Shrimp Fried Rice

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Towards the end of Lent, I generally run out of ideas for meatless meals, so, I was delighted when I came across a new fried rice recipe in Bon Appetit magazine. I have a real fondness for this dish and will even have it for breakfast if I have leftovers in the house. My standard recipe for it can be found here and it is outstanding. I've made it for years and it is the gold standard against which I judge all other recipes for this Asian-inspired staple. The Bon Appetit version interested me because it contains shrimp and that made it more acceptable to the Silver Fox who has no great love for vegetarian entrees. He actually liked this version and a "like" coming from him, is a rave review when a dish contains no meat. I thought it was passably good and certainly worthy of sharing with you. There are two tricks to a good fired rice. The first is to use day old rice that has been refrigerated for a day or more. This gives the rice time to dry out and loosen. I think you'd agree that no one likes clumpy fried rice and I guarantee that freshly made rice will clump. The second is to keep the vegetables that are added to the rice crisp-tender. A good dash of Asian sesame oil won't do any harm either. This is a very simple dish to make and execute. If you are looking for recipes to extend your repertoire of dishes for Meatless Mondays or Lenten Fridays, do give this recipe a try. Here is how the shrimp fried rice is made.

Shrimp Fried Rice...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Bon Appetit magazine

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
12 ounces peeled deveined small shrimp, thawed if frozen
Kosher salt
8 scallions, whites chopped, greens thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled ginger
3 cups cold cooked white rice
2 large eggs, beaten to blend
1/2 cup frozen edamame, thawed
1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Directions:
1) Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season shrimp with salt and cook, turning once, until just opaque in the center, about 3 minutes; transfer to a plate.
2) Heat remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in same skillet. Add scallion whites, garlic, and ginger. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add rice and stir to coat. Cook until rice is crisp, about 2 minutes. Push rice to one side of skillet and add eggs to other side and cook, stirring and working into rice mixture, 1 to 2 minutes.
3) Add edamame, peas, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and cooked shrimp. Cook, tossing constantly, until shrimp and vegetables are heated through, about 1 minute. Top with scallion greens. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.








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Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with Kale

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a wonderful dish for a meatless Monday or Lenten Friday. I know that kale is considered to be a superfood and that whole wheat pasta is better for my family than its paler counterparts, but when I make this dish I don't concentrate on its health benefits. I make it because it tastes so good. Nonetheless, it doesn't hurt to know why this dish is good for you. Like its cousins, broccoli and cauliflower, kale is a descendent of the wild cabbage and it has been eaten for centuries. There are several varieties of kale, each has a unique flavor and texture but all are packed with nutritional value and a boatload of fiber. Curly kale has ruffled leaves with a pungent, peppery flavor. The leaves of Tuscan kale are a dark bluish green and tastes delicately sweet. Ornamental kale is a newer cultivated species that is oftentimes referred to as salad savoy. Its leaves may either be green, white, or purple and have a mild flavor. All varieties of kale are rich in vitamins and minerals, but what really puts kale into the superfood category is its abundance of phytochemicals which are believed to help prevent cell damage, prevent cancer cell replication and decrease cholesterol levels. This pasta is relatively easy to prepare and if you have never used kale in a pasta sauce, I hope you'll give this recipe a try. The dish was originally developed for Gourmet magazine and it appeared again this summer in a special publication called Gourmet's Easy Dinners. Here's how the dish is made.


Whole Wheat Penne Pasta with Kale...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gourmet's Easy Dinners

Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds kale, leaves torn from stem and center ribs (discard stems and ribs)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and black pepper
1 pound whole-wheat penne
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cut in pieces

Directions:
1) Cook kale in a 6- to 8-quart pot of well-salted boiling water, uncovered until just tender, 4 to 8 minutes. Transfer kale with tongs to a colander; reserve cooking water. When kale is cool enough to handle lightly, squeeze to remove excess liquid, then chop into bite-size pieces. Return water to a boil for pasta.
2) Cook nuts in oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over medium heat, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to towels to drain. Cook garlic, onion, pepper flakes, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in remaining oil, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
3) Cook penne in boiling water until al dente. Reserve about 2 cups of pasta water, then drain pasta. Return pasta to empty pot; stir in cheese, butter, kale, onion mixture, 1 cup reserved pasta water, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook over low heat, stirring, 1 minute, moistening with additional pasta water if desired. Serve sprinkled with almonds and additional cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

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