Fish and Seafood Recipes - Southern States Shrimp

Ingredients                 

• 225 g/8 oz/1 cup long-grain rice

• 50 g/2 oz/1/4 cup butter

• 30 ml/2 tbsp corn oil

• 2 onions, chopped

• 1 garlic clove, crushed

• 2 celery sticks, chopped

• 15 ml/1 tbsp plain (all-purpose) flour

• 2 x 14 oz/2 x 400 g/2 large cans chopped tomatoes

• 1 bay leaf

• 1.5 ml/1/4 tsp dried thyme

• 1 red chili, seeded and chopped

• 100 g/4 oz mushrooms, chopped

• 200 g/7 oz// small can pimientos, drained and diced

• 450 g/1lb/4 cups raw peeled prawns (shrimp)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

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Method:

1. Cook the rice in plenty of boiling salted water until tender. Drain, rinse with boiling water, drain again and return to the pan.

2. Cook over a gentle heat for 1 minute to dry out then stir in the butter and fluff up with a fork.

3. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a saucepan. Add the onion, garlic and the celery and fry (sauté) for 3 minutes, stirring until golden.

4. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, bay leaf, thyme, chili, mushrooms and pimientos and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

5. Remove the black veins from the prawns and add to the sauce half-way through cooking. Season to taste. Serve hot with the buttered rice.