Seafood Dirty Rice
2 lb. shrimp, with shells removed and reserved and each shrimp cut into bite-sized chunks
4 Tbsp (1/2 stick) butter
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup heavy cream
3 cups shrimp stock for Shrimp Sauce
2 1/2 cups shrimp stock for rice
Shrimp Stock Bowl
All the reserved shrimp shells
2 onions, quartered
3 ribs celery, halved
5 cloves garlic, halved
2 qts. water
Salt to taste
Brown Rice Bowl
2 cups Uncle Ben's brown rice
1/4 onion, chopped fine
1/4 green pepper, chopped fine
1 rib celery, chopped fine
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
pinch of cayenne pepper
Shrimp Sauce Bowl
1 cup tomato sauce
3/4 onion, chopped fine
3/4 green pepper, chopped fine
2 ribs celery, chopped fine
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. white pepper
2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
Shrimp Bowl
All the bite-sized chunks of shrimp
Finishing Bowl
1 bunch green onions, chopped fine
1 lb. lump crabmeat, packed
First, peel and slice all the shrimp. Cut each shrimp into bite-sized pieces.
Second, set up the five bowls (Shrimp Stock Bowl, Brown Rice Bowl, Shrimp Sauce Bowl, Shrimp Bowl, Finishing Bowl).
Third, get the shrimp stock started. Dump the Shrimp Stock Bowl into a soup pot, bring it to a boil over meduim high heat, then turn the heat down to maintain a simmer. In a perfect world the shrimp stock would simmer for an hour, but you might have to use it before then.
Fourth, get the rice started. Stir the ingredients in the Brown Rice Bowl so that everything in the bowl is thoroughly combined. Then, dump the Brown Rice Bowl into a rice maker. Add enough shrimp stock into the rice maker so that the stock comes to the first joint on your index finger when the tip of your index finger is resting on the top of the solid ingredients (about 2 1/2 cups).
When your rice is almost ready, start on the Shrimp Sauce. Combine the butter and oil in a very large skillet over medium heat. When the butter is melted, pour the Shrimp Sauce Bowl into the skillet. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add 3 cups of stock and turn the heat up high for 10 minutes; continue stirring. Stir in the cream and turn the heat down to simmer for 4 minutes. Add the shrimp and simmer another 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Finally, stir in the cooked rice and the Finishing Bowl, keeping the crabmeat lumps in tact as much as possible. Heat through and serve.
Our comments: Not as hard as it looks. The best approach is to make the shrimp stock and rice in advance. Well worth the effort!