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  • South Carolina She-Crab Soup

    Ingredients

    5 tablespoons butter
    5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
    1 small white onion, grated
    1 stalk celery, grated
    2 cloves garlic, minced
    salt and pepper to taste
    2 quarts half-and-half cream
    1 pint heavy cream
    1 cup chicken broth
    1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
    2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
    1 pound lump crabmeat
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
    1/2 cup sherry wine

    Directions

    Melt butter in a large stockpot over medium heat. Stir in flour to make a smooth paste, and cook for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Mix in the onion, celery, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook and stir for about 4 minutes.

    Gradually whisk in the half and half cream so that no lumps form. Stir in chicken broth and heavy cream. Bring to a simmer, and pour in half of the sherry. Season with dill, Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce. Cover, and simmer for about 30 minutes, until soup has reduced by 1/3. Add crabmeat, and simmer for another 10 minutes.

    Ladle soup into bowls, and top off with a splash of the remaining sherry and a sprinkle of fresh chives.

  • Basil Brad’s Marinade of Love

    Ingredients

    3 cups red wine
    1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
    2 tablespoons prepared Dijon-style mustard
    2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
    2 tablespoons double-concentrated Italian tomato paste
    1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
    1 tablespoon brandy-based orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier(r))
    1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
    1 tablespoon fine sea salt
    1 tablespoon ground black pepper
    1 tablespoon ground cumin
    1 tablespoon minced garlic
    1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root
    1 tablespoon chopped horseradish
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
    2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
    1 tablespoon minced fresh dill
    3 green onions, minced

    Directions

    Combine the red wine, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, lemon juice, tomato paste, balsamic vinegar, orange liqueur, brown sugar, salt, pepper, cumin, garlic, ginger, horseradish, oregano, basil, chives, dill, and green onions in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Make sure marinade completely covers the meat; marinade in refrigerator 16 to 24 hours.

  • How To Make Salmon Yakitori

    Ingredients

    1/4 cup light soy sauce
    1/4 cup sake
    1/4 cup mirin (sweetened Asian wine)
    2 tablespoons white sugar
    2 (6 ounce) salmon fillets
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil

    Directions

    Mix the soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar in a shallow dish; place the salmon fillets in the dish, skin side up. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or overnight.

    Heat the vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Drain the salmon and reserve the marinade. Pan fry the salmon 4 to 5 minutes per side, gradually adding the marinade to the pan, this will intensify the flavor and help to keep the salmon moist. Serve once the salmon is cooked through and is easily flaked with a fork.

  • Quinoa Veggie Salad with Zesty Vinaigrette

    Ingredients

    4 cups quinoa
    4 cups water

    1/4 cup red wine vinegar
    2 teaspoons salt
    1 teaspoon ground black pepper
    1 teaspoon lemon juice
    4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
    1 cup canola oil

    2 cucumbers, peeled and chopped
    1 green bell pepper, chopped
    1/2 red onion, chopped
    2 tomatoes, chopped
    1 (15 ounce) can black olives, chopped

    Directions

    Bring the quinoa and water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the quinoa is tender and the water has been absorbed, about 15 to 20 minutes. Scrape the cooked quinoa into a large bowl and refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.

    Place the vinegar, salt, pepper, lemon juice, and mustard into a blender. Drizzle in the oil while blending at high speed until the dressing is thick.

    Add the cucumbers, bell pepper, red onion, tomato, and olives to the bowl with the quinoa. Pour the dressing overtop and gently fold until evenly mixed.