Deviled Eggs

It is holiday season which means lots of family and friends entertaining.  It is always nice to have an easy but tasty appetizer to either serve or bring to a dinner party.  I love me some deviled eggs, and it is so simple to make.  There are tons of recipes out there and different variations (I recommend trying Martha’s Avocado Deviled Eggs).  I personally love straight forward mayo, mustard, egg style deviled eggs.  Nothing fancy in this recipe!  This one is courtesy of a good friend down in NOLA, Chef Anne.  She served these one time, and I seriously think I ate a dozen.  I made these last night, and Chef John and Claire (Mexican corn lover and daughter of the famous Peg from Peg’s Destin Shrimps) gave this recipe the the thumbs up!- ts

Chef Anne’s note:  You can boil the eggs and make the mixture a few hours in advance, store it in the frdige, and then put it all together right before people are ready to eat them.  Also, I use small eggs because they are more bite-size

1 dozen eggs
2 teaspoons dijon mustard (Zataran’s creole mustard is best)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 Tbsp minced shallot
dashes of hot sauce (perhaps Sriracha!)
Salt and pepper
Paprika and Green Onion for garnish

1. Hard boil the eggs.  Fill up a large saucepan half-way with water and gently add the eggs. Cover the eggs with at least an inch of water. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water.  Add a pinch of salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil. Cover, and remove from heat. Let sit covered for 12-15 minutes. Drain hot water from pan and run cold water over the eggs. (At this point if you crack the egg shells while the eggs are cooling, it will make it easier to peel the shells.) Let sit in the cool water a few minutes, changing the water if necessary to keep it cool.  If you kinda roll the eggs on the counter, the shells get all cracked and are a little easier to peel.
2. Peel the eggs. Using a sharp knife, slice each egg in half, lengthwise. Gently remove the yolk halves and place in a small mixing bowl. (Egg yolks come out really easily, just kinda use a spoon and gently pop them out into the bowl).  Arrange the egg white halves on a serving platter.
3. Using a fork, mash up the yolks and add mustard, mayonnaise, shallot, tabasco, chopped green onions (same some for on top) and salt and pepper to taste. Spoon egg yolk mixture into the egg white halves. (You can also use like a cake decorator thing, but I just kinda wing it…) Sprinkle with paprika and chopped green onions.

Optional: add chopped herbs to the mixture

Tuna Ceviche Tacos

Hey there Nummy Num Num; I feel that an apology is in order. I haven’t called or written or even as much as Facebook-stalked you, and you don’t deserve that. All I can say is  it’s not you, it’s me. I have been under the post-graduation stressfest of job-searching, and snarky-yet-succulent recipe-posting fell by the wayside.

Well, no more! A job has been procured and I can now get on with the incredibly important business of telling you all how to pile on the pounds in the most delicious fashion. So here goes.

The Chef, in his endless quest to make every type of taco imaginable, concocted a ceviche variety in order to take advantage of the amazing tuna Paradise Seafood sells at the Memphis Farmers Market. When it’s as fresh as theirs is, a few veggies and some fresh citrus are all you need to highlight the tuna’s fantastic flavor.

I’d suggest serving this alongside the highly addictive Mexican Corn and with Angie’s Salsa Fresca or Southwestern Slaw as topper options (three more recipes that will allow you to take advantage of MFM’s unparalleled produce). Top it all off with a Blue Ribbon Margarita and you’ve got the perfect summer supper. Bon Apetit!

1 lb of sushi grade tuna, diced small
1 red bell pepper, diced small
1 poblano pepper, diced small
1/2 red onion, diced small
juice of 4 limes
juice of 1 orange
salt to taste
sriracha hot sauce to taste
crunchy tacos
1/2 bunch of cilantro, minced

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let marinate for 5 minutes. (Note: This is for rare tuna because The Chef likes it to still be swimming when he takes a bite of it. If you prefer yours a little more done, let it marinate longer.)
2. Serve on crunchy tacos (crunch is key for ceviche, so don’t swap out for soft tortillas) and top with sliced avocados. Find a patio, pour yourself a ‘rita, and enjoy.

Thai Lemon Chili Shrimp- Goong Maa Now

Last night’s dinner…Asian SCRIMPS!  This may have been the easiest quickest recipe ever; start to finish including marinating time was about 20 minutes.  Next time I think I will make my own sweet chili sauce, but this time around I just used the pre-made stuff.  If you can’t find kaffir lime leaves lime zest is ok. I served this with summer rolls and lemon herb quinoa on the side to be healthy.

I think serving with a fresh baguette to soak up the sauce would be ideal.  Back to the shrimp tails debate from this post, I am all about keeping the tails.  Good looking food always tastes better.  Oh and chef Katie, get on this recipe because you will love. -ts

1 pound shrimp shelled and deveined
1/3 cup sweet chili sauce
1 lemon- juice and zest
3 kaffir lime leaves sliced, substitute 1 teaspoon grated lime zest
1 teaspoon chili sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
3 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon brown sugar
¼- 1/3 cup coconut milk
Siracha (optional as this is spicy on its own)
1/4 cup cilantro chopped for garnish

1. Marinate the shrimp in the sweet chili sauce, lemon juice, lemon zest, kaffir lime leaves, chili sauce, fish sauce, garlic and sugar for 10 or more minutes.
2. Heat a pan.
3. Add the shrimp, the marinade, siracha (if using) and the coconut milk and simmer (not boil) until the shrimp are cooked, about 2-3 minutes.
4. Remove from heat and mix in the cilantro.