Tag Archives: Shrimp

Shrimp Fried Rice

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , ,
Shrimp Fried Rice

Shrimp Fried Rice

Turn your kitchen into a Chinese restaurant.  Why order take-out when you can order in!  With this recipe you can make your own version of shrimp fried rice.

Fried rice is typically made with rice that has been pre-cooked and allowed to cool so that it will fry and not steam when added to the other ingredients of the dish.  So left over rice that is dried out is ideal.  If that is not available, cook some rice in advance and let it become cold, and some what dry.

Shrimp, rice, egg, and lots of veggies.

Shrimp, rice, egg, and lots of veggies.

Fried rice usually includes eggs, meat or seafood,  vegetables, peppers, spices and soy sauce.  Extra flavor is gained by the  addition of onions, scallions and garlic.  A wok is the cooking utensil of choice but a large non-stick skillet works equally well.

This shrimp fried rice is full of vegetables and makes 4 generous servings, so you’ll need a large skillet at least 12 inches wide or a large wok. Be sure that you do not over cook the vegetables, they should be crisp-tender.

Although the recipe states that it makes 4 servings, my husband and I were able to devour most of it with only a small dish left over.  We loved it and I can’t wait to make it again.

SHRIMP FRIED RICE

MAKES:    4  SERVINGS

Have all ingredients prepped before starting to cook.

Have all ingredients prepped before starting to cook.

  • 1  1/2  cups water
  • 1 cup instant brown rice
  • 2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 4 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
  • 2 large eggs
  • 8  ounces peeled and deveined raw shrimp
  • 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
  • 4 cups stringless snap peas  ( I used asparagus in mine. )
  • 1 medium red bell pepper, cut into  1/2 inch pieces
  • 2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
  • 4 scallions, chopped

1.  Combine water and rice in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil over high heat.  Cover, reduce heat to med.-low and simmer until water is absorbed, 10 – 12 minutes.  Allow to cool, but stir occasionally to prevent clumping.  Spreading the rice out on a baking sheet is helpful in cooling it quickly and preventing it from clumping.

2.  Combine hoisin sauce, soy sauce, and sesame oil in a small bowl.  Set aside.

3.  Heat 1 teaspoon canola oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add eggs and cook, stirring to help break into smaller pieces, until just set, about 45 seconds.  Transfer to a small bowl.

IMG_3374

Eggs cooked just until set.

4.  Add another 1 teaspoon canola oil to the skillet and return to medium-high heat.  Add shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally, until pink  1 1/2 – 2 minutes.  Transfer to a plate or bowl.

Saute shrimp until pink and just cooked.

Saute shrimp until pink and just cooked.

5.  Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons canola oil in the skillet over medium-high heat.  Add ginger and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in snap peas, bell pepper, carrots, and scallions; cook stirring, until tender-crisp, 3 – 4 minutes.

A colorful combinations of vegetables.

A colorful combinations of vegetables.

6.  Stir in the rice and the reserved egg and shrimp;  cook, stirring until heated through, about 1 minute.  Gently stir in the sauce mixture and remove from the heat.

Add in rice, shrimp and egg.

Add in rice, shrimp and egg.

YUM! So good.

YUM! So good.

SOURCE:    Eatingwell.com

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Puttin’ On The Ritz

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Carolyn's Originals, Main Dish, Side Dish and tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Puttin' on the Ritz Stuffed Shrimp.

Puttin’ on the Ritz Stuffed Shrimp.

Whenever I hear the song “Puttin’ on the Ritz” I think  of this recipe, so I have given it the name “Puttin’ on the Ritz Baked Stuffed Shrimp” and because I served it with a pilaf of Israeli couscous, that recipe is included here also.   This meal was a really nice combination of flavors and textures.  I hope you will like it.

A large bag of raw shrimp was  being featured at a terrifically good price at the supermarket this week, so I bought some.  Not having any specific plans for using them, I like to keep shrimp in the freezer because they are so versatile, and quick cooking.  But since I’m currently trying to incorporate at least one seafood meal per week, I decided to make baked stuffed shrimp with some of my ‘loot”.  Now I’m sure they are many, many ways to make the stuffing, but over the years I’ve developed a recipe that we both love, and its become my reliable way to pair any kind of fish with a stuffing.IMG_3286

What I do is make the stuffing (see recipe below), spread it in the bottom of a baking dish, and place the fish/seafood on top.  Drizzle a little melted butter over the top and sprinkle with seasonings.  Bake until the fish is tender.  This particular recipe may be called Baked Stuffed Shrimp, but it’s my version;  not the usual offering you would expect in a restaurant—same ingredients, but different look.

PUTTIN’ ON THE RITZ BAKED STUFFED SHRIMP

SERVINGS:    about 4    To make more adjust ingredients accordingly.

INGREDIENTS

  •  1 pound large shrimp, cleaned and deveined
  • 20 – 30  Ritz crackers, crushed
  • 1 stick butter, divided
  • 1/4 cup chopped onion, or green onions
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1/4 cup chopped celery
  • 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1.  Preheat oven to 350*F.   Lightly grease a baking dish.

2.  Crush crackers and set aside in a bowl.

3.  Melt 6 Tablespoons butter in a skillet over low heat.  Add the onion, celery, and garlic and sauté lightly till onion is translucent. and celery is beginning to soften.

4.  Pour the vegetable mixture over the cracker crumbs, stirring until the crumbs are completely moistened.   Spoon the crumb mixture into the bottom of the baking dish, and spread in a flat layer.

5.  Arrange shrimp attractively on top of stuffing.  Melt the remaining 2 Tablespoon butter and add the 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice.  Drizzle over the shrimp.  Sprinkle with seafood seasoning.

Make a layer of stuffing on the bottom, and place seafood on top. Drizzle with butter and sprinkle with seasonings.

Make a layer of stuffing on the bottom, and place seafood on top. Drizzle with butter and sprinkle with seasonings.

Bake till shrimp have turned pink and are tender, about 20 minutes.

In place of shrimp you could substitute tilapia, flounder, or sole fillets.  Also the stuffing can be expanded by adding in some finely  chopped shrimp, crabmeat, or small bay scallops.

While shrimp are baking, prepare the pilaf:

ISRAELI COUSCOUS PILAF

Israeli Couscous, tri-colored.

Israeli Couscous, tri-colored.

SERVINGS:   about 4

  • 1 cup Israeli couscous
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup red pepper, finely chopped
  • 1  1/4 cups boiling water

1.  In a medium skillet, heat the olive oil.  Add the chopped shallot and red pepper.  Saute over medium heat till vegetables start to soften. Add the couscous and cook to lightly brown the couscous.

Saute onion and pepper, then add couscous.

Saute shallot and pepper, then add couscous.

2.  Carefully add the boiling water.  Turn down heat to low simmer, and cook covered for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Cook couscous to al dente, or desired degree of doneness.  Remove from heat and leave covered another 3 – 4 minutes before serving.

Israeli couscous pilaf.

Israeli couscous pilaf.

This is a delicious meal.

This is a delicious meal.

SOURCE:   Carolyn’s Originals

Shades of Green

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , , ,

I’m thinking green, people.  I don’t mean environmentally green as in recycle, reduce, reuse or regift.  I mean the color green, as in grass,  spring,  shamrocks, emeralds,  (woo-hoo, my birthstone!).

Penne with Asparagus and Shrimp

Penne with Asparagus and Shrimp

What got me thinking along these lines was a display of fresh asparagus at the supermarket.  This vegetable says spring to me like no other so I had to buy some.  And then the question, ‘what shall I make with it?’  I pondered:  roast asparagus?  steamed asparagus with butter sauce?   asparagus with eggs?  No,  even though I like all those dishes, I wanted something more substantial that would make a whole meal.  So, remembering that I had a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer,  ( remember my resolution not to forget about foods in the freezer?)  I decided on the following recipe for Penne with Asparagus and Shrimp.  This is a healthy, hearty, yet easy recipe that is good enough to serve to guests.  It also makes a great take-along lunch for the next day.

PENNE WITH ASPARAGUS AND SHRIMP

SERVES:   about 4 generously

INGREDIENTS

Beautiful green asparagus, shrimp, onions and garlic.

Beautiful green asparagus, shrimp, onions and garlic.

  • 1 pound penne pasta
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 medium onion, chopped
  • 1 cup white wine
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 2 Tablespoons butter
  • 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
  • 1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
  • 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for the table

DIRECTIONS

1.  Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.  Add the penne and cook until al dente, 8 to 10 minutes; drain

2.  Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.   Stir in the garlic and onion, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes.

Onions doing their thing.

Onions doing their thing.

3.  Pour in the white wine, and simmer for 2 minutes.  Stir in the red pepper flakes, butter, and asparagus;

White wine, butter and asparagus added.

White wine, butter and asparagus added.

Cook until the asparagus is just tender, about 3 minutes.  Add the shrimp and lemon juice, continue cooking until the shrimp have turned pink and are no longer translucent in the center.  Season with salt and pepper.

Shrimp, lemon juice, and then pasta added.

Shrimp, lemon juice, and then pasta added.

4.  Toss the cooked penne pasta with the shrimp and asparagus mixture.  Sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan cheese to garnish.

This just keeps getting better and better!

Sprinkle on more Parmesan cheese.

Sprinkle on more Parmesan cheese.

Serve with more parmesan cheese at the table to sprinkle on each serving.

SOURCE:  AllRecipes.com

Baby, It’s Cold Outside

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals, Soups and tagged with , , , , , , , , ,
Frigid, but beautiful.

Frigid, but beautiful.

Right about now, the thermometer reads 7 degrees, with a wind-chill factor of –18*!.   We are in a deep freeze and this is day number 6 of it.  Brrrrr!  What’s a body to do to keep warm?  First and foremost, stay indoors.  If that’s not possible dress in multiple layers, covering ears, nose and fingertips.

What I love to do in this kind of weather is Make Soup.  There is something soothing and warming just in making it, and then simmering away, it promises more warmth and comfort later when you eat it.  Since I live in the Northeast, and this area is  well known for its creamy New England style clam chowder,  what I am making today is a variation of it called Fish Chowder (chowda, as we say).

Creamy New England Fish Chowder

Creamy New England Fish Chowder

New England style chowder is a cream or milk based soup that always contains potatoes, onions, and clams or other kinds of seafood.  You can make it rich and thick using cream, or lighten it up with light cream or milk.  I usually make mine with milk to reduce some of the fat, so that I can use bacon and its drippings for additional flavor and to sauté the onions and celery.  You may have heard of another kind of chowder that is popular here.  It is a clear broth soup served mostly in Rhode Island and parts of southeastern Connecticut.  Rhode Island style  chowder contains potatoes, clams, onions, lot of seasonings and a clear broth made from clam juice.  Everyone seems to have their favorite kind and their own way of making it, believing that theirs is the best.

My recipe is one that I have had for a long time and  I think it came from a community cookbook put out by one of the churches in the area.  This version is easy to make and we all love it.  Top each serving with some crisp bacon bits and a shake or two of hot sauce to add a little spice.

CREAMY FISH CHOWDER

Seafood. potatoes, and bacon crisped.

Seafood. potatoes, and bacon crisped.

SERVINGS:  about 8

INGREDIENTS:

  • 3 strips of bacon
  • 1 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 Tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large or 2 medium stalks celery
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 4  medium potatoes, peeled and diced
  • 2 pounds cod or other firm white fish, cut into 1/2″ pieces***
  • 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning, or to taste
  • salt to taste
  • ground black pepper
  • 1 ( 8 0z.) bottle clam juice
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups cream, light cream or milk

***I use 1 pound cod or other white fish and then add a can of clams with their juice, some bay scallops and small-medium shrimp to make the other pound of fish.

DIRECTIONS

1.  In a skillet, cook the bacon crisp.  Remove and drain on paper towels.  Set aside till serving.

2.  In a large soup pot melt the butter and olive oil, add bacon drippings.   Add the chopped onion and celery.  Sauté until tender.

Saute onions and celery.

Saute onions and celery.

3.  Add chicken stock and potatoes; simmer for about 10 minutes.

4.  Add the fish, and simmer another 10 minutes.

5.  Season to taste with the Old Bay, salt and pepper.  Mix together the clam juice and flour till smooth.  Stir into the soup.  Add the cream or  milk and heat but do not boil.  When heated through, serve in bowls, topped with bacon bits.  Shake on a dash of hot sauce if you like a little spiciness.

Sprinkle with bacon bits to serve.

Sprinkle with bacon bits to serve.

Enjoy a bowl of hearty hot chowder and stay warm, everyone.

Hearty fish chowder.

Hearty fish chowder.

Baked Seafood Newburg

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , , ,
Baked Seafood Newburg

Baked Seafood Newburg

New Year’s Eve, a night when many people are out on the town,  Mr. D.  and I are rather low-key in our celebration.  I like to splurge a little on the ingredients for a really nice dinner that includes a good bottle of wine.  After dinner we usually watch a movie.  That’s about as exciting as it gets around here.

This year’s dinner was a baked casserole of Seafood Newburg, along with a salad of mixed baby greens, green grapes, dried cranberries and pistachio nuts, with a raspberry vinaigrette dressing.  A loaf of crunchy ciabatta bread and a bottle of Pinot Grigio completed the meal.   Amazingly I turned down having any dessert.  I know, I can’t believe it, but that casserole was so darn good I couldn’t stop going back for more.

Seafood Newburg with salad and ciabatta bread.

Seafood Newburg with salad and ciabatta bread.

I must give credit for the original recipe  to The Ranting Chef Blog where on a Monday, the guest blogger Maggie, gave a recipe called Seafood Casserole.  It looked really good so I made note to try it.  Then using it as a basis I added some of my own “twists” to it to come up with this one.  So thank you Pat and Maggie at the Ranting Chef for a great recipe.

These are some of the additions I made.  I wanted this to be a rich and decadent kind of dish so I added the meat of one small lobster to the scallops and shrimp  called for.

Just your everyday friendly lobster.

Just your everyday friendly lobster.

I used a can of condensed cream of shrimp soup as the basis for the cream sauce, and thinned it with one cup of half and half;

Condensed cream of shrimp soup and spaghetti, broken into thirds.

Condensed cream of shrimp soup and spaghetti, broken into thirds.

and for the topping I mixed crushed Ritz crackers, a little melted butter and the Parmesan cheese for a more substantial topping with a lot of crunch.  This is without a doubt the best recipe for Seafood Newburg.  Instead of mixing the spaghetti with the seafood and sauce you could serve the sauce over spaghetti, or on toast points, or in a puffed pastry shell.  Once you have a good recipe like this one there are so many ways to change its presentation or how you use it.  I just love its flexibility!

BAKED SEAFOOD NEWBURG

SERVINGS:   about 6

INGREDIENTS

  • 6 ounces spaghetti, broken into thirds,  and cooked as directed on the package 

    Scallops, shrimp and lobster.

    Scallops, shrimp and lobster.

  • 1/2 pound scallops,  If large sea scallops, cut in half or quarters.
  • 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 1/2 pound cooked lobster meat,  ( 1 – 1/4 lb. lobster)
  • 6 Tablespoons butter, divided
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 1 cup frozen peas
  • 1 can condensed cream of shrimp soup
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 4 Tablespoons white wine or Sherry
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 8 Tablespoons Parmesan cheese
  • 10 Ritz crackers, crushed

DIRECTIONS

1.  Preheat oven to 375*F,  Butter a large ( 4 qt. ) casserole

2.  Melt 3 Tablespoons butter in a large skillet.  Add the scallops and shrimp and sauté 6-8 minutes till opaque.  Add the lobster meat just to heat it; then remove all the seafood to a bowl and set aside.  Retain any liquid in the pan.

Saute all the seafood in butter.

Saute all the seafood in butter.

3. Add 1 Tablespoon butter to the pan and melt it.  Add the mushrooms and sauté  until browned.  Remove them and set aside.

4.  Empty the can of condensed soup into the skillet and over medium heat stir to smooth it out.  Gradually add the 1 cup half and half, stirring all the while.  Add the wine or sherry and 4 Tablespoons Cheese.

Newburg sauce with peas added.

Newburg sauce with peas added.

5.  At this point taste the sauce and add salt and pepper as needed.  Add the peas and heat through, then add back the mushrooms and all the seafood.

Mushrooms added.

Mushrooms added.

Seafood added.

Seafood added.

Heat slowly over low heat, while you drain the spaghetti.  Add the spaghetti to the skillet and stir to mix in.  Pour all of this into the buttered casserole.

Spaghetti added.

Spaghetti added.

6.  Melt the remaining 2 Tablespoons butter.  Add the crushed Ritz crackers and stir to coat well,  Stir in the remaining 4 Tablespoons cheese.  Sprinkle evenly over the top of the casserole.

7.  Bake at 375*F for 25 – 30 minutes till brown and bubbly around the edges.

Brown and bubbly round the edges.

Brown and bubbly round the edges.

Baked Seafood Newburg

Baked Seafood Newburg

SOURCE:   adapted from The Ranting Chef Blog

Shrimp Scampi with Linguine

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , , , ,

IMG_1773

Shrimp Scampi over linguine is one of those meals that is quick and easy to put together and most everyone likes it.  I’ve eaten it in restaurants many times and sometimes it is well seasoned and balanced but I’ve also had it when the philosophy  of the restaurant seemed to be ” the more garlic there is, the better”.   WRONG!   This dish is not about how much garlic you throw on some shrimp and linguine and then serve it swimming in clam broth.  It is about the blending of flavors that include shrimp, cooked just until pink, with a light touch of garlic, lemon juice, butter, olive oil, and parsley.  Serve over linguine with a good quality Parmesan cheese grated over the top and you have a dish that tells you it’s right after the first bite, when you sigh and say, Ahhhh, good.

IMG_1771

This is actually a quick pantry meal, if you keep frozen shrimp in the freezer.  In addition to the shrimp you will need a package of linguine or thin spaghetti, a lemon, butter, olive oil, 2-3 cloves of garlic, and fresh flat leaf parsley.

SHRIMP SCAMPI WITH LINGUINE

EVERYDAY ITALIAN, Giada DiLaurentis

A few simple ingredients is all you need.

A few simple ingredients is all you need.

4-6 servings

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound linguine
  • 1 pound medium – large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 4 Tablespoons Olive oil,
  • 6 Tablespoons butter
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • pepper to taste
  • zest of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • Parmesan cheese to grate at the table

DIRECTIONS

1.  For the pasta, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes.  Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, warm the olive oil with the butter over medium heat.  Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 minutes.

Saute garlic in butter and olive oil.

Saute garlic in butter and olive oil.

Add the shrimp and cook until pink, about 5 minutes.

Add the shrimp and cook until they are just pink.

Add the shrimp and cook until they are just pink.

Add the salt and pepper, lemon juice, lemon zest, and parsley.  Toss to combine.

Add salt and pepper, lemon juice and parsley.

Add salt and pepper, lemon juice and parsley.

Turn off the heat and add the drained linguine, plus some pasta water; enough to make a loose consistency, but not too juicy.

Add drained pasta and toss to coat.

Add drained pasta and toss to coat.

3.  Toss again to coat the pasta with the sauce.  Serve immediately, with parmesan cheese to grate onto each serving at the table.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese over the top.

Serve with grated Parmesan cheese over the top.

 

 

 

 

 

Pan-Seared Shrimp with Saffron Tomato Sauce

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish and tagged with , , , , , , ,

You’ve probably heard that saffron  is the most expensive spice on the planet.  Don’t be put off by that fact and neglect looking at some very interesting recipes.  Because saffron’s flavor is so strong, in most instances you only need a little.  Saffron is the signature flavor in such seafood dishes as bouillabaisse and paella and also in this dish that features shrimp in a tomato broth served over rice.  It is also the spice of choice when making risotto in the Northern provinces of Italy.

Saffron threads are actually the stigma of a particular variety of crocus.  Each flower bears only 3 of these stigma,which have to be carefully harvested by hand.  Somewhere around 50,000 flowers are needed to produce a single pound of saffron.  After harvest, the threads are delicately roasted over carefully tended wood fires.

When buying saffron look for a bright red-orange color and threads that are slightly pliable.  These characteristics are a sign of freshness, as saffron tends to darken and become  brittle as it ages.  Saffron is usually sold in specialty stores or in ethnic neighborhood markets.  It is packaged in tiny envelopes, and as long as they remain sealed the saffron will stay fresh.  I buy mine at an Italian foods market  in the city closest to where I live.

 

PAN-SEARED SHRIMP WITH SAFFRON TOMATO SAUCE

SERVES    4

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails can be left on).
  • 3 Tablespoons EVOO, divided
  • 2 Tablespoons butter, divided
  • 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
  • 1/3 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • pinch of saffron threads, crushed ( about 1/2 teaspoon )
  • 3 medium plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
  • cooked, short-grain rice for serving

PREPARATION

1.  Heat 2 Tablespoons of the olive oil and 1 Tablespoon butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat.  Add the shallots and sauté to light golden color, about 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2.  Stir in the wine and chicken broth.  Bring to a simmer, then add the saffron.  Simmer for 1 minute so it dissolves.  Add the tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.  Reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer 12-15 minutes.  Remove from heat, add fresh parsley and  keep warm

3.  Do not wipe out the pan.  Increase heat to med-high and add the last Tablespoon of oil and butter.  Once hot add the shrimp in a single layer.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook till brown on one side.  Turn over and cook till brown on 2nd side, and opaque throughout, 1 1/2 – 2 minutes longer.

4.  To serve:  in a large serving dish, make a bed of rice, top with the shrimp and sauce.

SOURCE:     My Gourmet Connection

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Umami Shrimp and Vegetable Stir Fry

Posted by deliciousonadollar in Main Dish, Quick Meals and tagged with , , , ,

Have you been reading or hearing the word Umami a lot lately?  I have, and no, it does not mean an asian vegetable, fish or any other kind of food.  It is the “fifth taste”, say many food writers; to be added to salty, sweet, acidic and bitter.  Umami is a rich deep flavor such as that  of cooked mushrooms, for example, or aged cheese.  There is lots of umami in this dish what with the mushrooms, tamari and sesame oil.  The dish goes together very quickly, once you have the vegetables sliced and ready.  Purchase precooked shrimp from the market, and save even more time.

UMAMI SHRIMP AND VEGETABLE STIR FRY

  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 8 oz. sliced mushrooms
  • 3 green onions, sliced
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 2 tablespoons tamari ( reduced sodium soy sauce)
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • dash pepper
  • 1/2 pound cooked shrimp
  • 1 small head broccoli  florets
  • cooked noodles
  1. Bring a large pot of water to boil.  Salt lightly and add raw broccoli.  Cook broccoli florets to crisp tender and remove with a skimmer to a plate.  Use the same water, and cook noodles as package directs.  As pictured here, I used Angel Hair pasta, but any thin pasta will do fine.
  2. While broccoli and pasta are cooking, heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a wok or large shallow skillet, over high heat.  Add the mushrooms, stir-fry until lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
Transfer mushrooms to a plate.  Add more oil to pan, if needed.  Add the green onions, and stir-fry 1 minute.
Add the 1/2 cup chicken broth, tamari, sesame oil and  pepper to taste.  Heat to boil.  Stir in 1/2 pound  cooked shrimp and cooked broccoli, and reserved mushrooms.
Heat until hot.
Drain noodles, and serve with shrimp and vegetable mixture over the top.

Serves 2

Adapted by Carolyn from a newspaper article.