Shrimp, Salmon, and Rice...Take 2!
April 8, 2020 by Nicole Collins
We have a birthday in the house today!
But before we get to that, how's everybody doing during this completely insane world crisis? I hope you all are safe, healthy, and thriving. I'm not one that usually stays in tuned to the news, but this COVID-19 craziness is kinda hard to avoid. Does anyone feel like it's getting more and more unbelievable every day?
I'm super fortunate to be able to work from home and not have any kiddos to teach while I'm trying to do it. Though Bisco has definitely been testing the limits lately, I can send him to his time out pillow to pout for a few minutes then be done with it. But to all you parents that are pulling quadruple duty right now, I'm totally in awe of you. You guys are more incredible than most people will give you credit for, and I hope you all get to do something exceptionally special to celebrate once all of this is over.
Speaking of celebrate, let's move on from the depressing virus talk and move on to the birthday celebration.
Today is The Yummy Muffin's 3rd birthday!
Can you believe we've been doing this for 3 whole years together? And what a ride it's been.
I thought we'd celebrate this year by doing a little re-post of the very first recipe that I ever shared with you. The recipe is the same, but the pictures are new (and a little more improved if you ask me). Let's celebrate how much we've all grown in the past 3 years.
So today, we're making Shrimp, Salmon, and Rice!
Let me tell you. I love this recipe even more today than I did three years ago! This saucy rice mix almost takes on a risotto like texture by the time it's ready to eat, but we're using healthy ingredients. So, it's so much better for us!
And, anyone feeling the #quarantinefifteen right now will thank me for giving them something that's pretty healthy but still luxurious.
Let's start with the rice. We're going to use brown rice for this recipe that simmers in it's bath with some chopped onion for flavor. Brown rice takes much longer to cook, and I think it has a little bit of a softer texture when it's finished. You can swap out for another grain of rice, but note that the cooking time will be much shorter.
While the rice cooks, we can work on our saucy shrimp. Juicy fresh tomatoes get chopped up really fine then cooked with lots of garlic, a little old bay, and the shrimp part of our dish. We want a nice juicy tomato for this recipe, because we want all of those juices to go into our sauce. Then, it all gets tossed together with our fragrant rice, and we're just about ready to go.
Now, this is a double protein kind of recipe. I like the shrimp/salmon combo; because they're two of my favorite fish. Plus, the salmon can quickly roast in the oven while everything else is going on the stove top. But, you can totally chose to switch things up a bit. You could do double shrimp. You could use shrimp and a white fish, like tilapia. You could go double salmon. You have lots of options!
The end result is a saucy, fresh, hearty bowl of absolute deliciousness. This is one of my most frequently made recipes, so you know it must be a winner!
Ok, everyone. I just want to tell you all how much I appreciate you following along on this food journey with me...especially when life throws us some lemons. Promise me that we can always make lemonade together.
I love you guys! I love The Yummy Muffin! And, I can't wait to celebrate many more years together.
Enjoy, and let's eat!
Shrimp, Salmon, and Rice
Serves: 4 Print
Ingredients:
¾ cup brown rice, uncooked
½ medium onion, diced (about ½ cup)
1 ½ tbsp olive oil, divided
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tomatoes, peeled and diced (with seeds and juice)
heaping ½ tsp Old Bay
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (thawed, if frozen)
8 oz cooked salmon, broken up into chunks (tilapia works too)
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
For the rice: In a medium saucepan, heat ½ tbsp olive oil over medium heat. Add rice, onion, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Sauté for 2-3 mins until the onion starts to soften and the rice starts to toast. Add 1 ¾ cup water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 mins. Remove from heat, and let stand for 5 mins.
Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Add the minced garlic, and sauté for about 1 minute until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add in tomatoes (and the juices), and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, stir in shrimp, old bay, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 mins.
Add the cooked rice and cooked salmon in to the sauce, and stir to combine. Cook for about another 5 mins, stirring occasionally. Divide in to 4 portions.
Recipe notes: *I usually prefer a tomato on the firm side, but you want a softer, squishy one for this. The seeds and juices help create the sauce.
*I like to roast my salmon seasoned with some old bay in a 400 degree oven for about 12-15 mins. If salmon isn’t your thing, tilapia seasoned with old bay works great too. And I certainly wouldn’t judge you if you just went for double shrimp!
*If brown rice isn’t your thing, use whatever kind of rice you prefer. Just adjust the cooking time based on the package directions. Your texture will be different, but your flavors will be the same.
