Green Curry with Shrimp

I had never eaten, nor heard of curry until I was a high school exchange student to New Zealand.  Several people talked about curry, but I didn't have any idea what I was in for the first time I tried it.  I am pretty sure the first one I tried was a yellow curry, but to be honest it didn't leave an impression in my mind until much later.  Then I remember my first job out of college.  A coworker and I would go out to eat for Indian food as there was a restaurant not too far from work.  I tried all sorts of different dishes, but again only had yellow curry.  It wasn't until much later, when I was living in Germany, that I began to eat curries on a regular basis.  I think it may have been there that I tried red and green curry for the first time.  At least there it was memorable, but I never had the inclination to try to make it.  The local curry place was cheap and delicious, so why would I bother to try it out?

So with the memory of these two really good curries in my brain, I searched for a good curry near where I live.  There are a few that are decent, but I never realized how easy it is to make at home.  This autumn I stumbled upon the cookbook Keepers.  I read reviews and changed my mind about buying it, but finally around Christmas when I was experimenting with quicker dinners to prepare on weeknights, I decided to buy it.  It is by Kathy Brennan and Caroline Campion.  This Green Curry recipe is based off the one in their cookbook.  If you like curry at all, I would give this recipe a shot as it is a quick weeknight meal, reheats well and tastes great.



Green Curry
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons green curry paste
1 teaspoon anchovy paste
1 (13 oz) can coconut milk
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined
1 red pepper, diced
2 scallions, sliced
1 lime

Steamed rice (prepared, or at least started to cook before beginning the curry)

In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat.  Add the curry paste and anchovy paste, cook until fragrant.  Add the coconut milk and brown sugar.  Stir to combine.  Bring to a simmer and stir occasionally until the sauce starts to thicken.  Add the red pepper and bring to a simmer.  Add the shrimp and simmer until shrimp are nearly cooked.  (Do not over cook the shrimp.)  Stir in the scallions and a squeeze of lime juice.  Recheck the seasonings.  Serve with the steamed rice.

I have plans to add more vegetables to this curry as well like zucchini, and sugar snap peas.  This also reheats well.

Shrimp Bog

So who knew that bog meant rice?  I always knew that a bog was related to cranberries.  Even more interesting was actually seeing a working bog to grow them in Wisconsin.  However, this recipe has nothing to do with cranberries and everything to do with shrimp.  The recipe came from the book Edible by Tracey Ryder and Carole Topalian.  They do explain that a bog is close to a pilau and that it probably got it's name because rice also grows in a bog...who knew?

What drew me in to cook this particular recipe was the shrimp and rice combination...well plus the picture!  I always like to know what I am supposed to be doing even if it isn't what I determine the recipe should be once I start reading it.  Anyway, the authors state this should take about 30 minutes to make which is due to the time it takes to cook rice, but in this case you get a whole meal.

Sullivan's Island Shrimp Bog

Make 6 servings

1 1/2 cups long-grain white rice

1/2 pound sliced bacon, finely chopped

2 medium onions, finely chopped

1 teaspoon kosher salt

3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground cayenne powder

2 1/4 cups chicken broth

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 pounds medium shrimp (40 count), shelled and deveined

1/4 cup ver finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 lemon wedge, cut into 6 wedges

In a fine mesh strainer, rinse the rice well under cold running water.  Drain well; set aside.

In a large heavy Dutch oven or stockpot, cook the bacon over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined dish; set aside.  Pour off and discard all but 3 tablespoons of the bacon fat remaining in the pot.  Add the onions to the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.  Add the drained rice, salt, nutmeg, black pepper and cayenne and stir for 1 minute.

Stir in broth, tomatoes with liquid, lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce.  Bring to a boil, cover the pot, reduce the heat, and simmer gently for about 20 minutes.  Stir in the cooked bacon and the shrimp and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp is cooked through, adding more broth if the rice seems to be drying out, about 10 minutes.  Stir the bog with a fork.  Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.  Sprinkle with parsley, garnish with lemon wedges, and serve immediately.