Shrimp, Shrimp and ...

So this week we're going to do two or more simple shrimp recipes with a 20 oz bag of frozen 'salad' shrimp. You know, the little bitty ones with all the flavor. Pre-cooked and shelled, and ready to eat.  Also a classic Peruvian dish of rice and beans or lentils.

I was down at the riverside farmer's market the other day, and came across these giant yellow tomatoes. Lady Sally likes the yellow ones as they are less acidic than the red ones. My Aunt Jeanette, back in the day, used to get hives from red tomatoes. Over the years that she lived with us, my folks grew lots of yellow tomatoes.

I'd been wondering what to make for Sunday lunch this week, and “stuffed tomatoes” immediately came to mind when I saw those big yellow globes. Sally had a stuffed tomato recipe from her sister in England that I tweaked by adding the baby shrimp, some celery, and things. Here's what I made:

Shrimp Stuffed Tomatoes

6 Large Tomatoes

Stuffing:

1-1/2 cups Salad Shrimp, thawed

1 tbsp whole Capers

¼ cup Golden Raisins

1/3 cup diced Sweet White Onion

1 Tbsp minced Garlic

12 large Black Olives, coarsely chopped

¾ cup chopped Tomato “guts”

2 tsp Szeged(tm) brand Fish Rub (paprika, salt, pepper, lemon, and more)

1-1/4 cup Panko Bread Crumbs

Shredded white English Cheddar for topping

Hollow, and drain the tomatoes while you prepare the stuffing. Simmer together the other ingredients, except for the panko, for about 10 minutes, until the celery and onion are softened. Add the panko and toss to absorb the liquids and form the stuffing. Stuff the tomatoes and top with cheese. Place under the broiler for 5-10 minutes until the cheese is brown and melty.   Serve on a bed of lettuce.  Depending on tomato size, these can be an appetizer or 1-2 as a meal with a starch side.

Shrimp & Shell Salad

This is my twist on a recipe I 'inherited' from my Mom. She made a dish something like this every summer that I can remember. Mom made it with canned tuna (shrimp wasn't in our lexicon). But I think I've kept the rest accurate. This is a K.I.S.S. Recipe; don't go adding too many ingredients.

My vegetarian friends can make this without the shrimp, just double the amount of vegetables. Use faux mayo if you're vegan.

1 lb box Seashell Pasta

1-1/2 cups Salad Shrimp, thawed

1 cup frozen Green Peas, thawed

10-12 Red Radishes, sliced

1 stick Celery, sliced fine

1 bunch Green Onions (or ¼ sweet onion, diced)

1 Red Bell Pepper, diced (I believe Mom used carrot slices)

½ cup Mayonnaise for dressing

Salt, Pepper, Paprika

Cook the pasta according to package directions. While that's going on, slice and dice the celery, pepper, onions, . When the pasta is done, cool and drain it. Then toss everything, including the mayo, in a large bowl, add salt & pepper to taste, and fold with a spoon or spatula to combine. Don't over-dress with the mayo. Top dress with paprika. Chill and serve.

Alternatives and options I've tried over the years: curry powder spice, Cajun spice, Old Bay seasoning, mixed frozen veggies instead of just peas, sliced mushrooms, daikon instead of red radishes; smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika.

Bonus Shrimp Recipe

Add a handful of those salad shrimp to your mushroom omelet. To make it really upscale add a dollop of guacamole before you fold or roll the omelet closed.

Tacu Tacu de Lentejas

If you live in a culture whose cuisine features lots of rice, beans and lentils, you're gonna have leftovers. That's what the Peruvian name Tacu tacu means – leftovers. Lentejas are lentils.

Aji Amarillo is a spicy sauce/paste (not salasa) made from the Peruvian Yellow Chile pepper. It's a unique flavor. Aji amarillo can be obtained as dried peppers or the paste. For this recipe you really want the paste (available from many Latin markets or on-line). Substituting another pepper sauce might be tasty, but just won't be the same.

Tacu tacu is commonly served as a side dish or bed for a pork chop or grilled chicken breast, but makes a tasty main dish by itself. If you make tacu tacu with beans, use black or pinto beans.

Of course you can start with freshly cooked rice and lentils (or beans) if you don't happen to have any leftovers. For the lentils in this dish I prefer half ordinary green lentils and half orange split lentils, as the split lentils mash easier and help bind things together.

1 cup cooked Rice

1 cup cooked Lentils

¼ cup diced white or red onion

1-3 tsp Aji Amarillo (to taste)

Cook the rice and lentils and cool them. I prefer to cook the rice spiced with cumin, and lentils spiced with my Latin Spice Blend:

1 tbsp Cumin

1 tbsp Coriander

1 tbsp Chile Powder

1 tbsp Salt

1 tbsp Black Pepper

Toast the combined spices in a dry skillet until very aromatic. Then cool and store in a jar.

Combine the aji amarillo paste, cooked rice and lentils and raw onions in a bowl and mash with a potato masher or Pampered Chef Star Masher until the lentils break down a bit and the mass starts to stick together. Turn out onto a lightly oiled griddle or skillet and mash into a flat cake about ¾ to 1” thick. Fry about 6-8 minutes on medium high until you get a nice crust on the bottom. Flip the cake (don't worry if it breaks up) and fry again for 6-8 minutes to get more crust. Cut the cake into quarters and serve.

Here I've molded the tacu tacu in a glass pie plate.  Invert a plate on top, then flip to unmold.  Can be garnished with pickled red onions:

Salsa Criollo (Peruvian Pickled Red Onions)

1 Red Onion

1 Tbsp White Wine Vinegar

1/2 Tbso olive oil

1/2 Lime

1/4 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Cumin

1/4 tsp Oregano

Slice the onions thin (julienne).  Rinse & drain and place in a bowl.  In a cup mix the oil, vinegar, spices and juice of the lime.  Pour pickling liquid over the onions and toss to combine. Refrigerate until use.