Swamp Boiled Platter Recipes

THE SAMPLER PLATTER

Steps:

• First, combine the cornmeal, flour and salt together and mix. This is the breading mixture that will cover all the seafood items on the sampler. Put the milk in a container and have ready to dredge the seafood.
• Heat a deep-fryer or large pot with enough oil to deep fry to 350 degrees F. When ready to begin cooking, dip the fillet into the milk and then lightly hand bread using the breading mixture. Carefully slide the fillet into the oil and fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Raise the fish from the oil and transfer a perforated pan to remove the excess oil.
• Repeat the same procedure with the other seafood. For the shrimp, oysters, scallops and clam strips, dip each into the milk and then lightly hand bread. Use a shaker basket to remove excess breading. Fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the seafood from the oil and transfer a perforated pan to remove the excess oil.
• For the stuffed crab, carefully drop right into the deep-fryer and fry until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the seafood from the oil and transfer a perforated pan to remove the excess oil.
• To serve, place the flounder fillet, stuffed crab, shrimp, scallops, oysters and clam strips on a large plate. Then serve with desired sides.

EMERIL'S FAVORITE BOILED SHRIMP

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the peppercorns, coriander seeds, celery, tarragon, thyme, parsley, Essence, salt, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, white wine, water and bay leaves and bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 5 minutes. Add the shrimp to the boiling water, stir, cover and remove from the heat. Let stand for 8 to 10 minutes, or until shrimp are just cooked through.
• Strain in a colander and transfer the shrimp to a large bowl. Discard the cooking liquid and seasonings. Refrigerate the shrimp until well chilled, about 1 hour. While the shrimp are chilling, make the Cocktail Sauce.
• When ready to serve, divide the shrimp among 4 small bowls, and hang them on the rim of each bowl. Divide the cocktail sauce into 4 equal portions and place in the bottom of each bowl. Garnish each bowl with a lemon wedge. Alternatively, you can arrange a layer of crushed ice in the bottom of 4 bowls, put a small ramekin of the cocktail sauce in the ice and arrange the shrimp on the ice around the sauce.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly and store in an airtight jar or container.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch. Published by William and Morrow, 1993.
• Combine all ingredients in a small non-reactive bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

SYDNEY SEAFOOD PLATTER

Steps:

• Choose a broad, shallow pan with a steaming rack that fits snugly. Be sure you also have a lid that will fit snugly over the steaming pan. Arrange the seafood on a heatproof plate that fits into the steamer. Sprinkle the seafood with salt, pepper, and any preferred seasonings. Bring the water to a boil in the steamer, set the plate of seafood on the steamer rack. Put the rack over the boiling water and cover tightly with the lid. Steam the seafood until it is cook and the shells open.
• In a small pan, saute the butter and garlic until bubbly, then transfer to a dipping bowl and place on a platter.
• Place the seafood on a platter next to the dipping sauce and garnish with some lemon slices.

SUMMER FRUIT PLATTER

Steps:

• Give your fruit platter a makeover! Start with some crowd-pleasers like berries, pineapple and kiwi, then add a few exotic choices to the mix -- speckled dragon fruit, star fruit, macadamia nuts, edible flowers -- and arrange everything on the plate in free-flowing sections as we did here. To cut mango in this "hedgehog" pattern, slice off the sides lengthwise (going right next to the pit), then score a crosshatch pattern into the flesh without cutting into the skin. Lightly push on the skin side so the chunks pop out.

PIG HEAD PLATTER

Steps:

• For the brine: Combine the salt, sugar, chiles de arbol, garlic, bay leaves, guajillo chiles, cilantro and 10 quarts water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar and salt dissolve. Pour the brine into a 16-quart container and let cool in the refrigerator. Submerge the pig head in the brine and refrigerate for 2 days.
• For the confit: Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. In a bowl, mix the white wine with 2 cups water. Remove the pig head from the brine and rinse with the wine mixture. Place the head in a large pan and cover it with the lard. Cover the pan and cook for 8 hours.
• To roast: Increase the oven temperature to 500 degrees F. Very carefully, pull the pig head out of the confit and place in a pan. Cover the head with the Salsa Verde and roast until the skin starts to blister, 20 minutes.
• To serve: Transfer the roasted pig head to a wooden board and serve with tortillas, salsas, cilantro, limes, onions and sea salt.
• Place the tomatillos, garlic, serrano chiles, poblano peppers, onions and cilantro in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

BROILED VEGETABLE PLATTER

Steps:

• Toss each item in Herb Marinade to coat. Remove from marinade, lightly salt, keep separated. Let marinate for at least 20 minutes, or longer if possible. Broil items until cooked all the way through. Takes approximately 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Plate and serve.
• Put roasted garlic puree in a bowl. Slowly whip in olive oil to make a loose paste. Combine remaining ingredients
• Cut off ends of garlic cloves and drizzle oil over cloves, sprinkle Hawaiian salt. Loosely wrap in aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until tender. Press garlic out of skin and press through a sieve.

CRUDITE PLATTER

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Fill a large bowl with ice water and salt it generously as well Drop the beans into the boiling water and cook, uncovered, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Scoop them out of the water and immediately plunge the beans into the ice water, to stop their cooking and set the color. Cool, remove them from the ice bath, and pat dry. Repeat with the broccoli, cauliflower, or asparagus cooking each until crisp tender. If using sugar snaps or fennel they may be served raw or cooked depending on their flavor or your preference.
• Attractively arrange all the vegetables on a large serving platter and serve with the dip of your choice.
• 1/2 cup roasted red peppers (about 4 ounces)
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, drained
• 1/4 cup drained or Greek style yogurt, method follows
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon minced thyme, optional
• 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Combine all the ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth. Serve now or refrigerate until ready to serve.
• Yield: about 1 1/2 cups
• To make drained yogurt: Place 1/2 cup of plain whole or low-fat milk yogurt in a coffee filter set in a sieve or colander in the sink or over a bowl. Set aside for 1 to 2 hours until thickened. Discard the water whey and use the yogurt as desired.
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup fresh basil leaves, washed
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Chop the garlic with the salt, and then use the flat side of the knife to mash and smear the mixture to a coarse paste.
• In a blender combine the garlic paste, with the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
• Transfer the sauce to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving so the flavors come together
• Yield about 1 1/2 cups

BROILED FISHERMAN'S PLATTER

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
• Split the lobster lengthwise and extract the meat. Lay the lobster meat on top of the shell. Remove the pin bones from the yellowtail flounder and cut a "v" at the top of the fish.
• Place all of the seafood in a 9-inch pie plate. Add the butter, white wine, and paprika. Bake for 12 minutes. Arrange on a serving plate and serve with a lemon wedge and tartar sauce, if desired.

SHRIMP BOIL

Steps:

• Fill a large stockpot with 4 quarts water. Squeeze lemons into water; add rinds. Add bay leaves, seasoning, garlic, onions, chile, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.
• Add potatoes; simmer 12 minutes. Add corn; simmer 5 minutes. Add shrimp; cover, and simmer until opaque, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer ingredients to parchment paper or a bowl. Sprinkle with salt; serve with lemon and hot sauce.