Gilroy Garlic Seafood Soup

GARLIC SEAFOOD SOUP

Steps:

• Debeard the mussels if needed. Scrub the clams; if they feel too gritty, soak them in very salty ice water to expel the grit. Cut the snapper into 2-inch pieces. Set seafood aside.
• In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ginger, half of the garlic, and the onion. When the mixture becomes fragrant, add the red and yellow bell pepper and the tomato and cook for 5 minutes. Turn heat to the lowest setting and cover.
• In a 3-quart saucepan, heat the remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add remaining garlic, juice from 1 lime, clams, mussels and 1/2 cup clam broth. Cover pan and allow mixture to cook for 7 minutes. Uncover shellfish and discard any clams and mussels that have not opened. Add 1/2 of the cilantro, the saffron, snapper pieces, the jalapeno, banana, and the bell pepper mixture from the skillet. Stir to combine, making sure there is enough liquid, if not add more clam broth, then cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. (The banana will thicken the soup and will impart a sweet taste to counter the lime's sour taste. Banana should completely break down during the cooking). Add coconut milk and turn the heat off. Cover and reserve.
• Uncover the soup, sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Portion into bowls (be sure to remove the jalapeno pepper) and serve with lots of crusty bread and the lime wedges.

GARLIC SHRIMP FROM THE GILROY CALIFORNIA GARLIC FESTIVALE

Steps:

• Make sure the shrimp are very well drained. Season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.
• Place a large skillet on high heat, and add the olive oil. When the oil is very hot, add the shrimp and sauté on high heat for 2 minutes, or until the shrimp is about halfway cooked.
• Add the garlic, and sauté for 1 minute.
• Add the cold butter, reduce the heat to medium, and cook for another minute, or until the shrimp is cooked.
• Turn off the heat and stir in the parsley and lemon. Serve immediately.

ROASTED GARLIC SOUP

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Cut the tops off the garlic heads just to expose the bulbs and remove any excess papery skins. Place in a large sheet of aluminum foil and drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Close the foil around them, leaving a space between the tops and the foil, and place on a baking sheet in the oven. Roast until soft and fragrant, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove, cool, and squeeze out the garlic into a bowl.
• In a large, heavy soup pot (preferably enameled cast iron) over medium-high heat, melt the butter, add the roasted garlic, and cook for 5 minutes. Add in the flour and cook until a dark golden roux is achieved, an additional 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 1 cup chicken stock, incorporate, and repeat until all the chicken stock had been added. Repeat with the water. Add the Italian seasoning, remaining salt and pepper, and stir to combine well. Bring to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes. Add in the cream, if using, cook for 10 minutes more at a very low simmer, stirring occasionally. Adjust the seasoning, if needed, and serve garnished with a sprinkle of the parsley and a fresh drizzle of the extra virgin olive oil. Serve with Asiago Crostini.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, combine the oil, garlic, and spices and mix well. Place the bread slices on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• With a basting brush, coat each piece with the oil-spice mixture. Sprinkle each slice with about 1 teaspoon of the shredded cheese.
• Place in the oven and cook until cheese is melted and bread is starting to crisp and darken around the edges, 8 to 10 minutes.
• Remove and let cool before serving.
• Cook Time 2 hours 10 minutes .

GARLIC SOUP WITH SHRIMP

Steps:

• Combine olive oil and garlic in a deep skillet or broad saucepan and turn heat to medium. Sprinkle cloves lightly with salt and pepper, and cook, turning occasionally, until they are tender and lightly browned all over, about 10 minutes; lower heat if they seem to be browning too quickly. Remove garlic with a slotted spoon.
• Turn heat to low and add bread (in batches, if necessary); cook on each side until nicely browned, about 4 minutes total. Remove bread, add stock and raise heat to medium high.
• When stock is nearly boiling, add shrimp and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until shrimp are pink, about 4 minutes. Place a piece of bread and some garlic cloves in each of 4 bowls; then ladle in a portion of soup and shrimp. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

GILROY GARLIC FESTIVAL RED SAUCE (FOR CALAMARI OR SHRIMP)

Steps:

• Mash the tomatoes with a potato masher and set aside.
• In a medium saucepan, heat the oil, add the chopped pepper, garlic, celery, and onion and saute until the onion is transparent.
• Add mashed tomatoes and simmer for 1/2 hour.
• Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• (If you are planning to serve the sauce alone, you may wish to add some basil and oregano and red pepper flakes as well).
• How to make the Calamari: In a very large skillet, heat olive oil over high heat - but be careful not to overheat it - you do not want boiling or smoking, just heating up; otherwise your garlic will burn.
• Carefully add wine, sherry and crushed garlic, sauteeing the garlic; Be very careful when adding the alcohol to the hot pan - you may wish to do this away from the heat for safety reasons to avoid flare ups.
• Add lemon juice and also drop the rind into the pan.
• In a bowl, mix calamari pieces with the herbs and red pepper flakes, then add to the pan.
• Saute about 4 minutes over high heat or until cooked- but be careful not to overcook or it will toughen; if your fish seems ready sooner, it most likely is done - the time will vary depending on the thickness of the cut and type used.
• Pour hot sauce over cooked calamari and serve over hot, cooked pasta.
• You may also use shrimp instead of the calamari, although shrimp may cook even faster.

JO'S BAKED GARLIC SOUP

Steps:

• Butter the inside of a 3 quart baking dish.
• Combine all ingredients, except cheeses and cream in dish.
• At this point, it will look like a huge veggie casserole.
• Cover and bake for 1 hour at 375 degrees.
• Add cheeses and cream and stir.
• Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees.
• Return to oven and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, until cheese is melted.
• Do not allow to Boil.
• I usually serve this with garlic bread.
• If you plan to freeze this, do not add the cheese and cream. Save that step after you have reheated the frozen soup.

GARLIC LIME SOUP

Steps:

• Saute garlic in oil SLOWLY til very soft and golden.
• Add broth, bring to a simmer, add lime juice and cilantro.
• Garnish with a few whole cilantro leaves.
• Obviously this can be played with--I've tossed in chopped avocado, crushed tortilla chips, chopped tomato, etc. But the basic simplicity is its beauty.

GILROY GARLIC SEAFOOD SOUP

Steps:

• Debeard mussels if needed. Scrub clams - if they feel too gritty, try soaking them in very salty ice water, and they should expel their grit. Cut snapper into 2-inch pieces. Set seafood aside. In a 12-inch non-stick skillet, heat Y. cup olive oil over medium-high heat. Add ginger, half the garlic and the onion. When mixture becomes fragrant, add red and yellow bell pepper and tomato, and cook for 5 minutes. Turn heat to "warm" ,and cover. In a 3-quart saucepan, heat remaining olive oil over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, add remaining garlic, juice from 1lime, clams, mussels and clam broth. Cover pan and allow mixture to cook for 7 minutes. Uncover shellfish and discard any clams and mussels that have not opened. Add saffron, coc,onut milk, snapper pieces, half the cilantro, jalapeno pepper, banana and the bell pepper mixture from the skillet. Stir to combine, cover and cook for 6 to 8 minutes. (The banana will thicken the soup and will impart a sweet/sour taste. Banana should completely break down during cooking.) Uncover soup; sprinkle with remaining cilantro. Portion into bowls (be sure to remove jalapeno pepper) and serve with lots of crusty bread and extra lime wedges.