Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals (3 page)
Read Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Get Real Meals Online
Authors: Rachael Ray
4
SERVINGS
| 2 | medium Hass avocados, pitted and sliced |
| 2 | medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped |
| ½ | English (seedless) cucumber (the one wrapped in plastic), chopped |
| ½ | red onion, sliced |
| 1 | jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped |
| 3 | tablespoons fresh lemon juice |
| 1 | small garlic clove, chopped |
| A few drops of hot sauce, such as Tabasco | |
| 1 | teaspoon salt |
| ⅓ | cup extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (eyeball it) |
Arrange the vegetables on a platter. Whisk the lemon juice with the garlic, a few drops of hot sauce, and the salt, then stream the EVOO into the dressing while whisking. Pour the lemon dressing over the salad and serve.
4
SERVINGS
| 12 | raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (16 to 20 count per pound) |
| 12 | raw large sea scallops, trimmed and well drained |
| Zest and juice of 1 lime | |
| 1 | tablespoon toasted sesame oil (a generous drizzle) |
| 1 | tablespoon grill seasoning, such as McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning, or coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper |
| 1 | teaspoon hot red pepper flakes |
| 12 | slices center-cut or applewood-smoked bacon, cut in half |
| Toothpicks | |
| 3 | scallions, very thinly sliced on an angle |
Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place the shrimp and scallops in a shallow dish or bowl. Dress the seafood with the lime juice and zest, sesame oil, grill seasoning, and hot red pepper flakes. Wrap each shrimp and scallop with a half slice of bacon. Wrap each shrimp from head to tail, pulling the bacon snuggly around the shrimp. Wrap the bacon around the outside of each scallop. Fasten the bacon in place with toothpicks.
Arrange the shrimp and scallops on a slotted baking pan, such as a broiler pan, to allow it to drain while the bacon crisps. Bake for 10 to 14 minutes, until the shrimp is pink and curled, the scallops are opaque, and the bacon is crisp. Check after 8 minutes; the shrimp might finish before the scallops.
Arrange the cooked seafood on a platter and sprinkle with chopped scallions.
This recipe requires no cooking and is served cold, so it makes a perfect low-carb on-the-go lunch, or a picnic for the park as well! Pack the dressing with an ice pack to keep it chilled out.
If you think you don’t like anchovies, try them in this dressing. They just taste salty and yummy!
4
SERVINGS
| 2 | romaine lettuce hearts |
| 1 | pound fully cooked jumbo shrimp (from the seafood counter) |
| 1 | rotisserie chicken (available in many markets) |
| 4 | heaping tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise |
| 1 | garlic clove, crushed |
| Zest and juice of 1 lemon | |
| 2 | tablespoons anchovy paste (optional—but the salad tastes better with it in) |
| ½ | cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Parmesan (a few handfuls) |
| 2 | teaspoons Worcestershire sauce (eyeball the amount) |
| 1 | teaspoon coarse black pepper (eyeball it) |
| 3 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) (pour to the count of 4) |
Cut the bottoms off the romaine and cut the hearts in half lengthwise. Wash the lettuce and separate the leaves. Let it dry in the dish draining rack while you prepare the rest of the menu.
Remove the tails from the shrimp and place the shrimp in a bowl or, if this is a picnic meal, pack for travel.
To remove the chicken meat from the chicken, cut the chicken breasts off first. Cut the legs and thighs off using kitchen scissors.
Slice the meat up on an angle. Arrange on a plate or in a plastic container.
Place the mayo, garlic, lemon zest and juice, anchovy paste, cheese, Worcestershire, and pepper in the blender and turn it on. Stream the EVOO into the dressing through the center of the lid. When the dressing is combined, use a rubber spatula to remove the thick dressing to a bowl or a plastic container.
Place the lettuce on a serving platter or pack in a large plastic bag or container to travel.
To assemble, spread some dressing onto a lettuce leaf. Fill the leaf with a large shrimp or sliced cold chicken, like a lettuce taco, and eat!
SERVES UP TO
4
FOR SNACKS
| 3 | tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) |
| Zest and juice of 1 orange | |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| 16 | raw large shrimp, peeled, leaving the tail on, and deveined |
| 1½ | cups mayonnaise |
| 4 | tablespoons Creole mustard or grainy mustard |
| ¼ | yellow onion, grated |
| 2 | celery ribs, very finely minced |
| 1 | rounded tablespoon prepared horseradish |
| 1 | tablespoon Worcestershire sauce |
| 1 | teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco |
| 1 | teaspoon paprika (⅓ palmful) |
| A handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped |
Preheat an outdoor grill or stovetop grill pan to high heat.
In a bowl, combine the EVOO, orange juice and zest, and salt and pepper to taste. Add the shrimp and toss to coat the shrimp completely. Place the shrimp on the grill and cook for 3 minutes each side, or until the shrimp are pink and have curled up. Remove the shrimp from the grill onto a baking sheet or large plate in a single layer. Place in the refrigerator to chill.
In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Creole mustard, grated onion, celery, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, paprika, and parsley. Store the rémoulade sauce in the refrigerator until the shrimp are chilled.
To serve, surround a bowl of the rémoulade sauce with the chilled grilled shrimp.
If you are not into grilling, you can prepare the shrimp in a large nonstick skillet.
For a surf-and-turf version, wrap the chilled piece of cooked shrimp in a half slice of thin roast beef from the deli counter.
Get in the habit of measuring by eye. One teaspoon of coarse black pepper is equal to about a third of a palmful.
4
SERVINGS
| 16 | raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined |
| 1 | medium zucchini, sliced lengthwise into long, ½-inch-thick slices |
| Extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO), for drizzling | |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| 1 | celery rib, finely chopped |
| Juice of 1 lemon | |
| ½ | to ¾ cup mayonnaise (eyeball it) |
| ½ | small yellow onion, grated |
| Several dashes of hot sauce, such as Tabasco | |
| 1 | large half-sour or dill pickle, finely chopped |
| 2 | tablespoons capers, drained and roughly chopped |
| 3 | sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves stripped and chopped, about 2 tablespoons |
| 1 | handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped |
| 2 | small cooked lobster tails, about 10 to 12 ounces total, or 1 tub (8 ounces) cooked lobster meat (available at some fish counters) |
| 12 | grape tomatoes, halved |
| 1 | head Boston or Bibb lettuce, leaves separated |
Preheat an outdoor grill or indoor grill pan over high heat.
Place the shrimp in one bowl, the zucchini in another. Drizzle both the shrimp and zucchini with a little EVOO, then season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat completely. Grill the shrimp for 2 minutes on each side, until opaque. Grill the zucchini slices for 2 minutes on each side or until darkly marked by the grill. Remove both the shrimp and zucchini from the grill to cool.
While the shrimp and zucchini are cooling, make the tartar sauce. In a medium bowl combine the celery, lemon juice, mayonnaise, grated onion, hot sauce, pickle, capers, tarragon, parsley, and salt and pepper.
Chop the cooled shrimp and zucchini into bite-size pieces. Chop the lobster meat the same way. Add the chopped shrimp, zucchini, lobster, and grape tomatoes to the tartar sauce and mix to combine. Arrange the lettuce leaves on a platter and fill each leaf with the shrimp and lobster mixture. Roll up and enjoy.
4
SERVINGS
| ¼ | pound cooked deli ham, sliced ¼ inch thick, finely diced |
| 1 | celery rib, from the heart, finely chopped |
| A couple of spoonfuls of green salad olives with pimiento, drained, finely chopped | |
| 2 | tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley |
| 2 | tablespoons mayonnaise (just enough to bind the salad) |
| 1 | tablespoon prepared yellow mustard |
| 1 | large dill pickle, finely chopped |
| ¼ | small red onion, finely chopped |
| Salt and freshly ground black pepper | |
| 1 | long English (seedless) cucumber (the one wrapped in plastic) |
In a bowl combine the ham, celery, olives, parsley, mayonnaise, mustard, pickle, red onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Reserve.
Cut the cucumber into 1½-inch-thick disks. With a melon baller scoop out a little bit of the center of each cucumber disk to create a cup. Fill each cup with a heaping tablespoon of the ham salad. Serve cold.
As satisfying to me as a big, chewy, still-hot everything bagel schmeared with lots of cream cheese, but these have better crunch and way less carbs!
3
CUPS
| 1 | cup blanched (skinned) whole almonds (available in bulk foods section of market) |
| 1 | cup whole hazelnuts (available in bulk foods section of market) |
| 2 | tablespoons butter |
| 1 | tablespoon grill seasoning (a palmful; such as McCormick’s Montreal Steak Seasoning) |
| 1 | teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder (⅓ palmful) |
| 1½ | teaspoons ground cumin (half a palmful) |
| 1 | tablespoon hot sauce (eyeball it) |
| 1 | cup smoked almonds, such as Diamond brand (available on the snack aisle) |
| 1 | teaspoon poppy seeds (⅓ palmful) |
| 1 | tablespoon sesame seeds (a palmful) |
