Lemony Shrimp & Bean Stew
What to make when you have a loaf of fresh baked bread.
This is a NYT recipe that attracted me for several reasons and I am so glad it did!
I love lemon, shrimp, and leeks. Add the beans and you can pretend this is healthy because it is a high fiber dinner. This is a quick and simple way to make a memorable dinner for 4, or split the recipe and make it for 2. Finally, and maybe most importantly, dipping fresh baked sourdough bread into the broth is just, well, (get your mind out of the gutter) this cooks!
Importantly:
ignore the NYT option of sweet or smoked paprika. SMOKED PAPRIKA makes this dish.
why do they say “chicken broth” ?- makes me cringe in combination with shrimp and all that butter - too rich and overpowering! USE fish broth or veggie broth with fish sauce (links to my favorite for cooking) as a seasoning instead of salt and pepper.
and they offer onions as a replacement for the leeks - don’t even think about it. Leeks make the dish and as I mentioned in the potato leek soup recipe, leeks are a natural source of Inulin which is used in all the soups in Valter Longo’s fasting mimicking diet, Prolon
Here we go.
In a bowl mix the shrimp with these other ingredients and let sit for at least 15 minutes
1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest and 2 tablespoons juice
1 teaspoon sweet or smoked paprika
2 garlic cloves, grated
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 pound peeled, deveined large shrimp (tails removed). Please dry them on a towel before mixing with above so they are max-absorbent.
Meanwhile, prepare the leeks and rinse the cannellini beans.
Halve two large leeks to make them easy to clean, remove the thick outer layers and slice the light green parts.
Empty a 15 ounce can of beans and wash in a colander.
In a heavy pot or pan, melt the butter and then cook the shrimp for a minute on each side.
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (½ stick)
Remove the shrimp with a slotted spoon, saving them in a bowl to add back in later. Add the leeks to the pan with the remaining butter and seasonings. When the leeks are translucent, add the beans and the vegetable or fish stock
2 cups vegetable or fish stock
Bring to a boil, skim off the foam, then turn down the heat to simmer and add fish sauce to taste. Continue to simmer for 8-10 minutes, return the cooked shrimp and juices from the bowl for the last minute or two.
Garnish with parsley or lemon thyme. And serve immediately with fresh bread!
On additional point. If garlic is a problem for some of your diners, use the garlic on the bread instead of the soup. Toast the bread and while it’s still hot, rub it with a cut garlic.
Enjoy!