sel et sucre

Tag: shrimp

  • Garlic Scape Stir Fry

    garlic scape stir fry

    I’m always excited to try a new ingredient, so when curly green stalks labeled as “garlic stems” showed up in my usual grocery store, I was intrigued. Apparently, these are more commonly referred to as garlic scapes and are the stalk of the garlic plant (growing above ground from the tasty garlic bulb we are familiar with underground). The taste is spicy and garlicky, but mellows out after a quick cook, and the texture is pleasantly crisp, similar to green beans. A stir fry made perfect sense to me for this unique ingredient, and I thought the salty dried shrimp and spicy sambal oelek (both ingredients you can find at most Asian groceries) complemented the scapes well. I’ll definitely be picking up more garlic scapes the next time I see them!

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  • Vietnamese Shrimp Salad

    vietnamese shrimp salad

    We’ve had an exceptionally mild winter in DC this year (which, as someone with a very low tolerance for cold, I’ve actually enjoyed). At the beginning of March, temperatures suddenly shot up in the sixties and seventies, and it’s been feeling like spring ever since. With trees bursting into bloom and tulips out in full force right outside my front door, I just can’t bring myself to keep eating the same hearty soups and stews I’ve been relying on all winter. So when the recipe for this Vietnamese shrimp salad found its way into my inbox, I immediately set about cooking it. Crisp carrot, cucumber, and daikon radish tossed with fresh herbs and a ginger-lime dressing, then topped with shrimp and peanuts makes for the perfect refreshing dish for spring. Most of the work here is with chopping the vegetables and herbs, and once that’s done, the salad comes together really quickly. This made for a great weekend lunch all by itself, but it could also work as an appetizer.

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  • Pomegranate Curry Shrimp

    pomegranate curry shrimp

    Ever since making my Sri Lankan curry powder, I’ve been keeping my eyes open for recipes to use up the extra curry leaves I’d popped in the freezer. When I saw this recipe using curry leaves and pomegranate molasses (one of my favorite kitchen staples), I knew I had to try it. So when I accidentally bought shrimp too far in advance for planned shrimp cocktails (d’oh!), it was the perfect opportunity to give this recipe a shot. The flavors came together spectacularly (and quickly), and this dish made a perfect light dinner served atop a salad, although I think it would also be well-suited as an appetizer. I didn’t have a chance to grab a pomegranate, but I think the fresh seeds would take this over the top with an extra burst of color and flavor.

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  • Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

    shrimp and sausage jambalaya

    I love traveling; going to another place is a chance to experience another culture and connect with other people. Strangely though, most of my traveling has been outside of the United States rather than within it. Up until surprisingly recently (a couple years ago), I hadn’t even been west of western Maryland (despite having traveled internationally multiple times). But I’m planning on making my way around the US soon, and one city I know I want to stop in is New Orleans. Typically seen as a city of excess, yes (laissez les bon temps rouler), but also a city of people passionate about food and drink, two things very close to my heart. So this jambalaya (and my Cajun spice mix) is my first tentative connection to the city, my attempt to start connecting with the culture there before I can get there myself. I tried to keep this recipe relatively simple, and it comes together surprisingly fast. While modifying stock with shrimp shells (for some extra flavor), you sautee up andouille sausage and the Cajun holy trinity (onion, bell pepper, and celery), then combine the two with tomatoes and rice and pop it in the oven for a nice even heating. The result is very flavorful and (according to my boyfriend, who attended school in New Orleans) fairly authentic.

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  • Chinese Sticky Rice

    Chinese Sticky Rice

    Another dim sum favorite of mine, Chinese sticky rice provides a great combination of sweet and savory. This recipe is a perfect recreation of the dish, studded with little bits of tasty mix-ins, including sweet Chinese sausage (with a taste reminiscent of raisins), dried mushrooms, and dried shrimp, which are all essential to the rice’s success. The technique involves sauteeing all the ingredients, including the rice, and then transferring the mix to a steamer – something I was initially skeptical about that ultimately yielded amazing results. Together with some scallion pancakes (which you undoubtedly have waiting in your freezer, right?), you can be well on your way to your own dim sum feast.

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