• 6 untreated cedar planks (8 to 10 inches long)
• 1/2 cup olive oil
•  6-ounce fillets of fresh fish (redfish, speckled trout, or salmon work the best)
• 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
• 3 Creole tomatoes
• 1 cup basil pesto (Recipe follows)
• 1/2 cup balsamic syrup

Chef Sclafani's Basil Pesto:

• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano
• 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
• 2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley
• 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Cedar Plank Redfish

Click image to enlarge

• ½ pound fusilli, rotelle (wagon wheel) or other medium pasta shape
• 1 pound large shrimp (26 to 30 count), peeled and deveined
• 1¼ cup frozen shelled edamame or frozen peas
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
• 1 lemon, Zest of
• 2½ tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 clove finely chopped garlic
• ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
• pinch cayenne pepper
• 3 cups baby spinach leaves
• ⅔ cup chopped fresh dill

Dilled Shrimp Pasta Salad

Click image to enlarge

Grilled Shrimp:

• wooden skewers
• 2 pounds large headless fresh Louisiana shrimp
• ½ cup red wine vinegar
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1½ teaspoon garlic salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• Corn Macque Choux (recipe follows)

Macque Choux:

• 8 ears fresh corn
• 2 medium Creole tomatoes
• 5 strips thickly cut bacon, chopped
• 1 red onion, finely chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 jalapeño, sliced
• 1 celery rib, thinly sliced
• salt, pepper, and hot sauce
• 1 bunch green onions, sliced

Grilled Shrimp over Macque Choux

Click image to enlarge

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 medium onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili flakes or red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes with juice
• 1/2 cup canned tomato purée
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 andouille sausage (about 1/4 pound), thinly sliced
• 1 pound dried pasta (such as fettuccine or linguine)
• 20 medium Louisiana shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 large sea scallops, quartered
• 6 ounces of meaty white Gulf fish fillet, cut into 1-inch cubes

Seafood Pasta with Andouille Sausage

Click image to enlarge

• 3 racks baby back ribs
• Cajun seasoning
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2½ cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 cup bottle barbecue sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Best Ever Baby Back Ribs

Click image to enlarge

• 1 gallon vegetable or peanut oil
• 2 cups piquillo peppers, canned or packed in oil
• 2 cups mayonnaise
• 1 cup rice flour, plus extra for dredging shrimp
• 1½ cups soda water
• 1 egg
• 2 dozen large Louisiana shrimp, cleaned, tail on
• fresh hergs or greens for garnisn (such as basil, mint, cilantro, mizuna, and/or arugula)
• white wine vinegar, for dressing
• Tabasco
• salt and freshly ground black pepper

John Besh's Crunchy Shrimp Salad

Click image to enlarge

• 1 pound dried spaghetti, cooked according to package directions, drained
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 ripe Italian plum timatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 2-ounce jar anchovies in olive oil, drained
• 4 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 7-ounce can tuna in olive oil, drained
• 1/2 cup pitted black olives, quartered lengthwise
• 4 1/2 ounces fresh mozzarella, drained
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh basil leaves, for garnish

Spaghetti with Tuna, Anchovies, Olives, and Mozzarella

Click image to enlarge

• 1 sleeve saltine crackers, finely crushed
• 1 cup plain flour
• salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg
• 1 pound cleaned small shrimp
• cooking oil, for frying

Buttermilk-Battered Popcorn Shrimp

Click image to enlarge

• 6 tablespoons olive oil
• ½ pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into ½ inch pieces
• salt to taste
• 1 pound squid, cleaned and cut into rings ½ inch wide (about 1/2 pound cleaned)
• 3 large cloves garlic, lightly crushed
• ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• red pepper flakes to taste
• 1 pound small hard-shell clams, soaked in cool water for 30 minutes and well scrubbed
• 1 pound ripe cherry tomatoes, halved, or plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 pound spaghetti or linguine

Pirate Spaghetti

Click image to enlarge

Redfish

• 1 egg
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tablespoons Creole seasoning
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 4-ounce skinless redfish fillets
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 1 1/2 cups Pistachio Breading (recipe follows)
• 8 asparagus spears, trimmed
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 extra-large Louisiana strawberries, stems and leaves intact, halved
• 1 cup Strawberry Beurre Blanc (recipe follows) 

Pecan Breading

• 1/2 cup coarsely ground pecans
• 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Strawberry Beurre Blanc

• 1 shallot, finely minced
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons cold Strawberry Butter (recipe follows)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Strawberry Butter

• 1/2 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup ripe, sliced Louisiana strawberries at room temperature
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Pecan-Crusted Redfish

Click image to enlarge