Food Photography

Italian Style Shrimp Happy Good Friday

BillBradyPhotography

A spectacular shrimp recipe featuring one of the seven fish dishes prepared in our documentary the Feast of the 7 Fishes http://www/7fishes.com. 

 

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Italian Style Shrimp, Broiled or Grilled (serves 6)

 

These delicate morsels are a far cry from those heavily breaded deep fried

shrimp served in so many restaurants.  These are not battered fried but

enrobed in a light coating of olive oil, bread crumbs and seasonings to

provide a delicate protective covering and then broiled.  

You must use your own judgment in the perfect amount of oil and breadcrumbs.

This will vary depending on the size of the shrimp as smaller shrimp have

more surface area and will require a bit more oil.  There should be just

enough oil to coat the shrimp and just enough breadcrumbs to retain the oil

and provide a thin coating.  Be sure to use the best quality shrimp you can

find. 

 

Ingredients

1 ½ lbs. large shrimp

3 T extra virgin olive oil

3 T vegetable oil (I prefer peanut oil)

2/3 cup fine dry plain breadcrumbs

½ t freshly grated lemon rind

½ t minced garlic

2 t finely minced parsley

¾ t salt

1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

Lemon wedges

 

Directions

1. Peel and devein shrimp leaving tails intact.  Rinse under cold water and

pat dry.

2. In a bowl large enough to generously accommodate shrimp, mix both oils

and then the shrimp.  Toss. 

3. Add as many breadcrumbs as needed to form a light, even coating.

4. Add lemon zest, garlic, salt and pepper.  Toss again and allow to rest 15

minutes before proceeding.

5. Place on a lightly oiled grill rack under a hot broiler or on a stove top

grill pan for 2 to 3 minutes per side, no longer than it takes to form a

crisp, golden crust.  

6. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.  If you’d like a change from the

ubiquitous marinara dipping sauce, make some tartar sauce to serve

alongside.

(Adapted from a recipe by Marcella Hazan) 

 

Tartar Sauce

2 medium shallots, finely chopped

2 medium gherkins or cornichons, finely diced

2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 T parsley, finely chopped

1 cup mayonnaise

Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate until ready to use.

 

Recipe by Phyllis Kirigin

 

April 5, 2012
Food Photography

A National Treasure: The Classic American Burger

http://studio212photo.com

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Can there be a better burger than the good old classic American?  Sure, a hamburger can be gussied up to a towering height with bacon, avocado, mushrooms, jalapeno peppers, and toppings ad infinitum, but can the classic hamburger really be improved upon?  Sometimes it’s best to stick with the simple and time tested. The most important step in assuring a great burger is using the right ground beef.  Ground chuck or a combination of ground chuck and sirloin, 80 % lean, is good.  Handle it gently. Don’t compact it.  Form 3 patties from each pound of ground beef. 

Cook on a medium hot grill or, if using a stove top skillet, sprinkle with salt.   Cook for about 4 minutes per side for medium rare. Salt and pepper, of course.  Don’t press down with a spatula.  A lightly toasted potato roll goes well. A slice of ripe tomato, red onion and leafy lettuce are not amiss.  Cheese—a warm melt of cheddar can’t hurt.  Pickles, ok, but don’t add more than you can get your mouth around, that is, unless you don’t mind the burger slipping out the other side or requiring the knife and fork treatment. Open an icy cold beer and enjoy!

A Classic Burger Sauce (Double or triple recipe as needed)

2 T mayonnaise

1 T ketchup

½ t sweet pickle relish

1/2 t sugar

½ t white wine vinegar

¼ t black pepper

Whisk ingredients together in a small bowl. 

Recipe by Phyllis Kirigin <<...>>      

Photography by Bill Brady

Look for my new book on food photography titled More Digital Food Photography available May 9th. 

 

April 2, 2012