Chiramatsu's Providence in Los Angeles

Just a note to remember to go to Chimaratsu's Providence restaurant in L.A. next time we're in southern California. Tonight he beat Iron Chef Morimoto with the secret ingredient of black fish. Unbelievable.

Stuffed Shrimp Appetizers

1 pound large shrimp , uncooked (31-40 size are okay, 21-30 would be better)
3/4 cup soda cracker crumbs (about 18 crackers)
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (6-ounce) can minced clams
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
1/3 cup sherry (dry or sweet)
Parsley sprigs for garnish
Lemon wedges for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving tails on. Using a sharp knife, butterfly shrimp by cutting along the inner curve or underbelly about halfway (almost completely through), leaving the tails firmly attached. Press the shrimp down flat like a butterfly.

In a medium bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, butter, clams (including liquid), parsley, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Stuff each of the shrimp with the clam mixture. Arrange the stuffed shrimp in a large baking dish; pour sherry around the shrimp.
Bake approximately 10 to 15 minutes or until shrimp are opaque in center (cut to test). Remove from oven. To serve, arrange shrimp on a serving platter. Garnish with fresh parsley and lemon wedges. Serve warm.
Makes 4 servings.

Japanese Mayo

Japanese Mayonnaise (Tamago- no-moto)I usually find it easiest to buy Japanese mayonnaise, from either an Asian market or from Hughes Market supermarkets in the Southwest. It comes in a convenient plastic squeeze bottle. Several people have asked about a recipe for this mayonnaise, and I recently found the following one.
3 egg yolks
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1-1/2 oz (50 g) white miso *
1 cup salad oil
salt to taste
sprinkle of white pepper
a pinch of grated yuzu**, lime, or lemon peel
* miso is salty paste of fermented soy beans. It is available
in Asian markets and some health food stores. White miso is used
for soups and dressings.
** yuzu is a Japanese orange used only for its rind. Kaffir
lime used in Thai or Malaysian food is an alternative, as is lemon or
lime rind.
Beat the egg yolks and lemon juice with a wooden spoon in a bowl. Continue to beat, adding the salad oil a few drops at a time until the mixture begins to emulsify. Keep on adding the rest of the oil, then stir in the miso and the seasonings.
Refrigerate in a squeeze bottle.
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Salsa Verde Tortilla Stacks

This is a recipe gleaned from Bon Appetit, but I simplified it by using a lot of canned ingredients, so it could be an easy weekly dinner.

Ingredients:
Cut-up chicken (You can use canned chicken.)
Canned (or bottled) Salsa Verde
Sour cream
Cheese (You can use manchego, mozzarella, queso fresco, etc.)
Tortillas
Canned green chilis

Directions:
If you have the time and inclination, roast a whole chicken by sprinkling it with seasoning salt and roasting it in a roasting pan in a 350 degree oven for 20 minutes/pound. Let the chicken cool a bit. (Or use store-bought roasted chicken or use canned chicken.)

In a casserole dish in a size of your choosing, sprinkle about 1/4 a cup of salsa verde on the bottom of the casserole dish. Place a layer of tortillas over the salsa verde. The tortillas will overlap. Next spread a layer of green chilis, then a layer of sour cream, a layer of shredded chicken, a layer of salsa verde, and a layer of cheese. Repeat the layers as much as you want until it fills up the casserole pan (about three times should suffice). Place casserole dish in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until the cheese is golden. Seriously good and easy eats.

Roast Leg of Lamb

1/2 C finely chopped fresh mint plus sprigs for garnish
1/2C chopped fresh italian parsley
1/2C olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary
1 6lb boned leg of lamb

Stir chopped mint and next four ingredients in small bowl. Place lamb boned side up on work surface. Sprink with kosher salt and pepper

Cook at 450 until thickest part register 130-135 for medium rare

Sauce
1L Cranberry OR pomegranate juice - reduce by 3/4 or until consistency of thick syrup. Serve with finished lamb as a garnish.

Cafe Rio Ranch Dressing

Cafe Rio Creamy Tomatillo Dressing

3 fresh tomatillos, cut into quarters
1 package Ranch Buttermilk Dressing mix
1 cup mayonnaise*
1/3 to 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 cup fresh cilantro
2 cloves crushed garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender and refrigerate at least one hour.

*For a thicker dressing reduce mayonnaise to 1/2 cup and add 1/2 cup sour cream to mixture.

Garlic Bread

There weren't any copyright claims on the source, so I helped myself.

1 16-ounce loaf of Italian bread or French bread
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 large cloves of garlic, smashed and minced
1 heaping tablespoon of freshly chopped parsley
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method 1 - Toasted

1 Preheat oven to 350°F.




2 Cut the bread in half, horizontally. Mix the butter, garlic, and parsley together in a small bowl. Spread butter mixture over the the two bread halves. Place on a sturdy baking pan (one that can handle high temperatures, not a cookie sheet) and heat in the oven for 10 minutes.

3 Remove pan from oven. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over bread if you want. Return to oven on the highest rack. Broil on high heat for 2-3 minutes until the edges of the bread begin to toast and the cheese (if you are using cheese) bubbles. Watch very carefully while broiling. The bread can easily go from un-toasted to burnt.

4 Remove from oven, let cool a minute. Remove from pan and make 1-inch thick slices. Serve immediately.