GAZPACHO

Mary Ann Banks

Blend tomatoes and cucumbers in a blender. Add V8 juice and some salsa; mix well. Season to taste. Chill and serve topped with sour cream or avocado slices.

STUFFED SHRIMP

Mark Letchworth

12 large shrimp

1 lb. fresh jumbo lump crabmeat

1 tsp. fresh lemon juice

¼ tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

4 slices white bread, crust removed and cut to ½-inch cubes

1 Tbs. dried minced onion

1 egg

3 Tbs. melted butter

1 Tbs. Grey Poupon Harvest coarse ground mustard

½ c. mayonnaise

1 Tbs. fresh chopped parsley

2 Tbs. chopped red bell pepper

Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 475°F. Peel, devein and butterfly shrimp leaving the tail on; set aside. Combine crabmeat, lemon juice and Old Bay and toss together; set aside. In a separate bowl, combine mayo, egg, mustard, 1 Tbs. butter and salt. Gently toss bread cubes, onion, parsley and peppers into crabmeat. Gently mix mayo mixture into crab mixture. In a shallow baking dish, place shrimp, butterflied side down, so tails curl up. Place a dollop of crab mixture on the shrimp and bring the tail up and over crab mixture. Repeat for all shrimp. Bake in oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve with or without cocktail sauce.

CRAB PUPPIES

Mark Letchworth

Oil for frying

1 c. yellow cornmeal

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 Tbs. minced thyme

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. garlic pepper

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. cayenne pepper

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

½ c. buttermilk

½ c. sour cream

1 c. chopped green onions

½ c. very fine bacon crumbs

½ lb. fresh crabmeat

In a Dutch oven, heat oil to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, thyme, baking powder, salt, garlic pepper, baking soda and cayenne pepper. In a small bowl, combine eggs, buttermilk and sour cream. Add cornmeal mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in onions, bacon and crabmeat. Dip spoon into water and then a spoonful of the hushpuppy mixture. This will allow mixture to easily fall off the spoon. Drop by tablespoonfuls into the oil and fry just until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Accompany with tartar sauce or a mixture of mayonnaise, Mae Ploy sweet chili sauce and Sriracha hot chili sauce.

BLAZING BARN BURGERS

Spike Mendelsohn

30 oz. ground sirloin

6 potato buns cut in half

Canola oil

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ c. chopped fresh basil

¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro

1 c. Sriracha mayonnaise*

½ c. Sriracha hot sauce

2 Tbs. sweetened condensed milk

SRIRACHA MAYONNAISE*

2 c. homemade mayonnaise

½ c. Sriracha hot sauce

2 Tbs. sweetened condensed milk

Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. Can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.

HOMEMADE MAYONNAISE

2 large eggs

4 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. white wine vinegar

1 tsp. sea salt

2 c. grapeseed oil

Add eggs, mustard vinegar and salt to a food processor or blender. Process 30 seconds in processor or 10 seconds in blender. With motor running, drizzle in the oil slowly at first and then in a thin, steady stream until all oil is added. Mixture should be smooth. Taste. If sauce is too thick, thin with a little hot water. If too thin, processor a little longer. Will keep in refrigerator in tight closed container for up to 1 week.

To make patties, roll six 5-oz. sirloin balls and form each ball into a patty. Arrange on a tray, cover and refrigerate. Toast buns. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add just enough oil to cover the entire bottom. When oil begins to smoke, reduce heat to medium and place patties into the skillet. Season patties with salt and pepper and cook 5 minutes. Flip and cook on the other side 3 minutes more for medium-rare doneness. To assemble, mix together the basil and cilantro, Place 1 patty on 1 toasted bun bottom. Top patty with some of the basil/cilantro mixture. Spread some of the mayonnaise on bun top and cover. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Wrap sandwiches in wax paper and let rest for 2 to 3 minutes.

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