3 Easy Shrimp Recipes
A protein that's ready to eat in about 3 minutes. What's not to love?
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Happy Thursday!
I spent the morning at my yearly wellness checkup, then picked up my sniffly 2nd grader from school. So, not a productive work day so far. I’ll feel lucky if I can get this newsletter sent out, and anything I accomplish after that will be a bonus.
A shout-out to parents of little kids/toddlers/babies who have to juggle the demands of a sick child. It’s infinitely easier to have a sick 8 year old at home than it is to have a sick toddler. And for that I am grateful!
Even on days like this, it seems that everyone still wants to be fed. Which is where a protein like shrimp comes to the rescue for quick, easy dinners.
Shrimp cooks incredibly fast. Almost too fast, making it easy to overcook. My recipe for pan seared shrimp walks you through the basics of cooking shrimp in a skillet without overcooking it. Don’t skimp on the garlic and butter, and don’t leave it in the pan much more than 3 minutes.
Served with garlic bread and salad, or tossed into a bowl of pasta, it can be a quick dinner that feels fancy.
If you have a bag of frozen shrimp in your freezer, the best way to defrost it is in the refrigerator overnight. You can also defrost shrimp by placing the sealed bag in a large bowl of cold water for about 20 minutes.
If you have a bag of defrosted raw shrimp, then you’re only about 20 minutes away from digging into a bowl of Instant Pot Orzo & Shrimp Scampi Pasta. This pasta has a creamy, risotto-like texture (even though no cream or dairy is added) and the light and bright flavors of garlic, lemon and fresh herbs.
Rice Noodles with Egg and Shrimp
If you have a little more time and your taste buds are craving something a little bolder and you’re a pad thai lover, then you’ll appreciate the salty-sweet-tangy flavors in this dish.
You can also try cold cucumber shrimp salad or shrimp and feta with garlic bread.
Dinner Last Week
I’m always curious about what other families are eating. Aren’t you? Here’s what my crew ate last week.
Monday: I roasted cubed sweet potato with chili powder, cumin and smoked paprika and served it with black beans, cabbage and tortillas with chips and guac. The guacamole was made from the very last avocados from our tree. It was wonderful while the harvest lasted!
Tuesday: Linguine tossed with roasted cauliflower and lots of parmesan, plus a fish and corn recipe I’m developing. The fish and corn got a thumbs up from my kids, which means it will probably be featured in this newsletter once it’s perfected.
Wednesday: Tofu and steamed broccoli with Momofuku Soy and Scallion Noodles. I thought the noodles were delicious and plan to stash them in the cupboard for my own lunches and occasional family dinners (they’re a little pricey for every day eating). The dried noodle packs can be bought online or at Whole Foods.
Thursday: Leftovers, and I think I made each of the kids a toad in the hole.
Friday: Homemade pizza, which was decent but not amazing. I only make homemade pizza several times a year, and it’s not enough to get really good at it. The dough turns out differently every time. I welcome your pizza dough and sauce recipes!
If you’re making your dinner menu for next week, try the recipe for Instant Pot Rice & Bean Burritos that I sent out yesterday. They’re so good, and you can put extras in your freezer for later.
I’ve been a fan of Chef Gabrielle Hamilton’s writing since she first started publishing essays and her non-fiction book Blood, Bones and Butter was published in 2011. Her essay about closing her much-loved restaurant Prune during the pandemic is a perfect example of her brutally honest, evocative writing.
Her cookbook, Prune, has many simple recipes but mostly more ambitious projects that busy home cooks won’t find time for. It reads like a binder from her restaurant, “with as much instruction, encouragement, information, and scolding as you would find if you actually came to work at Prune as a line cook.”
If you’ve ever worked in a restaurant, you will love this cookbook. If you haven’t, you might not be sure what to do with it. I love paging through Prune for inspiration, and it will always have a spot on my shelf.
Please note that book titles in this section are Bookshop.org affiliate links. Your cost for purchasing the book is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to me and help support my work. When ordering from Bookshop.org you’ll also be supporting independent bookstores.
I’m off to read my kiddo a few chapters of Wildoak. Hope you all have a healthy and fun weekend!
xo
Jenny
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