Creamy Buttermilk-Avocado Sauce

Elizabeth said they made this over the weekend and used it as a sauce for grilled shrimp!

Yield Makes about 1 2/3 cups

Ingredients

1 cup buttermilk
1 ripe avocado, chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 finely chopped green onions
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Process buttermilk, avocado, parsley, chopped green onions, and fresh lemon juice in a food processor 30 seconds or until smooth. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Store in refrigerator covered with plastic wrap directly on surface (to prevent discoloration) up to 2 days.

Southern Living, MARCH 2009

Spicy Paella with Chile, Lime, and Cilantro

My sister made this for her boyfriend this week and they thought it was great!

Yield 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups paella and 3 shrimp)

Ingredients

Broth:

1 dried New Mexican or Anaheim chile
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 garlic cloves, peeled
2 (16-ounce) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Herb Blend:

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced

Paella:

24 unpeeled large shrimp (about 2 pounds)
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 (3.5-ounce) andouille sausages or chicken sausages with habanero chiles and tequila (such as Gerhard's), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 1/2 cups finely chopped red bell pepper
2 cups finely chopped onion
2 cups sliced zucchini
1 cup canned diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon hot paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups uncooked Arborio rice or other short-grain rice
1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
8 lime wedges

Preparation

To prepare the broth, remove stem and seeds from chile. Combine the chile, cumin, cinnamon, and 2 garlic cloves in a food processor; process until minced. Combine chile mixture and broth in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer (do not boil). Keep warm over low heat.

To prepare herb blend, combine cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, and 2 garlic cloves; set aside.

To prepare paella, peel and devein shrimp, leaving tails intact; set aside. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in large paella pan or large skillet over medium heat. Add sausages; sauté 3 minutes. Remove from pan. Add shrimp; sauté 2 minutes. Remove from pan. Add bell pepper and onion, and sauté 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add zucchini; sauté 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, paprika, salt, and 3 garlic cloves; cook 5 minutes, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth, herb blend, sausages, and corn; cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Arrange shrimp, heads down, in rice mixture; cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Cover with a towel, and let stand 10 minutes. Serve with lime wedges.

Cooking Light, MAY 2000 Cooking Light, MAY 2000