I loved being part of this fabulous event that benefits so many charities in our county. I had a blast doing cooking demos. I even had two helpers this time my hubby and my friend Kathy joined the Off the Hook on the Plate team here is a few pictures!
Tropical Ceviche
This one screams fresh and in season. We are spoiled here in Florida with our fresh seafood and tropical fruit and citrus locally grown and I fully take advantage of it call me spoiled. This recipe is very special to me as I actually caught the snappers and grew the pineapple so I decided to give a good old ceviche some Florida flair.
2 pounds mangrove snappers filets chopped small(any snappers will do)
1/3 cup chopped red onions
½ cup chopped tomatoes
1 Serrano chili pepper deseeded and chopped fine
1 teaspoon dried oregano
Pinch sea salt
4 limes juiced
¼ cup cilantro
½ cup pineapple
¼ cup green bell pepper
In a Pyrex glass dish mix together the first 7 ingredients cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. After an hour mix once to coat all sides of fish cover and leave in refrigerator for 4 hours. Mix in cilantro pineapple and bell pepper before serving. Serves 6 large or 8 small portions.
Tropical Smoked Salmon Crostini
Bring the Tropical Islands to your party with these scrumptious creamy smoked salmon crostini top with fresh mango and lime flavors. These little crostini are perfect party appetizer whether you are having an outdoor party by the pool or an elegant indoor evening party and yet simple to make. Making them the perfect appetizer! These pair up with a simple crisp Pinot Grigio or bubbly Champagne sure to impress everyone!
1 French baguette
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
3 oz smoked salmon
4 oz Philadelphia cream cheese onion & chives
1 mango
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro
Put oven on broil. Slice baguette in 1/8 thick slices to make 20 crostinis and place on a line cookie sheet drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt toss to coat well and arrange crostini so none over lap. Broil two to three minutes turn and broil another minute or two, make sure you do not burn them.
Peel and chop mango in small cubes and add to a mixing bowl add lemon juice and finely chopped cilantro season with fresh cracked black pepper mix well and set aside.
Chopped salmon in fine pieces and add to separate mixing bowl add cream cheese mix until well blended. Spread a thin layer of creamy salmon mixture over each cooled crostini utilizing entire mixture top each with a half teaspoon chopped mango. Enjoy!
Fire Cracker Shrimp with Spicy Mango Ramoulade
Serves: 6
1 1/2 pound jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 cup instant potato flakes
1 cup crushed Ritz Crackers reduced Fat
Canola oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon Creole mustard
1 green onion chopped fine
½ mango peeled and chopped small
Pinch Salt & pepper
Preheat oil to 375 degrees F.
In a bowl beat egg, water and cayenne pepper together. Toss shrimp in egg mixture and let sit 15 minutes. In a separate bowl combine potato flakes and Ritz crackers. Next toss shrimp in Ritz cracker crumbs to coat well.
Deep-fry in batches, but do not overload the fryer. Fry for 2 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil with a slotted spoon and drain on the paper towel lined baking tray.
In a small mixing bowl add remaining ingredients and mix well. Serve shrimp with mango roulade while shrimp are still warm.
See link below—
http://www.wfla.com/story/27632154/daytime-world-food-championship-seafood-category
1 pound cod
1 pound crab meat
½ pound piece of slab bacon, sliced 1/3 inch thick and cut into 1/3-inch dice
1 celery rib, finely chopped
1 carrot peeled and finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 large jalapeño, seeded and chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
12-ounce bottle lager such as Warsteiner Premium Dunkel
2 1/4 cups seafood stock
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup heavy cream
4 ounces sharp yellow cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded
4 ounces smoked cheddar cheese, coarsely shredded
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Garlic-rubbed baguette toasts, for serving
If fish and crab is frozen in a large pot with water bring to a boil place a steam basket in pot and steam crab and cod for 8 minutes remove crab legs keep steaming the cod an additional 7 minutes remove meat from crab legs and coarsely chop fish and crab. Set aside.
In a large saucepan, cook the bacon over moderate heat until the fat is rendered and the bacon is crisp, 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a bowl. Add the celery, carrot, onion, jalapeño, garlic and thyme to the saucepan and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 8 minutes. Add half of the beer and cook until reduced by half, 5 minutes. Add 2 1/4 cups of seafood stock and bring to a simmer.
In a small skillet, melt the butter. Add the flour and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Whisk this roux into the soup until incorporated and bring to a simmer. Cook until thickened, about 8 minutes. Add the heavy cream, cheddar cheeses and the remaining beer and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thick and creamy, about 5 minutes season with salt and pepper add seafood stir. Top soup with bacon. Serve the soup with garlic toasts.
One of the biggest cooking competition in the world! To be able to compete in this time of competition you have to have previously qualified for a specific category through recipe competition. This year I qualified in 3 different category with my wins in the previous 12 month period. Dessert, Recipe and Seafood category!!Of Course seafood is my favorite food to cook I wasn’t about to pass this opportunity and gave me the opportunity to compete with 48 other competitors in seafood category all but 5 were all professional chefs so I had to represent the Tampa Bay area and my town of New Port Richey, FL as a home cook! It was my second year in a row in qualifying to compete at the World Food Championship! I can’t wait for this year it’s going to be here in Kissimmee, Florida. I was also asked to do a seafood cooking demonstration while I was there competing. Here are some highlights of my experience!
With Food Network Chef Ben Vaughn! After they announced finalists
Just in time for the Holiday season and perfect for a winter meal! To celebrate the holidays we gather with family and fabulous foods some traditional and some not so traditional. The good old ham always a favorite but why not make it a little easier for you by buying a precooked/smoked ham there is nothing wrong with that. Three simple ingredients and you will have a fabulous and super delicious ham. What you will need.
Ingredients
That’s right we are getting cooler temperature and it is very much welcomed here in Florida after our long summers. The red tide is still thick out in the Gulf of Mexico and this happens every year so no offshore fishing for over a month and we are banking on at least a few more weeks for the water temperature to drop and kill that red tide. Well that doesn’t mean I can’t share another off the hook recipe with you all!
Can you all say pumpkin season ummmmmmmmmmmmmm I love pumpkin season don’t you all? This is a new twist on a regular pumpkin cheesecake that I think you are going to love and sure to impress your guest this holiday season.
Pumpkin Caramel Almond Cheesecake
1 ½ cup crushed graham crackers
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup melted butter
2 (8oz) packs cream cheese softened
¼ cup sour cream
¾ cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup pumpkin pure
½ teaspoon pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ caramel topping
1/3 cup sliced almonds
Preheat oven 350 degrees.
In a small bowl mix first three ingredients. In a 9 inch spring foam pan sprayed with non stick cooking spray add graham cracker crust and pat down tight.
In a large mixing bowl add the next 7 ingredients and with hand mixer mix well until nice and smooth batter. Pour on top of crust bake for 45 minutes.
Let cheesecake cool for 15 minutes top with caramel topping and almond slices. Refrigerate 8 hours.
Baby it’s cold outside! It’s our winter season and we experience many cold days in a row and it feels like you just cannot get warm well rest to sure I have the perfect remedy for you My awesome spicy fish soup not only will it warm you right up but your entire family will love it and is another fabulous way to add fish to your diet. You are going to love this one it’s super easy go ahead try it out use any white fish available to you in your area!
Serve: 4
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 celery branch chopped fine
1/2cup yellow pepper chopped small
2 garlic cloves chopped fine
¼ cup chopped Spanish onion
1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half
¼ cup cilantro chopped fine
2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped fine
1 jalapeño deseeded and chopped fine
1 teaspoon garlic pepper sauce (Tabasco)
4 cups fish stock
1 cup clam juice
½ lemons juiced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup Ditalini pasta
½ pound firm white fish cubed in 1 ½ inch cubes
Pinch sea salt & cracked black pepper
½ cup shredded parmesan
In a large pot on medium high heat add first 10 ingredients and sauté for 4 minutes. Add remaining ingredients mix well bring to a boil and cook until pasta and fish is cook about 15 to 17 minutes. Serve hot topped with shredded parmesan.