IN THE KITCHEN WITH SLING
Award-winning shrimp recipe
BILL SLINGERLAND

This week I am going to talk about one of the popular foods of this area for y o u n g a n d old alike- shrimp. It seems everybody loves shrimp in Port Aransas, and it is served in so many ways. It can be steamed, boiled, broiled, grilled, stuffed, blackened and fried. It can be the star of the meal, or it can be in a soup or stew like gumbo. It can be served in a cocktail, marinated in lime juice for ceviche, or jammed on a stick for a kabob.(I am starting to sound like Bubba in Forrest Gump.) In Port Aransas, there are two boats, two seafood markets, and one grocery store where shrimp can be purchased.

Shrimp is near and dear to me because I have won two different cooking contests using shrimp recipes I created. On Sept. 3, I won the grand prize of $3,000 for Berry Good Shrimp Tacos at the Jelly Jamboree in Fredericksburg.

Fisher & Wieser's Specialty Foods makes a Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce that was to be used in each recipe. I have used the sauce before with barbecue and dips, but I thought it would be good with shrimp. This sweet and spicy sauce is at specialty food stores and sometimes at larger grocers. (But let's all bug Mike and Melinda so they will get it at the IGA.)

Super shrimp Bill Slingerland with a shrimp about to become part of his award-winning Berry Good Shrimp Tacos recipe.

There were 140 recipes submitted from all over the country, and 10 finalists were selected for a chance at four $500 prizes and the $3,000 prize. Penny and I were invited to the Fisher's home for a sit-down dinner with judges and other contestants. They served a fantastic four-course meal with a different Texas wine with each one. Each dish featured a different sauce from Fisher & Wieser. The table settings were full of silverware. I was very intimidated at first, but I remembered from Pretty Woman to go from the outside in when selecting silverware.

Each contestant received a gift box of three sauces and a coupon for $50 at the store, Da Peach Haus. I was thrilled with that. The next morning Penny and I, along with my brother Wayne and wife Judi, went to the awards presentation. There were some fabulous recipes such as Chocolate Pie, Raspberry Roast, appetizers, corn muffins with raspberry relish, and so much more. As they called the $500 winners, I got nervous and somewhat discouraged. But a grin splashed across my face as I heard Berry Good Shrimp Tacos announced. There were hugs and cheers and, of course, that envelope with the $3,000 check.

I plan to submit another recipe next year and would like to encourage other cooks on the island to enter recipe contests. There are many advertised in magazines such as

Southern Living or in newspapers. I want to enter the $1,000,000 Pillsbury Cook-Off. These contests are fun, creative and profitable.

There are two other shrimp cooking ideas I would like to mention. Yankee of Yankee and Betty's fame used to boil his shrimp in a pot that would have a handful of Redhots candy dissolved in it. The shrimp would have a wonderful cinnamon flavor. The shrimp are done in just two or three minutes.

Molly Nixon of the Polly Anna shrimp boat shared a fried shrimp recipe that had been given to her by a tourist. You make your flour and seasoning mixture as usual, but for the liquid you use melted vanilla ice cream. So first the shrimp goes in the vanilla ice cream, then into the flour mixture. The oil should be at 350 degrees and the shrimp are fried until golden brown. Javier Mendoza and his family have tried this recipe and tell me it is excellent.

Finally, I would like to hear some recipes from owners, cooks and chefs from any of the restaurants. They can be recipes from your menu or an old family favorite.

Bill Slingerland, a teacher at Port Aransas High School, is a former cook on the UTMSI R/V Longhorn who still enjoys cooking. Send recipes, comments or suggestions to him in care of the South Jetty at

southjetty@centurytel.net or P.O. Box 1117, Port Aransas, TX 78373.

Berry Good Shrimp Tacos

Grand Prize Winner

Grand Prize Winner Original Roasted Raspberry Chipotle Sauce Rocks My World Recipe Rumble
1/2 c. butter
1 c. poblano peppers, chopped
1/2 c. onion, chopped
2 c. shrimp -- peeled, deveined,
chopped
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 c. Fisher & Wieser's Original

Roasted Raspberry Chipotle
Sauce
1 c. grated Monterrey Jack
cheese.
8-10 red corn tortillas, softened
or steamed
8-10 leaves or red tip leaf lettuce
Melt butter in a 12-inch skillet, sauté peppers and onions in the butter until soft. Use a medium heat. Then add the shrimp. When the shrimp is pink, which takes just a few minutes, stir in the cream cheese, which will melt.

Now add the Raspberry Chipotle Sauce. Cook this on a low heat 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.

Take a red tortilla that has been steamed, lay a red tip lettuce leaf in the tortilla. Now spoon on about 1/2 cup of the shrimp/cheese sauce. Enjoy.

This goes well with a Caribbean rice, black beans, and a Mexican beer.