Shrimp and Sausage Jambalaya

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound sausage, such as kielbasa or andouille, sliced
• 1 pound smoked ham, cubed
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 green bell pepper, cored and diced
• 1 red bell pepper, cored and diced
• 1 cup seeded and diced tomato
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced OR 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 teaspoons diced fresh oregano
• 1 teaspoon diced fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 6 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
• 3 cups long-grain rice, rinsed
• 3 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 6 to 8 dashes hot sauce, optional (recommended: Tabasco)
• 1/2 cup chopped scallions, divided
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, divided
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 pound medium shrimp, deveined (20 to 24 count)

Directions

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven or black iron pot over medium heat, add the kielbasa and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until browned. Remove the kielbasa to a bowl, and set aside. Add the ham to the same pot and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to the bowl with the kielbasa, and set aside. Add the butter, onion, celery and peppers to the same pot and saute for 8 to 10 minutes, until the onion is translucent. Add the tomato, garlic, jalapeno or cayenne, oregano, thyme, and tomato paste and cook until all the vegetables and herbs are blended well. Add the stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the rice, and add the sausage, ham, bay leaves, salt, pepper and hot sauce. Return to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes. Add 1/4 cup of the scallions, 1/4 cup of the parsley, the lemon juice and the shrimp, and stir well. Cover the pot, remove it from the heat and allow the jambalaya steam, for 15 minutes, before serving.
Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup scallions and 1/2 cup parsley, and a dash of hot sauce, if desired.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/shrimp-and-sausage-jambalaya-recipe2/index.html

Thai Spicy Basil Shrimp

Ingredients:
• 1 lb. fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined (about 20 jumbo shrimp)
• 7-8 garlic cloves
• Red chili sauce
• 1 cup yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup carrot, cut in matchstick pieces
• 1/2 cup green/red/yellow bell pepper, julienned (optional)
• 2 cups basil leaves, loosely packed (roughly chopped or left whole)
• 3 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 tsp sugar (approximate)
• Little Kikkoman stir-fry sauce
• Little fish sauce
• grounded white (or black) pepper

Directions:
1. Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add garlic and some chili sauce - stir until lightly browned and fragrant.
2. Add prepared shrimps and stir well to evenly mix everything together. Once the shrimps start to turn pink - but still translucent in the middle !! (pictured above), add onions, carrots, and bell peppers. Stir to get vegetables cooked real quick, you want them to be a bit crisp, not all soft.
3. Then, add oyster sauce, light soy sauce, sugar, fish sauce, stir-fry sauce and grounded white/black pepper.
4. Stir quickly to mix the seasonings into ingredients.  Stir to get everything coated with sauce.
5. Turn off the heat, add the basil leaves and give it a good stir. Transfer to serving dish. Great over rice!
 

http://edibleobsession.blogspot.com/2009/07/thai-spicy-basil-shrimp.html 

Cajun Shrimp and Rice

Ingredients (serves 4)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons Cajun or blackening seasoning
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined (tails optional)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1.5 cups cooked white rice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1.5 chicken bouillon cube
Celery
Red kidney beans
Lemon wedges, for serving (optional)

Directions
Cook rice in chicken broth.
Heat the butter, olive oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the Cajun seasoning and shrimp and cook, stirring, until the shrimp begin to curl, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the tomatoes and scallions to the skillet and cook, stirring, about 1 minute. Add celery and kidney beans. Add the rice and 1/4 cup water and continue to cook until the rice is warmed through and the shrimp are opaque, about 3 more minutes. Stir in the parsley and serve with lemon, if desired.

Spaghetti/Linguine/Papperdelle with Mushrooms and Shrimp

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove (crushed)
Portabella mushrooms, sliced
1 pound medium shrimps, shelled, deveined, cut in half (optional)
1/8 teaspoon red hot pepper flakes
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese (plus extra to pass around) – pecorino cheese is awesome!
3/4 pound dried pappardelle/pasta
Can also add spinach or artichokes

Directions:
Heat oil and some butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano and fresh parsley - let it cook until fragrant. Add mushrooms and cook. Add salt and pepper. Can add shrimp or can make shrimp separately…(like gambas).

Cook pasta (al dente) and toss the pasta with the sauce – add more olive oil if needed. Also toss in some pecorino cheese.