The misconception about morning is that she breaks into the landscape
like her cousin, the thunderstorm.
This is conceptually untrue.
Dawn’s early kiss hello starts with a deep purple pucker that smolders just at the horizon.
As lips part, the remains of her rouge stain pink for the start of the day.
The purest light –
unmoved by daily follies (or exaltations) –
reaches first the trees.
Splintering shimmers tease your eyes:
these are the morning stars.
They play tricks on your mind
and suddenly you believe that all is possible.
Shadows take on a hue –
darkness is unavailable this early.
Sinister potential remains in bed.
Early air is crisp and unpolluted by intervention.
It is easier to breathe, assured that dawn is here.
Dew collects inside you without regard or damage, and you grow:
refreshed by it.
Yet, as any coy mistress,
the morning must take her exit.
As smoothly and as subtly that she came, she will fade away.
She becomes but another stranger in the crowd,
unrecognized until she is beckoned more.
Friday, October 18, 2013
Monday, October 7, 2013
Shrimp Scampi Cakes!
I had some (nine) leftover shrimp from my last recipe and I didn't think that there was much I could do with it. Then I remembered the Thai shrimp cakes my family used to get from Siam Rice II in Newhall (lol) and looked up some recipes. Most of them called for Panko bread crumbs, which I have, but that made me think of the Italian bread crumbs I have leftover from a recipe from two weeks ago. Long story short, I invented a recipe just to use them.
Silly vine I prepared with it
Ingredients
1 pound shrimp, deveined, peeled
1/4 cup finely diced white onion
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 1/2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
a pinch each of salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano
3 tbsp olive oil
Lemon butter sauce, for serving - no recipe here because I haven't perfected mine yet
Roughly dice the shrimp and place them in a food processor. Grind them slightly (you still want chunks, but small chunks). Place the ground shrimp in the bowl of a stand mixer. Roughly chop the white onion and then place it in the food processor for a finer chop. Add this to the stand mixer bowl. Mince the garlic and add this. Add the bread crumbs, egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and spices. Mix with the stand mixer until well-incorporated.
Shape the mixture into round patties roughly three inches wide and one and a half inches tall. Place them on a wax-paper-lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high flame. Cook the patties for about 4-5 minutes per side or until cooked through.
Serve over pasta and lemon butter sauce.
Silly vine I prepared with it
Ingredients
1 pound shrimp, deveined, peeled
1/4 cup finely diced white onion
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 1/2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs
1 egg
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest
a pinch each of salt, pepper, thyme, and oregano
3 tbsp olive oil
Lemon butter sauce, for serving - no recipe here because I haven't perfected mine yet
Roughly dice the shrimp and place them in a food processor. Grind them slightly (you still want chunks, but small chunks). Place the ground shrimp in the bowl of a stand mixer. Roughly chop the white onion and then place it in the food processor for a finer chop. Add this to the stand mixer bowl. Mince the garlic and add this. Add the bread crumbs, egg, lemon juice, lemon zest, and spices. Mix with the stand mixer until well-incorporated.
Shape the mixture into round patties roughly three inches wide and one and a half inches tall. Place them on a wax-paper-lined cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over a medium-high flame. Cook the patties for about 4-5 minutes per side or until cooked through.
Serve over pasta and lemon butter sauce.
Saturday, October 5, 2013
Cilantro Butter Poached Shrimp
Tonight was actually the first time I ever cooked actual shrimp. Let me explain. I usually buy pre-cooked shrimp and then go from there. But I thought that would not do the job for poaching shrimp.
It was amazing.
Here's the recipe:
Cilantro Butter Poached Shrimp
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons water
1 cup butter, in about 12 chunks
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 pinch of salt
1 pound shrimp, deveined
In a skillet just large enough to hold all the shrimp, heat the water just until it gets to a simmer, over a medium flame. My husband calls this point "the eyes" because of the millions of tiny bubbles in the water. Next, throw in the butter and the cilantro. Whisk continuously to make sure that the butter and water don't separate. Add the salt.
When it is at a simmer, throw in the shrimp and maintain the heat so that it is just simmering. Cook for about 2.5 minutes, making sure the water and butter are still blended well. Flip the shrimp and cook another 2.5 minutes.
Check for done-ness by cutting one of the shrimp in half. It should be white and not transparent.
And that's all there is to it! I guess there's a little bit of technique because you need to make sure all the parts stay together and that the temperature is consistent. The result should be perfectly cooked, tender shrimp!!
It was amazing.
Here's the recipe:
Cilantro Butter Poached Shrimp
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons water
1 cup butter, in about 12 chunks
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 pinch of salt
1 pound shrimp, deveined
In a skillet just large enough to hold all the shrimp, heat the water just until it gets to a simmer, over a medium flame. My husband calls this point "the eyes" because of the millions of tiny bubbles in the water. Next, throw in the butter and the cilantro. Whisk continuously to make sure that the butter and water don't separate. Add the salt.
When it is at a simmer, throw in the shrimp and maintain the heat so that it is just simmering. Cook for about 2.5 minutes, making sure the water and butter are still blended well. Flip the shrimp and cook another 2.5 minutes.
Check for done-ness by cutting one of the shrimp in half. It should be white and not transparent.
And that's all there is to it! I guess there's a little bit of technique because you need to make sure all the parts stay together and that the temperature is consistent. The result should be perfectly cooked, tender shrimp!!
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