Sarasotas Spinach And Shrimp Strata Recipes

SPINACH AND PANCETTA STRATA

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until crisp and golden, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pancetta to a bowl. Add the onion to the pan drippings in the same skillet and saute until translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the spinach and garlic. Saute over medium-low heat until the garlic is tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, nutmeg, and the cooked pancetta.
• Place half of the bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart baking dish. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the bread, then top with half of the spinach mixture. Repeat layering.
• Whisk the milk, eggs, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over the strata. Chill the strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 2 hours and up to 12 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake strata uncovered until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 40 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

SPINACH & CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until soft and translucent, 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and drained spinach and cook 2 minutes more. Set aside.
• Butter a 3-quart or 9x13-inch baking dish. Spread one third of the bread cubes in the dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture. (Try to break it up as much as possible so there are no huge clumps of spinach.) Sprinkle with one third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice, ending with cheeses.
• In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the half-and-half, mustard, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and whisk until well combined. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the strata. Cover the strata with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake the strata, uncovered, until puffed, set and golden brown all over top, 70-80 minutes. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving. It will settle a bit as it cools.
• Note: The cook time is based on the strata going immediately from the fridge to the oven. If it sits out at room temperature before baking, the cook time will be about 10 minutes less.

SARASOTA'S SPINACH AND SHRIMP STRATA

Steps:

• Base -- Spray a 13x9" pan with Pam or a non stick spray. Arrange the slices of bread on the bottom, and make sure to cover the entire bottom. Cut smaller pieces to fill in the empty spaces.
• Strata -- Spread the pesto over the bread making sure to coat everything, and then cover with 1/2 the cheese, 1 cup. Layer with the shrimp, spinach, red peppers, onion and finish with the remaining 1 cup of the cheese.
• Egg -- Mix the eggs, milk, salt and pepper well and pour over the casserole. Cover with plastic wrap or foil and refrigerate over night. Eight (8) hours is required, but don't let it cover over 12 hours.
• Bake -- Remove from the refrigerator and let it warm up a bit so It isn't ice cold. Cover with foil if not already and bake in a 350 degree oven, middle rack for 30 minutes. Remove and arrange the tomatoes slices on the casserole and continue to bake covered for another 15-20 minutes (45 min) is the right time for my oven, but just check by inserting a knife in the center. When it comes out clean it is done.
• If you want - you can put the dish under the broiler for just 3-4 minutes to broil the tomatoes, but I don't mind if they aren't browned. It is a nice texture to me to have the fresh tomatoes on the top.
• Serve -- Make sure to let the strata set 15 minutes before serving. ENJOY!
• Prep time includes the overnight rest.

SARASOTA'S SHRIMP AND SCALLOPS WITH CREAMY RISOTTO

Steps:

• Seafood -- Make sure all the seafood is cleaned and room temp or at least out of the refrigerator to take the chill off.
• Risotto --
• Step 1: In a large sauce pan, heat the oil to medium heat and add the onion, fennel and cook until tender. It should take 4-5 minutes. Add the rice and cook another couple of minutes until slightly brown and rice absorbs the oil and the flavors of the onion and the fennel. It will take just a couple of minutes. Add in the wine and cook another minute or so until the rice absorbs all the liquid.
• Step 2: Chicken broth - make sure to heat up your chicken broth in a small sauce pan on the stove so you can add a little at a time.
• Step 3: Slowly add a little chicken broth to the rice mixture, a little (1 cup) at a time until it is all absorbed. Don't forget to stir. When almost all the liquid is absorbed (about 15 minutes), add in the kale and cook another 5 minutes. Then add in the butter and cream and stir and remove from the heat and cover. I have read that risotto takes exactly so many minutes. Well every time I have made it. Never the same amount of time. So about 20-25 minutes is what I use. Just check it.
• Seafood -- First, season the scallops with salt and pepper. And then in a medium sauce pan (NO non-stick if possible), heat up the butter to medium high heat. Add the scallops and cook 1-2 minutes per side. Don't move the scallops after you add them to the pan - let them cook. After 1-2 minutes the scallops should easily move and golden brown on one side. Flip and cook the other side. The second side will only take a minute (less time). Remove to a plate while you cook the shrimp. The shrimp again, just 2 maybe 3 minutes if that. Just when they start to curl and they turn pink remove and add to the scallops.
• Finish -- If the risotto is too thick, just add a little chicken broth. Check for seasoning, salt and pepper; and add in the scallops, shrimp and parsley. Toss well and top with grated parmesan.

SAUTEED SHRIMP WITH SPINACH

Steps:

• Place spinach in a large bowl; sprinkle with garlic powder and toss. Place shrimp in a bowl; sprinkle with black pepper and toss.
• Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp; cook and stir until bright pink on the outside and the meat is opaque, about 5 minutes. Add spinach, cook and stir until just wilted, about 1 minute.

SPINACH AND CHEESE STRATA

Steps:

• Squeeze handfuls of spinach to remove as much liquid as possible, then finely chop.
• Cook onion in butter in a large heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until soft, 4 to 5 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in spinach, then remove from heat.
• Spread one third of bread cubes in a buttered 3-quart gratin dish or other shallow ceramic baking dish and top evenly with one third of spinach mixture. Sprinkle with one third of each cheese. Repeat layering twice (ending with cheeses).
• Whisk together milk, eggs, mustard, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl and pour evenly over strata. Chill strata, covered with plastic wrap, at least 8 hours (for bread to absorb custard).
• Preheat oven to 350°F. Let strata stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• Bake strata, uncovered, in middle of oven until puffed, golden brown, and cooked through, 45 to 55 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.