Potted Shrimp

by Lady Carnarvon

1lb brown shrimp or regular shrimp
½ butter
½ tsp mace
½ tsp thyme
1½ tsp anchovie paste
Juice of ½ lemon
Pinch of chili powder
Dash or two of Tabasco sauce
A few grinds of black pepper
1 baguette

Clarify the butter. Mix butter, mace, thyme and anchovie paste together and simmer on low heat. Add the the shrimp and simmer for a few minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the Tabasco sauce and lemon juice.

Best prepared ahead of time and refrigerated for a day or so then gently reheat and serve. Serve with sliced baguette.

Shrimp Bisque

1 lb whole raw shrimp

For the Mirepoix:
2oz carrots
2oz onion
2oz butter
1 sprig thyme
½ bayleaf
3 parsley stalks

2 tsp flamed brandy
7oz white wine

For the Thickening and Moistening:
¾ cup rice
3 cups fish or veal stock or clam broth

For finishing:
½ cup whipping cream
5oz butter
Fresh parsley
Cayenne

Method:
Cut carrots, onion and parsley stalks into very small dice and cook to a light brown in butter together with the thyme and bayleaf. Wash the shrimp and cook whole in the Mirepoix until they turn red.

Season with a little salt and milled pepper, sprinkle with the brandy and the wine and allow to cook gently to reduce. Add 1 cup of the stock and allow to cook gently for 10 minutes.

Cook the rice in 2 cups of the rest of the stock.

Shell the shrimp and reserve ¼ of the them for garnish. Process the rest in a blender or through a fine food mill. Add the cream and butter.

Heat through and serve, garnishing with the reserved shrimp, a sprig of parsley, and sprinkle over with a pinch of cayenne.

Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Chestnuts

Gordon Ramsay’s Brussels sprouts with pancetta and chestnuts

Prep time: 20 Min
Cooking time: 10 Min
Serves 10

Ingredients:
1kg Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1–2 tsp olive oil
200g pancetta, cut into lardons
200g vacuum-packed chestnuts
2 lemons

Method:
Trim the base of the Brussels sprouts and cut them in half lengthways. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil. Add the sprouts and blanch for 2–3 minutes, then drain well.

Heat the olive oil in a wide frying pan and fry the pancetta for a few minutes until golden and crisp. Toss in the sprouts and cook for 2–3 minutes, tossing occasionally.

Roughly chop the chestnuts and add them to the pan. Grate the lemon zest over the sprouts and chestnuts and squeeze over a little juice. Check the seasoning and adjust if necessary. Transfer to a warmed serving dish.

Cointreau Ham

1 large cooked ham
Cloves
1 can peach halves
1 can whole cranberries

BASTING SAUCE:
½ cup Cointreau
1 cup orange marmalade
2 tbsp hot mustard
1 tsp ground ginger

Score surface of ham in a cross pattern. Push a clove into each square. Mix other ingredients together. Place ham in a preheated 325°F oven (10 minutes per pound) and baste frequently with the mixture.
Place ham on serving platter and ring with peach halves filled with cranberries.

Shrimp Maison

1 lb fresh jumbo shrimp, deveined & butterflied
½ cup whipping cream
¼ cup melted butter
¼ cup Cointreau
2 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp paprika
salt & pepper to taste
¼ cup chopped parsley for garnish 

Place shrimp fan-side down in a baking dish. Mix other ingredients (except parsley) together and pour over shrimp. Bake, uncovered, in a preheated 400°F oven for 12-15 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Escargot Stuffed Mushrooms

24 large white mushrooms
24 high quality escargot

ESCARGOT BUTTER:
1 cup soft butter
1½ tsp finely minced garlic
¼ cup chopped parsley
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp Cointreau (optional)
dash of Tabasco sauce

Mix the all the escargot butter ingredients together. Refrigerate if mixture is not stiff enough to spoon.
Place one escargot in each mushroom cap, and top each with one teaspoon of Escargot butter. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 10 minutes or until butter is bubbling. Serve.

Mushroom Stuffed with Crab

24 fresh mushrooms (about 1 lb)
4 tbsp butter
1 small onion, minced
¼ cup dried bread crumbs
1 six-ounce frozen crab, defrosted & drained
3 tbsp Cognac
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
¼ tsp salt
black pepper to taste

Remove stems from mushrooms. Chop coarsely and set aside. In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add the onion and sauté until soft. Add the chopped stems and sauté until they begin to exude their liquid. Remove from heat.
Stir in remaining butter, bread crumbs, crab, Cognac, parsley, salt and pepper. Stuff the mixture into mushroom caps. Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 15 minutes.

Mexican Shrimp Appetizer

Mexican Shrimp Appetizer

24 Corn chip cups or “scoops”

2 cups guacamole

2 cups re-fried beans

1 tsp olive oil

1 small yellow onion, finely diced

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 jalapeno pepper, de-seeded & finely diced

1 tsp ground chili powder

3-4 shots of Tabasco sauce

1½ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce

¼ tsp chipotle powder

¼ cup red pepper minced OR 2 tbsp ajvar

1 large tomato, diced

¾ tsp dried oregano

1 tbsp oil

1 cup canned corn kernels (or kernels from one ear of corn)

2 green onions, finely sliced

Juice from 1 lime

1 pound large peeled and de-veined shrimp

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Cilantro, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

In a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, sauté the yellow onion for 3-4 minutes or until translucent. Add the garlic, jalapeno pepper, chili powder, cumin, chipotle powder and sauté 30 seconds more. Add diced tomatoes and red pepper (or ajvar), and sauté for a minute or so to soften the tomatoes. Add the oregano and simmer a few more minutes.

Transfer the onion-tomato mixture to a blender. Process until smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the sauce from the blender to a skillet. The sauce should be thick enough to coat the shrimp; if too thin, simmer in a pan to reduce. Add the shrimp and coat with the sauce. Cook gently in the sauce, turning occasionally, until cooked through.

Put oil in a hot skillet and add the corn. Sauté until lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

ASSEMBLY

Place approximately 2 teaspoons of either the guacamole or the re-fried beans in the bottom of a corn “scoop.”

Place a few kernels of corn on the filled scoop. Add one shrimp. Sprinkle on a little of the green onion and squeeze a few drops of lime juice on top. Serve. Provide a side bowl with the chopped cilantro for an optional additional topping

Avocado Shrimp appetizer

from Natasha's Kitchen

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes

These shrimp appetizers are plump, juicy Cajun shrimp over creamy avocado in a corn chip scoop (or on a slice of cucumber).

INGREDIENTS FOR CAJUN SHRIMP:

1 lb large shrimp peeled and deveined
2 garlic cloves finely minced
1 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
1 tsp paprika
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper
2 tbsp olive oil divided
1 English cucumber, thinly sliced OR tortilla scoop chips

INGREDIENTS FOR AVOCADO SPREAD:

1 avocado
¼ tsp salt
1 tbsp lime juice plus more to squeeze over finished appetizers
1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro

How to Make Cajun Shrimp:

Pat dry shrimp with paper towels and place in a large mixing bowl. Add minced garlic, cilantro, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, black pepper and 1 tbsp of the olive oil. Toss well to combine.

Heat a large heavy pan over medium heat with 1 tbsp olive oil. Once oil is hot, add shrimp in a single layer and sauté 2 min per side or until cooked through.

How to Make Avocado Spread & Assemble:

In a small bowl, mash together avocado, salt, lime juice and cilantro until creamy. Divide the avocado mix over the cucumber slices (or put a 2 tsp of the guacamole in each tortilla scoop and place a shrimp on top).

Squeeze fresh lime juice over the shrimp avocado bites and garnish with more finely chopped cilantro. If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours before serving.

Lychee and Watermelon Salad

A combination of contrasting flavours that can be an appetizer or a final closing course. Created by Paul Richardson.

INGREDIENTS
Watermelon
Lychee or Rambutan (fresh or canned)
Fresh horseradish
alfalfa sprouts
watercress
Olive oil
White balsamic vinegar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Cut the watermelon into slices of about 3" by 1½" by ¼". Place two side-by-side on a serving dish.
2. Place a lychee cut in half on each slice of watermelon.
3. Toss the greens lightly with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt.
4. Top the watermelon/lychee with a small amount of the greens.
5. Grate a small amount of the fresh horseradish over the greens, and a couple of grinds of black pepper.
6. Top with a heaping teaspoon of watermelon foam made using a hand blender with some juice from the watermelon.

Could try adding Clearjel to stabilize the watermelon foam. Could possibly add a tuile.

Onion and Cider Soup

An English, rather than French, style onion soup

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp light oil
2 lb onions, sliced
2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, plus extra for garnish
1 tsp sugar
1 pint (500ml) cider
1 quart hot chicken stock
12 slices of hearty country-style bread, toasted
5 oz (150gm) Lancashire cheese, grated
Salt

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat the oil in a pan and gently fry the onions, covered, with the rosemary and a pinch of salt for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until they are soft. Stir in the sugar and cook for 10 minutes until golden.
2. Pour in the cider, and bubble gently for 30-40 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and the onions are very soft and golden.
3. Add the stock and heat gently. Check the seasoning. Heat the grill to medium. Divide the onion and cider soup between six heatproof bowls, put two slices of bread on top, sprinkle over the cheese and grill until melted and golden..