EASIEST SHRIMP AND RICE

Photo by Carol Guilford

I love this story the great food writer, M.F.K. Fisher (1908-1992) tells in With Bold Knife and Fork (1968.)

Sitting in a “mean bar”in Delaware, Fisher was intrigued, listening and enjoying the “simplicity” of the recipes some fisherman were exchanging.

“The best, spoken gently, with the shot glass of bourbon warming in the hand for slow sips... ‘the goddamn rice is cooked and dry.  I take my goddamn shrimps all peeled and raw, and throw them with plenty of butter over the rice and heat it until they curl right up, and then I throw in some goddamn sherry and it makes, man, well...good.’”

M.F.K. shared her adapted recipe for the fisherman’s simple “goddamn”shrimp and rice dish and this is my “g-d” adaptation of hers.


THE SHRIMP

If you are buying loose shrimp at the fish counter, buy as many as you want to eat. Most shrimp on the market today are easy to peel and come ‘deveined’—meaning the sand vein is removed.  Sometimes, for this dish, I buy a 10-ounce bag (from Ralphs/Krogers) of wild-caught medium shrimp. For 2 servings I use half the bag, defrosted, good instructions on the package, but I simply put them in a bowl for about 2 hours, then drain and pat them dry. Maybe TMI, but if the defrosted shrimp sit longer than that, they lose water and shrink a bit.

For two

shrimp

½ stick unsalted butter

   without bgh—bovine growth hormone, bad for cows and people, too.  Trader’s, Whole Foods, Alta-Dena or any organic brand is free from bgh.

kosher salt, to taste

¼ cup dry sherry

1. Heat the butter in an 8-inch skillet until it foams, then add the shrimp. Stir them around (with a spoon) until they turn opaque, about one minute  Taste one to determine doneness. Salt, to taste.

2. Turn off the heat, and add the sherry.  Stir, then spoon over the hot rice  portions of your choice

THE RICE (makes 3 cups plus)

This is my latest way. A 25 minute deal that needs a bit of attention. Plus it depends on the rice, the pot and the stove.

I use organic basmati rice (TJ’s or WF’s), and my 1-quart stainless steel Farberware pot, with its handle that never gets hot. Has a lid, too.

¾ cup Basmati rice

1 and ½ cups water

one-eighth teaspoon salt

1.      Rinse the rice quickly in a strainer, then put it in the pot with the water and salt.

   2. Use medium heat to bring the water to a boil, about 5 minutes.  Turn the heat down to low and boil the rice, uncovered, for 10 minutes.  Here’s the tending- to part The rice should be a little tender and most of the water boiled away.  Stir and cover. Steam 10 minutes or until all the water is absorbed and each grain, separate.  Fluff rice with a fork.

Cg extra:

I use the microwave oven as little as possible, but it sure does refresh left-over rice in seconds. These amounts are yours to alter.

To one-cup of cooked rice, add 2-tablespoons olive oil, 2-tablespoons sliced green onion and 1-tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Nuke 30 seconds or whatever time it takes to make it hot with the cheese starting to melt.