From Kimberly's Menu

Serves 4

Ingredients: 

1 pound/450 g Mexican-style chorizo sausages*
4 shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
6 pounds/2.8 kg black mussels, debearded and scrubbed
1 cup/225 ml dry white wine
3 tablespoons/about 5 g finely chopped fresh cilantro
6 tablespoons/85 g butter, chopped
Additional finely chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish
1 baguette, torn into large pieces

Method:

If the chorizo is available in a natural casing, cook the chorizo sausages whole in the casing. If the chorizo sausage is only available in a plastic casing, remove the chorizo from the casing before using it. 

Place a large wide pot over a medium heat. If using whole sausages, pierce them with a skewer (this will help prevent the sausages from bursting open).

Once the pot is hot, add the whole chorizo sausages (or crumble the chorizo sausage without the casing) to the hot pot and cook for about 8 minutes or until it is cooked through. If using chorizo sausage without the casing, the sausage will be crumbly.

Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the chorizo to a paper towel-lined plate to absorb the excess oil. Discard the excess oil from the pot. Cut the whole chorizo sausages crosswise into slices.

Return the pot to the heat. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté for about 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the mussels and toss quickly to coat. Add the wine. Cover and cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes or until the mussels begin to open. Discard any mussels that do not open.

Return the cooked chorizo to the pot. Add 3 tablespoons/about 5 g of cilantro and toss to combine. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the mussels and sausages to a warm large serving bowl. Cover to keep warm.

Skim the excess oil off the top of the juices remaining in the pot, if necessary. Boil the juices for 1 minute. Whisk in the butter. Pour the sauce over the mussels.  Sprinkle with the additional cilantro and serve immediately with the baguette pieces.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

½ bunch fresh chives, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons/5 g)
2 lemons
1 small shallot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
16 uncooked jumbo shrimp (about 1 pound/450 g), peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons/30 ml olive oil
Sea salt

Method:

Soak 16 bamboo skewers in water for 45 minutes. This will help prevent the skewers from burning too quickly on the grill. Finely grate the peel from the lemons into a medium bowl. Cut one lemon in half and set it aside. Reserve the remaining lemon for another use. Stir the chives, shallot, and garlic into the lemon peel.

Add the shrimp and olive oil to the lemon peel mixture. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. Remove the skewers from the water and pat them dry.

Thread 1 shrimp on the end of each skewer. Prepare the barbecue or flat iron grill pan for high heat. Grill the shrimp until just opaque in the center, about 2 minutes per side. Squeeze the reserved halved lemon over the shrimp on the grill. Transfer the skewers to a platter and serve.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

¼ bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, stems discarded
½ teaspoon/2.5 ml plus 1 tablespoon/15 ml olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1½ cups/350 ml fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons/10 ml heavy whipping cream
5 tablespoons/75 g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
12 jumbo sea scallops
2 oranges, peel and white pith removed, segmented, for garnish

Method:

Stretch a sheet of plastic wrap over a plate ensuring that the plastic is pulled tightly. Arrange the parsley leaves in a single layer on the plastic wrap and drizzle with 1/2 teaspoon/2.5 ml of oil. Season with salt.

Place the plate in the microwave and cook the parsley leaves approximately 1 1/2 minutes or until they are dry (the timing will vary depending on power of the microwave). Set the leaves aside.

Simmer the orange juice in a heavy small saucepan over moderate heat for about 25 minutes or until it is reduced to 1/3 cup/85 ml. Add the cream to the orange juice reduction and return the mixture to a gentle simmer. Remove from the heat.

Add the butter to the orange juice reduction a few pieces at a time, whilst constantly whisking to blend. Once all the butter is incorporated, season the sauce with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set the sauce in a warm spot.

Place a heavy based large sauté pan over a high heat for 2 minutes. Season the scallops with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon/15 ml of oil into the hot pan and add the scallops. Sear the scallops about 2 minutes on each side or until they are just opaque in the center and golden brown on both sides.

Transfer the scallops to a platter. Drizzle the orange sauce over the scallops. Garnish with the orange segments and dried parsley leaves and serve.