Swicy Shrimp ©Diane Eblin
I love meals that I can pull together in 15-30 minutes. I don’t know about you but some nights I’m either so hungry if I wait for an involved dinner I’ll be eating everything else in the kitchen, or I just don’t have a lot of time to cook. Either way shrimp is a great dish to make for these circumstances.
Looking for a Valentine’s dinner that is easy to make and looks amazing? This would be a great dish to make for your sweetheart. If you’re comfortable cooking and talking you can both enjoy a nice glass of wine while you cook. With this being a fast dish to cook you’ll have more time to spend together. A wonderful dessert to follow this meal would be Karina’s Kitchen Vegan Flourless Chocolate Cake.
When I see wild caught shrimp on sale I buy a couple of pounds and freeze them separately. I really like what I call very large shrimp. When you purchase shrimp remember to look for the “count” not the size. One is a fact, how many shrimp you get to a pound, and the other is an opinion. My medium could be your large, but you will still see both listed. Here are some options you may see, just remember to buy by the number and not the name.
U/10 10 shrimp or less = Colossal
U/15 11-15 shrimp = Jumbo
16/20 shrimp = Extra Large
21/30 shrimp = Large
31/35 shrimp = Medium
36/45 shrimp = Small
51/60 shrimp = Small (see these are both listed as small)
100 shrimp = Miniature
I like 16/20 for dishes that have a lot in them besides the shrimp, but I really like the U/15 when I’m creating a dinner around the shrimp. I want the shrimp to be the star of the dish.
This dish had a really nice kick to it. Adjust the jalapenos, chili powder and smoked paprika to your desired heat level. You can serve this with rice to counterbalance that effect. I just wanted to enjoy the shrimp with the sweetness of the fruit and the spicy peppers so we went solo. My son calls that taste swicy, sweet and spicy.
Ingredients:
1 pound U/15 shrimp (your preference on size)
1 cup corn (fresh or frozen and I like the tiny kernels)
1 cup Mango diced
½-1 cup Papaya diced
1 cup red onion diced
Handful fresh cilantro chopped
1 tsp Jalapeno chopped (I used dried but fresh is great too)
1 tsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
½-1 tsp Chili Powder
½ -1 tsp Smoked Paprika
½ tsp Onion Powder
½-1 cup white wine
Sea Salt & Pepper to taste
Serves 2 hungry people as a meal or 4 for appetizers.
Directions:
If your shrimp are frozen put them in a colander and let water run over them. Make sure it’s not hot water you don’t want to cook them in the colander. Peel and devein them leaving the tips of the tail on for presentation purposes. If you’re lucky you can get shrimp already peeled and deveined. Once thawed, place the shrimp on a towel to dry. It is very important that you don’t put wet shrimp into a hot pan with oil. First, you will create lots of hot oil splattering all over you and second, your pan will fill up with the water and you won’t be able to cook it off to brown up the shrimp and have the seasonings absorbed without overcooking the shrimp. Trust me I’ve tried too many times.
©Diane Eblin
While the shrimp are thawing, cut up your onions, mango and papaya. I didn’t have enough papaya when I was cooking so if you have more than my ¼ cup use it. Heat your pan on medium high and when the oil is hot add the jalapenos. This will flavor your oil and is necessary if you are using dried jalapenos. Next add your dry shrimp. Sprinkle with half of the seasonings. When you see the shrimp getting pink turn them over. Keep an eye on them. If they curl up to that tight O then they’re over cooked. When they are done, big C shape, take them out and place on you dish. Feel free to create your own arrangement of the shrimp. Have fun with this and try something different each time.
Add the onions to your pan and cook until soft. This will not take very long so don’t walk away from your pan. Add in the fruit, corn, cilantro and remaining spices. The pan will brown and this is great. Add in the wine and scrape your pan to get all of that wonderful flavor into your sauce. Don’t let all of the liquid cook off. If it does you might want to add a little more.
Spoon this mixture over your shrimp and top with sprig of cilantro. This is a great dish served with wine and shared with someone you love.
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