Low Country Shrimp Rice Food

LOWCOUNTRY PERLOO

Steps:

• Peel all the shrimp and put the shells, and heads if you have them, into a pot with the bay leaves, onion, celery and carrot. Cover with 7 cups of water and bring to a simmer. Simmer gently for 30 minutes while you chop everything else for the perloo.
• As the stock is simmering, slowly fry the bacon in a large, heavy pot. When it is crispy, remove the bacon (eat a slice) and chop roughly. Set the bacon aside.
• Saute the 2 cups chopped onion, 2 cups chopped celery and the diced yellow bell pepper in the bacon fat until soft but not browned. Add the garlic and rice and cook, stirring often for 3 minutes, until the rice turns translucent.
• Add the white wine, tomatoes and chile pepper to the pot and stir well.
• Set up a fine-meshed strainer with a paper towel in it. Ladle two or three ladles of the shrimp stock through this strainer into the rice pot. Stir well. Cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this process until the rice is tender.
• Add one more ladle of shrimp stock to the pot, along with the shrimp and the parsley. Mix to combine, cover the pot and turn the heat to its lowest setting. Cover for 5 minutes to let the shrimp cook, then mix in the bacon and black pepper and serve.

LOW COUNTRY SHRIMP FRITTATA

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the celery, onion and green peppers and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer the vegetables to a plate and set aside. Wipe out the skillet.
• Whisk the milk, eggs, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper in a large bowl. Add the cooked vegetables, shrimp, parsley and seafood seasoning and stir to combine.
• Heat 1 tablespoon oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Add the egg mixture and cook until the edges start to set, about 2 minutes. Transfer to the oven and bake until the center is set, 15 to 20 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before sliding carefully onto a serving plate and cutting into wedges.

LOW COUNTRY SHRIMP CHOWDER

Steps:

• Heat the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the scallion whites, celery and bell pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add the flour and Old Bay Seasoning and cook, stirring, until the flour is lightly toasted, about 1 minute. Add the milk, 6 cups water and the rice. Bring to a rapid simmer, then reduce the heat to medium and cook until the rice is tender, about 15 minutes. Add the corn to the pot and cook 3 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook until they curl and turn opaque, about 3 more minutes. Season the chowder with salt and pepper and stir in the sherry. Ladle into bowls and top with the scallion greens.

LOWCOUNTRY SHRIMP PILAF

Steps:

• Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
• Add bell pepper and onion to pan; saute 2 minutes.
• Add garlic and Old Bay seasoning to pan; saute 1 minute.
• Add shrimp, wine, and clam juice; bring to a boil.
• Stir in rice, cover and removed from heat.
• Let stand 5 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.
• Place pan over medium-high heat.
• Stir in 1 tablespoon thyme and tomatoes; cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.
• Sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon thyme.