Dinner At Sheila's
The web just got a lot more delicious.
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I’ve recently joined an online food community called FOOD52 and have been having so much fun exploring it. Its mission is to support, connect and celebrate home cooks. If you are not familiar with it you can check it out at www.food52.com.
This recipe for Shrimp Biryani (Indian Shrimp and Rice) is one I discovered while searching for shrimp recipes on FOOD52.
I have had very little experience with Indian cooking since my husband has never really been a fan. In all honesty we’ve never really eaten much Indian cuisine.
In looking at this recipe I decided this might just be the time to change that. And I’m pretty sure I was successful because there was not much left over, considering I made enough to serve 6 and there were 2 of us.
I definitely see more Indian cooking in my future.
I followed the recipe with a few exceptions due to the fact that I didn’t have all the ingredients on hand. I substituted some dried cardamom seeds for the green pods, and didn’t have any mint. I also used brown basmati rice instead of white.
It was fantastic, even with the substitutions. The spices are so fragrant, and the combination of them makes for a really delightful dish, and surprisingly fast once you have your ingredients in order. Next time I will have those green cardamom pods and the fresh mint!
Shrimp Biryani (Indian Shrimp and Rice) (by amreen from FOOD52)
Serves 6
2 cups basmati rice(I used brown basmati)
1 pound shrimp, shelled and de-veined
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/4 bunch cilantro
2 serrano chilis (I used 1)
1 -1 inch piece of ginger
4 large cloves of garlic
4 tablespoons oil (I used canola)
1 large yellow onion
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 cinnamon stick, 1 and 1/2 inches
1/4 stick of butter
1/2 teaspoon whole cloves
10-12 whole green cardamom pods
2 bay leaves
3 cups water
2 sprigs mint
salt to taste
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash the rice and soak it in cold water until needed.
2. Wash the shrimp and drain it well. Add the salt and tumeric and mix. Refrigerate until ready to use.
3. Peel the ginger and garlic and use a food processor to blend it to a paste with the cilantro and chilis. You can use a little water if it is too dry.
4. Chop the onion and mint and leave to the side until needed.
5. Heat the oil on medium in an oven safe dish. Add the peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and 1 bay leaf. Saute until fragrant, approximately 2-3 minutes.
6. Add the chopped onion and saute until light brown, stirring constantly.
7. Add 1/2 of the paste and saute for another minute or two.
8. Add water and salt (1-2 teaspoons depending on taste) and bring this to a boil.
9. Drain the rice
and add it to the boiling water and add the butter and mint. Bring this to a boil, cover and place it in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes.
10. When the rice has been in the oven for 10 minutes heat some oil in a saute pan and add the remainder of the paste (or less if you are afraid it’s too spicy) along with the other bay leaf. Saute this for a minute or two and add the shrimp. Saute the shrimp until done (they should be light pink) about 5 minutes.
11. Remove the rice from the oven. Top it with the shrimp and serve.
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Frozen Bloody Mary Shrimp Cocktail
This is a really interesting recipe I found online that comes from Tyler Florence. You can choose to serve the Bloody Mary on the rocks as a beverage or, and this is the really interesting part, pour it into metal molds, freeze for 4 hours or overnight, unmold on a chilled salad plate, surrounded by the dressed shrimp and watercress.
I chose to make a nice pitcher of Bloody Mary, and serve it on the rocks at my recent brunch. I’m sorry I didn’t get a photo of it because it was quite pretty with the lemons, limes, and cilantro floating around in it. It was also quite tasty which is why I guess I never got the photo!
The dressing for the shrimp is a nice alternative to the typical cocktail sauce that we all love. It calls for fresh chives as well as fresh chervil. I had difficulty finding fresh chervil, so I substituted whatever fresh tarragon I had left in the garden for it, since I read they are a bit similar in taste. It went especially well with those Bloody Marys!
Frozen Bloody Mary Shrimp Cocktail
Bloody Mary
1/2 lemon, cut into wedges (save other 1/2 for dressing
1/2 lime, cut into wedges (save other 1/2 for dressing)
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 handful fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
2 dashes hot sauce
1 (32-ounce) bottle vegetable or tomato juice, preferably organic
1/2 cup vodka*
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
*If not using, add 1/2 cup tomato juice
Shrimp
1 red onion
1 lemon, cut in half
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 pound large shrimp, shells on ( I used shelled and deveined shrimp, tails-on)
Dressing
1 cup creme fraiche or sour cream
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 bunch fresh chervil, chopped
1/2 bunch fresh chives, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Watercress, for garnish
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Special equipment: 4 (4-6-ounce metal molds)
Make the Bloody Mary: Put into a pitcher the lemon and lime wedges, horseradish, celery seed, cilantro, Worcestershire, and hot sauce. Muddle these ingredients by smashing them together with a wooden spoon. Pour in the juice and vodka; stir, taste, and season with salt and pepper. Serve on the rocks as a beverage or pour into the molds and freeze for 4 hours or overnight.
Poach the shrimp: Put the onion, lemon, bay leaves, and peppercorns into a medium size pot and fill it with water. Bring to a boil, add the shrimp, reduce the heat, and simmer until the shrimp are cooked through, about 5 minutes. Drain and refrigerate. When cool enough to handle, peel and devein them.
Note: I would prepare the shrimp ahead and keep them well chilled, even overnight, until ready to dress them.
Make the dressing: In a bowl combine the creme fraiche or sour cream, mustard, horseradish, lemon juice, lime juice, chervil (or tarragon), and chives. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.
Serve: Unmold a Frozen Bloody Mary onto a chilled salad plate. Toss the shrimp with the dressing and divide them among the plates. Garnish with watercress and a lemon wedge; drizzle over a few drops of olive oil.
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GRILLED SHRIMP SALAD WITH FETA, TOMATOES, AND WATERMELON
I picked up the Aug/Sept issue of Fine Cooking today, one of my favorite magazines, and found this recipe in the Make It Tonight feature…and so I did. A perfect solution for a cool dinner on a sizzling hot day!
The shrimp are marinated in lemon juice and smoked sweet paprika before grilling, and combined with watermelon, tomatoes, basil, and feta to make a great light summer salad.
