Shrimp & “Grits”

Recipe adapted from Joy of Cooking

  

Ingredients

Shrimp

• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, reserving the shells
  
• 2 ½ cups water
  
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
  
• 1 carrot, chopped
  
• ½ medium onion, chopped
  
• 4 garlic cloves, crushed
  
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 medium onion, minced
  
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
  
• 2 tablespoons brown rice flour
  
• 1 (14 ½ ounce) can diced tomatoes, in juices
  
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  
• ½ cup chicken broth
  
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
  
• ½ teaspoon black pepper, divided
  
• ¼ cup almond milk
  

"Grits"

• 2 cups water
  
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
  
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  
• 1 cup quinoa
  
• ¾ cup chicken broth
  
• 1 ½ cups almond milk
  

Directions

1. Make the shrimp stock: Place the reserved shrimp shells, chopped celery, carrots, chopped onion, crushed garlic, and water in a sauce pan. Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for at least one hour. Strain through cheesecloth and reserve broth. The broth should yield about 1 ¼ cups of liquid.
   
2. Make the grits: Bring water, oil, and salt to a boil in a medium-sized sauce pan. Add quinoa and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 15 minutes, or until most of the water is absorbed by the quinoa. Add the chicken broth and simmer about 15 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Add the almond milk, pouring in ½ cup at a time. Simmer the grits with the almond milk about an hour or until grits are thick and creamy, but not runny.
   
3. Make the shrimp: Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Sauté the onions and garlic until tender, about 10 minutes, sprinkling with 1 teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Reduce the heat to medium, add the flour and cook about a minute, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the reserved shrimp stock, tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon black pepper, and ½ cup chicken broth. Bring to a boil to thicken and then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour, or until grits are done cooking. Just before serving add the shrimp. Cook for about 3 minutes. Whisk in ¼ cup of almond milk and simmer until heated through. Serve the shrimp over a bed of grits. Serves 5.

Low Country Boil

Ingredients

• 1 box crab boil
  
• 4 tablespoons kosher salt
  
• 14 new potatoes
  
• 4 ears corn, halved
  
• 1 pound link sausage, cut into 4-inch links
  
• 2 pounds shrimp
  

Directions

1. Fill a large dutch oven half-way full of water. Add the crab boil and kosher salt; bring to a boil.
   
2. Add the potatoes and reduce the heat to medium. Cook for 20 minutes.
   
3. Add the corn and sausage. Cook for 15 minutes.
   
4. Add the shrimp and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and serve. Serves 4.
   

*Note – I purchased Zatarain's Crab boil, which comes in a bag you can toss in the pot. Do not open this bag like I did. We spent a lot of time picking spices off of our food – however, it did make for an interesting dinner.

Savannah-Style Marinated Shrimp

Ingredients

• 2 ½ pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  
• 3 Vidalia onions, thinly sliced
  
• 4 fresh bay leaves
  
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  
• 1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
  
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  
• Coarse salt and black pepper
  
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  
• ½ cup canola oil
  
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
  

Directions

1. In a large bowl, toss together the shrimp, onions, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
   
2. In a large glass measuring cup, whisk together the vinegar, oil, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Pour marinade over the shrimp.
   
3. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve over salad or in lettuce cups. Serves 4 to 6.
   

 

Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, Y'all

Shrimp Cakes

Ingredients

• 3/4 pound (raw) shrimp, peeled and deveined
  
• 1 Vidalia onion, finely chopped
  
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
  
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  
• 1 tablespoon honey
  
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
  
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  
• ¼ cup gluten-free breadcrumbs
  
• ½ cup brown rice flour
  
• 3 tablespoons peanut oil, for sautéing
  

Directions

1. In a food processor, pulse the shrimp until finely chopped.
   
2. In large bowl use your hands to mix together shrimp, onion, garlic, lemon juice, honey, salt, chili powder, eggs, and bread crumbs. Form patties. Roll each shrimp cake in brown rice flour; tapping off any excess flour (you should get 12 patties). Refrigerate shrimp cakes for 30 minutes.
   
3. Heat 3 tablespoons of peanut oil in 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp cakes and sauté 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until golden brown. Do not overcrowd the pan; work in two batches if necessary. Serves 4 (3 shrimp cakes per person).

Nonna Luna's Rice

recipe adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons EVOO, divided
• 2 cups long-grain rice
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 pounds small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 heaping tablespoons of cornstarch plus 1/4 cup of cold water
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium nonstick saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of EVOO over medium heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken broth and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover skillet with tight fitting lid and place in oven.  Cook for 17 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to sit covered fro 5 minutes. 
3. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat almond milk over medium heat.  In a small cup whisk together cornstarch with cold water until smooth.  Whisk the cornstarch mixture into the heated almond milk.  Bring mixture to a boil until thickened.  Off the heat and let sit while preparing the shrimp. 
4. In a large skillet, heat the remaining EVOO over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic. Add the shrimp, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp is pink and cooked through. Stir in the almond milk cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Using a fork, fluff the rice and arrange on a platter. Spoon the shrimp cream sauce over the rice and serve.  Serves 4.

Roasted Shrimp Salad

recipe courtesy of "How Easy Is That?"

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 pounds (12 to 15 count) shrimp
• 1 tablespoon good olive oil
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup good mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon orange zest (2 oranges)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon good white wine vinegar
• 1/4 cup minced fresh dill
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• 2 tablespoons small-diced red onion

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 
2. Peel and devein the shrimp. Place them on a sheet pan with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss together. Spread the shrimp on one layer and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, just until pink, firm and cooked through. Allow to cool for 3 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce. In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, orange zest, orange juice, vinegar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. When the shrimp are cool, add them to the sauce and toss. Add the dill, capers, and red onion and toss well. The flavors will improve if you allow the salad to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes. Otherwise, chill and serve at room temperature.  Serves 6.

Shrimp with Lentils

recipe adapted from Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 1⁄2 pound lentils
• 3 tbs. EVOO, divided
• 4 small yellow onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 3⁄4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic (4 cloves)
• 1 1⁄2 cups chopped celery (4 stalks)
• 1 1⁄2 cups chopped carrots (3 carrots)
• 1 can GF chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 tablespoons good red wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 lbs. large, white, raw shrimp, peeled

Directions

1. Place the lentils in a heat-proof bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for 15 minutes, then drain. Meanwhile, heat 2 tbs. of oil in a saute pan, add the onions, thyme, salt, and pepper and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the drained lentils, celery, carrots, chicken stock, and tomato paste. Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Add the vinegar and season, to taste. 
2. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  For the shrimp, toss with remaining 1 tbs. of EVOO and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Spread on baking sheet and roast for 6 minutes.  Serve shrimp over lentils.  Serves 4. 

 Garlic Roasted Shrimp

 Ingredients

• 1 lb. raw white shrimp, peeled
• 1 tbs. EVOO
• 1 tbs. lemon juice
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Toss shrimp in oil, lemon juice, and garlic.  Let marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spread shrimp on roasting sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for 5 to 6 minutes.  Serves 2.

Stuffed Green Peppers

Ingredients

• 2 green bell peppers
• 1 1/2 c. cooked lentils
• 1 c. cooked basamati rice
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tbs. canola oil
• salt and pepper

Directions

1. Slice tops off green peppers and reserve.  Hollow out the inside of each pepper.  
2. In a separate bowl combine lentils, rice, garlic, oil, and season with salt and pepper.  Stuff mixture down inside peppers and place reserved tops on peppers.
3. Place peppers in baking dish and cook at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  Serves 2.  

Note: You can use whatever leftover cooked vegetables you have on hand to stuff the peppers.  Additionally you may use different spices to mix in with the rice and lentils.  I made an Italian style pepper with oregano, basil, marjoram, and rosemary.  A Mexican style pepper could be made by mixing in cumin, paprika, chili powder, and cayenne pepper.