Eat This: Crabcakes

I grew up on the North coast of Florida.  We had such wonderful, fresh and seemingly unlimited seafood to eat.  I reminisced with my mom recently that I thought we were poor because we consumed so much seafood!  I mean, it came from the end of the street, right out of the Intracoastal Waterway or a block up the street to the Atlantic Ocean.  You can still, in our old neighborhood in North Beach, St. Augustine, wade out in the water with a screwdriver, break off a fresh oyster and eat that bad boy right where it came from. That fresh.

I know better now. I know we were blessed.  We particularly loved blue crab.  Usually just boiled and picked, and now, in all their glory, crabcakes.  This is a new recipe I put together as I am limiting my carb intake so this really cuts it to the bone.  Enjoy!

1 8 oz container of clean, picked crabmeat
1 large egg, beaten well
1 tablespoon GOOD Mayo - I use DUKES
1 tablespoon of fresh bread crumbs
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
6-8 dashes Tabasco (to taste)
1 tablespoon minced green onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon baking powder

Combine everything in a non-reactive bowl. Cover and allow the flavors to mellow for about an hour.  This will also let the baking powder and egg permeate the mixture.

I divided the mixture into four equal parts.  Heat 2 tablespoons canola oil and 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat until very hot.  Fry the cakes for about two minutes.  It will be very loose at start, but will firm up as the egg and baking powder kick in. Lower the heat to medium.

Be sure to watch and make sure you do not over brown. Flip and brown on the other side.  Remove to a plate and hold warm for serving.

I serve with a "pink sauce" made from a 3:1 ratio of Dukes mayo and Thai Chili Paste.  Delicious.

Romaine, Arugula and Maytag Blue Cheese Salad with Burnt Orange Vinaigrette

I like to serve with a salad too and this one was a simple Romaine, Arugula and Maytag Blue Cheese with a Burnt Orange Vinaigrette.  Here's how to make the dressing:

2 cups orange juice (I use fresh)
3/4 cup Sweetened Rice Wine Vinegar
2 tablespoons dijon style mustard
3/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Place the OJ in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until it has reduced by half. Be careful not to burn it - the sugar will catch if you let it go too long and it will become bitter.

One reduced and cooled, combine all the ingredients in a shaker and shake until well blended.  Adjust seasoning (I used a LITTLE salt to bring up the flavor. It all depends on the rice wine vinegar you use.)  The dressing should be stored in the refrigerator. Remove about 10-15 minutes before you use it to allow the olive oil to become of a temperature where you can mix.  This emulsion will not stay blended but a good shake brings it up to ready!

Neutral Friday: New Rooms From Restration Hardware

The cocktail table and sofa are awesome.

Ok. Yeah, I know.  You get the catalogs too.  I love Restoration Hardware's room vignettes.  This time I highlighted the "small spaces".  I feel like I could just move right in.  These are from the latest catalog set - you  remember, that 12# package in the mailbox?  Happy Friday.

It's the symmetry that get's me here.  And the leather sofa.

Leather sofa.... nice.

The chandelier - the tables - that chair.

All of it. All.

The texture here is very cool.  I wonder how comfortable.

Classic. Timeless.

Awesome.

The book shelving. The lighting.  The general feel of it all. Nice.

Timeless.

There is that orb lighting again!

The storage.

The whole room in such a small space but feels so right.

Slowly falling in love with leather furniture.

All.  I wouldn't change a single thing.

Eat Smarter: Low Carb Peanut Butter Cookies

I love peanuts, peanut butter... whatever.  I am avoiding wheat at the moment and my craving for  cookie is hard to work out.  I found this recipe and it came out pretty good!  Not like a "regular" flour based peanut butter cookie, but pretty good as a substitute.

I didn't take photos of the mixing and measuring process but... well, it's pretty simple.  One caveat: I got mine from the grocery in the "grind it yourself aisle".  You don't want to use regular peanut butter because it has so much added stuff already, sugar, etc in it. Here's the scoop:

Ingredients:
1 cup of freshly ground peanut butter
1 cup Splenda sugar substitute
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients together and roll into balls. Place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet, or as I always do, on a Silpat. 

Using a fork, press to make a cross-hatch design on the top of each ball.

Bake for 12 minutes, or until set. Remove and let cool on a wire rack.  

These aren't the same texture as the usual, but these are great on their own.

SMOKIN!: Slow Smoked Baby Back Ribs

Smoked Baby Back Pork Ribs

I am crazy about BBQ. Crazy.  A couple of years ago, I got all worked up over smoked foods and it has become a hobby.  

Yesterday I was at Sprouts Market and they had some beautiful baby back ribs on sale - minimally processed - no additives - no hormones.  Naked pork.  I got 4, count em, 4 slabs.  They are great to smoke and freeze in individual freezer bags for a quick meal later on. Check this out - rub recipe below too.

Overnight rest with dry rub

My rub:

4 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons chipotle powder (use more for more smoky heat)
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon granulated onion
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 tablespoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons powdered thyme
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

NOTE: for a little Asian flavor, add one teaspoon Five Spice Powder.

Ribs with rub after sitting over night. Come to room temp before smoking.

After an overnight rest, bring ribs to room temp.  I use an electric smoker set to 230 degrees.  I use Cherry or Apple wood chips, soaked overnight as well.  LOW and SLOW is the key.

I use my meat thermometer placed inside the smoker when preheating to let me know when its ready without running outside to check.

These were great!  Ready for the freezer... if they make it.

I smoked mine for 4 hours at 230 degrees. I didn't open the door but once after 3 hours.  I am lucky to have a smoker with a side access chip drawer.  I didn't foil either. I like a little "bite" on ribs where you have to work a bit to get them off the bone.  Some folks smoke for two hours, wrap  in foil and place in smoker for two hours and then unwrap and place back in smoker for an hour.  I find this to make them too "soft" for my taste.  I don't want to pick up a rib and have the meat fall off the bone.  You gotta WORK for some goodness!  Enjoy!

Eat This: Easy Tempura

Shrimp, broccoli and green bean tempura

I love tempura.  Hot. Crisp. Light.  I also hate cleaning up after making it, but sometimes the sacrifice is worth the trouble.  Tonight I made shrimp, broccoli and green bean tempura with a VERY simple tempura batter.  You should try this some time. It's delicious.  I'm also including a uber easy knockoff on the Bonefish Grill's Bang Bang sauce, which I love along side the shrimp.  Ponzu right out of the bottle is awesome on the veggies.

Tempura Batter

Ok, pay CLOSE attention:  equal parts rice fluor and club soda.  That's it.  I used a cup of each for 16 shrimp, green beans and broccoli.  It should be the consistency of very thin pancake batter.

Bang Bang Sauce Knockoff

Another easy one equal parts of a GOOD mayo - I use Duke's - don't cheap out and do NOT use low fat and one part Thai garlic chili paste. Ideally let it sit overnight to meld the flavors.

I used a "Fry Daddy" - it's the perfect piece of kitchen equipment for this. It fries at 350 degrees and it is consistent.  I used Canola oil. Great flavor neutral oil.  Peanut has a higher smoke point but when you are frying at 350 it makes no difference.

Do the veggies first and put on a rack in a 200 degree oven to stay warm.  The broccoli takes about 2 minutes.  More and it gets bitter.  Green beans take about 4 and when they get "quiet" they are ready. Crispy. Delicious especially when you finish with some Fleur de Sal.

The shrimp take about 2-3 minutes depending on size. Don't overcook them!!

Enjoy!