Yeah they are here! The season has started.
Our lovely Maine shrimps are now occupying the fresh fish sections of our stores. Why are they so special? I do not know, a certain je-ne-sais-quoi, small, tasty, full of juice. Very delicate and yummie! You cannot help but eat them with your fingers!
I was delighted to discover this on my last last trip to WholeFoods before we head off to France tomorrow for the holidays. And I could not believe that I let myself do this. I had tons of things to do but I could not resist and bought 2 pounds. One is frozen, the rest was dinner!
I used the very little bits and pieces I had to design a simple stir-fry, with shrimps, scallions (again), ginger (and again), and a few other things.
You need:
- 1 lb Maine Shrimps
- 2 fresh lemongrass stalks
- 2 scallions
- 1 piece of ginger root
- 3 garlic cloves
- 1 tblsp fresh coriander chopped
- 2 tblsp fish sauce
- 1/2 to 1 lime (juice)
- 1.5 tsp raw dark sugar
- 2 tblsp heavy cream (or coconut milk)
- 4 tbslp sesame oil
- Pepper
- 4 cups fresh spinach
Steps:
- Start by peeling your shrimps, making sure you keep the tails.
- Chop very thinly the ginger, the lemongrass (white part only), the coriander, the garlic and add 2 Tbsp of sesame oil to the chopped ingredients.
- Mix with the shrimps to coat and place in the fridge until ready to use.
- Wash the spinach. Take a big wok and heat one Tbsp of sesame oil.
- When hot, add the spinach and cook for about 3 to 4 min. It will give out some water. Place on the side.
- Remove the water in ther wok and heat again the last Tbsp of oil.
- When hot, add the shrimp and cook for a few min.
- Then, add the lime juice, the fish sauce and the sugar, cook for 1 mn and then add the precooked spinach. Cook for 1 more mn.
Finish by adding the cream. - Chop fresh scallions and put on top. Serve with steamed jasmine rice.
Now I am off on my vacation to France to enjoy food prepared by others, that is my mum’s cooking!!!…(well, I am cooking Christmas dinner with Geneviève, my sister-in-law, but this is just because she and I had made a deal, and I love to cook with her).
Joyeux Noël et à bientôt!
Shrimps did not come from Maine. I forgot the lemongrass. I put more coconut milk.
Verdict : un régal.