weeknight cooking is all about simplicity and speed without sacrificing elegance and flavor. seafood, so long as you purchase it from a trusted purveyor the day you plan to use it, never fails at being fast and delicious. only in the case of shrimp do i employ the freezer. if you can, buy your shrimp frozen. what you see at the market is, for the most part, frozen and dethawed, and you have no way of knowing when that happened. dethaw them in cool water just before you plan to use them--it happens fast. then give yourself 45 minutes, including about 30 minutes of inactive cook time, for this colorful plate to emerge.
shrimp with oranges, black rice, and coconut milk
serves 4
1 1/2 cups black rice
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2 navel oranges, peel cut off & cut into segments (aka supremes)
1 teaspoon honey
20 jumbo shrimp or prawns (U10-12's, about 2 pounds total), peeled and deveined
kosher salt & pepper
4 tablespoons neutral tasting olive oil
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
2 cups baby spinach leaves
place the rice in a pot (that has a fitted lid) and cover with 2 3/4 cups of water and 2 teaspoons of salt. bring to a boil, and then reduce the heat to very low. cover and cook for 30 minutes, until the water has been absorbed and the rice is cooked through. spread the rice out on a rimmed baking sheet to cool to room temperature.
pour the orange juice in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. simmer until the orange juice has reduced to 1/4 cup. swirl in the orange segments and the honey. set aside.
pat the prawns dry with a clean dishtowel or paper towels. sprinkle with salt and pepper. heat a large skillet with enough olive oil to evenly coat the bottom of the skillet (1 - 2 tablespoons). when the oil is shimmering and quite hot, add the prawns in a single layer--you may have to work in batches. do not move them for 1 1/2 minutes, until a seared golden crust is formed, and then flip them and continue to cook 1 minute longer, until just cooked through. remove the prawns to a plate. add an additional 2 tablespoons of oil to the skillet and then add the rice. cook for one minute, stirring frequently, then add the curry powder and coconut milk. cook an additional minute, then toss in the spinach.
spoon the rice onto individual serving dishes and top with the prawns. spoon the orange sauce over the prawns. serve immediately.
notes
* here is a great video tutorial on cutting citrus segments
* i have a good source for shrimp from mexico. they are incredibly sweet and taste of the ocean. if you can find them, get them. they do not disappoint.
* "forbidden" black rice is available at whole foods market and many other specialty food stores. it can even be purchased at amazon.