Crabby in California

Kasey's Kitchen Assistant Contributor Jen here! In light of KK's trip back east, I wanted to share a simple recipe that brings west coast vibes to an east coast-inspired dish.

I'm originally from Maryland and it's no secret that Marylanders love their blue crabs and season just about EVERYTHING with Old Bay. Some of my favorites include scrambled eggs, macaroni and cheese, popcorn, corn on the cob, french fries - the list could go on! Having Old Bay seasoning back in Maryland is just as staple as the salt and pepper shakers on your kitchen table.

Since moving to the Golden State, I was happy to find out that the seasoning can be found at grocery stores here and if you can't seem to find it in the spice aisle, try checking out your local Asian supermarket. I've also heard rumors of it being available in Costco, but I haven't had the chance to check that out for myself.

For this recipe, it's certainly not a make or break deal if you don't have it. A simple seasoning of salt and pepper with a kick, or two, of cayenne pepper would be just fine. (Please note: that isn't a replication of the sacred Old Bay. Some have ventured into recreating it and their recipes are worth looking into, but in my clearly unbiased opinion, I just don't think it can be done.)

Digging in to Maryland blue crabs over a table blanketed by newspapers, leaving my hands smelling like crabs for days, is a fond summer pastime, but I also enjoy indulging in the less-messy, fork-in-hand crab cake.

My recipe sort of California-fies the basic make-up of a crab cake and I've paired it with a flavorful avocado sauce. Getting your hands on lump crab meat from the seafood section of the grocery store might be the only expense here; everything else is probably already in your pantry/fridge, and the preparation seriously couldn't be any easier. I'd also like to point out that what I have listed below is really a blank canvas - you are totally open to swapping out ingredients, adjusting what I have listed to your palate, or even making shrimp or salmon cakes if you want!

Ingredients:
Avocado sauce:
1 avocado
1 jalapeno, roughly chopped, seeds removed
1-2 cloves of garlic (I used 2 because I love garlic.)
Juice of 1 and 1/2 limes
Roughly a 1/3 cup of olive oil (or more, depending on how runny you want the sauce to be)
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro
Salt and pepper to taste

Crab cakes (yields about 4 hamburger-patty-sized cakes):
1 tbsp. of olive oil
8 oz. of lump crab meat
1 jalapeno, seeds removed, diced
3.5 oz of plain Greek yogurt (I used 1/2 of a 7 oz. container of Fage)
1 tbsp. of dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lime
1 sandwich Ziploc bag filled about 2/3 of the way with tortilla chips (I know, super technical here.)
1 egg
1 tsp of Old Bay seasoning, adjust to taste
1/4 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped

Preparation: 
For the sauce:
Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth and homogenous. Set aside in refrigerator to chill until served. (See? Easy.)

For the crab cakes:
With the Ziploc bag filled 2/3 of the way with tortilla chips, crush them up into crumbs.

Combine the tortilla crumbs with the rest of the ingredients, minus the olive oil, into a mixing bowl. Divide the mixture into four equal parts and form them into patties.

Drizzle the olive oil into a frying pan and fry the patties over a medium high heat - about 4-5 minutes per side, or until a crisp, golden-brown color.

Serve it up with some lime wedges and the avocado sauce either on the side or dolloped on top, with a side salad or some steamed vegetables. Stick it between two buns and you've got your self a crab cake sandwich! The possibilities are endless.

Enjoy!

Dine On A Dime: Lobster Dinner at Vertical Wine Bistro

 
Head on up to Old Town Pasadena’s iconic Vertical Wine Bistro for their weekly Sunday Night 
Suppers for $25 per person with a focus on classic New England comfort food classics, including Executive Chef Laurent Quenioux’s signature Lobster Boil, obviously when I heard "lobster" I came running! 

Vertical Wine Bistro has a great tradition of bringing the family together with their Sunday Suppers, offering comfort foods such as BBQ Ribs, Fried Chicken and Beef Bourguignon.  Now they are taking a turn at the classic food of my home, the New England coast. “Everyone likes to share a family meal, but we don’t cook at home as much anymore”, says Chef Quenioux.  “ We want to bring back classic Americana with all the trimmings that children, grandparents, and everyone will love. They enjoy it at large communal tables as a family, having a good time and eating comfort food.”

By the way, did I mention that this dinner is an ABSOLUTE STEAL!!! So let me pain the picture for you. I made my way up the white light-lined stairway to second-story bistro, opting to wait in the lounge area while I waited for my host to dine with. The cocktail waitress brought me over a bar menu and notified me that it was Happy Hour all day... yeah, all day Happy Hour on Sundays. Woohoo! Pacing myself, I simply browsed the menu and sat back to take in my surroundings. The bar had a large TV which was ironically playing The Town. Oh Ben, how you make Bostonians proud! 

Dish Worth Driving To: Top of the Market San Diego

On a recent trip down to San Diego with The Mr., I redeemed a long-standing invitation from Chef Ivan Flowers and his team to dine at Top of the Market. You see, Chef Ivan and I had become buddies via social media in the past year, yet I had never had the opportunity to make it down to his restaurant on the bay! Knowing the reputation of the restaurant, I couldn't let this invite linger any longer. 

True to it's name, this fine dining eatery sit atop The Fish Market Seafood Restaurant on San Diego Bay. The crisp white linens, nautical fixtures and large windows framing the picturesque setting create the perfect atmosphere for a romantic meal for sure. 

We were first greeted by the restaurant's sommelier, Anne Estrada who poured us a delicious glass of NY Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve. These light bubbles were the perfect pour as we prepared for the feast to come. 

Baked Stuffed Shrimp

This year for Valentine's Day, The Mr. and I decided that we would forego the overpriced, overcrowded, and underwhelming restaurant scene and opt for a night in to celebrate. As you can probably assume by now, my dear husband had his heart set on one of the juicy new Omaha Steaks that I had sent to his office (surprise!) and I wanted something from the sea!

I checked out my local Gelson's assuming that they would have the bigger seafood selection and the term "bigger" was an understatement. I was able to find the biggest shrimp I have ever seen in my life! Take a look at this thing! 

Portuguese Clam Boil: East Coast Meets West Coast

As some of you may have seen, I celebrated my twenty-something-th birthday this week. Yes, I grew up in one of those families who celebrated "birthday week", so unfortunately The Mr. had to follow suit. I will say, he is a fantastic surprise-planner though. And I'll admit, I have my doubts at times that he'll follow through but I'm never short of amazed with what he comes up with, and this year was no exception. 

New England Lobster Roll

Amazing Lobster Roll from The Lobster Trap - Cape Cod, MA

Due to the recent events, it’s hard for me to get Boston out of my head. It’s hard to watch the news coverage and not feel saddened for those who witnessed such horrific acts on innocent people. However, I must say that it warms my heart to see the Boston Brotherhood that rose to the occasion, opening their hearts and their homes in the wake of tragedy. That is something that needs to be celebrated. The resilience of the city.

Boston is the city that I spent many weekends as a child at the New England Aquarium, Fenway Park, or in Faneuil Hall. The city where I spent 4 years in college making friends that will be in my life forever, and the city where I discovered my passion for food.

Today I want to share with you a recipe that reminds me of home.

New England Lobster Roll

This is one of my all time favorite things to eat...like, in the whole world, forever and ever.

I’ve learned that very few people out here in LA know what a Lobster Roll is and no, it’s not something off of a sushi menu! This is a summer staple back East and believe it or not, it’s pretty easy to replicate.

Mango Cilantro Shrimp Salad

I put my dining fate in your hands last night and asked which ingredients I should add to my shrimp dish. Your vote was cilantro and lime, here's what I came up with! 

Ingredients

Shrimp, peeled 

Mango

Cilantro

Limes

Jalapeño

Tomato

Couscous, about 1 cup

Avocado

Shallot or red onion

Salt and Pepper

Healthy Coconut Shrimp

Last night, as I got home to whip up the yummy Baked Coconut Shrimp recipe my girl Cynthia from Cupcake Provocateur sent over I realized two things... 1) I was missing quite a few ingredients and 2) I was way too tired to go through each step and follow the recipe. No surprise there... by now you all should know I'm not the biggest fan of recipes, yet I love sharing my successful concoctions with you!

Baked Coconut Shrimp by Cupcake Provocateur

Check out these fantastic recipes from my friend Cynthia of Cupcake Provocateur. Add in some veggies and you've got yourself a full meal! Yum! 

Oscar Recipe: Crab Louie

Ingredients:
8 ounces jumbo lump crab
3 tablespoons Thousand Island or Russian dressing
2 tablespoons chives
1 vine-ripened tomato, diced and well drained
¹/₄ red onion, finely diced
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
Pepper
1 Pinch of sugar
1 teaspoon chopped parsley
16 endive leaves
1 whole avocado, diced 

Oscar Recipe: Spicy Tuna Tartare in Miso Cones

 

This was by far my favorite thing at the Governors Ball Preview! I may or may not have hunted down the woman who was serving them... Don't judge! Try them for yourself and you'll understand.


Ingredients:

4 ounces diced #1 sushi grade tuna  
1 tablespoon diced pickled ginger 
1 teaspoon chopped scallions  
1 tablespoon soy sauce/wasabi mixture  
2 tablespoons spicy chili mayonnaise  
4 ounces butter  
1 cup corn syrup 
1/8 cup miso paste  
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon black pepper  
1 tablespoon sesame oil  
1/2 cup all-purpose flour  
1 tablespoon powdered ginger  
1/2 cup sesame seeds (1/4 black, 1/4 white) 

Oscar Recipe: Smoked Salmon Mousse

This recipe comes straight from Wolfgang Puck's menu for this year's post-Oscar Governor's Ball. This light, creamy, flavorful, and beautiful mousse fills that role deliciously. Better still, it takes just a few minutes to make. Serve it with thinly sliced toasted pumpernickel bread for spreading, or serve as a dip with a selection of good-quality crackers.

Restaurant Recipe: Chef Taylor's Crab Cakes (Napa Valley Grille)

Maryland Style Crab Cakes

Photo Credit: William Pruyn

Executive Chef Taylor Boudreaux

Yields 6-8 crab cakes

Ingredients

1 lb Jumbo Lump Crab Meat

1 T Dijon

1 T Worcestershire Sauce

½ T Fresh Thyme Leaves

¼ cup Panko breadcrumbs

¼ cup Mayo

1 egg

½ Lemon, juiced

½ T Old Bay Seasoning

Restaurant Recipe: Roasted Corn & Lobster Bisque from Inn of the Seventh Ray

This soup is a knockout! Perfect for the winter months where all you want to do is snuggle up and eat comfort food. This recipe comes from Chef Bradly Miller at The Inn of the Seventh Ray in Topanga Canyon. If you don't want to take a stab at this dish in your own kitchen, go visit Chef Miller and the rest of his team at their beautiful restaurant. You will NOT be disappointed!

TV Dinner: Pretty Little Linguini with Spicy Shrimp

Is anyone else still biting their nails from the Summer finale of PLL?! Dying to know how Spencer, Aria, Emily and Hannah will get attacked by the A Team next! Still screaming at the TV after seeing Toby's face under that black hoodie?! Well tonight we are back with a new season of what I'm sure will be filled with plenty of "WTF" moments. 

Curl up on the couch with this deliciously deceitful dish of "Pretty Little Linguini and Spicy Shrimp"

[Restaurant Recipe] Roasted Sea Bass - Public Kitchen & Bar

SEA BASS

Serves 4

4 6oz filets of sea bass, skin on

2 leeks, bottom white part only

2 cups Sweet Potato Puree

4T Bacon Fat

4T béarnaise

Leeks

4 leeks

2 cups white wine

2 cups water

2T butter

2T salt

2T sugar

2 Bay Leaves

Combine liquids and poach leeks for 40 minutes

Sweet Potato Puree

2# sweet potato

1 cup milk

¼ cup butter

Cook potatoes, peel, puree with a ricer

Melt butter in the milk and combine

Béarnaise

1T lemon juice

½t Tabasco

4 yolks

2 cups clarified butter

2T chopped tarragon

1T chopped shallots

Salt and pepper

Combine lemon juice, Tabasco, yolks, and set on a double boiler

Slowly ad clarified butter and whisk slowly to emulsify

Add chopped tarragon and shallots

Season with salt and pepper

TO FINISH

Sear fish skin side down, place in oven and cook for 4 minutes

Remove from oven

Place the warm puree on a plate and top with fish

Char the leek on open fire and place in a pat, add bacon fat and glaze.

Place on plate next to fish and drizzle with béarnaise.

Portuguese Paella

YOU VOICED YOUR OPINION ON FACEBOOK So today I am going to SHARE WITH YOU MY Portuguese Paella because let’s face it…. Paella is usually made from left over meats, seafood, and veggies you may have in the fridge AND I'M THE QUEEN OF LEFTOVERS.

HERE'S WHAT YOU NEED:

cocktail sized shrimp

scallops (Bay or sea)

onions

garlic

rice 

linguica (IF YOU CAN'T FIND IT, YOU CAN USE Spanish chorizo... BUT IT WON'T BE THE SAME, JUST SAYIN)

LITTLE NECKS

OLIVE OIL

SAZON SEASONING

CAN OF STEWED TOMATOES

HERE'S WHAT YOU DO:

drizzle olive oil in the pan and put it over a medium heat.

Add the shrimp, scallops, and linguica SAUTEE. 

REMOVE FROM HEAT AND SET ASIDE.

ADD a little more olive oil inTO YOUR PAN

chop up the onion and garlic AND SAUTEE

Add a can of strained, diced tomatoes and cook for about 2 minutes.

Add in 4 cups of short grain rice and mix it all together so the rice is coated in the pan mixture.

add 5 or six cups of water to the pan, ADD IN YOUR LITTLE NECKS WITH SPLIT SIT FACING UP, cover and let it sit for ten minutes.

So now that the rice is cooked, add in the previously cooked meat and seafood, give it a good stir and that’s it! 

SERVE IT UP IN THE PAN FOR THE TRADITIONAL FEEL.

Tip: don't be afraid to use different kinds of meat or seafood too! Chicken, mussels and white fish can be great in here too.

Salmon Salad with Poppyseed Vinaigrette

Here is another great "5 Fridge Findings"!
Our ingredients come from Courtney from Oklahoma City, OK.
Ingredients
Salmon Filets
Poppy Seeds
Romain Hearts
Cherry Tomatoes
Lemon
Salmon Salad w/ Poppyseed Vinaigrette

This of course can be made with any lean protein, I'm not a big fish person myself so I would opt for shrimp, scallops, or chicken.

Now, broil the protein of choice in oven with with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper, and sliced lemon. Save half the lemon for later.
*If using chicken, pound out the meat to a thin cutlet so it cooks faster.
* Broil as usual depending on meat.

Wash and dry romaine hearts and chop up.
Wash tomatoes and any other veggies you would want to add and add lettuce into bowl.

While meat/fish is in the broiler, prepare the dressing for salad.
In a small bowl, combine 3/4 c olive oil, 1/4 vinegar (white balsamic is my favorite for this), 1 tbsp poppy seeds and the juice of the other half of the lemon.
Whisk together until ingredients are mixed throughly.

Top salad with w/broiled fish or meat and top with dressing as desired.

Easy enough... right?

Send your ingredients to kaseyskitchentv@gmail.com