RECIPES WE LOVE What’s Cooking in Southwest Florida

What’s cooking in SWFL

1 CAPELLINI AGLI SCAMPI Restaurant: Palladio Trattoria Serves: 4

21 ounces capellini (angel hair pasta)

1 tablespoon salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 large garlic cloves, minced 1 lemon, juice and zest 2 tablespoons butter

16 large shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined (may leave tails on for presentation)

½ cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon of chopped parsley

In a large pot, bring water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt. When boiling, drop in angel hair pasta and cook about 4 minutes, stirring to avoid clumping. When pasta is cooked, drain the water, leaving about ¼ ladle to add to the sauce with the pasta.

In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add garlic and lemon zest. After about 30 seconds, add 1 tablespoon butter and immediately add shrimp, turning and allowing both sides to turn pink. Add wine, let it evaporate and reduce. Add lemon juice and parsley. Simmer for a minute or two. Add pasta and about ¼ ladle of its water to the sauce with remaining butter. Stir. Plate pasta, leaving shrimp at end to put on top for presentation. 28340 Trails Edge Blvd., Naples; 239-947-2202; palladiotrattoria.com 2 WEST AFRICAN PEANUT STEW WITH HARISSA CHICKEN Restaurant: Restoratives Cafe Serves: 4 Spice Mix 4 ounces dried harissa

2 ounces sugar

2 ounces salt

1 tablespoon cumin

1 tablespoon cinnamon

½ white onion

2 cloves garlic

½ cup peanut oil (may substitute olive oil) 4 large, boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1½ cups raw peanuts

Cooking spray

2 cups brown rice

Put half of spice mix in blender with onion, garlic and oil. Blend. Pour over chicken and marinate in refrigerator for at least an hour. Coat peanuts in cooking spray and dust with spice mix. Roast at 375 degrees F until toasted and fragrant. Set aside. Steam brown rice according to directions

Peanut oil

1 large white onion, medium diced 2 red bell peppers, medium diced 2 sweet potatoes, medium diced 5 garlic cloves, chopped

2 ounces sambal seasoning

1 cup peanut butter

2 quarts chicken stock

1 head collard greens, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons soy sauce

4 ounces unsweetened coconut milk Red pepper flakes for garnish Cilantro for garnish

Sauté onion, pepper, potato and garlic in peanut oil over medium heat with generous coating of spice mix. Cook until onions are translucent. Add sambal and peanut butter. Caramelize in pan, deglaze with chicken stock. Bring to a boil, simmer until potatoes are tender. Slightly mash to break them up and thicken the sauce. Add collard greens, simmer until soft. Add salt and pepper to taste. Before serving, add soy sauce and coconut milk.

Grill chicken over charcoal or pan sear. To serve, spoon rice into bowl, add stew, top with chicken. Garnish with crushed red pepper, cilantro and peanuts. Serve with naan. 20461 S. Tamiami Trail, Estero; 239-949-6715; restorativescafe.com

3 LOBSTER RISOTTO

WITH ROASTED TOMATO AND WHITE TRUFFLE PERFUME Restaurant: Sea Salt Serves: 6 Roasted Tomatoes

2 medium-sized plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise

Pinch of salt

Pinch of dried oregano

Extra virgin olive oil

Season tomato halves with salt and oregano. Place in colander and let sit for 2 hours to remove moisture and concentrate flavors. Preheat oven to

125 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place tomatoes cut side down on foil. Drizzle with olive oil. Roast for 3 to 4 hours, until tomatoes are slightly shrunken and cooked but not dry. Take out of oven, cool for 5 minutes before handling. Remove skins if desired.

Garlic-Infused Olive Oil

3 garlic cloves, halved lengthwise ½ cup extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Place garlic and olive oil in a small saucepan over lowest heat possible. Heat for an hour or until garlic becomes very soft and infuses oil. Remove garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Risotto

¼ pound lobster meat, cooked 1 tablespoon garlic-infused olive oil ½ white onion, chopped

1½ cups rice

1½ cups dry white wine

4-5 cups lobster stock (seafood or vegetable stock also works)

½ cup tomato sauce

10 leaves fresh basil, finely chopped ⅓ cup plus 2 teaspoons unsalted butter 1 tablespoon Italian parsley, chopped extra fine (for garnish)

2 tablespoons white truffle oil

Sea salt to taste

Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Cut lobster meat into ½-inch cubes. In heavy-bottomed pot over mediumhigh heat, place garlic oil. Add onion and sauté, stirring constantly, taking care not to brown. Add rice and cook, stir about 2 minutes. Add wine, stir constantly until absorbed. Add stock, about ½ cup at a time. Stir constantly and add more as liquid is absorbed. Continue until rice is soft and creamy but slightly al dente.

Add roasted tomatoes, tomato sauce, basil and lobster meat. Keep stirring. Cook mixture for 4 more minutes. Stir in butter, parsley, truffle oil, salt and pepper. Stir to combine all ingredients. Garnish with parsley and grated Parmesan, if desired. Serve warm. 1186 3rd St. South, Naples; 239-434-7258; seasaltnaples.com 4 SUNRISE MIMOSA Restaurant: Over Easy Cafe Serves: 1

Champagne ⅔

Freshly squeezed orange juice ⅙ Cranberry juice ⅙

Fill Champagne flute or wine glass ⅔ with chilled Champagne. Add freshly squeezed orange juice for optimal flavor and consistency. To keep the colors of the liquids separate, slowly drizzle in the cranberry juice and serve immediately. 630 Tarpon Bay Road, Sanibel; 239-472-2625; overeasycafesanibel.com

5 CEVICHE DE MERCADO Restaurant: Ceviches by Divino Serves: 2-4

7 ounces corvina, diced

1 teaspoon salt

2 ounces Persian lime juice 2 teaspoons cilantro, chopped ½ teaspoon garlic paste (plus more for egg wash) 1 tablespoon Peruvian yellow chili paste 1 ounce fish broth

¼ teaspoon limo chili pepper, habanero or chili of preference, blended or chopped for mild spice (add more according to heat preference)

2 eggs

Salt and black pepper to taste 3½ ounces calamari rings

Flour for coating calamari and oil for frying 1 tablespoon red onion, julienned Peruvian giant corn for garnish (kernels) 1 sweet potato

Put fish and salt in a bowl, let sit for a minute. Add lime juice, cilantro and garlic paste. Mix 1 to 2 minutes. Add Peruvian yellow chili paste, fish broth (balances the acidity) and limo chili pepper. Mix.

In separate bowl, mix eggs with dollop of garlic paste, salt and black pepper.

Dip calamari into the wet mixture, then the flour. Fry in 350 degrees F oil about 2 minutes.

Boil Peruvian giant corn 5 to 7 minutes. Cook sweet potato about 20 minutes. Smash the potato. Serve ceviche in a bowl. Try to put fish in the form of a pyramid. Add ceviche juice or leche de tigre. Surround fish with corn, the sweet potato (use piping for more artful presentation) and calamari rings. 7950 Dani Drive, Fort Myers; 239-288-6795; cevichesbydivino.com