Chef Maven – Musings and Recipes of a Cooking Artist

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Leahs Coconut Jerked Shrimp


Now if you haven’t yet made your own coconut shrimp, this recipe couldn’t be easier. I adore coconut shrimp, and since it is so easy to make at home, I can save my money on something else with the way prices are soring these days from everything like eggs to gas. This is great to make as a party appetizer as well!

Ingredients:

  • 4-6 shrimp per person- deveined, cleaned, shells removed, tails intact
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/8 cup corn starch
  • 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  • 4 good shakes of red chili peppers
  • 2-3 tablespoons jerk seasonings
  • 1 teaspoon freshly cracked tri-colored pepper
  • 1/4 to1/2 cup water
  • 1-2 cups of shredded coconut, spread out in shallow pan
  • Vegetable oil to fry shrimp in
  • wax paper and plate or plater that can go into freezer
  • paper towels for draining shrimp after cooking
  • Fresh lemon wedges to serve with shrimp
  • Dipping sauce of your choosing – I used my ‘Best Homemade Tartar Sauce’ (already posted)


Directions:

  1. After cleaning shrimp, drain and place on paper towels to pat shrimp dry.
  2. In Bowl, put all other ingredients except coconut to make batter, With whisk, stir till all well combined. Let sit for five minutes so ingredients can ‘get to know’ one another. If batter is too thick, you may add more water to thin it out, it should be less thick than pancake batter, yet not thin like crepe batter.
  3. Line your plate or platter that will go into freezer with wax paper and place next to bowl with coconut.
  4. Dip shrimp holding to tail into batter, let excess drip off, then place battered shrimp into coconut. Flip over once, so that coconut has coated shrimp. Use fingers to gently throw coconut onto batter on shrimp to coat.
  5. Next place shrimp onto waxed paper. Continue with all other shrimp.
  6. Once compete, place coated shrimp that is sitting on platter with wax paper into freezer to ‘set up’ for one hour or more.
  7. I used my wok to fry the shrimp since it would allow me to fry six at a time – have at least 1/2 inch of oil.
  8. Heat up oil to 350 degrees – or to test if oil is hot enough, place a small cube of bread in, and see that it browns quickly.
  9. Cooking times may vary depending upon size of shrimp you are using.
  10. So add shrimp carefully to hot oil, and let cook for about 4 minutes on each side depending upon the size of your shrimp – the shrimp I cooked were the colossal sized ones and extra huge, so you may want to adjust the time accordingly.
  11. Once each shrimp is done, using tongs or slotted spoon, take out of hot oil, let drain a bit and then place on paper towels on a plate to further drain.
  12. Serve your shrimp up with fresh lemon wedges and your dipping sauces could be anything from a mustard apricot jam concoction, to my tarter sauce (already posted) which is what I did. This dish I served last night also includes with Notyourmomma’s Garlic French Fries with added rosemary and Leah’s French Fried Onion Circles (just posted) as photo shows.

April 30, 2008 Posted by chefmaven | best recipe for coconut shrimp, homemade from scratch, quick easy dinner ideas, shrimp | | 1 Comment

Best Homemade Crazy for Chocolate Souffle Is Super Easy to Make

Crazy for chocolate? Then get in line for this dessert to come out of your own oven! This is a great easy to make version of a vanilla soufflé.

If you like great desserts, this is one to try for your next party or for when you are craving your chocolate but bad!

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • 4 eggs separated (separate when cold, much easier to do when eggs are cold)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter to stabilize egg whites
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • Well pre-heated oven at 425 with oven rack placed low in oven (not on the lowest, but not in the middle either)
  • 1 UN-greased casserole dish 1-1/2 quarts size
  • 2 squares of unsweetened chocolate


Directions:

  1. Note: you can bake this at two different oven temperatures…
  2. If you want a soufflé that is evenly moist, then bake it at 325 for 50-60 minutes.
  3. If you want a soufflé that has a thicker crust and a soft moist interior, then the quick baking method is for you: bake your soufflé at 425 for 25 minutes.
  4. The above baking techniques work for all fruit soufflés that I post.
  5. In a saucepan on top of stove on medium low heat, combine flour, sugar, salt, chocolate and stir in milk a little at a time.
  6. Cook stirring constantly with a whisk until the entire mixture is smooth and thick.
  7. Beat egg yolks under mixer until thick and yellow. Gently fold into cooked mixture and allow to cool on counter.
  8. While that is cooling, start on your egg whites.
  9. Wash out your mixing bowl really well and beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Add extracts and cream of tartar.
  10. Fold one half of the beaten egg whites into the cooled down cooked mixture to lighten up the ‘batter’, then add remaining egg whites and gently fold in.
  11. Pour into un-greased casserole dish and put into preheated oven at your chosen temperature.
  12. Try not to peak and open up your oven, as this can upset the soufflé from rising. Let it do its thing, I know patience is a virtue and a really good soufflé.
  13. Once baked, bring to table at once and serve it up with a soft dollop of whipped cream – to go extra fancy, add a little of a chocolate flavored liquor to your homemade whipped cream as flavoring) and add a fresh spring of mint on the serving for that “Martha look” or a squirt of your favorite chocolate syrup.
  14. Sprinkle and sift a little of confectioners sugar on top and voila.
  15. And as I mentioned above in the description, you can do all the preparing, and throw your soufflé into the oven when you are sitting down to eat your dinner. By the time you have finished dinner and you are making coffee, your dessert will be ready to eat!
  16. Photo credit belongs to gastronomicaljourney.wordpress.com (though I edited and brightened it), but recipe is 100% Divaliscious!

April 30, 2008 Posted by chefmaven | Homemade from scratch best chocolate souffle recipe | | No Comments Yet

Best Homemade Outrageous Orange Souffle Recipe From Scratch

Want to impress them with a fruit soufflé? You can easily make this in a casserole versus in individual dishes. I show you tricks for 2 types of soufflés, this is an easier dessert to make than most people think. So go ahead, impress someone you love today, easily! You can prepare the soufflé then throw this in the oven when you are sitting down to dinner. By the time you are ready to serve coffee, your dessert is ready.

Ingredients:

  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed certainly the best for fresh flavor)
  • 4 eggs separated (separate when cold, much easier to do when eggs are cold)
  • 1/4 teaspoon cream of tarter to stabilize egg whites
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon pure orange extract
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated orange rind
  • Well pre-heated oven at 425 with oven rack placed low in oven (not on the lowest, but not in the middle either)
  • 1 UN-greased casserole dish 1-1/2 quarts size

Directions:

  1. Note: you can bake this at two different oven temperatures…
  2. If you want a soufflé that is evenly moist, then bake it at 325 for 50-60 minutes.
  3. If you want a soufflé that has a thicker crust and a soft moist interior, then the quick baking method is for you: bake your soufflé at 425 for 25 minutes.
  4. The above baking techniques work for all fruit soufflés that I post.
  5. In a saucepan on top of stove on medium low heat, combine flour, sugar, salt and stir in orange juice a little at a time.
  6. Cook stirring constantly until the entire mixture is smooth and thick.
  7. Beat egg yolks under mixer until thick and yellow. Gently fold into cooked mixture and allow to cool on counter.
  8. While that is cooling, add orange zest and stir.
  9. Wash out your mixing bowl really well and beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Add extracts and cream of tartar.
  10. Fold one half of the beaten egg whites into the cooled down cooked mixture to lighten up the ‘batter’, then add remaining egg whites and gently fold in.
  11. Pour into un-greased casserole dish and put into preheated oven at your chosen temperature.
  12. Try not to peak as this can upset the soufflé from rising. Let it do its thing.
  13. Once baked, bring to table at once and serve it up with a soft dollop of whipped cream – to go extra fancy, add a little of cointreau (orange flavored liquor to your homemade whipped cream as flavoring) and add a fresh spring of mint on the serving for that “Martha look”.
  14. And as I mentioned above in the description, you can do all the preparing, and throw your soufflé into the oven when you are sitting down to eat your dinner. By the time you have finished dinner and you are making coffee, your dessert will be ready to eat!

Ah, the wonders of a dessert soufflé are super easy. Once you attempt this dessert, it will easily become a part of your arsenal in your dessert recipes. The warm fresh orange juice baked into this light and airy soufflé really help to impress your family and friends and your next dinner party!

April 30, 2008 Posted by chefmaven | Best Homemade Recipe for Outrageous Orange Souffle From, fruit souffles | | No Comments Yet

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