by Wilbur, Todd
2 cups Bisquick baking mix
1 ¾ cup finely shredded Cheddar
cheese
cups milk
2 tablespoons butter, melted
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon dried parsley flakes
cup crabmeat (fresh or canned
lump)
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Combine baking mix, I cup of the Cheddar cheese, milk, and half of the melted butter in a medium bowl. Mix by hand until combined.
3. Pat out the dough into circle approximately 8 inches in diameter, with a slight lip around the edge, like a pizza crust.
4. Sprinkle the parsley over the top of the dough. Be sure the dried parsley flakes are crushed fine. You can easily crush the flakes in a small bowl with your thumb and forefinger
5. Sprinkle the crab over the top of the dough.
6. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the crab. Don’t go all of the way to the edge of the dough—leave a margin of a half-inch or so around the edge.
7. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until the cheese on top begins to brown slightly.
8. Combine the remaining butter with the garlic powder and brush it over the top of the bake as soon as it comes out of the oven. Slice it like a pizza into 8 pieces and serve hot.
• MAKES 8 PIECES.
RED LOBSTER PARROT BAY COCONUT SHRIMP
MENU DESCRIPTION: “Jumbo butterflied shrimp hand-dipped in batter flavored with Captain Morgan Parrot Bay Rum & coconut flakes. Served with pina colada dipping sauce.”
Fans of this dish say the best part is the pina colada dipping sauce. And it’s true; that sauce is so good you could eat it with a spoon. But the coconut shrimp is pretty awesome too, just on its own. Red Lobster’s secret formula includes Captain Morgan’s Parrot Bay rum, which sweetens the batter and adds a great coconut flavor (plus you can whip up a nice cocktail with it while you’re cooking, if that’s your thing). Panko breadcrumbs—which give a nice crunch to the batter—can be found in the aisle of your market where all the Asian foods are parked. This secret recipe makes two times the size of a serving you get at the Lobster, so there should be enough for everyone. The real thing comes with salsa on the side in addition to the pina colada sauce, but you may not even want to include it.
PINA COLADA DIPPING SAUCE
½ cup sour cream
¼ cup pina colada mix (liquid)
¼ cup crushed pineapple
(canned)
2 tablespoons granulated
sugar
SHRIMP
6 to 10 cups canola oil (amount
required by fryer)
12 large shrimp, peeled and
deveined (about ½ pound)
1½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons Captain Morgan’s
Parrot Bay coconut rum
1 cup panko (Japanese
breadcrumbs)
½ cup shredded coconut
ON THE SIDE
salsa
1. Prepare pina colada dipping sauce first by combining all the ingredients. Cover this and let it chill out in the fridge while you make the shrimp.
2. Heat oil to 350 degrees.
3. Measure ¾ cup of flour into a medium bowl. In another medium bowl mix together the remaining ¾ cup flour, sugar, and salt. Stir milk and rum into flour mixture. Let this batter stand for five minutes. While the batter rests, combine panko breadcrumbs and shredded coconut into a third medium bowl.
4. Butterfly cut each shrimp before you start the battering: Use a sharp knife to slice through the top of the shrimp (where the vein was) so that you can spread the shrimp open. Leave the tail intact.
5. To batter the shrimp, dip each one in the flour, then the wet batter, then coat each shrimp with the panko/coconut mixture. Arrange the shrimp on a plate until all of them are battered.
6. Fry the shrimp by dropping six at a time into the hot oil for 2 to 3 minutes or until the shrimp are golden brown. Remove shrimp to a rack or paper towels to drain.
7. Serve shrimp with pina colada dipping sauce on the side, along with a small dish of your favorite salsa, if you like.
• SERVES 3 TO 4 AS AN APPETIZER.
RED LOBSTER NEW ENGLAND CLAM CHOWDER
Considered one of Red Lobster’s signature items, this dish has been screaming to be cloned for years now. The tiny screams, which sound like hundreds of little clams being plucked from their shells, could no longer be ignored. What’s great about this clone recipe is that we don’t have to do any of the plucking ourselves. Rather than going through the tedious (and expensive) task of steaming fresh clams and dicing up all the good parts, we can use the more affordable and convenient canned clams found in any supermarket. Just remember to not toss out the clam juice in the cans when you open them, since you’ll need that flavorful liquid in the first step.
2½ cups water
3 6.5-ounce cans minced clams
(plus liquid)
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
I bay leaf
dash dried thyme
2 white or red potatoes, peeled
and diced (not russet or
yellow potatoes)
I cup heavy cream
1. Combine water and liquid drained from all 3 cans of clams in a large saucepan. Stir in flour, parsley, salt, pepper, bay leaf and thyme. Turn to medium heat.
2. When water begins to bubble, add the potatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir often to keep the potatoes from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
3. Add the clams to the saucepan and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
4. Add the cream and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Watch the pan carefully to be sure the chowder doesn’t bubble over. Turn down the heat if the soup begins to erupt.
• MAKES 5 SERVINGS.
TIDBITS
Some brands of canned clams seem to be saltier than others. Depending on the saltiness of the clams you choose, you may want to add a bit more salt. Start with an additional ¼ teaspoon of salt if you find the soup on the bland side.
RED LOBSTER TERIYAKI GLAZED FRESH FISH
Preheat your grill and put on your sandals for this great clone that’s perfect when you’ve got a hankering for a tropical grilled fish dinner. Red Lobster lets you chose your favorite fish from the menu, then prepares it on the grill with a basting of tangy citrus and ginger teriyaki glaze. The delicious pineapple-mango salsa is the perfect finishing touch. Once you’ve got your favorite fresh fish from the market, you just need to prepare the sauce and salsa, and light the tiki torches.
TANGY CITRUS & GINGER TERIYAKI SAUCE
½ cup thick teriyaki glaze
(Kikkoman)
cup orange juice
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
I teaspoon lemon juice
¼ teaspoon fresh minced ginger
COOL PINEAPPLE-MANGO SALSA
½ cup diced canned pineapple
½ cup diced fresh mango
¼ cup diced tomato
I tablespoon chopped green onion
1 teaspoon diced canned jalapeno
1 teaspoon minced fresh cilantro
4 SERVINGS OF THE FISH OF YOUR CHOICE:
salmon, tilapia, rainbow trout, halibut, snapper, or swordfish
1. Prepare teriyaki sauce by combining all the ingredients in a blender until ginger is completely pureed. Chill until needed.
2. Prepare pineapple-mango salsa by combining the ingredients in a medium bowl. Cover and chill until needed.
3. Prepare fish by preheating your grill on high heat. Lightly salt and pepper the fish and grill it until done. Brush the fish with a coating of the teriyaki sauce just before it is removed from the heat. Carefully place each fish serving
on the center of the plates. Spoon a garnish of the pineapple-mango salsa on top of each serving. Serve extra garnish and teriyaki on the side, if desired.
• MAKES 4 SERVINGS.
TIDBITS
The P F. Chang’s Mai Tai clone (found on page 294) makes a great companion cocktail for this dish, and the Red Lobster Parrot Bay Coconut Shrimp (on page 335) is the perfect appetizer if you’re rolling with the tropical island theme.
RED ROBIN SEASONING
Give yourself some time to make a tough decision when you get to this casual chain because there are nearly two dozen gourmet burgers on the Red Robin menu to pick from, not to mention scores of other fantastic food choices. Red Robin claims the steak fries served with your burger are world-famous. I’m not sure if that’s been confirmed, but I do know one thing that makes the fries popular in my book: They come in an all-you-can-eat bottomless portion. Want more fries? Just ask, and you can have as many as your belly can pack in. As you’re stuffing yourself, you may notice that the burgers and french fries at Red Robin have something in common that makes them taste so special. That’s right, it’s the seasoning blend. And I’ve got a clone for you right here that includes instant tomato soup mix as the secret ingredient. So, next time you make a burger, sprinkle some of this TSR version of the seasoning blend on the patty. When you cook up some frozen steak fries or french fries, sprinkle a little of this blend on them as soon as they come out of the oven or fryer. Soon, you’ll discover all sorts of uses for this versatile spice blend. And the recipe here makes a portion that fits nicely into an empty spice bottle.
3 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon instant tomato soup
mix (Knorr tomato with basil
works great)
2 teaspoons chili powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
Combine the ingredients in a small bowl and stir well. Store in a covered container.
• MAKES ⅓ CUP.
RED ROBIN 5 ALARM BURGER
MENU DESCRIPTION: “Crank up the heat with Pepper-Jack cheese, jalapenos, fresh tangy salsa, sliced tomato, crisp lettuce and chipotle mayo.”
According to Red Robin waiters, this spicy production is the second most popular choice from a list of 22 delicious designer burgers on the menu. If you like a peppery punch from your chow, this is the burger recipe to add to your grill-time repertoire. The hamburger patties on Red Robin burgers are huge, weighing in at ⅓ of a pound each, so get out your kitchen scale if you want a good clone. The restaurant chain uses its secret spice blend to season the patty, so whip that up first from the clone recipe on page 342 (or you can substitute seasoned salt, such as Lawry’s). Fresh salsa or pico de gallo can usually be found in the deli section at the supermarket, and ground chipotle chile pepper (smoked red jalapenos) can be found next to the chili powder in the spice aisle. It’s good stuff to have on hand in your spice cabinet since it’s becoming a more popular ingredient these days.
CHIPOTLE MAYO
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon ground chipotle chile
pepper
⅛ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon (approx.) Red Robin
Seasoning clone (on page
342)
2 slices pepper jock cheese
1 sesame seed hamburger bun
I 5.5-ounce ground beef patty
4 to 6 bottled jalapeno slices
(nacho slices)
2 tablespoons fresh salsa or pico
de gallo
cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1. Make the chipotle mayo spread by combining the ingredients in a small bowl. Cover and chill until you are ready to use it.
2. Preheat barbecue or indoor grill to medium heat.
3. Since the ground beef will shrink as it cooks, shape it into a round patty that is slightly larger than the sesame seed bun. Sprinkle a bit of the seasoning blend over both sides of the patty. Grill for 3 to 5 minutes per side, or until the patty is cooked the way you like it. About 1 minute before the burger is done place a couple slices of pepper Jack cheese on top of the patty to melt.
4. As the hamburger is grilling toast the face of the top and bottom sesame seed bun on an indoor griddle or skillet over medium heat.
5. Build your burger by first spreading approximately 2 teaspoons of the chipotle mayo on each of the toasted faces of the top and bottom bun.
6. Stack the hamburger patty on the bottom bun.
7. Stack 4 to 6 jalapeno slices on the patty.
8. Spoon 2 tablespoons of salsa or pico de gallo over the jalapeno slices.
9. Add about ⅓ cup of shredded lettuce on next, then finish the burger off with the top bun.
• MAKES 1 BURGER.
RED ROBIN BANZAI BURGER
MENU DESCRIPTION: “Marinated in teriyaki and topped with grilled pineapple, Cheddar cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and mayo, Dude, you’ll be like, ready to ride the pipeline on 0’ahu’s North Shore after you chomp on this!”
Here’s customer choice number one from Red Robin’s huge burger menu. According to Red Robin servers, the beef they use for all their burgers is ground from Angus flank steak. That meat makes for a great burger to be sure, but it’s tough to find in the market unless you grind your own. So if you’re not up for some good old-fashioned meat-grinding fun, just pick up ground chuck for this recipe. If you can’t find chuck, sirloin will have to do. Just make sure the fat content is at least 15 percent, since low-fat ground beef makes burgers that are just too dry and short on flavor. I tested a half-dozen popular teriyaki glazes in the stores and nothing comes close to the stuff they use at the restaurant, so I’ve included a recipe here to make your own. Be sure to watch your marinated meat and pineapple slices closely on the grill since the sugar in the teriyaki marinade could burn over the open flame. If you’re grilling outside, keep the lid open. And don’t hit the La-Z-Boy until this puppy’s done.
TERIYAKI MARINADE
1 ¾ cups water
I cup soy sauce
I cup light brown sugar
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic
powder
1 5.5-ounce ground beef patty
2 canned pineapple slices
2 slices Cheddar cheese
I sesame seed hamburger bun
4 teaspoons mayonnaise
2 tomato slices
cup shredded iceberg lettuce
1. Make teriyaki marinade by combining all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium/high heat. Bring mixture to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes or until sauce thickens. Cover and chill marinade in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
2. Form your ground beef into a round patty that is slightly larger in diameter than the sesame seed bun. Pour a little of the teriyaki glaze into a plastic container with a lid (such as Tupperware), then carefully drop in your patty. Add enough teriyaki glaze to cover the patty, then seal up the container and pop it into the fridge for at least 4 hours, but no more than 12 hours. Put the two pineapple slices into another container with a lid, add the remaining teriyaki glaze, cover it and chill the pineapple in the refrigerator for the same time as the burger.
3. When you are ready to make your hamburger, preheat barbecue or indoor grill to medium heat.
4. Start grilling the hamburger patty first. Cook it for 3 to 5 minutes per side or until it reaches your desired doneness. When you flip the burger add the pineapple slices to the grill. The pineapple will take about half as long to cook as the burger. You’ll know the pineapple slices are done when they have some nice grill marks on each side. Be careful not to burn the burger or the pineapple. The teriyaki contains sugar, which may char if grilled too long. About 1 minute before the burger is done place 2 slices of Cheddar cheese on top of the patty to melt.
5. As the hamburger is grilling, toast the face of the top and bottom sesame seed bun on an indoor griddle or skillet over medium heat.
&nb
sp; 6. Build your burger by first spreading approximately 2 teaspoons of mayo on each of the toasted faces of the top and bottom bun.
7. Stack the hamburger patty on the bottom bun.
8. Arrange the tomato slices on the patty.
9. Stack the grilled pineapple on top of the tomato slices.
10. Add aboutcup of shredded lettuce on next, then finish the burger off with the top bun.
• MAKES I BURGER.
RED ROBIN TERIYAKI CHICKEN BURGER
MENU DESCRIPTION: “A premium charbroiled chicken breast with sweet teriyaki sauce, grilled prneapple, SWISS cheese, lettuce, tomatoes & mayo. Why did the chicken cross the Pacific? Now you know.”