Cuisine Eric

Happy Mother's day to my wife, who loves leeks and spinach. I developed this dish with that in mind: Cajun flavored shrimp rest on a smooth bed of creamy polenta cooked with savory leeks, beside cooked spinach. The shrimp are bathed in a glazey wine sauce made with the reserved shrimp shells - a flavor that can only be found by cooking the shells themselves. The rich shell-wine sauce truly transforms this dish. For the shrimp: 2 Tbsp butter plus 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 lb shrimp (about 15-16 large), peeled, deveined, shells reserved 3 Tbsp favorite Cajun seasoning 3 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste) Zest of 1 lemon 1 Tbsp olive oil For the shell broth: 2 Tbsp olive oil 1 cup dry white wine 1 Tbsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp cold water For the leek polenta: 2 Tbsp butter 1 leek cleaned and finely diced 1/2 cup polenta or coarse cornmeal (or you could also use grits) 2 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup grated parme...

I love seafood and pasta with a white creamy sauce.  This one in unctuous, with scallops and shrimp paired with mushrooms. And it's super guest appropriate leaving you much more free to attend to guests while dinner is cooking, compared to a stove-top prep. Sauce: 2 Tbsp butter plus 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced through press 2 Tbsp flour 1/2 cup dry white wine Liquid from 1 4-oz can mushroom pieces 1/2 cup heavy cream 2 Tbsp capers 1/4 tsp dried dill weed Seafood Ziti: 1/2 lb scallops (I thawed frozen scallop pieces from Big Y) 1/2 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, halved at the waist 1/3 lb ziti Mushroom pieces from 4-oz can 1/3 lb mozzarella cubed (or fresh mozzarella pearl balls) Topping: 8-10 grape tomatoes, halved lengthwise 1/2 cup panko crumbs (I used Italian flavored) 3 Tbsp butter   Preheat oven to 375F. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Melt sauce butter in oil in a small pot. Whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat for ...