Daily Unadventures in Cooking » Shrimp

Shrimp and Black Bean Quinoa Protein Bowl Recipe

katerina — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:34:46 +0000

Wanna lose some of that holiday jiggle? I suggest big rice bowls packed full of whole grains, leafy greens and lean meats. This shrimp and black bean recipe has protein-packed quinoa along with spinach, tomatoes, avocado and peppers. To add fragrance and flavour I used the shrimp shells to make a quick stock which I folded into the quinoa.

Although, this black bean quinoa bowl is full of wholesome, real food, you may be looking to further reduce the calories and fat, if so try swapping the olive oil for a cooking spray. Don’t omit the avocado though, the warm avocado combined with the tomato and shrimp is worth every calorie.

Ebi Mayo Recipe (Japanese Fried Shrimp)

katerina — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:14:46 +0000

In the last five years, Vancouver has been infiltrated by these fabulous little Japanese pubs called izakayas. They serve sake, cold beer, and a combination of fried and raw food. Izakayas are loud, vibrant, and very casual; when you walk in you feel instantly at home as you are greeted by an enthusiastic chorus in Japanese. Ebi Mayo is a fried shrimp recipe, and an izakaya specialty.

Yes, this recipe does call for topping fried shrimp with a mayonnaise and ketchup mixture. Yes that really is how they make it, and no it isn’t health food. However, this is a fun and easy appetizer recipe that can easily be a conversation piece for your next party. Serve with cold beer.

Shrimp with Orange and Chive Beurre Blanc

katerina — Wed, 22 Jun 2011 12:12:51 +0000

I can be a stubborn creature. Before culinary school, a beurre blanc wouldn’t have appealed to me at all. I either thought it was too rich, too bland, or just old-people food. (Sidebar: I am not sure I had ever actually had a beurre blanc before.) Though certainly rich, a good beurre blanc is anything but bland. The day we made it at school it was a revelation. What a beautiful butter sauce it is when perfectly smooth and balanced!

This particular beurre blanc recipe is not the classic simple sauce, but rather one aromatized with orange as the citrus — rather than the typically lemon — and chives for a bite. The bright orange colour is a great place to sit some fresh shrimp. Make sure you serve this alongside some crusty bread for dipping and a glass of light Chardonnay.

Shrimp with Tomato and Feta Polenta

katerina — Fri, 01 Apr 2011 12:25:06 +0000

Am I alone in my cravings for polenta? I just love curling myself under a blanket on the couch with a big bowl to dig into. I relish plunging my fork in to find the nuggets of cheese and meat that are encased inside it’s pillowy depths. Oh my, it sounds like a rather private activity doesn’t it? I swear this can be family friendly, this polenta-thing. Really.

Now, since I’m Italian, this is a shrimp and polenta recipe, but really it is very similar to a shrimp and grits recipe. Ever wondered what the difference is between grits and polenta? Not much. The main difference is that grits have been treated with lye to make them a more nutrient soluble food. Traditionalists will also say that grits are made from hominy whereas polenta is purely cornmeal.

Polenta is also a great way to clean out your fridge. Stir cooked stews, roast vegetables, or grated cheese into your polenta and you will have an easy weeknight meal. Plus, compared to many comfort carbs like potatoes or pasta, cornmeal is a skinny jean friendly choice. It’s even gluten free. For the record, gluten is not somethig I care about, but my jeans fitting can affect me greatly since I would rather cook than shop.

Linguine with Red Pepper Cream Sauce, Chorizo, and Shrimp

katerina — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 03:42:15 +0000

Whipping Cream is one of my off-again, on-again lovers. When it has been awhile I am confident that I don’t want it, that things are better off without heavy sauces and the tell-tale jiggle on my hips. But then, when I try it again I tend to get swept up in it’s easy richness and can’t seem to imagine life without it.

The last time I was hooked I made a rigatoni with sausage and cream, a fusilli with pistachios and cream, and a linguine with mushrooms, ham, and cream. Then last week I made that creamy eggplant linguine and down the rabbit hole I went. Maybe it is because it is rainy, or I have been sick, but comfort food is a requirement in my life right now and Mr. Whipping Cream fills that void.

Should I start apologizing to your hips too? I am sorry if I am bringing you down with me, but it is a soft, velvety, embrace to fall into isn’t it? This roasted red pepper cream sauce may be the end for awhile or it might be just the beginning. What do you think, are cream sauce a cheater’s way to make anything taste good, or simply tasty food?

Vietnamese Spring Rolls Recipe

katerina — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 13:51:35 +0000

Cha Gio is a classic Vietnamese dish where pork and vegetables are wrapped inside rice paper and deep fried. In North America Cha Gio goes under many names and you may have seen it on menus as Rolls Dip, Imperial Rolls or Vietnamese Spring Rolls.

This recipe for Vietnamese Spring Rolls was an attempt to replicate one of my all time favorite dishes — and it was quite successful. I tried two different kinds of rice papers one with pure rice flour and one with a partial amount of tapioca. Personally, all my tasters preferrred the pure rice one as it was crispier after it had been fried.

This recipe makes a big helping of rolls, but it usually takes a few tries to get the temperature of the oil correct, and really, who are you kidding you can eat them all. It can be served as an appetizer or more authentically over rice noodles and fresh vegetables with nuco cham for a full meal.

Chao Gio – Imperial Rolls, Rolls Dip
(makes about 8 large rolls)

50g (~1/4 cup) vermicelli rice noodles
1 carrot
3 shiitake mushrooms
medium sized (8 1/2″) Vietnamese rice papers (* Red Rose brand)
2 cloves garlic
1 shallot
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vietnamese fish sauce
1/2 egg, lightly beaten
500g ground pork
200g raw shelled shrimp
peanut or vegetable oil for frying

Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)
1 lime
2 red bird’s eye chillies
1/4 cup Vietnamese fish sauce
1/2 cup warm water
2 tablespoons sugar

Cover the vermicelli noodles in warm water for 10 minutes, drain and pat dry. Prepare the carrots either by grating or by julienning (very thin long strips) no longer than 2″, add to a large bowl. Finely slice the mushrooms, and the run a knife across them again to make them thin and fine lengthwise strips. MInce both the garlic and shallot and add along with the pepper, fish sauce and the half egg to the vegetables.

Mince the shrimp and add to the vegetables along with the pork. When the vermicelli are nice and dry chop them into no more than 2″ strips, then add to the other ingredients. Combine all ingredients until uniformly distributed. Refrigerate until you are ready to roll.

To make the dipping sauce finely slice the chillies and then combine all ingredients in a small bowl stirring to well incorporate the sugar. Taste it and either add more water if very salty or more sugar if not sweet enough. Set aside.

To shape the rolls first prepare the rice papers. I find it is easiest to work on 2-3 rolls at a time and collect them on a parchment lined sheet before frying any. The package may tell you differently but I have the best luck when I fill a large plate with quite warm water and immerse the entire sheet in it until soft, usually about 45-60 seconds. When it is soft transfer it to a clean counter top and pat off any excess water, let it relax for another minute.

Put approximately 3 tablespoons of filling parallel to the bottom of the circle about one third of the way in. Roll the rice paper up and over the filling just until you can hold the filling tightly and secure it. Now fold over the left hand side and the right hand side. Then continue rolling it as tight as you can until sealed. There are a ton of videos on this on youtube if you are interested on technique.

Prepare a pot or wok with enough oil to come up about 2″ up the sides. Heat up oil until it is 350-360F. Fry rolls in batches until crispy and lightly golden, about 8 minutes, maintain the temperature of the oil while frying. Place on a cooling rack to drain. To keep them warm while you are frying put the rack over a cookie sheet and place in a warm (300F) oven. Serve hot with dipping sauce.

Grilled Shrimp with Lime and Cilantro

katerina — Wed, 26 May 2010 12:18:50 +0000

This summer stands to be the best year for my vegetable garden yet. J was kind enough to rebuild it for me this winter, so not only do I have twice the space but I also have better soil and more sun exposure. Naturally, this year I am determined to successfully grow cilantro and tomatoes.

If you enjoy cilantro than having it within reach in the summer is key for many fresh grilling recipes and salads. Unfortunately buying cilantro when at our cabin is a really bad idea. If I am lucky and cilantro is even available it is usually floppy and at least half of it is turning brown and wet at the edges. Frequently it is absent from the market altogether. Considering that the cabin is the location of our barbecue I am thrilled that so far my cilantro plant seems to be thriving.

The important thing to note when you marinate seafood in citrus is that it needs to be brief — unless you want ceviche. In 15 or 20 minutes the shrimp will pick up the lovely acidic flavour of the lime without being cooked itself. If you forget the shrimps are in the fridge for more than 30 minutes, I recommend calling in for pizza as they may have turned into rubbery little worms.

Grilled Shrimp with Lime and Cilantro
(serves 2-3 as an appetizer)

1 lime
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
1 teaspoon freshly minced cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced
1 dried red Thai chili, minced
1 tablespoon minced shallot
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 dozen shrimp or prawns

Zest and juice the lime and add to a small bowl. Add ginger, cilantro, garlic, chili and shallot plus a big pinch of salt and pepper. Grab a whisk and whisk the dressing furiously while you slowly stream in oil.

Rinse the shrimp and remove the shells. Use a sharp knife to devein the shrimps and pat them dry. Add to marinade, cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes. Prep your skewers. If you are using wooden skewers cover them with water and allow them to soak while the prawns marinate.

After 15 minutes turn your grill onto medium high and remove shrimp from the fridge. Impale the shrimp onto the skewers at the base of the tail and the middle of the head. Leave a bit of space between each shrimp.

Grill on high for about 2 minutes per side. Serve with extra limes on the side.

Shrimp in White Wine and Garlic Butter Recipe

katerina — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:35:00 +0000

Shrimp sauteed in garlic butter is really easy to make and guaranteed to please a crowd. When my local fisherman showed up again I knew I wanted to do another simple shrimp preparation to enhance the delicate sweet flavour of the fresh seafood.

If your shrimp or prawns are already cleaned and shelled you can throw this together in less than ten minutes, serve with crusty bread and a simple salad and you have a delicious easy meal. For a variation try adding some crushed red chili flakes when you add the garlic. Delicious.

If you want to make it more of a meal, try making a fresh pasta sauce, similar to my shrimp and white wine pasta sauce with fresh tomatoes and leeks.

Shrimp and White Wine Pasta Sauce with Fresh Tomatoes and Leeks Recipe

katerina — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 22:00:00 +0000

Shrimp with white wine and garlic is always a popular combination, but when you add in the local tomatoes and baby leeks it brings a beautiful sweetness to this classic dish. With the inspiration available at the farmers market this time of year it is natural to me to make things which are as fresh and simple as this pasta.

I used local Spot Prawns (frozen) to make this, but any form of shrimp or prawn would be delicious, of course the serving size and number of shrimps required will vary based on the kind you choose. Because this recipe uses a small amount of fresh tomatoes you will find that the sauce is the white wine, butter and leeks rather then a traditional tomato sauce. You can use any pasta you want, I used what was in the cupboard which was a rotini. I think a linguine would be lovely with this sauce. Also check out this Shrimp in White Wine and Garlic Recipe.

Grilled Shrimp Skewers Recipe with Garlic, Chili, and Parsley

katerina — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:43:00 +0000

Scroll down for the recipe – a simple marinade to enhance the natural flavour of shrimp or prawns, but first an open letter to the fisherman I bought mine seafood from.

Dear Mr. Fisherman

Please accept my apologies, when I bought these prawns off your boat I was skeptical about what I was buying. I judged you unfairly because of the hairy belly hanging over you plumber jeans and the cigarette dangling from your mouth. It sounded too good to be true, your offer of $10 for a big bag of prawns which had been flash frozen in salt water and caught 2 weeks before. I shouldn’t have doubted since I heard from another local that the shrimpies were good but I couldn’t help wondering.

I judged, and it was wrong. The prawns were amazing. As soon as they defrosted it was easy to tell how fresh they were, so I chose a really simple preparation and was careful to not overcook. Please come back to our island next year, I will be waiting with a bottle of white wine.

Katerina

Grilled Shrimp Skewers with Garlic, Chili and Parsley Recipe
(serves 2-4)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
2 dried thai chilies, minced
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper
1 tablespoon, minced fresh parsley
3 dozen shrimp\prawns, heads and shells removed, de-veined tails on.

Whisk together mustard, lemon juice, garlic, chiles, olive oil and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add shrimp and let marinate for 30 minutes. If you are using wooden skewers, soak them at the same time in water. This will help prevent them from catching on fire when on the grill. Skewer the prawns. For each prawn skewer at the top of tail and through the head. Heat your barbecue to medium high and grease it. Grill each skewer for 90 seconds per side and check for doneness – it will vary based on size of shrimps.