12/16/09

Broiled Lemon and Garlic Shrimp




Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds tiger prawns, peeled and
deveined
1 cup butter 1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese


Directions:

1. Preheat oven on broiler setting. With a sharp knife, remove tails from prawns, and butterfly them from the underside. Arrange prawns on broiler pan.
2. In a small saucepan, melt butter with garlic and lemon juice. Pour 1/4 cup butter mixture in a small bowl, and brush onto prawns. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over shrimp.
3. Place broiler pan on top rack, and broil prawns for 4 to 5 minutes, or until done. Serve with remaining butter mixture for dipping

Spinach Stuffed Chicken Breasts




Ingredients:
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese 2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped
spinach, thawed and drained
4 slices bacon

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, spinach, feta cheese, and garlic until well blended. Set aside.
2. Carefully butterfly chicken breasts, making sure not to cut all the way through. Spoon spinach mixture into chicken breasts. Wrap each with a piece of bacon, and secure with a toothpick. Place in shallow baking dish. Cover.
3. Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 1 hour, or until chicken is no longer pink

Gorgonzola and Mushroom Stuffed Beef Tenderloin with Merlot Sauce






Beef Tenderloin

1 beef tenderloin (about 2 1/2 lb)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (3 oz)
1 cup soft bread crumbs (about 1 1/2 slices bread)
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or Roquefort cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon olive or vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt (kosher or sea salt) or regular salt

Merlot Sauce
1/2 cup currant jelly
1/2 cup Merlot, Zinfandel or nonalcoholic red wine
1/4 cup Progresso® beef flavored broth (from 32-oz carton)
1 tablespoon butter or margarine


1. Heat oven to 425°F. To cut beef so that it can be filled and rolled, cut horizontally down length of beef, about 1/2 inch from top of beef, to within 1/2 inch of opposite side; open flat. Turn beef. Repeat with other side of beef, cutting from the inside edge to within 1/2 inch of opposite edge; open flat.

2. In 10-inch skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender and liquid has evaporated. Cool 5 minutes. Add bread crumbs , cheese and parsley; toss to combine.

3. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over beef to within 1 inch of edges. Tightly roll up beef, beginning with long side. Turn small end of beef under about 6 inches so it cooks evenly. Tie beef with kitchen string at about 1 1/2-inch intervals. In shallow roasting pan, place beef, seam side down, on rack. Brush with oil; sprinkle with salt. Insert ovenproof meat thermometer so tip is in center of thickest part of beef.

4. Bake uncovered 30 to 40 minutes or until thermometer reads at least 140°F. Cover beef loosely with foil and let stand about 15 minutes or until thermometer reads 145°F. (Temperature will continue to rise about 5°F, and beef will be easier to carve.)

5. Meanwhile, in 1-quart saucepan, heat all sauce ingredients to boiling, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low; simmer uncovered 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly reduced and syrupy. Remove string from beef before carving. Serve beef with sauce.


Phyllo Turnovers with Shrimp and Ricotta Filling




Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/3 cup chopped celery stalk
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
2/3 cup chopped green onions
2 dashes hot sauce, such as Tabasco
1 teaspoon salt 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 pound large shrimp - peeled, deveined and
chopped
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
1/3 cup milk
1 (16 ounce) package frozen phyllo dough,
thawed
1/2 cup butter

Directions:

1. Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and add the canola oil. Stir in the celery and peppers; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the green onions, hot sauce, and salt; cook and stir until onions are wilted, about 3 minutes. Stir the flour, shrimp, ricotta cheese, and milk into the pepper mixture; cook and stir until the shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.

2. Preheat oven to 425 F (220 degrees C).

3. Melt 1/2 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat and keep warm. Stack two sheets of phyllo on top of each other, and cut into 3 strips about 3 inches by 12 inches. Brush the top of each strip with melted butter, and place a teaspoon of the shrimp mixture at one end. Fold phyllo dough over the filling, working back and forth from side to side to make a triangle. Seal the end closed with a little water or butter. Place triangle on an ungreased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining phyllo sheets and filling.

4. Bake in preheated oven until tops are golden brown and flaky, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack