Strive shrimp tacos, eggplant boats, Parmesan cookies for Lent | The place NOLA Eats

I’ve all the time seemed ahead to the meals of Lent. I like seafood, and this time of 12 months it’s plentiful. Somewhat than questioning, “What is going to I hand over for Lent?” I feel “What is going to I do for Lent?”

In fact, one reply is to eat nicely. However I additionally strive to consider things like displaying extra gratitude — not the contemplative gratitude comparable to being grateful for a dawn, however really saying thanks to folks, letting them know I’m grateful.

Meatless meals should not an issue in our space. One household dinner that’s all the time welcome is a platter of shrimp tacos. When you can take the time to make your individual recent tortillas, and it’s all the time value it, there isn’t all the time time. Purchase an excellent model of tortillas from the grocery, or from a handy tortilleria.

Season your shrimp nicely, however don’t let the seasoning masks the fantastic taste of the shrimp. And I desire thinly shredded cabbage to shredded lettuce. Cabbage has extra texture and extra taste.

I like seasoned breadcrumbs and by no means throw away stale bread. I maintain jars of flavored breadcrumbs across the kitchen — Italian breadcrumbs, Mexican breadcrumbs (made with stale cornbread), and Center Jap breadcrumbs (made with za’atar and further sesame seeds). This makes stuffing greens — together with eggplant — a snap.

And since many individuals hand over dessert throughout Lent, I attempt to maintain nonsweet treats round for munching and gifting (one approach to present gratitude).

As a substitute of a dozen madeleines full of sugar and richness, an appetizer model made with Parmesan cheese makes for a contemporary savory various to cheese straws.

And if you happen to slit madeleines open just like the scallop shell that they resemble and make little sandwiches of pear slices and butter, or perhaps slather them with tapenade, you’ll munch your means fortunately by means of Lent.

Personalised Shrimp Tacos

Makes 8 tacos.

32 massive, peeled shrimp (roughly 1 pound of huge shrimp)

2-3 tablespoons taco seasoning

3 tablespoons corn oil

8 corn tortillas

Taco Fillings

2 cups thinly shredded inexperienced cabbage

1 10 ounce package deal queso fresco, crumbled

1 container recent salsa, your favourite warmth index

4 avocados, sliced

1 bunch recent cilantro, coarsely chopped, leaves solely

8 ounces bitter cream or crema

1. Place the shrimp and taco seasoning right into a bag and shake to distribute the seasoning over the shrimp, as evenly as attainable.

2. Warmth the oil in a skillet and cook dinner the shrimp rapidly, about 4 or 5 minutes. Don’t overcook the shrimp.

3. Warmth the tortillas wrapped in a clear dish towel within the microwave for about 1 minute relying on the energy of your microwave.

4. Within the couple of minutes that the shrimp are cooking, set out the fillings into separate bowls.

5. Serve every diner 2 tortillas and eight shrimp, and allow them to gown their tacos as they like.

Seafood Stuffed Eggplant Boats

Preheat oven to 325 F. Serves 4.

2 medium purple eggplants

4 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups seasoned breadcrumbs, as you want them

2 eggs, crushed

8 ounces picked crabmeat, picked over to eliminated wayward shell

8 ounces cooked shrimp, chopped

1 cup vegetable broth, as wanted

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup shredded cheese

1. Lower every eggplant in half lengthwise.

2. With a melon baller take away the meat contained in the eggplant leaving a little bit of flesh across the edge to permit the eggplant boat to have structural integrity.

3. Place the two tablespoons olive oil in a skillet and sauté the eggplant balls till cooked, about 7 minutes.

4. Whereas it’s cooking use 2 tablespoons of olive oil to grease a baking pan, massive sufficient to carry all 4 eggplant boats.

5. Switch the cooked eggplant to a big bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, eggs, crabmeat, and shrimp. Combine these substances collectively nicely. If the combination is dry, add vegetable broth till the combination is moist, however not so moist that liquid runs out if you happen to squeeze it.

6. Sprinkle salt on the boats after which stuff the eggplant boats with the bread crumb combination.

7. High the boats with the cheese. Use Parmesan cheese if you happen to used Italian breadcrumbs, cheddar if you happen to use cornbread breadcrumbs, or feta if you happen to use Center Jap breadcrumb. Place the eggplant boats into the baking pan.

8. Bake for 1 hour, coated with aluminum foil. After an hour, take away the foil and cook dinner for an extra quarter-hour or till the cheese is browned. Serve.

Parmesan Madeleines

Preheat oven to 375 F. Makes 24 cookies. I exploit two madeleine plaques, that are tins like cupcake tins with molds within the conventional madeleine form.

1 cup flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for sprinkling

¼ teaspoon freshly floor pepper

3 teaspoons minced recent rosemary leaves

1 teaspoon sea salt and extra for sprinkling

3 eggs, crushed

½ cup olive oil and extra for oiling the madeleine plaque

1. Totally whisk collectively the flour, baking powder, cheese, pepper, rosemary and salt.

2. Combine the eggs and olive oil with a beater in a separate bowl.

3. Utilizing a brush, oil the madeleine plaques after which mud with flour.

4. Add the dry substances to the blending bowl till they’re simply nicely blended. Don’t overbeat.

5. With a spoon, divide the batter between the 2 12-cookie plaques and place them into the preheated oven. The person cookie sections is not going to be full.

6. Bake for 12 minutes. They need to be turning golden.

7. Take away the plaques from the oven and instantly sprinkle grated cheese and salt over the new cookies. Return the plaques to the oven for 1 extra minute.

8. Take away the plaques from the oven. Take away the madeleines from the plaques and permit to chill on a wire rack. Then serve or retailer in an hermetic container.

Be aware: To make your madeleines have well-defined “humps,” use a metallic madeleine plaque and put it into the freezer in order that it is vitally chilly, after you oil it. That fast change of temperature ensures well-defined shell traces. When you’ve got a silicone madeleine plaque, your madeleines will style simply nearly as good, however is probably not as browned.

When you wouldn’t have a madeleine plaque, butter and flour mini-cupcake tins as a substitute. The flavour would be the similar, solely the standard form might be misplaced.