Shrimp and Corn with Fresh Basil

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I hope there are no secret rules or pledges associated with Meatless Monday. I'm going to proceed on the assumption that fish and shellfish are fair game for use by those participating in the challenge. I'll be working with shellfish today. I live in an area where frozen Alaskan shrimp are cheap and plentiful. While they're not suitable for all applications, the shrimp are perfect for budget family meals. Today's recipe takes all-American ingredients and uses a simple Asian stir-fry technique to make a wonderful family meal. This is a five ingredient recipe that actually works. Bob is always dubious about these really easy meals. I made this for his lunch today and got a high five for my efforts. While I used thawed, frozen corn to make the dish, it will be even better when fresh local corn can be used. I've adapted this recipe from one that appeared in Gourmet magazine a decade ago. I think those of you who try this, will love it. Here's the recipe that garnered me a "...this is really good!" Bon appétit.

Shrimp and Corn with Fresh Basil...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, adapted for Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
1/4 cup unsalted butter
3 cups sweet corn, thawed if frozen
1 pound shelled large shrimp
1 bunch green onions (white and tender green), chopped
1/2 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over moderately high heat, then sauté or stir-fry corn and shrimp, stirring, until shrimp are cooked through, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in scallions and basil and season with salt and pepper. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Camarones a la Mexicana - One Perfect Bite
Brined Shrimp with Jalapeno and Garlic - One Perfect Bite
Shrimp Omelet from the Pearl River Delta - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Meatless Monday at My Sweet and Savory

Lime and Coconut Chicken

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I had a lovely surprise today. I, quite by chance, discovered that One Perfect Bite had been featured, along with seven other blogs, in the prestigious Food Journal News:Best of the Blogs segment. My yelp and holler nearly scared Bob to death and were admittedly undignified for a woman my age, but they were a sincere measure of my excitement and delight. Those of you who have followed my blog from its inception, know that while I'm generally modest, I occasionally succumb to what I call powder pigeon moments. This was one of them, but I recovered quickly and went on to scrub the bathroom floor. Fame is fleeting and housework is a great equalizer. Now to the real find of the day. The Journal also selects a recipe each day and today's feature looked wonderful. It was Lime and Coconut Chicken from Chaos in the Kitchen, a blog that was new to me. I linked to the blog and discovered this and other wonderful recipes. What a treat! I urge those of you who are unfamiliar with Katie's work to visit her blog. You won't be disappointed. As it happened, I had everything needed to make the dish and it became tonight's dinner. I think you will really like this chicken. Bob loved it and he isn't always easy to please. My only suggestion would be to cut back slightly on the amount of salt you use. Another afterthought regards the sauce that is used in the recipe. I would double it. Until recently, we were told that marinades could be used for saucing if they were boiled for five minutes. Apparently, the ubiquitous "they" now feel this is not sufficient to kill contaminants that might cause food poisoning. The final choice is, of course, up to you. Here's the recipe. Enjoy!

Lime and Coconut Chicken...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Chaos in the Kitchen and Fine Cooking, Winter 2006

Ingredients:
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Zest of 1 lime
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (I used 1-1/4 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 cup coconut milk
Pinch cayenne (I did not use this)
1 small fresh hot chili, such as Thai or Serrano, minced (optional)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Fresh limes, cut into wedges

Directions:
1) Trim fat from chicken breasts. Starting on thick side of the breasts slice chicken breasts almost in half, then open each like a book. Place each open breast between two pieces of plastic wrap, wax paper or inside a large, open, Ziploc bag. Using a small heavy pan, bottle or smooth meat mallet lightly pound out each breast into even thickness.
2) Mix all remaining ingredients except fresh cilantro and lime wedges.
3) Add chicken and marinade to a large bowl or ziploc bag and chill in refrigerator for up to two hours.
4) Remove chicken from marinade. Pour the marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Boil continuously for at least 2 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t burn.
5) In a heavy skillet or grill pan, heat a splash of oil over high heat. Cook chicken in batches to prevent over crowding in pan. Place breasts in the hot pan and cook without turning for a couple minutes. Flip breasts over and cook until other side is golden, it shouldn’t take long depending on the thickness of your chicken.
6) Place cooked breasts on a plate in a warm oven or under foil while cooking next batch.
7) Sprinkle with fresh lime juice and cilantro. Serve sauce separately. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Yucatan-Style Chicken, Lime and Orzo Soup - One Perfect Bite
Tom Kah Gai - One Perfect Bite
Chicken with Lemon and Rosemary - One Perfect Bite

This recipe is being linked to:
Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday