Photo by Iuliia Nedrygailova
SERVES 6
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup red bell peppers, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups long-grain white rice
¼ cup dry white wine, optional*
1¼ cups low sodium chicken or seafood stock
Pinch of crumbled saffron (or ½ teaspoon turmeric)
1 pound jumbo shrimp (21–25 per pound), peeled and deveined (tails removed)
1 cup frozen green peas
½ cup small green stuffed olives, halved or sliced (optional)
1¼ pounds mussels, cleaned
In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, heat oil. Sauté onions and bell peppers until onions are golden, about 2–3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté an additional minute. Add rice, wine, stock and saffron and cook covered and undisturbed until most liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add shrimp and cook 5 minutes until shrimp start turning pink. Stir in peas and olives and place mussels on top. Cover and cook until mussels open wide, about 3–5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand until all liquid is absorbed, about 5 minutes.
Chef’s tips
How to clean mussels. Put mussels in a large bowl of salted cold water for 20 minutes. This removes any sand that might be on or in the mussels. Drain, and using a stiff brush, remove any barnacles or debris from the outside. If any mussels have a beard (strands of black, fibrous threads) remove by pulling on it—it should come out easily. Discard mussels with broken shells or any that remain open after you tap them gently.
No wine? No problem. If you prefer not to use wine, add additional stock.
___
Cooking with shrimp
Ready to cook shrimp like a pro? Use these tips.
Fresh vs. frozen. Frozen shrimp can be used interchangeably for fresh shrimp in any recipe. Thaw shrimp in the refrigerator overnight before cooking, or, if you’re in a hurry, in a bowl under slow-running cold water until thawed.
Should I remove tails from shrimp? This is a personal preference. Generally, the tails are removed to make the dish easier to eat. However, in more sophisticated dishes, the tails may be left on for appearance and presentation.
What’s your favorite color? While there are over 300 species of shrimp worldwide, the four main types available in our area are white, pink, brown and red. Once cooked it is almost impossible to visually tell them apart.
Keeping count. Shrimp is graded by size based on the number of shrimp per pound.
Colossal (also referred to as U15) = 15 shrimp or less per pound
Extra Jumbo = 16 to 20 shrimp per pound
Jumbo = 21 to 25 shrimp per pound
Extra Large = 26 to 30 shrimp per pound
Large = 31 to 40 shrimp per pound
Medium = 41 to 50 shrimp per pound
Small = 51 to 60 shrimp per pound
Tiny = 61 to 70 shrimp per pound
Prawns vs. shrimp. There is no distinguishable difference in the taste of prawns
and shrimp. They are interchangeable in recipes.
___
What’s cooking at SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda
Can’t get enough of shrimp recipes? Neither can we! Visit SCLiving.coop/food/chefbelinda for these recipes and how-to videos.
Springtime flavors—Springtime is here, and with it comes an abundance of fresh and colorful ingredients. Try this menu of light meals to help you enjoy the season.
Cooking Carolina shrimp—Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan shares four delicious ways to serve up our state’s favorite seafood.
Shrimp Chilaquiles—Add shrimp to this this Tex-Mex version of migas and turn dinner into a fiesta.
Cajun Shrimp over Dirty Rice—Take a culinary trip for two to New Orleans with this Cajun classic.
Shrimp and Andouille Jambalaya—Let the good times roll with the classic flavors of the Big Easy.
Black Bean, Corn and Shrimp Chowder—Grab a spoon and dig into a warm bowl of happiness to ward off the winter chill.
Seafood and Sausage Chowder—Savor the combined flavors of shrimp, scallops and Italian sausage for a hearty winter meal served in a homemade bread boule.
Deveining shrimp. In this how-to video, Chef Belinda Smith-Sullivan shows us how professional chefs devein shrimp.