Shrimp Salad With Horseradish Rémoulade

I made a few changes (noted below) to this recipe from David Tanis which appeared in The New York Times.

Ingredients

• 1 bay leaf
• 1 thyme sprig
• Salt and pepper
• 12 large shrimp, about 1 pound, preferably wild (I used cooked shrimp.)
• 6 small yellow or red beets (I left these out; I love them but could not find at store.)
• 2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 ounces (1 cup) crème fraîche (I used Greek Yogurt)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
• 4 tablespoons freshly grated horseradish (I used prepared)
• 1 tablespoon capers, roughly chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped tarragon
• 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped dill
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 4 handfuls watercress, tops only, about 6 ounces (I used green from my garden--Arugula, Mesculin and Beet greens....plus, I added a cucumber and sugar snap peas from my garden.)
• 1 cup sliced celery, from tender inner stalks
• 4 eggs, hard cooked for 9 minutes then cooled in ice water, peeled and halved (I left out)

Preparation

1.

Bring 6 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add bay leaf, thyme sprig, 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Reduce heat to a simmer and add shrimp. Cook shrimp until shells turn red, only a minute or two. Transfer to a large bowl of cold water, let cool, then peel and set aside.

2.

Meanwhile, put beets in a saucepan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook at a brisk simmer until tender when tested with a skewer, about 20 minutes. Remove and let cool on a plate until just cool enough to touch. Slip off beet skins and discard. Cut beets into small wedges. Put in a bowl, season generously with salt and pepper, and add vinegar and oil. Toss and let marinate for 15 minutes. (You may prepare beets up to a day ahead.)

3.

Make the rémoulade: Stir together crème fraîche, mustard, cayenne, horseradish and capers. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and stir in tarragon, parsley and dill. Refrigerate for an hour (or as long as overnight). Just before serving, stir in lemon juice and check seasoning.

4.

Assemble the salad just before serving: Make a bed of watercress on a large platter. Spoon beets and any juices evenly over watercress, then sprinkle celery slices over top. Arrange shrimp here and there and surround with hard-cooked egg halves. Give a last, very light sprinkle of salt and serve. Pass rémoulade at the table.

YIELD

4 to 6 servings

Cheese Tortellini With Spinach, Peas, and Brown Butter

Fast and easy and so ever tasty!

Ingredients

• 1 pound fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
• 1 cup frozen peas (I used a bit more)
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 small bunch flat leaf spinach
• 1 medium tomato chopped (I used about 15 cherry tomatoes, halved and seeded)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• kosher salt and black pepper

• Directions

  1. Cook the tortellini according to the package directions, adding the peas during the last minute of cooking.
  2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the spinach and tomato and cook, tossing occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and the tomato begins to soften, 4 to 5 minutes more.
  3. Add the tortellini, peas, lemon zest and juice, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to the skillet and toss to combine.

  
  

  ~from Real Simple

Kale and Garbanzo Beans

I am growing Kale this summer in my garden.

"There's a reason why sweet, earthy kale is the most popular of the greens these days: it's delicious, versatile, and incredibly nutritious. Kale contains beta-carotene and the antioxidants lutein and zeaxanthin—which are associated with eye health—as well as potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber, iron, and calcium. Plus, you get 2 grams of protein in a serving. Consider using kale as a stand-in for spinach in dishes..." (Cooking Light)

Ingredients

• 2 center-cut bacon slices
• 1 cup chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 2 1/2 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup water
• 2 (15-ounce) cans organic chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
• 4 cups chopped fresh kale
• 1/2 cup plain 2% reduced-fat Greek yogurt
• 4 lemon wedges (optional)

Preparation

1. 1. Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan using a slotted spoon, and crumble. Add 1 cup carrot and chopped onion to drippings in pan, and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add paprika, 1/4 teaspoon salt, cumin, and red pepper; cook for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Stir in chicken broth, 1 cup water, and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. 2. Add 4 cups kale to bean mixture. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until kale is tender, stirring occasionally. Ladle about 1 1/4 cups bean mixture into each of 4 bowls, and top each serving with 2 tablespoons yogurt. Sprinkle with bacon, and serve with lemon wedges, if desired.
3. Wine Match: An inexpensive selection, the 2008 Turning Leaf Cabernet Sauvignon (California, $8) has black cherries, oak, and a nice, smooth taste to counterbalance the meaty bacon and beans and earthy greens in this hearty dish. --Gretchen Roberts

Cooking Light
JANUARY 2011