Shrimp Spring Rolls

 

25 Cooked Shrimp (50-70 count), cut into bite size pieces

6-7 Butter Lettuce Leaves

2 small Cucumbers, julienned 

1/2 Sweet Red Pepper, julienned

1 small Carrot, julienned

1/4 cup Cilantro leaves

6 Spring Roll Wrappers

Sauce

1/4 cup Mayo

2 tablespoons Chili Garlic Sauce

Zest of Lemon

2 tablespoons Lemon Juice

1 Garlic Clove, grated

1 tablespoon fresh Ginger, grated

Salt, Pepper, to taste

To make the sauce:  Mix all of the ingredients.  Set aside.

In a small bowl, add shrimp.  Toss them with the half of the prepared sauce, season with salt and pepper.

Reserve the rest of the sauce for dipping.

To make spring rolls:  Dip spring roll wrapper into hot water for few seconds, one a time.

Place lettuce leave, about 2 tablespoons shrimp mixture,  2 pieces of cucumber, 1 piece of pepper, and few cilantro leaves.  Fold the bottom edge over the filling; fold in both sides and roll up tightly.  Cut in half.

Makes 12 pieces.

Can be made 2 hours ahead.  Just cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

 

 

Eggplant Neapolitan

 

Marinara  Sauce

8 Tomatoes, cut in half

1/2 Sweet Onion, cut in large pieces

5-6 Garlic Cloves

1 Serrano Chili

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

6-7 Basil Leaves

Salt, Pepper, to taste

 

Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F.  Drizzle veggies with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, toss to coat.  Roast for 25 minutes.  Cool off for 10 minutes.  Blend in the food processor.  Add a pinch of salt and fresh basil and process for another 30 seconds, or until basil is all chopped.  Store in an air-tight container up to seven days in a refrigerator. 

Makes about 3 cups.

 Eggplant Neapolitan

1 Eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch slices

1 1/2 cups Marinara Sauce

1 Large Mozzarella Ball, sliced

Salt, Pepper, to taste

4-5 leaves Fresh Basil

4 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Preheat BBQ grill to medium-high heat.  Brush eggplant slices with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper on both sides.  Grill for about ten minutes, flipping once.

Preheat an oven to 400 degrees F.  Pour 1/2 cup marinara sauce in a backing dish.  Layer grilled slices of eggplant one on top of another.  Pour the rest of the sauce over the eggplant and top with mozzarella slices.  Season with fresh black pepper and a pinch of salt.

 

Bake for about 18 minutes.  Turn on a broiler, and broil for about 2 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly.

Let the eggplant rest for about ten minutes.  To serve, drizzle with some extra virgin olive oil and top with fresh basil.

Serves 2.

*Would go perfect with some fresh bread and a glass of Pinot Noir.

Pan Fried Gyoza with Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce

 

12 Frozen Gyoza, Trader Joe's

1 tablespoon Grape Seed Oil 

Pinch of Salt

Boil Gyoza for about 5 minutes in salted water.  Drain.

Toss in a little bit of oil so they won't stick together...

Preheat a skillet to medium-high heat, add the oil.  Fry Gyoza for about 5-6 minutes, until one side is golden brown.

 

Soy Ginger Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup Ponzu Sauce

1 tablespoon Soy Sauce

1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh Ginger, grated

1 Garlic Clove, grated

Dash Sesame Oil

Dash Chili Oil

1 tablespoon Green Onion 

Fresh Ground Pepper

1/8 cup Grape Seed Oil

In a small bowl, mix all of the ingredients with a whisk.  

Serve Gyoza with the dipping sauce...

Serves 4-5

*Fast and easy appetizer to make when unexpected guests arrive.  Having a bag of frozen Gyoza from Trader Joe's is a life savor :)

Gyoza is originally Chinese dish that has become popular in  Japanese cuisine.

They come in different varieties: pork, beef, seafood, and vegetable.

Albacore Tuna Carpaccio with Garlic Chips

1/2 pound Albacore Tuna

3 Garlic Cloves, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

3 tablespoons Ponzu Sauce

Sriracha, to taste

3 tablespoons Scallions, sliced

Few Leaves Cilantro

Salt, Pepper, to taste

Preheat a skillet to medium heat, add olive oil.  Saute garlic slices until lightly golden, about 2 minutes.  

Remove and reserve. 

Pet dry tuna with a paper towel.  Season with salt and pepper.  

Turn the heat up to medium-high.  Using the same skillet, saute tuna on each side, 2 minutes per side.

Using a sharp knife, thinly slice the tuna.

 On a serving platter, pour Ponzu and Extra Virgin Olive Oil.  Place thinly sliced tuna right over the sauce.

 Drizzle  Sriracha over the tuna, as much as you like.  Top with garlic chips, scallions, and leaves of cilantro.

Serves 2-3

*Very important not to burn the garlic.  It turns bitter if you do.

*This dish is delicious and elegant.  Will wow your guests. 

Wild Salmon Lox

1 pound Sushi Grade Salmon

3 tablespoon Kosher Salt

1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon Sugar

1 tablespoon Black Ground Pepper

1/2 cup Fresh Dill

In a small bowl, mix together salt, sugar, and pepper.  Cut salmon so you would have two same size pieces.  Rub seasoning all over the fish, very well, just not on the skin.  Make sure all the seasoning goes on the fish. Next, make sandwich out of the fish, flesh to flesh, and placing dill in between the two pieces.

Wrap really tightly the sandwich in plastic wrap.  Place it in a container and put something heavy over the top to create pressure.

Leave it in the refrigerator for three days, flipping the sandwich once a day.

After three days, remove the plastic wrap. Using your hands take the dill off the salmon. Thinly slice and enjoy!!!

Smoked Salmon Crostini

1 Baguette, sliced

6 oz Smoked Salmon, cut into small cubes

8 oz Whipped Cream Cheese, low fat

1 tablespoon Cream Fraiche, or sour cream

Zest and Juice of 1 Lemon

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

1/8 cup Red Onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons Capers

1/2 cup Flat Leaf Italian Parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

To make crostini, preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Place sliced baguette on a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Bake for about 8 minutes, until bread is golden brown. Let it cool.



Meanwhile, to make salmon dip: mix well whipped cream cheese, cream fraiche, zest and juice of a lemon, season with fresh cracked pepper and a little salt. Add smoked salmon, garlic, jalapeno, red onion, capers, and parsley.

*Before adding anymore salt and pepper, make sure to taste it first, since capers and salmon are salty on their own.

To serve it: Place smoked salmon mixture over cooled off crostini or on the side.