles, cut in quarters lengthwise

5 dashes Tabasco sauce

1 tsp. White pepper

1 tsp. Black pepper

Fill a stockpot half way and add the lemon, celery, crab boil, kosher salt and black pepper.  Bring to a rolling boil and then add the shrimp.  Stir well and then remove from heat.  Allow shrimp to stew in the hot liquid for 10 minutes and then remove shrimp and plunge in ice bath to stop cooking. Drain the shrimp well.  In a glass bowl layer the shrimp, onion slices, and bay leaves.  Emulsify the oil, vinegar and salt, either with an electric hand whisk, or in the blender.  Then stir in remaining ingredients.  Pour over layered shrimp.  Cover and refrigerate for 24 to 48 hours, stirring every 6 to 8 hours. 

Serves 8 as an appetizer,

Joe’s World Famous, Extra Decadent, Kahlua Cheesecake

Joe’s World Famous, Extra Decadent, Kahlua Cheesecake

Easy to make and fabulous flavor!

Graham Cracker Crust

1 ½ cups ground graham crackers (Try the chocolate or cinnamon)

6 Tbl melted butter

¼ cup sugar

¼ tsp cinnamon

Mix together all ingredients well with a fork or in a food processor. Press mixture into the bottom ½ an inch up the sides of a pie pan or a spring form pan (for the cheesecake use a spring form pan). Place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes to firm up a bit. Use with cheesecake or other cream pies.

Cake:

The trick to making this Cheesecake so smooth and creamy is baking it in a water bath and letting it cool down in the oven.

2 lbs. Cream cheese

1 1/3 cups sugar

4 large eggs

¼ cup heavy cream

¼ cup sour cream

1 tsp. grated lemon zest

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 Tbl. Kahlua or any coffee liqueur

Cut up the cream cheese and work it a few pieces at a time, until creamy, in the bowl of a tabletop mixer or food processor, on medium or high. Work in the sugar, then the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl or processor with a rubber spatula between each egg. Then set on low and work in the cream, sour cream, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Pour the batter into the pan with the crust and smooth out the top. Drizzle the Kahlua over the top. Place a sheet pan or shallow baking dish large enough to hold the spring form pan in a pre heated 375ºf oven and then place the spring form pan in the sheet pan. Add cold water about ¾ on an inch deep be careful not to spill any of the water into the cheesecake. Bake for 20 minutes reduce heat to 300ºf and continue baking for 40 minutes more or until the center of the cheesecake sets. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to cool for 1 hour in the oven. Remove from oven allow to cool at room temperature for 15 minutes and then place in the refrigerator to cool fully. Work a pastry knife or butter knife around the edges of the spring form pan and remove the ring. Cut it up into pieces and eat it… Yumm!

Serves 12

Easy Shrimp Tacos, Mmmmmm!

Shrimp Tacos

The little fish taco stands along the Sea of Cortez in Mexico sell these delicious tacos. It's a great deal $1 per taco and $1 per ice cold beer. Sitting on the beach watching the fishing boats come and go. Hands down that's the best time you can have for $2. Make sure to use the seafood salsa (Salsa Por Mariscos)we posted a few days ago, to give their tacos that special taste. It goes well with any fish!

12 Corn Tortillas, warmed up on a comal or frying pan

1 LB Frozen Breaded Shrimp, deep fried

1/4 Head Green Cabbage Shredded

2 Hass Avocados, pitt removed and sliced

1/2 White Onion, minced

1/2 Bunch Cilantro, chopped fine

6 Wedges of Key Lime

6 Chile Tepins

Salsa por Mariscos

1. Place two tortillas, on top of each other, on each plate.

2. Place 2 of the shrimp in the center of the tortilla.

3. Top with cabbage, avocado slices, onion and ciltantro and set 1 lime wedge and 1 chile tepin on the side and serve with Salsa por Mariscos.

Serves 6