Fire-Roasted Shrimp with Toasted Peanut Orzo and Kaffir-Lime-Ginger Fumet with Crunchy Vegetables
by Chef Dominique
Here is one of my all-time favorite dishes built around shrimp. It draws its heat from the Scotch bonnet peppers, an irregularly-shaped chile favored in the Caribbean that is closely related to the habanero, and a bit of sweet from its flirtation with Asian ingredients for the orzo. I particularly like what happens when you mix garam masala -- the real Indian version of what we call curry powder -- with the kaffir lime leaf and ginger broth.
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Fire-Roasted Shrimp: - 1 pound shrimp (jumbo) - 2 teaspoons Chile Oil - 1 teaspoon sea salt - 2 tablespoons coconut milk - 1 tablespoon light soy sauce - 2 tablespoons ginger juice (juicer extracted) - 1 teaspoon canola oil - 1 small carrot, chopped - 1 stalk celery, chopped - 2 cups water - 2 cloves garlic, chopped - 2 Kaffir lime leaves, julienned - 1/2 teaspoon garam masala or curry powder - 1 1/2 cups dry orzo pasta - 1/2 cup crushed peanuts - 1/4 cup peanut oil |
Chile Oil: - 1 bunch cilantro - 1 large shallot - 1 2-inch piece of peeled, fresh ginger - 1/2 cup canola oil - 1/4 cup sesame oil (not toasted) - 3 seeded scotch bonnet peppers
Crunchy Vegetables: |
Directions:
To make the Chile Oil, cut off the cilantro stems and set aside the leafy portion. Put the stems in a small non-reactive saucepan. Trimp and chop the shallot and set aside the chopped shallot. Add the trimmings to the cilantro stems. Finely grate the ginger and place it in a square of cheesecloth. Twist to squeeze the ginger juice into the liquid in another pan. Set aside the pan of juice. Add the pulp to the stems and trimmings.
Add the canola oil, sesame oil, and chiles to the pan of stems, trimmings, and pulp. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain through a fine sieve into a small container; discard solids. Yields about 2/3 cup. (The oil will keep, covered, in the refrigetator for up to 2 weeks.)
To prepare the shrimp and orzo, boil a large pot of salted water for cooking the orzo. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails intact. Reserve the shells and heads. Chop enough of the reserved leafy portion of the cilantro to yield 6 tablespoons. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the chilantro, the chile oil, and sea salt. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and set aside in the refrigerator.
Add the coconut milk and soy sauce to the ginger juice and set aside.
In a saucepan, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and reserved chopped shallots. Cook about 3 minutes, until softened. Add the water and bring to a boil. Add the reserved shrimp shells and heads, garlic, kaffir lime leaves, and garam masala. Decrease the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Transfer the shrimp-shell mixture to a blender or food processor and process until the shells are finely chopped. Strain and press through a fine sieve into a small saucepan. Retain the broth in the saucepan, discarding the solids.
Cook the orzo pasta in boiling water until al dente, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain. Heat the peanut oil and saute the crushed peanuts. Add to the orzo pasta. Mix in the ginger/coconut milk sauce and the chopped cilantro leafves from the chili oil.
Meanwhile, heat a large heavy skillet over high heat. Add the reserved marinated shrimp and saute until they are opaque in the center, about 4 minutes.
To make the Crunchy Vegetables -- in a medium bowl, whisk together the salt, lime juice, chile oil, and sugar. Add the vegetables, and toss to coat. Season with pepper and additional salt to taste. (The vegetables will keep, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 hour. They are also delicious in a light salad.)
To serve, reheat the coconut broth without boiling, if necessary, and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of cilantro. Mound orzo pasta in the center of each plate and pool shrimp broth around it. Arrange the shrimp over the broth. Garnish with crunchy vegetables.
sauvignon blanc from New Zealand.
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