Spicy Caribbean Curried Shrimp

This makes a great appetizer or light dinner accompanied with rice - even the kids will eat it if you lightly reduce the heat!

This makes a great appetizer or light dinner accompanied with rice – even the kids will eat it if you lightly reduce the heat!

Spicy Caribbean Curried Shrimp

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients:

2 tbsp (30 mL) grapeseed oil

2 shallots, finely chopped

2 green onions, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp (15 mL) curry powder

1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

2 lb (1 kg) fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp (10 mL) fresh lime juice

2 tbsp (30 mL) butter

Method:

In a heavy sauté pan or frying pan with high sides, heat oil over medium-high heat. Sauté shallots, green onions and garlic for 2 minutes or until fragrant and translucent. Add curry powder and cook, stirring, 2 minutes.

Add jalapeño and shrimp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook shrimp, turning occasionally, until they just turn pink, about 3 minutes. Do not overcook—shrimp should be firm but tender. Stir in lime juice and butter. Taste, and adjust seasoning.

Serve immediately over rice.

Variations:

If you want more substance, add 1/2 cup (125 mL) coconut milk and 1/4 cup (60 mL) chicken stock before the shrimp to create a sauce.

Serve the shrimp on skewers for a stand-up dinner.

Reduce the curry and jalapeño and the kids will eat the shrimp!

Marinate in the same ingredients (minus the butter) for 30 minutes, skewer, then grill about 1 minute per side.

Courtesy Trish Magwood http://trishmagwood.ca/

Crème Brulee

Satisfy your sweet tooth with crème brulée!

Indulge yourself with this fruit topped creamy and caramelized dessert.

METHOD

  1. Combine heavy cream and coffee beans. Seal and infuse together in the fridge overnight.
  2. The next day – Preheat oven to 300 F and heat some water in a kettle.
  3. In a saucepan, strain heavy cream, reweigh and top back up to 400 g. Combine innards of vanilla bean, and the pod.
  4. While this comes to a simmer, whisk together egg yolks, sugar, and sea salt.
  5. When the cream comes to a gentle simmer, remove the vanilla pod and slowly start to pour it into the yolk mixture while constantly whisking. Please do this slowly so not to cook the egg yolks.
  6. Pass mixture through a mesh sieve into a large pouring vessel. You may use a large glass measuring cup.
  7. Place ramekins into a larger, rimmed baking pan.
  8. Fill the pan with hot water so it reaches about ¾ – 1” up the ramekins. Fill ramekins with cream mix.
  9. To eliminate any bubbles, use blow torch very lightly over the cream mix. It will pop all the surface bubbles.
  10. Bake for 45-50 mins. Custard will be set but they will jiggle in the middle. Do not over bake as the custard will lose the creaminess we want. If the whole ramekin jiggles, leave in the oven a while longer.
  11. Remove tray from oven, and then carefully remove the ramekins. Let them cool to room temp, and then place them in the fridge overnight. You can do this process 3-4 days ahead of time.
  12. When you’re ready to serve, coat with a thick layer of icing sugar and toast with a blow torch.
  13. Top with berries and serve.