Drag Queen Shrimp

Happy Fourth from the other side of the pond. I spent the evening of the Fourth at the home of the Durham Bulls where Team USA cleaned out Team Guatemala 18-1 by the bottom of the 8th inning. They called the game at that point…everyone was anxious for the fireworks, which admittedly, were some of the best I’ve seen.

I also spent part of the 4th holiday down at an undisclosed (note: uncrowded and I’m not spilling the beans on where!) beach in Wilmington, NC. The historic part of town is absolutely lovely, tucked by the Cape Fear River on the Eastern Shore. The people are delightfully (and scarily) nice (do they all really mean ‘good morning’?). Here is a photo of my house.

Just kidding. I wish! It’s definitely my favorite house.

I had made some easy oven baked chicken (see recipe below) for the beach and some AMAZING hanger steak sandwiches. These pack really well in some ice for the beach (sans eggs – add those for a great indoor brunch).

The best part (other than spending the day almost getting drowned in the Atlantic Ocean) was the SHRIMP. There are stands everywhere to buy freshly caught shrimp and scallops. This seafood has never seen a freezer or a refrigerator. We bought 3 pounds of shrimp.

I could eat these plain cooked. I have never had such juicy succulent (THIS is where the definition of succulent comes from) in my life. My friend Philippe (a proud Quebecois) made Shrimp Provencale – just the perfect dish.

The seasonings added and enhanced the natural tastes of the shrimp without overpowering or disguising the natural richness and freshness.

We took the shrimp on our own terrace right on the boardwalk with some wine and…I was in food bliss.

After dinner on the 3rd, we went to a fabulous boy bar in town, Ibiza, where the divas put on a grand show. Men/women (they were both at the same time) donned on their finest (wow – I need to learn how to put on eyelashes) while bartenders walked around with some sort of colorful drinks in test tubes. Everyone was having a grand time.

Perhaps not your typical family backyard bbq, but that’s what is so great about this country – food and drink can bring everyone together in whatever setting or form.

Happy birthday to the U.S.A.!

Shrimp Provencale (thanks to Philippe)

3 pounds shrimp (get the freshest possible – it makes a huge difference)
1 head garlic, roughly chopped
Tarragon
1 large can chopped tomatoes
Oregano
Salt
Pepper
Butter

1. Melt a couple TB of butter
2. Add shrimp and cook until pink
3. Remove shrimp
4. Add garlic, tomatoes, oregano, chopped tarragon, salt and pepper, stir occasionally over medium-heat for 5-8 minutes
5. Return shrimp to mixture and cook for additional 3-4 minutes
6. Serve over bed of brown rice

Hanger Steak Sandwich

1 pound hanger steak
3 cloves garlic, minced
Thyme
Rosemary
Marjoram
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Olive oil

1. Combine thyme, rosemary, marjoram, paprika
2. Rub olive oil on steak, add garlic
3. Rub spice mixture, add salt and pepper as desired
4. Heat grill or skillet
5. Cook hanger steak on each side for 6-8 minute (as desired)
6. Remove from heat
7. Grill whole wheat hot dog buns (for real, hot dog buns)
8. Slice hanger steak and add to grilled buns
9. Cook two eggs over easy
10. Place eggs over steak, add salt and pepper as desired

Oven-Baked Chicken

3 pounds of chicken thighs
6 garlic cloves, minced
6 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
Pepper
6 tsp thyme
6 tsp baking powder
6 TB sesame seeds
2 cups buttermilk
3 cups flour

1. Cover chicken in buttermilk and refrigerate for at least 2 hours
2. Put flour, baking powder and other spices in Ziploc bag and mix well
3. Add each chicken thigh in flour mixture and shake until covered
4. Place on baking pan covered with foil
5. Put in preheated oven (450F) and bake for about 50 minutes until done

Popularity: 44% [?]