How you doin’? I fell in love with recipes from the South while researching different cuisines for one of our clients. Most people just lump Southern Cuisine into one big “Gone with Wind” bucket, but when you get inside you find that every state, as well as areas within the states, have their own specialties that have been passed down from generation to generation.
 
While watching Smoke Ring on Discovery+ last night, hosted by Stephen Ray Tickle (a real life moonshiner), one of the contestants orchestrated a beautiful Lowcountry Perloo. It was a thing of beauty to behold. I had decided to skip dinner but suddenly, I was drooling, just watching it on TV. 

In the Lowcountry region (the coastal areas of the Carolinas and Georgia), Perloo is a beloved rice dish often made with the region's plentiful shellfish. Like Jambalaya, Perloo starts with a flavorful base of rice simmered with tomato, bell pepper, celery, garlic and onion.
 
One-pot rice dishes are incredible easy and versatile, you can use chicken, seafood, sausage, and whatever vegetables you have on hand. These dishes are ideal for weeknight suppers.
 
You can get in a Lowcountry frame of mind with my delicious Shrimp Perloo recipe which can be ready in just 40 minutes. The size of the shrimp is key to this recipe—be sure to purchase medium-sized, not large, shrimp. They are stirred into the pot at the end of the cook time. The residual heat from the rice mixture cooks the shrimp to tender perfection, in about 3 to 5 minutes.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  20 minutes
Yield:  6 servings
 
Ingredients
4 thick-cut bacon slices (about 6 oz.), chopped
2 cups chopped sweet onion
1-1/2 cups chopped celery
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1/2 cup dry white wine (or moon shine, if you have it 😊)
2 (14.5 oz.) cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
7 cups seafood stock (made from the heads and shells of shrimp)
3 cups uncooked basmati rice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1-1/2 pounds raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 cup smoked Andouille sausage, sliced in rings
1/4 cup chopped fresh, flat-leaf parsley
 
Directions

1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring often, until crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer bacon with a slotted spoon to a plate lined with paper towels to drain, reserving 1/4 cup of the bacon drippings in Dutch oven. Set cooked bacon aside.
2. Increase heat to medium-high. Add onion, celery, and bell pepper to Dutch oven; cook, stirring often, until vegetables soften but haven’t begun to brown, about 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the salt; cook, stirring often, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
4. Add wine (or moonshine), stirring and scraping to loosen browned bits from bottom of pot.
5. Add tomatoes and crushed red pepper; cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes.
6. Stir in stock, rice, and butter; bring to a boil.
7. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook until rice is just tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
8. Remove from heat. Working quickly, gently stir in shrimp and sausage; cover and let stand until shrimp are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.
9. Stir in remaining 2 teaspoons salt.
10. Garnish serving bowls parsley and bacon.

ChefSecret:  This dish works best with medium-sized shrimp. If the shrimp are too large, the rice mixture will cool off before the shrimp are cooked and you will have undercooked shrimp and lukewarm rice.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “When you serve this dish for company, they’ll be grinnin' like a possum eatin' a sweet tater.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entree #Lowcountry #Shrimp #Andouille #ShrimpPerloo #SmokeRing #Moonshine #StephenRayTickle #GoneWithTheWind #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? You might be asking yourself… “why Mozambique Prawns?” Some of you may know that I spent the better part of 3 or 4 years going back and forth to Lisbon, Portugal. During the time of colonial Portuguese rule of Mozambique many southern African foods were brought back to Portugal. One such item was large prawns and you can still enjoy them today in Portugal’s many seaside restaurants.
 
Mozambique is an African nation located in the southeast of Africa whose long Indian Ocean coastline is dotted with popular beaches and offshore marine parks. In the Quirimbas Archipelago, a 250km stretch of coral islands, mangrove-covered Ibo Island has colonial-era ruins surviving from a period of Portuguese rule. The Bazaruto Archipelago farther south has reefs that protect rare marine life including prawns.
 
While Mozambique is famous for the quality of its fresh seafood there is a heavy Portuguese influence felt in dishes such as Peri-Peri (hot and spicy) Prawns and Peri-Peri Chicken. It is a cross-cultural country between food and music—Mozambique is famous for its traditional music, especially its marimba bands. Marimba bands made it all the way to Brazil in South America.
 
You’ll see that this recipe calls for Amarula, a cream liqueur from South Africa. It is in the same family as Bailey’s (Irish) Cream. It is made with sugar, cream and the fruit of the African marula tree which is also locally called the Elephant tree or the Marriage Tree. It has a light alcohol content of 17% by volume (30° proof) and is a wonderful ingredient for both sweet and savory dishes. 
 
Prep time: 30 minutes
Marinade time: 30-60 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
For the cashew nut Amarula satay
14 ounces cashew nuts
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon Amarula
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
4 teaspoons granulated sugar
 
For the piri-piri prawns
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon chili flakes
Juice and zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 fresh mild red chile, seeded, deveined and chopped
1-pound large raw prawns, deveined with shell and head on
1 fresh lemon
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
 
Directions
To make the cashew nut Amarula satay sauce

1. Pre-heat an oven the 350⁰ F.
2. Place a tray of cashews in to toast for about ten minutes until golden brown and fragrant.
3. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
4. When the nuts are cool put them in a food processor with the vanilla extract and blend for about 10-15 minutes, until the mixture has a smooth and creamy consistency. It will look crumbly for a long time, just continue blending.
5. Remove nut mixture from the food processor and place in a bowl along with the Amarula, water, lime juice, soy sauce and sugar.
6. Whisk until smooth. Set aside.

 
To grill the prawns

1. Place the garlic, chili flakes, lemon zest and juice, smoked paprika, sugar, olive oil and vinegar in a food processor and process until smooth.
2. Mix in the cilantro and fresh chile.
3. Pour the sauce over the prawns and season with salt and pepper.
4. Allow to marinade for at least 30 minutes, no longer than 1 hour.
5. Cook on a grill over a hot fire turning the prawns after two minutes and cooking until just pink and cooked through.
6. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the prawns and serve with the cashew nut and Amarula satay sauce.

ChefSecret:  If you don’t have access to a grill, you can cook the prawns in a griddle pan. Heat the pan until it is smoking before adding the prawns. Turn the prawns after two minutes and cook until just pink and cooked through.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “In life, in order to succeed, you must do the thing you thought you could not do. That does not apply to haircuts during quarantine.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #Prawns #Mozambique #Portugal #Africa #Amarula #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? Hamburger Hamlet was a very creative chain of upscale restaurants (for their time) that mainly served hamburgers—all kinds of burgers.  The Hamlet was most popular in Southern California during the ‘50s, 60’s and 70s. It was founded by Marilyn and Harry Lewis.
 
Now you might think that serving lobster bisque in a hamburger joint would be a bit strange, but it resonated across California, Chicago and Washington, D.C.  Yes, one little place and one wonderful cup of soup did all that and more—it created a small chain of restaurants known for Thick and Juicy Burgers, “Those” Potatoes (hash browns layered with cheddar cheese and sour cream) and Lobster Bisque.

Harry (who was an actor, certainly not a cook) spent hours making this magical broth every night in the back of their home so that no one would ever have the recipe. The way Harry made it, it took 2 days, but with the magic of Better Than Bouillon Lobster Base you can have this totally simple, delicious tasting lobster bisque in less than 30 minutes. Perfect for impressing your Valentine!
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Yield:  4 servings
 
Ingredients
2 cups half & half or milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons lobster base (I prefer Better Than Bouillon brand base)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons tomato paste (I prefer the tomato paste that comes in a tube)
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup minced lobster meat (optional)
2 tablespoons dry sherry
Garnish with flat leaf parsley or dill and a few pieces of lobster meat
 
Directions

1. In a saucepan over medium heat add the half & half, water, white wine, lobster base, flour, tomato paste, paprika and cayenne.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring, reduce heat and add lobster.  Let the bisque simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Top with the sherry and serve immediately.

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ChefSecret:  Use this very same recipe to make a shrimp bisque, just substitute the lobster meat with less expensive cooked shrimp meat.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “I’ve noticed that some people have stopped shaking hands because of the Coronavirus. I’m not shaking hands because so many people are out of toilet paper.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Soup #Bisque #Lobster #LobsterBisque #HamburgerHamlet #BetterThanBouillion #ValentinesDay #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup 

                                              ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’?  Cooking seafood in an Instant Pot is a quick, healthy and delicious meal that is so easy to make! This flavorful dinner cooks in no time and comes out flaky and tender every time. You can even add some veggies in the same pan or get a stackable pan set from the internet and do a stackable meal.
 
If you have been searching for a convenient way to cook keto, here’s a great meal to meet your dietary needs. After your Instant Pot fish is done stuff some inside of an avocado and this makes a really yummy keto meal, I’m beginning to think there isn’t anything that can’t be done with an Instant Pot cooker. It may be time to retire your stove top.
 
Here’s a couple of universal tips for cooking fish in stack pans (Amazon Prime $26.95):

• Put parchment paper on the bottom larger pan of your stacked pans and pour all the vegetables inside.
• Pour 2 tablespoons of oil on top and sprinkle half of your seasoned salt, pepper and basil on top.
• Place smaller stacked pan on top and put a second piece of parchment paper inside of that pan.
• Lay the pieces of fish inside, pour remainder of olive oil on top of fish with remainder of the spices.
• Put the lid on and close fastener so pans are securely closed together.
• Now, you are ready to go.

 
Prep time:  12 minutes
Cook time:  5 minutes
Yield:  2 servings
 
Ingredients
1 cup water (for a 6-quart Instant Pot—2 cups for 8-quart Instant Pot)
2 (5-6 oz) skin-on seafood filets (salmon, sole, or any thicker fish filet)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch pepper
2 cloves minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chiffonade cut (or 1-1/2 teaspoons dried)
4-6 fresh lemon slices (thinly sliced)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter (sliced into 4 pats)
2 tablespoons white wine
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
 
Directions

1. Pour 1 cup of water into the inner liner of the Instant Pot. Then set the trivet/rack inside.
2. Place the fish filets into a separate pan, skin side down.
3. Sprinkle the filets with the salt, pepper and the garlic.
4. Place the basil on the fish filets, followed by the lemon slices, then the butter pats on top.
5. Add the white wine and lemon juice to the pan.
6. Place the pan into the Instant Pot, onto the trivet.
7. Close the lid and close the steam release knob.
8. Press the pressure cook for 5 MINUTES on HIGH pressure.
9. When the cook cycle has finished, immediately open the release valve and QUICK RELEASE the pressure.
10. When the pin in the lid drops back down, open the lid and carefully remove the pan.
11. Serve immediately with some of the lemon butter sauce over the filets.

ChefSecrets:  You can cook some zucchini or yellow squash in the same pan. Larger, thicker or frozen filets will need additional cook time. Also, if you choose a filet without skin, you can set the filet on top of a piece of parchment.

Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “I caught my kids making a new mat for the front porch yesterday… instead of “welcome” it said “back away from the door.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide. We have added a new search feature to make it easier to navigate through our blogs. 
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #InstantPot #Seafood #Fish #LemonButter #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                                 ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? Like many companies that develop products, not all the recipes we develop come to market. For many of our projects, we show our clients twice as many recipes as they contracted for. That gives our clients a lot to choose from and it’s fun to really stretch the test kitchen chefs. This is one recipe that never went anywhere. I was surprised, but then the client approved about 10 other sandwich fillings, leaving this one to be rediscovered here on the blog.
 
What I particularly like about this recipe is it can be used as a spicy sandwich filling, side salad or an entrée salad. It is easy to make and simple use. Oh, and by the way it tastes great.
 
Prep time:  10 minutes
Yield:  16 ounces (2 to 3 sandwiches / 2 to 3 side salads / 2 entrée salad)
 
Ingredients
10 ounces cooked shrimp defrosted, drained, tails removed (see ChefSecret)
5 tablespoons mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon, Grey Poupon mustard
2 tablespoons diced celery
1/2 tablespoon diced red onion (1/8-inch)
1/2 tablespoon finely chopped scallions
1/4 teaspoon seeded red jalapeno, diced (1/16-inch)
1/4 teaspoon seeded green jalapeno, diced (1/16-inch)
1/4 teaspoon hot paprika
1 tablespoon fresh, finely-chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon sriracha chili sauce
 
Directions

1. Combine all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl; lightly mix until thoroughly incorporated.
2. Transfer the shrimp salad into a small container, cover with food film and refrigerate until ready to use.

ChefSecret:  There are several options of shrimp that can be used. I prefer whole, chopped medium shrimp, but you can also use the little baby bay shrimp (aka “sea monkeys”). The shrimp can be frozen or fresh.
 
Covid-19 Quip of the Day: “I was told to keep my social activities under 10 people. No problem… there aren’t 10 people I like enough to gather with!”
 
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Do you have a question or comment?  Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Salad #Entree #Side #Seafood #ShrimpSalad #Shrimp #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                      ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021