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MacGyver Cooking - An Abundance of Old Bay and Cocktail Sauce


Al Dente

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A vegetarian friend of mine, for some strange reason, has an abundance of Old Bay and cocktail sauce. She asked me what she could cook with them. Other than the obvious but not vegetarian friendly options, the only thing I could think of was roasted potatoes with Old Bay.

Does anyone have any other ideas? Cocktail sauce soup anyone?

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A vegetarian friend of mine, for some strange reason, has an abundance of Old Bay and cocktail sauce. She asked me what she could cook with them. Other than the obvious but not vegetarian friendly options, the only thing I could think of was roasted potatoes with Old Bay.

Does anyone have any other ideas? Cocktail sauce soup anyone?

With the Old Bay, I would line the external periphery of your house to keep the ants out. For the cocktail sauce, dig a hole, pour it in, and see if anything grows.

Obviously, these two items scream Shrimp Cocktail and Steamed Crabs (for most). Maybe you can make a Shrimp Mocktail using tofu? These are made for dipping, and serving in small portions; there's no good reason to force ingestion of massive quantities. Maybe improvise on a Korean-style vegetable soup with tofu and cabbage? Something that looks like this?

Tofu_Soybeanpaste_Soup.jpg

But I think that while you're eating it, with every bite you're going to be saying to yourself: "Old Bay. Cocktail sauce. Old Bay. Cocktail sauce." I really think you should consider the ant-repellant suggestion. Or maybe give them as gifts to people you don't care for so much? Maybe package them up as a "Maryland Gift Bag," complete with a little cheesy state flag on a wooden stick and an Orioles' logo. Go to any gift shop in Annapolis and get the kitschiest things you can find.

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I was also thinking tofu. Use the Old Bay in some breading for cubes or fingers of it and serve with cocktail sauce and other dips, such as something yogurt or sour cream-based.  Other vegetables could get this treatment too, either fried or "oven-fried" (e.g., zucchini strips, mushrooms, artichoke hearts.)

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The dominant flavor elements in Old Bay are dehydrated onion and garlic, celery seed, and cayenne pepper. Since celery seed is a typical add-in to coleslaw locally, I'm thinking your friend ought to jump onto the fermenting bandwagon and make some Maryland kimchee, layering shredded cabbage and radishes with Old Bay and salt in a a clean bucket or jar, and see what happens.

cocktail sauce could go into tomato juice to make bloody mary mix.

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I've made Old Bay coleslaw before, and you can also season vegetables with it before/during however you prepare them

hell I've also used it in a boiling pot of pasta instead of salt....provides a different flavor so you want to be careful, and Old Bay mac n cheese is something a first grader would dream up but screw it, sometimes you need that

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Old Bay Fun Fact: It's kosher.  Back when kosher boy was in the picture, besides the aforementioned potato salad and coleslaw, we would put it in turkey burgers, meatloaf and scrambled eggs.  It's also good in egg salad or deviled eggs.

Cocktail sauce would also work in meatloaf or as a plan dip for veggies.

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Riffing with the theme of this thread, I wonder how to use the Old Bay seasoning as paint.  For a large white platter.  Kind of like glitter shapes.  Not meant to be edible, only pretty, interesting designs between lettuce leaves for a cheese platter or something.  Or paint clam or oyster shells with Old Bay to create a raised area at the center or top of a vegetable appetizer plate; since she is vegetarian.

You would have to find a substance that made the seasoning stick to the plate/shells without running orange or red rivers all over the place.

Or go with the red river effect if she still has the stuff come Halloween :-)

Also, this looks kind of fun:  Cauliflower "Shrimp" Cocktail

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Riffing with the theme of this thread, I wonder how to use the Old Bay seasoning as paint.  For a large white platter.  Kind of like glitter shapes.  Not meant to be edible, only pretty, interesting designs between lettuce leaves for a cheese platter or something.  Or paint clam or oyster shells with Old Bay to create a raised area at the center or top of a vegetable appetizer plate; since she is vegetarian.

You would have to find a substance that made the seasoning stick to the plate/shells without running orange or red rivers all over the place.

Simple. Dip a brush in egg whites and outline whatever shape you want. Sprinkle Old Bay on and shake off the excess. The same principle goes for making sugared rose petals.

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[This thread has more legs than I thought it would.]

Me too. Do we have a thread somewhere for finding a use (culinary or otherwise) for specific stuff that's been sitting in the cabinet collecting dust? I'm reminded of Marge Simpson shopping at the MEGA-MART and saying "ooh, that's a great price for 12 pounds of nutmeg!"

Change the name and/or re-purpose this thread as you see fit.

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Old Bay can be sprinkled on popcorn, French fries or corn on the cob. You can use it to make seasoned peanuts or cashews (maybe other nuts as well).

A quick search found Quick Zesty Green Beans and a Pasta Salad, Maryland Pumpkin Seeds, and Fried Pickles.

The Old Bay website has a few interesting recipes as well, including a Bloody Mary recipe.

Heinz suggests using cocktail sauce in hummus.

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