Key Largo Recipes

LAZY DAYS RESTAURANT FISH WITH KEY LIME BUTTER SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the water, wine and key lime juice in a large saucepan over a high heat and reduce by half, about 5 minutes.
• Add the garlic power. Add pepper to taste. Cut the butter into pats about the size of 1 tablespoon. Reduce the heat to low. Add one pat butter and whisk until the butter is incorporated. Add another pat and continue until all of the butter is used.
• Mix the water and cornstarch together and add to the sauce. Raise the heat to medium and stir until the sauce thickens and a few bubbles appear. Set aside while the fish cooks.
• Mix the eggs and water together in a small bowl (whisk vigorously til combined).
• Place the flour on a plate and dip the fish fillets into flour, coating both sides.
• Dip the fish into the egg wash.
• Place the bread crumbs on a second plate and coat the fish with bread crumbs, making sure both sides are coated.
• Heat 4 tablespoons of the Key lime butter sauce over medium-high heat in a skillet large enough to hold the fish in one layer. Add the fish and sauté for 4 minutes. It should be golden. Turn the fish and sauté for 4 minutes for 1 inch thick fillets. Sauté 2 minutes longer for thicker fish or 2 minutes less for thinner fish. The fish is cooked when the flesh is opaque, not translucent. (I had trouble sauteing in the sauce, and did use olive oil or coconut oil here).
• Place the fish on 4 dinner plates. Spoon the sauce over the fish. Sprinkle the tomatoes, scallions, parmesan cheese and parsley over the fish.
• Note: I have had the best success with setting up all ingredients before cooking. My prep time and cook time may be a bit off only because I make it an event and take my time so I guessed at both as if I was trying to get the job done normally. The ingredients are copied verbatim from book, and are in order of use, and I thought a bit confusing at first, but it works! Lastly, use real butter, good fish and fresh herbs and cheese. It makes all the difference.

KEY LARGO KEY LIME POUND CAKE WITH KEY LIME GLAZE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan.
• In a large bowl, beat 1 cup of butter, shortening and 2 cups of sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, blending each one thoroughly. Combine the flour and baking powder, stir into the batter alternating with the milk, vanilla and 1/2 cup of key lime juice. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the crown of the cake comes out clean, about 90 minutes.
• While the cake is baking, make the glaze in a small bowl. Stir together 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 cup butter and key lime juice. When the cake is done, invert it onto a wire rack while still warm, but not straight out of the oven. Poke several times with a skewer or toothpick. Pour the glaze over the warm cake allowing it to seep into the holes. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.

KEY LARGO KEY LIME PIE

Steps:

• To make crust, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and cool slightly. In medium bowl, combine butter and crumbs. With your fingers, press crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Bake 5 minutes. Set on rack to cool.
• To make filling, beat cream cheese in bowl of electric mixer until very creamy. Slowly add condensed milk in a steady stream, beating until well-incorporated and scraping sides of bowl several times. Add lime juice and vanilla, mixing well. Pour mixture into pie shell. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 5 hours.
• Just before serving, whip cream with sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread whipped cream over filling. Let pie sit for 30 minutes at room temperature before serving. Pie can be kept in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

KEY LARGO SEAFOOD CHOWDER

Steps:

• In a large stockpot or dutch oven, saute onion, carrot and celery in oil over medium to high heat for 5 to 8 minutes; add peppers and saute until heated through.
• Add water, cream soup base, clams with liquid, tomatoes, potatoes, clam base, jerk seasoning and cayenne pepper; bring to a boil, stir and cook for about 12 minutes or until potatoes are soft.
• Add shrimp, scallops and scallions and cook, stirring occasionally for another 5 to 8 minutes.