Bloody Mary Ceviche

 Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins | Servings: serves 4-6 | Difficulty: Easy

 Marano’s Bloody Mary Mixer, chilled

1 lb. Medium shrimp peeled, deveined, and cooked.   

1 Tbsp unsalted butter 

1/2 Red onion, finely chopped 

2 Plum tomatoes, diced 

1 Medium cucumber, peeled and diced

1 Jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)

Handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1 Ripe avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced 

1 Lemon, sliced

 Prepare Ceviche:

1. Melt butter in a medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add onions, saute until soft and translucent, then transfer to bowl with cooked shrimp.

2. Add tomatoes, cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro to same bowl and stir to combine. 

3. Cover bowl with saran wrap and place into refrigerator for 1 hour or longer.

Prepare Cocktail:

 1. In a small pitcher or mixing glass, combine Bloody Mary mixer and your spirit of choice. (We recommend one part spirit to three parts mixer.)

2. Pour mixture into glasses, covering about one inch from bottom.

3. Remove chilled shrimp bowl from fridge and spoon into glasses, making sure you get a good combination of ingredients and shrimp. 

4. Fill glass with more cocktail mix.

5. Top with avocado. 

6. Serve with a spoon and a slice of lemon.

 Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins | Servings: serves 4 | Difficulty: Medium

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup cornmeal, preferably coarse ground

1 tablespoon butter, unsalted

1 tablespoon Mascarpone cheese (optional)

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped

In a medium saucepan (non-stick if possible), combine cream and milk over medium heat until small bubbles appear on surface. Add salt, whisk until frothy - about 3 minutes. Slowly add cornmeal, whisking until it boils, and whisk 3 minutes more. Reduce heat to very low (hint of flame), stirring vigorously every 5 minutes for 1 hour and 30 minutes. (I know, but it's worth it.) Try not allow mixture to bubble up. The cooking process should be very slow, whisking often. If skin forms on bottom and sides that is fine, as it gives polenta a toasty flavor. If too thick, occasionally thin with a few tablespoons of milk. Near the end of cooking process, stir in butter, plus 1 tablespoon mascarpone and Parmigiano, to taste. Serve with a touch of fresh basil sprinkled on top.

NOTE 1: The secret to a silky polenta is cooking with a very low flame.

NOTE 2: Don't worry if polenta sits in the pot (off the flame) for a while as you prepare other dishes. When ready to serve, put pot over a low flame, and simply whisk in a few tablespoons of milk to thin mixture before serving 

SERVE: Polenta should almost pour from the spoon. Portion polenta into warm bowls. We normally serve it with sautéed mushrooms drizzled over the top. (See our recipe below.)

  Prep Time: 10 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Servings: 4 serving | Difficulty: Easy

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

2 medium shallots, thinly sliced into half moons Salt and pepper

1 sprig fresh thyme

8 to 10 oz. mixed mushrooms* (cremini, shiitake, oyster), sliced

2/3 cup Marsala wine (or substitute chicken stock**)

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

pinch crushed red pepper (optional)

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tbsp mascarpone cheese (optional)

*Mixing mushrooms give the dish a great variety of texture, but button mushrooms are fine.

**If using store bought stock, reduce before adding

In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add shallots and lightly season with salt and pepper, and cook until shallots begin to color on their edges - 2 to 4 minutes. Add thyme sprig and mushrooms, and cook until their liquid is released - about 3 minutes. Add Marsala wine, bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid reduces by half. Remove thyme sprig and discard. Taste, and adjust seasoning if necessary. (You can prepare the mushrooms ahead to this point and just reheat them over medium heat.) 

Near the end of the cooking process, stir in butter, Mascarpone, crushed red pepper, and combine well. Liquid should have the consistency of a velvety sauce. 

Spoon mushroom over entrée or serve as a delicious side. 

Don’t let the anchovies scare you. Follow the recipe and I promise the anchovies turn into a rich, nutty flavor. This is one of our favorites side dishes. 

 Prep Time: 5 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Difficulty: Easy

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 large shallot, chopped

1 (2 oz.) tin of anchovies packed in oil (Roland Brand recommended), drained and chopped. 

1 large head of broccoli, cut into 1 1/2 inch florets ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, more to taste

1 cup low sodium chicken stock, plus more if needed Salt to taste

In a large straight-sided skillet over medium heat; add garlic, shallot, and anchovies. When oil begins to sizzle, being to stir, moving pan on and off heat until anchovies dissolve - about 2 to 4 minutes. Don’t let garlic brown! Add florets to the skillet and season with the red pepper flakes. Stir to coat florets with oil mixture. Add broth to the skillet, bring to a simmer, cover and cook until broccoli is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. 

Remove cover and increase heat to high and boil away any excess liquid. Taste to adjust seasoning. Remember, anchovies are salty so use discretion if adding more salt. Serve, spooning over any residual sauce.