Coconut Poached Shrimp and Basil
One way I aim to emphasize a particular ingredient is to use it more than one way in a recipe. For this dish, I made a homemade shrimp stock about two months ago and, not knowing what I wanted to do with it yet, froze it. Then, a cooler summer evening came along and thought it would be perfect to whip it out: but with what? With shrimp, of course! The lean, somewhat sweet nature of shrimp yields a lighter stock compared to other animal bones, such as chicken or beef. To add more richness, I use coconut milk but the fresh basil and its peppery aroma keeps it light and makes this a winner for dinner.
For tips on how to make your own homemade shrimp stock, shoot a message to me on the “Contact” page!
Total time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 lbs of wild caught peeled and deveined medium sized shrimp
2 red bell peppers, julienne
2 medium carrots, julienne
1 yellow onion, sliced
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 15 oz can of lite coconut milk
1 15 oz can of coconut milk
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp corn starch
2 cups of homemade shrimp stock (sub store bought seafood stock if necessary)
2 cups sliced basil
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
Directions
In a small bowl, make a slurry by whisking together the lemon juice and corn starch until smooth and glossy. Set aside.
Heat the vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, bell peppers and carrots and sweat until softened, stirring frequently, 8-10 minutes. Then, over a medium flame, add the garlic and cook for 3-4 minutes, until golden brown.
Add in the shrimp stock and the coconut milk. Bring to a boil. Gradually, in a fine stream, pour the slurry into the boiling cooking liquid to be thickened while whisking constantly.
Reduce to a simmer, and add the shrimp. Cook 3-4 minutes (do not overcook the shrimp or they will become rubbery). Once cooked, add the basil, salt and pepper and stir together. Divide the mixture amongst each shallow bowl and garnish with additional fresh, uncut basil. Optional: garnish with a sprinkle of cayenne.