Shrimp and Eggplant

Some months back I was watching a chef prepare a dish on one of the morning shows.  The silly sort of thing you do when everything is closed down due to snow.  All I can remember of the segment was him using chunks of eggplant, tomatoes, and shrimp.  Based on that I decided to make a supper based on my memory of that dish.

I used a couple of things from one of our favorite stores, Leila's Mediterranean Market.  The family that owns is originally from Lebanon and they have olive oil from family olive groves in the store.  One of the things I used was a 7 spice blend and the other was some harissa that I'd gotten to use in making some merguez sausage.  Harissa is a chili paste used as seasoning throughout the middle east.

This is a quick easy meal to make and if you have to count carbs for dietary reasons this variation is for you.

Shrimp and Eggplant

1 lb shrimp, I used 31-40 size and pulled the tails off
1 eggplant
1 can tomatoes, diced or whole
3 Tbs harissa
2 Tbs Arabic 7 spice blend
salt
pepper (optional)
sesame oil

Peel the eggplant and cut it into 3/4 inch chunks.  Put in a bowl and toss with the Arabic 7 spice to coat.  Add sesame oil to a skillet and get it hot.  Add the eggplant chunks and let fry until the side that's down is browned.  Turn the eggplant to fry the top side.  When the top is browned add the tomatoes and their juice to the skillet.  If using whole tomatoes roughly break them up.  Add the harissa and mix into the tomato and eggplant mixture.  Add salt to taste and pepper if using.  Bring to a simmer and add the shrimp.  Keep simmering until the shrimp are done which should only take a few minutes.  Spoon over couscous or cauliflower substitute and serve.  Depending on the size of the eggplant this will serve 3 - 4 people.

To make the cauliflower couscous run the cauliflower over a grater.  Put the grated cauliflower into a hot skillet with melted butter.  Stir or toss the cauliflower until it is heated through.  Plate it and add the shrimp and eggplant.

Shrimp and eggplant served over cauliflower

Based on rough estimates, the pictured plate came to  25 grams of carbs.  If you have having to watch your carbs due to diabetes then this is a good meal that is fairly low in carbs.

If you give this a try let me know what you think.  Get in the kitchen and have fun.

Uncle T

Shrimp in a Peanut Garlic Sauce

By now, you've probably figured out that we enjoy the cuisine of many countries.  Indian food is no different.  We've always gone to an Indian restaurant since all the recipes I've looked at have always seemed either overly complicated or had several ingredients that I don't keep on hand and didn't know where to find.  There may be one but I've not found an Indian market close to us where I could get those ingredients.


I was looking around at Indian and Indian inspired recipes last week and I found one that had ingredients that I had or could alter to what I had on hand.  Using what I had on hand also changed both the texture and flavor profile.  We've decided that this is a keeper recipe.  I'm calling this an Indian inspired recipe because I adapted a recipe that was adapted from a curry cookbook that was written by an Indian Chef, 660 Curries.  From what I've read about the author I may have to get this book.


One of the key changes was in the peanut requirement.  The original called for blanched peanuts to be crushed and added to the sauce.  Those peanuts are rather flavorless and only provide a bit of texture to the sauce.  I decided to use some of our homemade mixed nut butter instead.  I leave a bit of graininess to this butter when I process it and the flavor is out of this world. 


This shrimp dish is good served over rice or cauliflower rice.  Not only that, it is quick and simple to make. 


Shrimp in Peanut Garlic Sauce


1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined, size is your preference
1/2 - 1 tsp ground turmeric
1/4 cup nut butter
4 - 8 large cloves garlic
3 Thai chilies
2 Tbs canola oil
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
salt
cilantro


Place shrimp in a bowl and sprinkle with ground turmeric to suit you.  I was using 35 - 40 size shrimp so I used a good teaspoon of turmeric.  Toss to coat well and let sit for 15 - 30 minutes.


While the shrimp is sitting, mince the garlic and chilies.  Add the oil to a skillet and bring up to medium heat.  Add the garlic and chilies and stir.  After they've cooked about a minute, add the nut butter and stir.


Once the nut butter, garlic, and chilies have browned a bit, stir in the coconut milk.  Be sure to shake the can before you open it.  Bring it up to a boil and reduce to a simmer.  Add salt to taste.  Simmer for 2 minutes and add the shrimp.  Bring back to a simmer and cook until shrimp are done, about 3 - 5 minutes.


Serve over rice or cauliflower rice and sprinkle with cilantro.

Shrimp in a Peanut Garlic Sauce over Cauliflower Rice

I used some of my dried Thai Dragon peppers instead of fresh peppers because I didn't grow any Thai peppers this year.  I just minced them up dry instead of rehydrating them.  If you can't find Thai peppers then cayenne peppers are a good substitute.  You should be able to find both at a good Asian store.


Give this recipe a try and expand your kitchen repertoire.

Fun with Fermentation - Giardiniera

Giardiniera is an Italian/Italian American relish of pickled vegetables typically done in either vinegar or oil.  It can be found in hot or mild varieties.  Depending on where you are seems to determine how it is used.  The Italian version is eaten as an antipasto or with a salad.  In the US, it also gets used as toppings for Italian beef or sausage sandwiches in Chicago.  Some people even use it in pasta.


This is one of those foods that can basically be used/eaten however you wish and it will be good.  The good wife likes it and has been wanting some.  OK, the good wife likes just about any pickled vegetable but that's beside the point.  Since lacto-fermentation is a form of pickling I thought it would be a good thing to make some rather than buy a jar.


I went to the condiment aisle to look at some jars of giardiniera to see exactly what was in the commercial varieties.  The only thing they had that I didn't use was olives.  We could have bought some olives to add but I wasn't sure how or if they would affect the fermentation so we did without.


Since we will eat it out of the jar or as a component of a charcuterie and cheese meal I chose to cut the vegetables in good sized chunks.  If we want to top a sandwich with is we can chop it up some more.  What I ended up using made two quarts.


Lacto-fermented Giardiniera


1 head cauliflower
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
2 stalks celery
3 medium carrots
1 head garlic, optional
2 - 4 hot peppers, optional
4 tsp salt, non-iodized
4 cups water, non-clorinated


Boil enough water to fill the quart jars and let them sit until ready to pack the vegetables in.  Separate the cauliflower into bite sized florets and place in a large bowl.  Cut the bell peppers into 3/8 inch x 2 inch strips and add to the bowl.  Cut the celery into 3/8 - 1/2 inch pieces and add to the bowl.  Cut the carrot on the diagonal into 3/8 - 1/2 inch pieces and add to the bowl.  Slice the peppers, if using and add to the bowl.  Separate and peel the garlic cloves and set aside.  Thoroughly mix the contents of the bowl.  Dump the hot water out of the quart jars.  Start putting the vegetable mixture in each jar adding the garlic cloves to equally distribute. Pack them tight and leave space at the top.  Mix the salt and water to make your brine and fill to the rim.  Put the lid on but don't crank it down hard, fermentation gas and some liquid needs to be able to escape.  Put jars in a pan to catch overflow and put in a warm place in your house while keeping them out of direct sunlight.  In 7 - 14 days, temperature and taste depending, you'll have some tasty fermented giardiniera.  This batch was good at 12 days.

Quart jars of vegetables ready to start fermenting

Once the desired level of flavor is reached, tightly cap the jars and put them in the refrigerator.  Putting them in the refrigerator will slow/stop the ferment and will help maintain the texture of the vegetables.  These will not be super crunchy but you can possibly help preserve some of the crispness by adding some tannin to the mix in the form of oak or grape leaves.  I didn't bother with that and the peppers ended up pretty soft.


The vegetables need to stay submerged during the entire ferment else you run the risk of mold development.  If they are tight packed they may stay submerged on their own.  If not use a weight of some sort to keep them under the brine.  In my gallon jars of sour kraut I use a ziplock bag filled with the brine to keep the cabbage submerged.


Some people call for 1 Tbs salt to 2 cups water which is slightly more salt than I use.  I find, with softer vegetables anyway, that the end result is a bit too salty to my taste.  The primary purpose of the salt is inhibit undesirable bacteria until the lactobacillus has taken off. 


One of the side effects of pickling garlic this way is that it can turn blue or green.  This is perfectly normal and it is safe to eat.  The color change is just a chemical reaction between a couple of enzymes found in garlic or between one of those and the salt.  There may be no color change at all.  If there are no bad spots on the garlic and you don't bruise it when peeling you have a better chance of it staying its natural color.  I had to cut out small bad spots on a few cloves so I got some blue garlic.


In addition to being tasty, lacto-fermented foods are high in probiotic bacteria which we all need.  Supposedly, these bacteria have a whole host of benefits that range from helping your skin look good to weight loss.  They do help keep your digestive tract healthy by maintaining a large variety of microorganisms in your gut.


If you don't like this mix, that's OK.  Select the vegetable/vegetables you like at start fermenting.  You'll get some tasty food and if you share you get to tell them you made it.  Give them a try and let me know how you like them.


Uncle T