How To Make Crab Salad On Avocado Halves

 By Dan Lefevre 

Photo: tattooedmartha.com
 
Crab is one of those types of meat that varies in taste and you should take the time to learn about the different types before you actually make this recipe. The meat varies considerably when it comes to texture, grain, and sweetness. There are many types of crab available: Blue, Alaskan King, Dungeness, Rock, Jonah, Stone, Horseshoe, and Alaskan Snow (also called Queen Crab). Of course, those are just some of the types of crab that are commercially available. Depending on your tastes, you may prefer one type over another - but you need to do your homework before purchasing crab meat!

"Soft shell" crab meat can refer to any of the varieties of crab. The term refers to a particular growth phase when the crab loses its shell for a brief time frame, grows in size, and then forms a new shell. "Picked crab meat" is meat that is handpicked. Picked meat is generally the best although it can be more expensive than machine processed. If you purchase picked meat, you'll save time when preparing it because it is usually free of shell fragments. Otherwise, if you purchase machine processed crab meat, you will need to spend a few minutes rinsing your crab meat in order to clear it of any possible shell debris.

This delicious meal is easy to make and won't take more than twenty minutes to prepare.
Place 1/4 cup of finely chopped red onion into a large bowl and then add the following items: 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro (the fresher the better), 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt, and 4 teaspoons of lime juice. Mix together thoroughly, and then add 16 ounces of fresh (cooked) crab meat. Mix again.
You'll need to slice four large avocados in half and remove the skin and the seeds. Cut a lemon in half and squeeze a tiny bit of fresh lemon juice onto each avocado (prevents them from turning brown).
You should now have 16 ounces of crab salad and 8 open halves of avocados. Place the avocado halves onto your serving plates, and then spoon the crab salad onto the avocado halves. And, last but certainly not least, enjoy your crab salad!

The listed ingredients are enough for 8 servings.

Crab Salad In Avocado Halves
1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
4 teaspoons of lime juice
1/2 lemon (to avoid avocado discoloration - read above)
4 large avocados
16 ounces of cooked crab meat

We have several delicious salad dressings that we can ship straight to your door. Learn more at our website: RedShell.com

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Traditional Bacalhau Dishes in the Algarve

 By Larissa Vinci 

Photo: 2.bp.blogspot.com
 
Many tourists who visit Portugal are surprised by the popularity of the dried, salted codfish called bacalhau. This fish can be considered a symbol of Portuguese cuisine. It is said that there are over 365 ways to cook bacalhau and more than 1,000 recipes in Portugal alone. There are many recipe variations depending on region. This fish is usually served with green or mature wines. Popular dishes include Bacalhau da Consoada, Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá, Bacalhau com Piri-piri, Bacalhau Gratinado, and Bacalhau Frito à Açoriana. Many recipes have their origins in the Algarve.
This region is known for its delicious desserts and fine wines. Most restaurants located here serve modern and traditional bacalhau dishes. There is even a section dedicated to this fish in the supermarket. Once you have tasted bacalhau, you will understand why it is traditionally served up as the main course during holidays. Here are some of the most famous bacalhau dishes in the Algarve:

Bacalhau no Forno

Bacalhau no Forno is a typical salted cod fish recipe in the Algarve. In order to prepare it, you need cod fish fillets, tomatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil, white wine, and potatoes. This dish has a specific taste and a salty flavor. It is said that Bacalhau no Forno is one of the simplest and most delicious fish cod recipes.

Bacalhau à Algarvia

Bacalhau à Algarvia or golden codfish with potatoes is a traditional recipe that can be found in most restaurants and dining venues. For this recipe you need salted cod fish, russet potatoes, garlic, onion, flour, parsley, and olive oil. This dish is served hot.

Açorda de Bacalhau

Açorda de Bacalhau is another typical dish from the south of Portugal. The recipe has been passed down from generation to generation. It is made with dried cod fish, eggs, extra virgin olive oil, fresh coriander, garlic, and artisan bread. The dish is usually served with black and green olives. Everyone seems to enjoy this recipe, and its taste is divine.

Bacalhau à Assis

It is said that this recipe was invented by the owner of a guesthouse who, surprised by a snowstorm, had to use his last remaining ingredients to feed his guests. Bacalhau à Assis is made with olive oil, potatoes, codfish, onions, carrots, red peppers, smoked ham, eggs, and parsley. The final result is a simple yet delicious recipe that will shake your senses. This dish is popular all over the country.

Some of the most famous Portuguese recipes have their origins in the Algarve. Whether you want to travel to this region or move here, tasting bacalhau is a must. This traditional dish is iconic for the local cuisine.

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Traditional Cookbooks Versus Food Websites

 By Stephen G John 

Photo: kitchenculinaire.com
 
People's taste buds evolve, and so does their preference for finding fresh recipes. If you are like everyone else today, the first thing to look for when searching for a new recipe to prepare is your laptop and not your cookbook. But believe it or not, there are still a lot of people today who prefer the traditional way of preparing meals at home, because to them, a laptop or an iPad in the kitchen just isn't the same as their grandma's cookbook. You have to understand, though, that both has its own place in this age of modern technology. Here are some of the pros of using a good old cookbook and the pros of using a food website.

Pros of Using Traditional Cookbooks

Perhaps the most important advantage of cookbooks is that using them don't require an internet connection. Even when you're on transit and there's no WiFi, you can still read it if you're planning of something fine to cook for dinner.
Another advantage of cookbooks is that they offer you more than just recipes. Even if you don't find the recipes useful at the moment, reading the notes, techniques, and methods is already an excellent opportunity for you to learn.
Cookbooks are also considered by many to be more reliable. That only makes sense because the fact that the book got published is already enough proof that the recipes in there have already been tested and proven.
Finally, cookbooks can be handed to the next generation. If you want something fresh to try, for instance, simply browse through your grandma's collection and you'll definitely find something you have never tried before.

Pros of Using Food Websites

If there is one reason why a lot of food enthusiasts today prefer food websites, it's because the recipes there are offered free! This eliminates the need for you to spend up to $30 on a cookbook that contains hundreds of recipes and you are only looking for one.
Another reason why people prefer online recipes is that you can easily search for one based on the resources that are readily available in your kitchen. For instance, if you only have a few onions and garlic and a chunk of meat, you can easily search for a recipe online that exactly requires those ingredients only.
Finally, food websites are very convenient to use. Since you have all you need in your device, there's no need for you to worry about clutter and how you're going to organize several cookbooks in the kitchen shelves.

Bottom Line:Both the use of traditional cookbooks and that of food websites have their pros and cons, so there's really no way you can judge which of the two methods is better. The key here is to find what works for you in the kitchen and go for it.

Finding recipes online offer a number of advantages. For one, it's convenient since you can have all you need in one place. Check out the best food websites at foodplus.tv today and have access to a number of unique and fresh mouthwatering recipes you have never tried before!

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How to Choose a Catering Menu for Your Wedding

By Aaron S Douglass  

Photo: theblushbride.com

Choosing a menu is an important and sometimes difficult part of planning a wedding. On average, over 50% of a wedding budget is spent on food and drink, so it's vital to the success of the day that the menu is correctly chosen.
There are many key factors which will influence a menu choice, some of which are listed below:

The season: will the weather be hot or cold? What sort of ingredients are available and will they be of a good quality? Asparagus is a lovely vegetable to have on your wedding day but it is only produced in the uk for a couple of months of the year. There are many websites which give good advice on the seasons and what produce is available, your caterer should be able to advise you on this also.

The venue: does it have adequate facilities? Is there an appropriate space for your chosen catering? Is there a local product which could be used to create interest in your menu. For example if you have chosen a farm setting, does it produce anything you can use such as cheese or meat?

Ethnic or religious influence: there may be a percentage of your guests who, for example, do not eat pork, in this case a hog roast would be a bad idea. A lamb roast might be a suitable alternative.

Budget: a big, important factor in planning your wedding catering. There is no point dreaming of fillet steak and caviar if you can only afford chicken. Try to be original about your choices but bear in mind that over-complicating your menu to make up for not being flashy will only make things difficult. Choose interesting and exciting options, but keep them simple. This is really hard, no one wants to have a 'budget' wedding but trying to have an expensive wedding when you can't afford it is a bad idea. Work with what you have or up your budget. If you order fillet steak but it comes in cheap, it probably will be cheap, badly cooked, poor quality, foreign and tough. On the other hand a talented caterer will make an inexpensive cut of meat such as leg of lamb into a beautiful dish, much better than the poor quality steaks. Something you'll be proud to serve you most treasured friends and family.
Tip: Watch out for lamb shanks, they tend to be very poor quality, 'boil in the bag', with a shelf life of years due to preservatives and pasteurization.

Your own tastes and preference: the most important factor in choosing your wedding day menu is making sure you get what you want. You can easily get too wrapped up in pleasing (or trying to impress) your guests. Be yourself, try to show your guests what you are like as a couple, give them a taste of the experiences you've had and the discoveries you've made along the way. This is your chance to show your friends and family what an individual, cultured and original person you have grown up to be. This should be your finest hour (or two).

One more point to consider in planning your wedding menu is the table plan. Most couples do not realise what a challenge this is before food even becomes an element. Keep it simple. Having multiple food options served to different people in the room can seem like a good idea, you want your guests to have the choice of what they eat. "What if they don't like lamb, we must have a chicken option", "what about the vegetarians, we must have a veggie option", "Kids wont eat lamb or chicken, we must have some kids food", "Aunty Brenda only eats cabbage and chickpeas, she must have this as an option". Suddenly your menu is long and complicated, now you have to gather your guests choices and compile them on the table plan. Just when the pressure can't get anymore you have the task of making a table-plan. It's a nightmare, couples often say afterwards: I wish we'd kept it simple.

Design your menu around enjoying your day and don't forget about the lead up to it. The whole experience should be easy and fun. Keep this in your mind as it wonders into dreamland. Easy and Fun.

Should you require more advice or help on plan your own wedding menu, don't hesitate to contact Gastro Catering at http://www.gastrocatering.com. We provide unique and exciting wedding catering for all budgets.

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