Gulf Shrimp with Peanuts and Green Chile Slices with Dirty Rice

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 24 medium Gulf shrimp, shell removed and deveined
• 1 poblano pepper, quartered and thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 cups shrimp stock, recipe follows
• 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
• Dirty Rice, recipe follows

Directions

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the shrimp and sear on both sides until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Remove the shrimp to a plate.

Add the poblano pepper to pan and cook until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the shrimp stock, bring to a boil, and reduce by half. Add the shrimp back to the pan, stir in the butter, lime juice, and cilantro, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon over Dirty Rice onk a platter and sprinkle with the peanuts.

Shrimp stock:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cups shells and tails from raw shrimp
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 medium celery stalk, coarsely chopped
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup white wine
• 1 ripe medium tomato, chopped or 1/2 cup canned plum tomatoes
• 1 bay leaf

In a large saucepan over high heat, heat the oil until almost smoking and saute the shrimp shells and tails, onion, carrot and celery for 5 minutes, stirring. Add the water, wine, tomato, and bay leaf. Reduce the heat to medium, partially cover and simmer for 40 minutes. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine strainer.

Yield: 4 to 5 cups

Dirty Rice:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound chicken livers
• 1 large red onion, finely diced
• 1 yellow pepper, finely diced
• 1 red pepper finely diced
• 1 stalk celery, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 serrano chile, finely diced
• 2 cups long grain rice
• 4 1/2 cups home-made chicken stock or low sodium canned stock
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme

Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the chicken livers to the pan and sear on both sides until golden brown (do not cook through, they will continue cooking in the rice).

Remove the livers with a slotted spoon to a cutting board, let cool slightly and coarsely chop.

Add the onions, peppers, celery, garlic, and serrano chile to the pan and cook until golden brown. Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes. Add the stock, maple syrup, chicken livers and season with salt and pepper, stir well and bring to a boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium, and continue cooking for 12 to15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the parsley and thyme and fluff with a fork.