The Logrus - Shellfish

Merlin's Cajun Prawns

Sun, 14 Jan 2007 11:29:19 -0800

Combine all spices in a small bowl.

Melt butter in a skillet on high. When butter is mostly melted, drop in prawns and cover with spices. Stir-fry prawns for 3-4 minutes or until done. Remove from heat. Serve.

Optionally, double the butter and toss with noodles such as linguine.

Merlin's Jambalaya

Sun, 14 Jan 2007 11:23:45 -0800

Combine everything except the shrimp and rice in a pot. Simmer for at least an hour, or two.

Half an hour before serving, add the shrimp.

Cook the rice separately, just before serving, add the rice.

Clam Chowder

Fri, 29 Jul 2005 09:44:52 -0700

Immerse the carrots, potatoes and onion in the juice from the canned clams--this should come out to around 4 cups of liquid. If it's less, supplement with a little water. Add a bay leaf and the salt, and gently boil until the potatoes and carrots are tender. Remove the bay leaf when done.

Meanwhile, chop the bacon into very small bits, and fry over medium heat. You're looking to get the fat out of the bacon, but you'll be keeping this.

Once the bacon is nice and crisp, melt all of the butter with the bacon fat. Once the butter is melted, put in the flour and the pepper. Stir until you have a nice roux, and cook for a minute or three. Add the milk in about a cup at a time; stir and heat until it's boiling, then add the next cup. When you have a nice, hot, thick cream sauce, combine with the vegetables and liquid. (Be sure to remove the bay leaf.) Add all remaining ingredients, and heat through. Serve immediately. Sourdough is nice. I use saltines.

Fettucine in Tomato Cream Sauce

Thu, 28 Jul 2005 20:11:26 -0700

Sprinkle the prawns with the mixed chili powder, cayenne pepper, garlic powder and kosher salt. I realize I have no actual amounts here, but it's pretty much 'until it looks right'. Oh, cumin and/or mexican oregano would be good in that combination too. Probably chili powder will be the heaviest, but don't skimp on the salt.

Saute the prawns in 1/2 tbs butter, and be careful not to overcook them, lest they turn rubbery.

Melt 3-4 tbs butter in a sauce pan over medium low heat. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add cornstarch and kosher salt. Saute until you have a good paste, and let this go 3-4 minutes, but if it starts browning it's time to move on.

Add 2 pints of heavy cream, and thoroughly stir. Simmer until sauce thickens. Add the parmesan cheese and tomato paste. Mix until cheese and paste are fully integrated into sauce.

Combine sauce with cooked noodles; arrange noodles in sauce on plate, top with prawns. Serve with grated parmesan.

I'm told a nice chianti would go well with this. I recommend a green salad and a crisp vegetable on the side; or, make less and serve as an accompaniment to any main course.