# Smoked Langostino Tails!!!!



## leah elisheva

Well here's to a very WON-DER-FUL Wednesday, and for all!!!!!!!!!!

Today I whipped together what was intended to be a super simple, "quickie," makeshift meal.

BUT, it ended up being SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO very fabulous that I will revisit it a little differently next time, as to make it part of my favorite rotation of things I eat often! Here's to that!

First off, I ADORE langostinos! I usually find them around here frozen however, and with too much salt and junk added to them, and so I pass.

The other day, I saw a bag in the Trader Joe's frozen section, and they were wild caught, NO SALT or anything else added. The only caveat was that they were of course pre-cooked and pealed.

I figured they'd be tough, shriveled up, and just dry little nothings by the time I thawed them and that I shouldn't even heat them at all for that reason - just eat cold - but I was so wrong!!!! Thankfully!

So here we go....













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__ leah elisheva
__ Jan 15, 2014






I had thawed the langostino tails in the fridge overnight, in the bag they came in, and then just opened that and poured them into a perforated grill dish today...













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__ leah elisheva
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I sprayed them with grapeseed oil...













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And meanwhile microwaved a frozen bag of spinach which I had wanted to use up...













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The langostinos in their dish went onto my little gas smoker with hickory chips and for just five minutes as a warm up, and some LOVELY smoky flavor even too (surprisingly) on high heat - maybe 400!













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__ leah elisheva
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While inside, I chopped up a mixed bucket of raw veggies - cucumber, zucchini, a yellow pepper, a red pepper, and elephant garlic...













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__ leah elisheva
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And I made a hot pot of amaranth...













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__ leah elisheva
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For those who aren't addicted to amaranth yet, (my favorite grain), it is an ancient and gluten-free grain, that also has some protein in it, and it's super healthy, and you don't get fat and bloated from it, and it even has a "cleansing" effect, (where you'll get a lot of "reading" done the next morning), and it's like a hot cereal texture...













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__ leah elisheva
__ Jan 15, 2014






The normal cooking ratio with amaranth is 1 cup of the grain, boiled on the stove in 3 cups of water. I find that a little too runny for my taste however, and like it more nutty and thick, and so I use a little less water...













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The lightly smoked langostinos did NOT dry out at all, and stayed moist and DID get some warmth and smoky essence even too!













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I put the mound of hot amaranth on the bottom, and then the nuked spinach, and then all the chopped raw veggies, and then some avocado, and the smoked langostino tails...













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__ leah elisheva
__ Jan 15, 2014






I splashed olive oil over the whole thing, squeezed a fresh lime all over it too, and sprinkled smoked paprika all around and that was it!













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And while it's just one big colorful "thrown together" thing; I must share that all the flavors were so amazing, and it was healthful and just beautiful to eat - adoring langostinos so!













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As I ate and tossed everything around, the golden amaranth was fabulous and everything was really so much better than I believed this very 'quickie' would actually be!

Now that I can find langostino tails without salt and junk added, I'm going to smoke some portabellini mushroom caps, and stuff them with the langostinos, chopped shallot, parsley and then add olive oil, freshly squeezed lime and some smoked paprika and I believe that THAT combo instead, will become my rotation version to have often.

Today's however, were REALLY SO DELICIOUS, that I must go back and get more!

Never again shall I underestimate something, just because it's precooked and pealed! This turned out to be so soft and, well, how grateful am I!!!

Please make your day delicious and know that I send tremendous CHEER!!!!!!!!! - Leah Who Loves Langostinos!!!!!!!!!!!


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## pc farmer

Beautiful as always.


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## leah elisheva

Thank you C farmer!!!! And happy Wednesday to you!!!!!!! Cheers! - Leah


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## cmayna

Leah,

Looks wonderful.  I love  langostino tails which I also buy from Trader Joe.  Your stuffed porti mushroom with the tails is a fantastic idea  which I just might try this weekend.  Would you smoke the mushrooms before or after stuffing them?

Craig


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## leah elisheva

Thank you Craig!!

Isn't that mushroom idea lovely? Let me know how it goes!

And I'm so thrilled to meet another langostino fan! I share your taste therefore!!!

And that Trader Joe's bag is just delicious!!! And soft!!! Not dried out or shrivelly like tiny shrimp and other finds can be. Such a treasure!

Thank you indeed and here's to happy langostino doings for all!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers! - Leah


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## mdboatbum

Everything looks amazing Leah! I love Trader Joe's, not only for their food but for their amazing wine and beer selection. Here on the East coast their prices are good, sometimes even great, but a few years back I was in San Fransisco on business and WOW! Went to a TJ's down the street from my hotel and saw a seemingly endless selection of Napa Valley wines, mostly from small wineries, for ridiculous prices. Most were under $5 a bottle. And the beer selection was similar. I loaded up with as much as I could stuff in my suitcase, praying I wouldn't be thrown in the Gulag for smuggling wine on the plane. Luckily I wasn't, and the bottles all survived the trip. Even brought back a bottle of 2 Buck Chuck just for fun. And it was actually $1.99!

As for the amaranth, I've never tried it but if it's somewhat coarsely milled, it might work for something I've tried with steel cut oats. I have been trying to eat a little healthier and incorporate more whole grains into my diet. Tried steel cut oats, but there's only so much oatmeal a man can eat. One night I was trying to figure out what to have for dinner and suddenly an idea struck me. What if I sauteed the oats in a little olive oil until they started to smell nutty, then gradually stirred in some wine and chicken stock? I tried it, and to my surprise it tasted very similar to risotto. I basically prepared it in the exact same manner you would risotto, and even finished it off with a little shaved Parmesan. I actually like it a little better than risotto, as it has more texture. I know oats do have some gluten and it sounds like you need to avoid it, so maybe it'll work with amaranth.

Anyway, thanks for the wonderful meal idea and your usual cheerful presentation!


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## leah elisheva

Andrew that's a tremendously clever way to doctor up oatmeal!!!! You're so good with food!

And thank you for the nice words too!

This ended up being so wonderful!

And while I love the meals which are pretty destined to be wonderful already, I REALLY love when some random "super quickie" makeshift meal that's thrown together just hits the spot and turns out fresher and better tasting than even hoped!

Here's to great food and a good mood too! (Smiles). How about this weather, right??? It makes me want to move somewhere that's consistently like this!!!!

Cheers to today!!!! And many thanks!!!! - Leah


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## leah elisheva

OH - and yes, Trader Joe's has some very affordable wine picks indeed!

I love a Bordeaux there, ("Chateau Seguin"), and then there's a Margaux I love, and a Chablis and they have an OK Barolo even too! It can be fun!

Your image - stocking up and hoping that all was well along your trip  - was fantastic!!!! Such great stories! Thank you!!! Cheers! - Leah


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## dls1

Another great preparation and presentation, Leah. The dish looks and sounds delicious, yet simple to prepare. The combination of ingredients and preparation suits me perfectly.

Funny, I picked up a bag of the frozen langostino tails at the neighborhood Trader Joe's a couple weeks ago. I saw that they were pre-peeled which wasn't a deal breaker, but didn't notice that they were pre-cooked until I got home. I had no idea what to do with them so, unlike you, I chose not to press on and returned them.

I agree very much with you very about amaranth. It's a staple in our house, both flour and seeds, and on occasion when I can find them, the leaves. I first encountered amaranth (amaranto)  30 or so years ago in central Mexico where it's a kitchen staple. It had also been a staple with the Aztecs until the Spanish conquistadors conquered and banned it's cultivation and consumption. The leaves are used in salsas, soups, and stews. The flour is mixed with maize or corn for tortillas. The seeds are popped like corn for a variety of uses. A very popular snack or candy is alegria where the popped seeds are mixed with honey to form Rice Krispie like bars. Sunflower and pumpkin seeds, along with mixed nuts and fruits are also often added.

Beyond it's ease of use and almost infinite adaptability in its various forms, it's a nutritional powerhouse. For those who are concerned it's gluten free, yet contains more protein than other grains. Some research has shown that it's on par with animal based proteins, obviously without the fats and proteins. It also has twice the calcium of milk, and far more vitamins, minerals, and lysine than other grains. In short, it probably can be considered a "Super Food".

Again, Leah, another great job. I haven't been on the forum much in the past couple weeks, but it looks like you're on quite a roll. Keep it coming.


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## leah elisheva

Hi David and thanks very much!

Indeed, the sight of precooked langostinos wasn't exciting, and yet they managed to stay moist when lightly smoked, and so I'm now a believer! Smiles.

And how wonderful to hear about another amaranth household!

It really is a fantastic grain - plus the regularity impact it provides - (am I allowed to write that or will I be "offed the island" for talking about such bathroom things) - but it DOES prove beneficial in many ways, and you have certainly been privy to every form of it, and well before it was all the rage stateside here, and so I really enjoyed hearing your input about all the benefits! Fantastic indeed!

Happy midweek to you! Cheers!!!!!!!! - Leah


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## pgsmoker64

Wow!  You've done it again Leah!  Amazing as always.

Bill


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## frankbe

Another colorful and tasteful "painting" from the Artist !!!


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## foamheart

Beautiful plating! Great table appeal. Being a coonass I obviously like langostino. But can I get that with grits? J/K

I bet it tastes and good as it looks. Great job.


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## leah elisheva

Thank you tons *PGSmoker64!!! *And happy Thursday to you!

And *FrankBe, *how gracious of you to refer to me as an "artist!" Thanks very much indeed!

*Foamheart,* I'm so thrilled you enjoyed this too! And actually, the amaranth can be pretty addictive once you get in a groove with it.

(In my "love of octopus" and then "cuttlefish" and also "conch" threads, I have a bunch of quickie "mollusk layered over amaranth" plates, as it's just so easy to whip up and so delicious too)!

In any event - some simple Greek food today, (grilled smelts and a "melitzanosalata" - eggplant salad that I do 'chopped' versus pureed), and so that's the food report here.

Please make your day so fantastic that even your neighbors dance the samba, light a bonfire and eat avocado off of the counter!!!!!!! Happy all!!!!!!!!!!!!

CHEERS! - Leah


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## GaryHibbert

Hey Leah

A quick google search tells me that langostino are neither lobster nor shrimp--so just what are they??  Apparently they're not very big.  Also, not real common out on the prairries, LOL  BUT, they do sound good.  Love this forum--so much new food to try

Gary


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## cmayna

Here's what I found.....yes, on the net.

~~September 19, 2012 (CHICAGO) (WLS) -- Their flavor is familiar- but their shape and color are not. Langostinos are starting to show up at Chicago restaurants and markets. Chicago has always been a transportation hub, which means it's relatively easy for restaurateurs to fly in the best seafood from around the world. Seafood lovers may have heard of langoustines, which resemble a very small lobster, or a giant crawfish-- but the langostino is a completely different species. And it's now available at one Chicago fish market, The Fish Guy. Related Content More: More from ABC7's Hungry Hound They come from thousands of miles away, in a different hemisphere. They are Chilean langostinos, arriving IQF - that's individually quick frozen - so they're easy to separate. The only place you'll find them is at The Fish Guy market, in the Mayfair neighborhood on the Northwest Side. "Langostines come from the North Sea, we also get those out of New Zealand, also cold water but they're just a different creature altogether; a little more elongated," said Bill Dugan, the owner of The Fish Guy Market. "Langostinos look like a small, stubby lobster." They are quite a sight, with their purple racing stripes. Those go away, once the langostinos are cooked, which happens with frequency at The Fish Guy, since they also operate a tiny BYOB cafe called Wellfleet, right in the store. To get to the actual tasty stuff, they first boil the langostinos for a minute or two in water; then they're removed and placed into an ice bath, to stop the cooking process. After they're cooled down, they're much easier to peel. From there, you can cook with them much like you would shrimp: at Wellfleet, they'll top off a pizza with langostinos.. Toss them with pasta and top them off with breadcrumbs.. Or just serve them very simply, with a wedge of lemon and parsley.


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## leah elisheva

Thank you Gary! And good morning to all!!!

And how fascinating (Cmayna)!!! Thanks tons for sharing such!

Delicious little creatures they sure are!!!

Cheers!!!!! - Leah


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