Spicy Peanut Noodles with Shrimp (pes, gf)

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I am so excited to share this recipe!! The photos I took are few, due to my hurry to get on with the process and eat already! This was nutritious, unbelievably tasty, and reheated really well. The sauce is a no-cook sauce that’s whipped up in a food processor and poured over hot noodles before serving. Simply put, this recipe is a stellar example of the so many dishes I like. Let’s do some math, shall we?

whole grain + lean protein + veggies + spicy, exotic sauce+ cilantro and/or scallions = yumyumlove&happiness.

Everything you need in a meal in one pot, great for leftovers. Can it be topped with Sriracha? Yes. And avocado? Yes. FANTASTIC. Leave the shrimp out for a vegetarian or side dish; leave the crushed red pepper out for a mild one. Here you go:

a familiar sight in the Cruse household

SPICY PEANUT NOODLES WITH SHRIMP

Sauce adapted from Food & Wine 

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined (optional)
  • 1 box brown rice or whole wheat linguine
  • 1 onion, sliced into thin half-moons 
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 3/4 cup natural peanut butter, chunky or smooth
  • 6 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar (available in the Asian foods section of most grocery stores)
  • 6 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1/4 cup pasta cooking water, reserved
  • 2 tsp crushed red pepper
  • 2-3 inch piece of ginger, chopped
  • 1 garlic clove, chopped, or 1 tsp garlic paste
  • 1 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1/2 bunch scallions, sliced
  • 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
  • Sriracha and sliced avocado, for serving (optional, but why not?)

Directions:

Cook the noodles according to package directions, drain, and set aside, reserving 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water. In the same pot (yessss!), heat the canola oil over medium-high. Add the onion and carrots, stirring to cook for 1 minute. Add the shrimp and stir frequently until it’s no longer pink. If you used previously frozen shrimp, the mixture may need to be drained.

Guess what? You’re almost done!! Toss all of the sauce ingredients into a blender: peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, water, crushed red pepper, garlic, and ginger pieces. Blend until smooth, about one minute.

blended

Add the pasta back into the large pot with the veggies and shrimp and pour the sauce on top. Add the sesame seeds (you may toast if you like, I was lazy and trying to eat) and gentlytoss to combine and fully coat the noodles and toppings. Top with cilantro and scallions, serve with Sriracha, and enjoy!

This is how I feel when I eat noodle bowls:

Sally’s Summer Salad & Crabcakes (pes, gf)

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When my husband goes out of town, I like to treat and distract myself by cooking nice meals to be enjoyed solo. He’s my favorite person to be around and when he leaves, I find myself doing things to keep my mind off of the house being so quiet. I grew up with lots of noise, two sisters, and very little privacy, and that first night with him gone is always a little, well… boring. Close quarters and bedlam are my peace.

fancy photo

Lots of people would savor that quiet, private, coffee commercial-like time… not me. I am happiest when surrounded by people I love (and sorry, Parley, but you don’t count). Correction: people I love and FOOD! And if I can’t have one, I’ll certainly have the other. We’re fortunate enough to have great friends to visit in many parts of the state and country, and we spent the past weekend in Joplin with some wonderful people. Being in a house full of folks we love and miss had me spoiled. Here was my (edible) replacement for rowdy company last night:

SALLY’S SUMMER SALAD

Recipe poached from the lovely Sally Robinson

Ingredients:

  • small container Organic Girl greens of your choice
  • 1 avocado, diced
  • 1 red onion, sliced into thin strips
  • 1 bag ready-to-eat green beans, cut into thirds
  • 1 bag ready-to-eat snap peas, cut in half
  • 1 container Santa Sweets grape tomatoes, washed and halved
  • 1 lemon, juiced (you’ll save some juice for the recipes below)

Directions:

This was an as-best-I-can remember recreation of a delicious salad our friend Sally made Saturday night. When I told her I’d duped it, she mentioned that she’d also used feta, toasted slivered almonds, and garlic, salt, pepper, and a sprinkling of oil instead of a vinaigrette (recipe to follow). Each of those ingredients was incredibly tasty- I highly recommend adding any and all. All you need to do here is wash and cut the veggies as stated above and toss. Sprinkle with a bit of lemon juice for a bright, fresh taste, and to keep the avocado green in case you have leftovers.

Set salad aside, or meanwhile, make the following super-easy vinaigrette:

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp-1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 tsp dried herb of your choice (basil’s a good one)
  • 1 tsp whole grain or Dijon mustard
  • 1/2-3/4 cup olive oil

Whisk together all ingredients except oil; then add oil in a steady stream while whisking to emulsify dressing. Taste and season accordingly. I have categorized this post as gluten-free; the salad if gf, but the crabcakes are not gluten-free unless made with gf breading.

 CRAB CAKES MOUTARDE

Ingredients:

  • 1 12-oz container lump crab meat (found in the refrigerated section of the seafood counter)
  • 1 tbsp light mayo
  • 1 tsp whole grain or Dijon mustard
  • 1/2 tsp yellow mustard
  • 1/2 tsp dried mustard
  • 1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
  • dash (or three) of cayenne
  • dash celery seed, if you have some around
  • 1 tsp lemon juice (save this from your vinaigrette)
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • 2 tbsp whole wheat breadcrumbs
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil

Directions:

Moutarde was the surname I gave these basic crab cakes to make them extra-fancy. French does that (see: Grey Poupon and pommes frites). So does drinking wine. There is mustard in the sauce I made, so I guess the name is legit. Voila! So very fancy.

Heat a non-stick pan over medium low, and add oil. Mix all ingredients except crab and bread crumbs. I recommend whisking them so they’re well-combined. I wouldn’t over-salt these, as you want to taste the delicate crab, and can liven up the flavor after cooking with bright, fresh, lemon juice. Fold in the crab with a spoon; then fold in the breadcrumbs. Add more breadcrumbs if you like, but keep in mind that the egg will bind the ingredients and help them cook in a patty form.

Divide the mixture into quarters (about 3 tbsp each), and gently form into cakes with your hands. Add patties (also gently) to the hot oil, leaving space between each. They don’t have to be flat and wide to thoroughly cook, they can be tall. They’ll cook pretty quickly. Let cook about 3-4 minutes on the first side; make sure to monitor the cooking temperature so the bottoms don’t burn. Flip over with a spatula and cook an additional 2-4 minutes. You want both sides to be golden brown. The crab cakes will look so pretty and smell so good at this point!

Remove to a paper towel-lined plate, and let rest while you make your schmancy moutarde sauce:

  • 1 more tsp coarse grain or Dijon mustard
  • 1 tsp light mayo
  • remaining lemon juice

Whisk all together. Plate your vinagrette-dressed salad, add crab cakes, spoon sauce on top. There! Being home alone isn’t so boring after all! Savor, finish your wine, and google some more French words in the sunroom as you watch the sun set. Enjoy.

Defiantly unaltered photo. Instagram is Photoshop for food.

Broiled Honey Salmon with Lemon-Dill Tzatziki Sauce (pes, gf)

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Having lived without a grill for the past two and a half years, I’ve come to enjoy broiling salmon almost as much as grilling it. I hope to post my favorite grilled salmon recipe here soon, complete with a great rub for fish- as soon as I figure out how to use the grill at our new place.

Image

This is simple and delicious. The sauce is tangy and fresh and compliments the fish perfectly, without adding a bunch of additional empty calories.

BROILED HONEY SALMON WITH LEMON-DILL TZATZIKI SAUCE

Ingredients:

  • a fresh salmon plank piece to feed two (about 8 inches long and 4-5 inches wide, 1-2 inches thick)
  • olive oil (about two tsps)
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 large lemon
  • 3/4 of a small to medium cucumber, in small dice
  • 4 tbsp fresh dill 
  • 8 oz fat free Greek yogurt Read More

Classic Shrimp and Asparagus Barley Risotto (pes, gf)

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Earlier in the month, I published a slight spin on one of may favorite recipes. I essentially made this dish with broccoli in place of asparagus and added curry powder. This version, with asparagus, fresh lemon, and no curry powder, is my absolute favorite version and really delicious in the spring, when asparagus is at its peak. The lemon zest and juice really give this a bright kick of flavor; do yourself a favor and make sure to include the lemon. It makes all the difference in the world.

SHRIMP AND ASPARAGUS BARLEY RISOTTO

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb (generally 1 bag) 31-40 count shrimp, thawed, peeled, and deveined
  • 1 1/4 c pearled barley
  • 1 bunch asparagus, washed and chopped into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 2-3 tbsp olive oil
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • cracked black pepper, to taste
  • 5 1/2 cups stock, or water + 4 tsps cooking base or bouillon
  • juice and zest of 1-2 lemons Read More

Curried Barley “Risotto” With Shrimp

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I like to make this barley risotto fake-out when I want to make a one pot, complete meal that tastes indulgent but isn’t. Usually, I make the dish with shrimp and asparagus and no curry powder, but this time I had broccoli on hand and a Eureka! curry powder moment, which turned into the dish I’m posting. Curry powder is most definitely a polarizing spice, so by all means, omit it if you’re not a fan.

the rirruto

It was quite delish, and is very easy to make. Once you know the proportions of water and barley and the cooking times (all of which will remain the same, regardless of fillings), you can substitute other veggies and protein for the shrimp and broccoli (see bottom of post for tried-and-true combos).

CURRIED BARLEY “RISOTTO” WITH SHRIMP

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1 Steamfresh bag of broccoli cuts
  • 2 small or 1 large onion(s), cut into large dice
  • 1 1/4 cups Quaker medium pearled barley
  • 3 tbsp canola or olive oil, divided
  •  3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 1/2 tsp dried thyme
  • 5 1/2 cups stock, or water + 5 tsps cooking base or bouillon
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp curry powder, optional
  • a few generous grinds black pepper

    Read More

Camarofongo and Dominican Food

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ca-ma-ro-fon-go

Last November, Dave and I made our first joint trip to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, my Dad’s hometown. We had an unforgettable time with my family, and every meal was special. I’m thrilled to have a family who is as equally food and cooking obsessed as I am, and chock-full of skilled home chefs.

A standout on this trip was lunch on an overcast day, watching the clouds roll in over the ocean. My cousin Michelle took us to Adrian Tropical, a famed mofongo spot on Avenida George Washington in S.D. for, you guessed it, mofongo (and fresh-squeezed tropical fruit juices).

Mofongo is a traditional Dominican dish of stuffed, mashed plaintains. The plaintains are fried and mashed with garlic, herbs and spices, and pork rinds, and served heaped onto a traditional wooden mortar. The dish is an incredibly flavorful indulgence, in an umami way; its sum is much greater than its parts.

On this visit, I tried a garlicky, brothy new spin on mofongo: camarofongo- mofongo with shrimp! Even though that meal is approaching, you know, 4 months in the past, I crave it daily- ha!! I thought the next best thing to having it flown in or drooling over the picture on my phone any more would be writing about mofongo, and my beloved camarofongo.

Note on La Comida Dominicana: contrary to popular belief, Dominican food is not spicy, nor does it involve tortillas (that’s Mexico, folks). Picture a lot of rice, beans, poultry, seafood, platano (plaintains), and bright, savory flavors, served family-style.* If you’re interested in Dominican food and cooking, Aunt Clara’s Dominican Cooking is a great site to visit. Clara is great at not only creating very easy-to-follow recipes, but explaining the significance of each dish and adding cooking tips. She mentions this very camarofongo dish on her website, too- the girl has great taste!!

Buen provecho!!!! 

*my mouth is watering right now……