Cheesy Shrimp Scampi Beignets With Corn Maque Choux And Basil Remoulade Food

SHRIMP AND SWEET CORN MAQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallot, red and green peppers, and green onion. Season with salt and pepper, and saute until soft, about 5 minutes.
• Add zucchini, sweet corn, water and 2 teaspoons Cajun or creole seasoning to the skillet. Cook until zucchini is tender, about 2 minutes. Add half and half, and stir. Turn off heat.
• Meanwhile, season shrimp with remaining 2 teaspoons Cajun or creole seasoning. Melt butter in a separate skillet and cook shrimp in four batches, about 2 minutes on each side, or until curled, pink and cooked all the way through. Do not overcook.
• Divide corn mixture between four plates. Top each plate with 5 cooked shrimp, and serve immediately.

SHRIMP MAQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large straight-sided skillet or wide, shallow pot over medium-high heat. Add scallion white and light-green parts, onion, peppers, celery, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring a few times, until vegetables are crisp-tender and golden in places, 6 to 8 minutes.
• Stir in corn kernels and milk, then vermouth; boil until liquid has mostly evaporated, about 1 minute. Stir in stock, cream, and shrimp. Bring to a simmer (but do not let boil), reducing heat as necessary, and cook until shrimp are opaque and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Discard thyme sprigs, stir in dark-green scallion tops, and serve.

CAJUN CORN MAQUE CHOUX

Steps:

• 1. Cut the kernels off of the corn into a large bowl. Using the back of the knife, scrape the sweet corn milk from the cobs to extract about 3 tablespoons and add it to the bowl. Set aside.
• 2. Cook the bacon in a large skillet over medium heat until the fat renders and the bacon is crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate and set aside. Add the butter to the skillet and when melted, add the celery, bell peppers and onions. Season with salt and pepper and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Add the milk, scallion whites, garlic, tomatoes and corn. Cook until thickened, 10 minutes.
• 3. Serve garnished with the scallion greens and reserved bacon.

SHRIMP BEIGNETS

Steps:

• Stuffing: Rough chop shrimp, taking care to remove any debris. Briefly saute in oil. Add tarragon, salt, and pepper. Deglaze with stock, but do not reduce. Remove from heat and add goat cheese to bind. Stir in goat cheese off the heat so it gently melts. Transfer to a container and refrigerate.
• Dough: In bowl of heavy-duty mixer, stir together water and yeast until yeast granules dissolve. Whisk in 1 cup flour to make thick batter. Cover bowl loosely with plastic wrap. Let stand for 30 minutes, or until sponge has doubled in volume and is bubbly.
• In mixing bowl, whisk together milk, butter, and eggs. In separate bowl, whisk together 6 1/2 cups of remaining flour and salt. Lightly oil large bowl.
• In bowl of heavy-duty mixer, using paddle attachment beat sponge on low speed until smooth. Add milk mixture and beat until blended. Using rubber spatula, scrape down sides of bowl. Add flour mixture one cup at a time. Increase speed to medium and beat dough for 5 minutes, or until is comes away from side of bowl and wraps around paddle. If dough is sticking to side of bowl at this point, add remaining 1/2 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time until dough stops sticking.
• Scrape dough into a lightly oiled bowl (it will be sticky). Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let dough rise for 45 to 60 minutes or until it has increased in volume 1 1/2 times.
• Lightly dust large baking sheet with flour. Dust work surface with flour. Scrape dough onto work surface and lightly sprinkle top of dough with more flour. Dust hands with flour. Gently press down on the dough to deflate it. Flatten dough into circle about 1/4-inch thick.
• Onto floured surface, roll dough out firmly and smoothly to 3/4-inch thickness. Using a sharp blade, square off dough as evenly as possible. Lightly brush entire surface with egg whites and mark 1/2 of prepared dough with a floured 3-inch cutter. Do not cut through dough. Place heaping tablespoon of shrimp mixture in center of marked circles. Be sure to keep away from outside ring.
• Gently fold remaining 1/2 of dough back over marked circles. Using fingers, press out air pockets from around shrimp filling. Cut through dough using cutter centered around the filling. Save dough scraps and roll out for more beignets. Deep fry at 375 degrees F for approximately two minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

CHEESY SHRIMP AND GRITS

Steps:

• Bring water to a boil in a pot. Add salt and pepper. Stir in grits; reduce heat and let simmer until water is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Cheddar cheese and butter.
• Rinse shrimp and pat dry.
• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels.
• Heat remaining bacon grease in the skillet over medium heat. Cook shrimp until they are bright pink on the outside and the meat is opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Add bacon, scallions, parsley, garlic, and lemon juice. Saute for 3 minutes.
• Spoon grits into a serving bowl. Add shrimp mixture and mix well. Serve immediately.