super easy, super flavorful, and just all-around super, this recipe is a pretty perfect weeknight meal. it only takes about 45 minutes from start to finish, but it's satisfying, quite good for you, and loaded with all kinds of tasty veggies, spices, and other deliciousness.
ingredients
(for the rice)
1 cups brown rice
salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons turmeric powder
3 cups water
(for the shrimp)
2 tablespoons coconut oil (or canola oil)
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup chopped red onion
¼ cup minced jalapeno pepper*
1 large tomatillo, chopped (about 1 cup total)
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning (such as tony chachere's)
⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
pinch sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup chicken or vegetable stock
½ cup chopped tomatoes (with their juices)
¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup water
2 teaspoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
16 large shrimp, shelled, deveined, and thawed if originally frozen
1 cup watercress, rinsed, any large clumps torn apart
thinly sliced scallions and chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for garnish (optional)
how to do it:
1. add rice to medium saucepot along with turmeric, salt, pepper, and water. turn heat to high and cover pot with a lid; when water begins to boil, turn heat down to low and allow rice to simmer until all liquid has been absorbed (about 30 to 35 minutes). remove lid, fluff rice gently with a fork to separate the grains, then put lid back on to allow rice to steam for at least 5 minutes before serving.
2. while the rice cooks, prepare the shrimp and sauce. heat a large skillet over medium heat and add coconut oil and butter. when butter has melted, add onion, jalapeno, tomatillo, creole seasoning, cayenne, black pepper, and sugar and cook, stirring, until onions and peppers have softened, about 5 minutes.
3. sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to combine it with the fat in the pan, until it is smooth and any lumps have been worked out. cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes, then add the stock, chopped tomatoes, orange juice, water, tomato paste, and worcestershire sauce. stir to combine, then add the shrimp.
4. cook shrimp two minutes, then flip the shrimp and cook another 2 to 3 minutes on the second side, until shrimp is opaque throughout. turn off heat and stir in watercress, so that it just wilts in the pan.
5. serve shrimp and sauce over rice, and garnish with fresh parsley and scallions, if you like.