When you want to cook to impress, this must be your go-to and you won’t believe how quick and easy it is to prepare. Think elegant, flavorful, fragrant, vibrant and comforting.
You can serve this as an appetizer or as a main with a side of rice. I love how the rice soaks up all of the flavors of the coconut broth which is infused with lemongrass, garlic, shallot and lime. The shiitakes also absorb those flavors but also impart earthiness, while the tender shrimp offer body.
For freshness and vibrancy, sprinkle on some extra lime juice, fresh herbs such as cilantro and chives, and for a pop of colour and heat, add some minced red chilies.
A few notes to get you started: When cooking any type of mushrooms, it’s important to give them room in the pan without overlapping if possible. Also, don’t salt them (right away) and don’t touch them until they gain a little colour and then sauté until tender and add a sprinkle of salt.
Cooking seafood can be challenging. Overcooking shellfish is a weak spot for me, in fact. A piece of overcooked seafood can be rubbery, tasteless and unappetizing. I like to use Wild Argentinian shrimp (16/20), they have a pink colour even when raw, they have a great flavour and texture and they’re almost impossible to overcook. Try them!
Thai-inspired Shrimp and Shiitakes in a Coconut-Lemongrass Broth
Ingredients
- 20-24 Large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 8-10 Shiitake mushrooms (caps only) cut into 1/4 inch slices
- 1 Shallot chopped
- 1 tbsp Ginger chopped
- 1/2 a stalk Lemongrass chopped
- 1 Garlic clove grated (large)
- 1/2 cup Chicken stock
- 1 1/2 cup Coconut milk canned, full fat
- Cilantro picked
- Lime juice freshly squeezed
- Kosher Salt / fresh cracked Pepper
- Garnishes:
- Cilantro
- Chives finely chopped
- Green onion finely sliced on the diagonal
- Red chilies finely chopped
Instructions
- Place a medium sized saucepan over medium high heat, add a splash of avocado oil and 1 tbsp of unsalted butter when foaming resides add the shallot, ginger and lemongrass.
- Sweat the aromatics for 2 to 3 minutes. add the stock and the coconut milk and bring to a simmer for 5 to 6 minutes the add the cilantro, remove from heat and steep for an additional 3 to 4 minutes. Add 1 level tsp of kosher salt and taste. Add more if needed.
- Strain into a pot and set aside.
- Place a saute pan over medium heat and add oil to coat the bottom.
- Season shrimp with fine sea salt and and saute for about 2 minutes a side. Add fresh cracked pepper if desired, then remove to a plate and set aside.
- Place pan back on the heat, add a drizzle of oil and sauté the sliced shiitakes until tender 3 to 4 minutes. Try not to overcrowd the pan and let them take on a little colour. Salt when tender.
- (Salting too early can make them rubbery)
- To finish, bring sauce to a simmer and add lime juice then divide shiitakes between 4 warm bowls then add the shrimp, pour some broth over and around garnish and serve.
