Crustacean sensation
If your family is anything like mine, there are always special events to celebrate. A wedding rehearsal dinner, anniversary or birthday can bring our circle of family and friends together.
Special events in our lives, I believe, are worthy of special places. Having lived in the Mid-Valley for close to 15 years, I have found several local restaurants that lend themselves to celebrations.
Ruthy's Bar and Oven in Yuba City just celebrated its own anniversary, having served the Mid-Valley community for more than 20 years. I met Steve Shelton, the restaurant's owner and executive chef, almost four years ago, and immediately felt a kindred spirit with him. We both believe that food is more than just something we have to eat to get by. Cooking and eating build families and friendships, making memories that last a lifetime.
Steve has built Ruthy's from the ground up, using lessons learned at his former restaurant in Brownsville. (Lottie Brennans was named after his ex-grandmother-in-law.) Formerly a construction worker, he got his start in the culinary world with his then-wife, a pastry chef in La Porte.
“We started a little route between La Porte and Yuba City selling bread and pastries,” he explained. “I would come down the hill once a week and, after a few weeks, we found that people were waiting in line at the stores to buy our bread and pastry.”
Encouraged by their success, Steve began remodeling a 100-year-old building to house a bakery and dining area. “It took so long to complete, and we were so broke, that I had to learn how to cook because we couldn't afford to hire anyone, and I have been at it ever since,” said Steve.
In addition to his cooking skills, Steve has a huge knowledge of wine. He is one of two wine experts that I am aware of who could be called a sommelier (suh-mul-YAY) or wine steward. A sommelier is a trained and knowledgeable wine professional, usually working in fine restaurants, who specializes in all facets of wine service.
Steve's interest in wines dates back to the 1980s, when he started learning about them as an important part of the fine dining experience.
“I have really gotten into wine in the last 10 years, but overall I have 26 years of wine training,” Steve said.
One of the duties of a wine sommelier
is to know how to pair wine with a particular dish. For the recipe, Steve chose a Ruthy's favorite that is easy to make yet will mark any special occasion.
Southern Cajun Shrimp, while a bit spicy, was an excellent choice. We finished the shrimp off after Steve was done toiling over his stove.
And while we didn't pop any corks for our lunchtime interview, Steve made some good suggestions for beverages: Brass Field Estate Winery's Serenity, Chalet Michele's Eroica Riesling, Husch's Gewurztramďner and, of course, any brand of ice cold beer.
# Steve Shelton's Southern Cajun shrimp
Serves two
1 pound large prawns, peeled and deveined
3/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons green onions, sliced (white ends)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper, crushed
Putting it together
Mix ingredients together in a large, heavy skillet.
Add prawns and cook over medium heat, turning several times until they are white all the way through.
Cook about five to 10 minutes depending on the size of the shrimp.
Serve on rice and save the sauce for dipping.
# Chef's Notes: This is also a great sauce for cooking chicken, beef, oysters, tofu or whatever you like.
Sauté mixed vegetables in the sauce for a spicy stir-fry.
Buy frozen prawns, thaw and clean just before cooking for optimum freshness.
Above recipe is for medium heat; adjust peppers according to your own tolerance.
A free, full-colored recipe card of Steve Shelton's “Southern Cajun Shrimp” will be available today in the lobbies of the Appeal-Democrat in Marysville and Yuba City.
Your Neighbors' Favorite Recipe returns March 21 featuring Yuba-Sutter Chamber of Commerce CEO Laura Nicholson.
To nominate someone or to submit a recipe for Your Neighbors' Favorite Recipe or The Golden Chefs of the Mid-Valley, call Michael E. Reed at 749-4720, mail it to 1530 Ellis Lake Drive, Marysville, CA 95901 or e-mail him at mreed@appeal-democrat.com.
