Recipe: Sautéed Shrimp with Leeks and Roasted Peanuts
Page: 222
Date Cooked: April 25, 2012
Jonathan Waxman introduces this recipe as a "triumphant combination of tropical and European flavors." I think he somewhat exaggerates the flavor combination. It simply has the typical Asian flavors most people know - lemon, lime, peanuts, ginger, soy sauce. And heck, he even throws in basmati rice, hinting on the South Asian side.
The first step was preparing the rice. I minced the onion and cooked it with the basmati rice in some olive oil. I added salt and pepper to taste. Once the onions were softened and rice was toasted, I added water, brought it to a boil, lowered the heat, covered, and cooked the rice. I spread the cooked rice onto a baking sheet and let it cool.
I washed and trimmed the leeks. I julienned the green portion and sliced the white portion into rounds.
I removed the shells from the shrimp and put the shells, leek whites, wine, and water into a saucepan. The stock mixture simmered for approximately half an hour. I strained the mixture and set the stock aside.
I minced the chile. I juiced the lime and lemon. I also, formed the rice into cakes. I heated the corn oil in a large pot and deep-fried the julienned leek greens until they were golden. I let them drain on paper towels and seasoned them with salt.
I then tried to deep-fry the rice cakes. I just could not do it. The rice wouldn't stay together and the few cakes I attempted to deep fry just fell apart in the pot. You can see exactly that in the pictures below. After the first few failed attempts, I decided to give up. I did however drain the rice on paper towels.
On to the shrimp. I heated olive oil in a skillet and added the shrimp. I then added the peanuts, ginger, and chiles, allowing them to cook briefly. I added the shrimp stock, citrus juices, soy sauce and let the mixture simmer for a few minutes.
Finally, it was time to plate. I put the rice on to a plate, topped it with the shrimp, and garnished with the fried leek greens.
Despite the fact that I couldn't get a decent rice cake, the dish itself was really great. The shrimp flavors were spot on. The peanuts added the perfect crunch to the dish. I really enjoyed the hints of spice from the chiles and ginger. The shrimp was also amazingly sweet, which likely speaks to the freshness of the product itself. But I do think adding that shrimp stock really brought it home, giving the whole dish that bold shrimp taste. The fried leek greens were a much more important component of the dish than I anticipated. That was where the salt element lay and I really liked it.
Looking back, I don't think I it was necessary to have fried rice cakes in this dish. The rice had flavor on its own. But the shrimp was the star. It had everything - texture, acid, salt, and all perfectly balanced. I would definitely make the shrimp again.
Page: 222
Date Cooked: April 25, 2012
Jonathan Waxman introduces this recipe as a "triumphant combination of tropical and European flavors." I think he somewhat exaggerates the flavor combination. It simply has the typical Asian flavors most people know - lemon, lime, peanuts, ginger, soy sauce. And heck, he even throws in basmati rice, hinting on the South Asian side.
 |
| Ingredients: Onion, olive oil, basmati rice, salt, pepper, leeks, shrimp (forgot to put them in the picture), white wine, serrano chile, lime, lemon, corn oil, roasted unsalted peanuts, ginger, and soy sauce |
The first step was preparing the rice. I minced the onion and cooked it with the basmati rice in some olive oil. I added salt and pepper to taste. Once the onions were softened and rice was toasted, I added water, brought it to a boil, lowered the heat, covered, and cooked the rice. I spread the cooked rice onto a baking sheet and let it cool.
 |
| (1) Cooking onions and rice (2) Cooking rice (3) Allowing rice to cool |
I washed and trimmed the leeks. I julienned the green portion and sliced the white portion into rounds.
 |
| (1) Leeks rounds (2) Leek tops, julienned |
I removed the shells from the shrimp and put the shells, leek whites, wine, and water into a saucepan. The stock mixture simmered for approximately half an hour. I strained the mixture and set the stock aside.
 |
| Making shrimp stock |
I minced the chile. I juiced the lime and lemon. I also, formed the rice into cakes. I heated the corn oil in a large pot and deep-fried the julienned leek greens until they were golden. I let them drain on paper towels and seasoned them with salt.
 |
| Fried leek greens |
I then tried to deep-fry the rice cakes. I just could not do it. The rice wouldn't stay together and the few cakes I attempted to deep fry just fell apart in the pot. You can see exactly that in the pictures below. After the first few failed attempts, I decided to give up. I did however drain the rice on paper towels.
 |
| My attempt at getting fried rice cakes |
On to the shrimp. I heated olive oil in a skillet and added the shrimp. I then added the peanuts, ginger, and chiles, allowing them to cook briefly. I added the shrimp stock, citrus juices, soy sauce and let the mixture simmer for a few minutes.
 |
| (1) Shrimp (2) Shrimp with peanuts, ginger, and chiles (3) Shrimp with peanuts, ginger, chiles, shrimp stock, citrus juices, and soy sauce |
Finally, it was time to plate. I put the rice on to a plate, topped it with the shrimp, and garnished with the fried leek greens.
 |
| Sautéed Shrimp with Leeks and Roasted Peanuts |
Despite the fact that I couldn't get a decent rice cake, the dish itself was really great. The shrimp flavors were spot on. The peanuts added the perfect crunch to the dish. I really enjoyed the hints of spice from the chiles and ginger. The shrimp was also amazingly sweet, which likely speaks to the freshness of the product itself. But I do think adding that shrimp stock really brought it home, giving the whole dish that bold shrimp taste. The fried leek greens were a much more important component of the dish than I anticipated. That was where the salt element lay and I really liked it.
Looking back, I don't think I it was necessary to have fried rice cakes in this dish. The rice had flavor on its own. But the shrimp was the star. It had everything - texture, acid, salt, and all perfectly balanced. I would definitely make the shrimp again.
Enjoy!
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