Categories
Miscellany

Peas & Shoots & Shrimp

Recipe Provided by: Kelly Clark, Market Staff
This is easy – especially if you treat the shrimp as peel and eat! By the time you cook the rice the water is nicely flavored with mint and shrimp. During dinner, keep a bowl of lemon water close by to help keep your fingers clean. Be sure to use your peas as soon as you can after purchase. They will be sweeter if you do.

Ingredients:
8 cups water
5 sprigs mint (I prefer peppermint)
1 tsp salt
1 lb fresh shrimp, in the shell
2 lbs English pea pods, shelled, or 1 pt shelled English peas
8 oz. pea shoots, rough chopped
1-2 Tbls butter
2 Tbls chopped mint
4 Tbls chopped chives

Procedure:
In a medium-sized pot add 5 sprigs of mint to 8 cups of water and bring to a boil. Add 1 tsp salt.

Blanch the shelled peas in the boiling water for 3 minutes, then remove the peas reserving the water and the mint sprigs. Shock the peas in cool water to stop the cooking, drain and set aside.

Bring the water back to a boil and add the shrimp – in the shell – to the water and cook for 3 minutes or until the shrimp is just done. Remove the shrimp – reserving the water. Set shrimp aside. Remove the mint sprigs from the water, and return the water to a boil.

Add 1 cup of rice to the boiling water, reduce to a sturdy simmer, and cook the rice for 15 minutes, or until the rice is done.

About 5 minutes before the rice is finished, melt the butter in a medium pan, add the peas and sauté until the peas are warmed. When the rice is done, drain it well and add the rice to the peas along with the pea shoots. Toss lightly, then add the chopped mint and chives and toss again.

Serve the rice along-side the peel and eat shrimp.

Serves 4