Gulf Dazed ~

We might be a little dazed & still confused but Gulf coast seafood & beach fans are in it for the long haul.

Recently the Gulf of Mexico has taken a licking & somehow kept on ticking. The eternal rhythm of the sand & sea is difficult to resist even during the summer of 2010. A summer which has kept the country riveted on deep ocean activities of the struggles between man & natural elements. No one knows the ultimate environmental scope of the oil spill in the Gulf but we all know a delicate eco-habitat has been impacted. Even greater are the lives which depend on this delicate balance of man versus nature.

Having lived on or near the Gulf of Mexico most of our lives the struggles, successes & natural disasters are very much a part of life. For better or for worse there is a strong kinship & those living along the Gulf coast are in it for life.

One of our favorite vendors at the Farmer's Market is bringing the best from the Gulf of Mexico to kitchens across Texas. Roberto San Miguel of San Miguel Seafood strives to keep Texans supplied with the best the Gulf of Mexico has to offer. His passion is fresh seafood & it shows. On a recent trip to Austin Anthony Bourdain was quoted as calling San Miguel's seafood "screamingly fresh". Most locals would concur. Why buy a product which has been caught & frozen as far away as the Indian Ocean, then shipped when our own coastline is so much closer. Buying local keeps the struggling Gulf coast fishermen doing what they do best.




Shrimp Stuffed Jalapenos

10 Large Gulf Shrimp(26-30)
10 Large Jalapeno Peppers
10 strips of Gouda Cheese, 1 in, shorter than length of pepper.
Bacon strips, 5 cut into halves
toothpicks

Remove shells & large back vein from shrimp. Cut off top of Jalapenos, remove seeds while keeping the jalapeno intact. Slide shrimp & cheese slice into Peppers. Wrap 1/2 slice of bacon around pepper, secure with toothpick & set upright into a pepper grilling rack or set onto foil over grill. When bacon is cooked & pepper is slightly grilled remove from heat & serve immediately. Yield 10 appetizers.



Jumbo Gulf Shrimp with Sweet Chilli Sauce

24-Jumbo Gulf shrimp, cleaned & tail left intact
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. black pepper
pinch of sea salt
Olive oil
Sweet Chilli Sauce, we use Mae Ploy (whatever is easiest to find)

Clean & skewer shimp through the center of the shrimp so the can stack up on wooden skewers sideways. Season with Garlic, sea salt, pepper & drizzle with olive oil. Keep chilled & sit for 30-45 min. Pan sear on wooden skewers over med/high heat on both sides (about 2 mins on each side or till pink & still tender.) Remove from heat, place skewers on plate & drizzle with Sweet Chilli Sauce. Do not use too much sauce. It can always be served with more sauce but the real flavor here is the shrimp, not the sauce. Enjoy! Serves 4.


"A man is never lost at sea." The Old Man and the Sea