Shrimp Scampi in Crazy Water

I cook a lot of seafood. Mostly because I love it but also because I have a good seafood supplier. Yeah that ~ and it doesn’t suck that half of the year I live in the islands…so duh.

For my August cooking class I featured seafood even though I knew that someone in the group, I'm not naming names here, but Becky had already made the statement that she didn’t “really like fish.”  That is the wrong thing to say to me because I will forever more be on a mission to make a fish eater out of you.

     (Authors note: Daughter #2, aka “Hates Everything,” HATES onions and has for twenty-five years, although I don't think she have ever actually eaten one. She will pick through her food like she’s panning for gold, in search of a speck of onion. For years I’ve been slipping them in by calling them shallots or leeks, but the kid has a nose like a beagle and can sniff out an onion from across the room. Have I given up? No. After all it’s only been twenty-five years and I think I’m making progress and will make an onion-eater of her yet.) 

     Like I said, I was determined to make a fish-eater out of Becky. Or at least a fish-cooker, for starters. 

That's my girl Becky, searing the Ahi

We started the evening with Shrimp Scampi in Crazy Water. It’s been a favorite of my family for many years now (well except for Hates Everything) and it’s one of those dishes that goes from hors d’ oeuvre to entrée. Personally I like it best as a horse-do-over because I’m pretty fond of mopping up all that crazy water with a good crusty bread. To turn it into dinner all you have to do is serve it over linguine. 

   

 

Next we made Salmon in a Caper-Cream sauce and Becky, being the trooper that she is plugged her nose and took a bite...AND LIKED IT! Well sort of. I may be a little over zealous about that ~ but Cathy LOVED IT! Just look at her "O" face. 

"O" yes, she loved the tuna too!

Then it was on to Ahi Tuna with Wasabi Beurre Blanc and Pineapple Ginger Chutney (you can find that recipe under the “Seafood” tab at the top of this page), which is thee best dish we’ve eaten in the past year. By "we" I mean The Big Guy and I, and he will totally vouch for that. 

And here we are about to plate it.

I’ve never seen so many wined-up people who were face planted in their dinner plates that weren’t passed out. I know this because they were doing what all refined diners do and that’s lick the plate clean. (Even Becky. C'mon admit it Becky...you know you did!)

The next class was "Tomatoes" so something else yummy is to follow.  Go to the "Seafood" tab at the top of this page for the recipe for Shrimp Scampi in Crazy Water. You'll be glad you did!