Decadently Rich And Creamy

With two simple ingredients and a lusciously rich cream sauce, a comfort meal comes together without any fuss or much time.  I thoroughly love this dish and find each time I take my first bite that I amazed with the flavor and mixture of textures.

Add a crisp glass of chardonnay, lovely company, and a baguette and an easy dinner at home turns into something quite wonderful.

Simply Decadent Rice (from Giada de Laurentiis)

Ingredients

• 1 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, divided, at room temperature
• 2 cups parboiled long-grain rice, such as Uncle Ben's
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 pounds small shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a medium nonstick saucepan, heat 1/2 of the butter over medium-low heat. Add the rice and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 6 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken stock and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer covered for 20 to 25 minutes until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Remove the pan from the heat and rest covered for 5 minutes.

2. In a large skillet, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 to 2 minutes until aromatic. Add the shrimp, lemon juice, and hot sauce. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the shrimp is pink and cooked through. Stir in the cream and heat through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

3. Using a fork, fluff the rice and arrange on a platter. Spoon the shrimp cream sauce over the rice and serve.

Key Things To Keep In Mind:

*Don’t shy away from using the hot sauce.  I use Tabasco and it adds a richness that adds flavor without too much kick.

*Add a baguette to soak up the flavorful sauce.

Images: (1) Food Network (2) Simply Luxurious

Star of the Show

The star of the evening at any cocktail party should always be the guests that you’ve invited, but the food should most certainly take a close second. Thanks to Giada De Laurentiis I have found a very dependable, for the most part healthy, and very much the crowd pleaser appetizer in my adapted version of her Polenta Crusted Shrimp with Mustard and Herb Mayonnaise.

A bit of protein, a delectable crunch and savory sauce as a complement, this is sure to be a hit at your next hostessing event.  One of the things I appreciate about this recipe is that it’s not messy and allows your guests the ability to eat as gracefully as possible for an hor d’oeuvre that involves dipping.

The only change I have made to this recipe is switching the polenta with panko breadcrumbs.  After attempting the original recipe, I found the polenta to be too coarse and immediately tried the panko on my next go round which added a much easier bite, but didn’t take away from the crunch. So if you are more inclined to work with polenta, simply swap out anywhere you see panko with the original ingredient.  Either way the flavor is amazing!

Ingredients

Mustard and Herb Mayonnaise:

• 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh tarragon leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives

Panko Crusted Shrimp:

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups panko
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail-on
• 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt, for sprinkling

Directions

To make the Mustard and Herb Mayonnaise:

1. In a medium bowl combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, Dijon mustard, tarragon, and chives. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

To make the Polenta Crusted Shrimp:

1. Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 475 degrees F. Cover a heavy-duty baking sheet with aluminum foil. Combine the flour, sea salt and pepper in a small bowl.

2. Pour the beaten eggs into another small bowl. Mix together the panko, paprika and thyme in a medium bowl. Working in batches, dredge the shrimp in the flour. Shake off any excess flour. Dip the flour-dredged shrimp into the eggs and then coat with the panko mixture.

3. Drizzle the shrimp, on both sides, with the olive oil. Place the shrimp on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until crisp and golden. Sprinkle with the kosher salt.

Serve immediately with the Mustard and Herb Mayonnaise.

 

 Images: (1) Food Network (2) Katy and Christine