blackened shrimp with kale caesar salad

Blackened Shrimp with Kale Caesar salad

I have been wanting to make blackened shrimp 🦐 since 2018, just kidding-I'm not sure of the exact date. I think I've been wanting to make blackened shrimp since my husband and I went to a cooking school in New Orleans and bought a jar of their "Joe's Special" spicy cajun spice mixture. The spice mixture smelled fragrant and I couldn't find a use by this date stamp on the jar so I figure I'm good to go with the spicy blackened shrimp. This weeknight dinner could not be easier or more delicious 😋 if you like spicy this is for you.

I had the cajun spice mixture in my pantry, but it's easy to find a version of it in your market. I used about a pound of medium shrimp which is enough for 4 people for a starter or 2-3 generous portions for dinner or my usual favorite- enough for 2 with leftovers for lunch. Just a note- a lightly dressed kale salad served under the spicy shrimp adds a nice leafy 🥬 cooling green structure to this dish, making a satisfying meal with both protein and veg in each bite, thank you very much.

Ingredients and Recipe for Blackened Shrimp with kale Caesar salad

serves 2-3

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, rinsed and drained in a colander

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic 🧄 cloves, minced

2 tablespoons cajun spices, I used Joe's Special Cajun Seasonings

1 bunch curly leaf kale, washed, dried and torn into bite size pieces

Caesar dressing, homemade or bottled

Parmesan cheese, grated

Sprinkle the cajun spices on the shrimp, evenly coat the shrimp with spices. I spread the shrimp out on a flat surface and tossed them with the spices.

Heat the butter and oil in a large skillet, sauté the garlic for about 30 seconds.

Sauté the shrimp first on one side for 1-2 minutes, depending on the size, don't overcook.

Flip each shrimp over and cook the other side for 1-2 minutes, don't overcrowd the pan, you will probably have to cook the shrimp in two batches. I added a sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper to the cooking shrimp. The shrimp 🍤 turn pink with a light brown coating of the cooked spices, they don't really turn black, see above photo.

Remove the cooked shrimp to a plate while you cook the entire batch.

Place the kale in a bowl and lightly dress your greens with Caesar salad dressing, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese on top to taste.

Serve the kale salad in shallow bowls with the blackened shrimp on top.

bon appetit.

Comments

springtime chamomile tea cake with strawberry icing

Good grief, Easter is in the rear view mirror and we are deep into this new year. And once again it's tea time at my house. This chamomile tea cake is a beautiful sweet addition to any tea ritual, especially my favorite, chamomile tea, which I rediscovered in my hotel room in Carmel earlier this fast moving year. I highly recommend a slice of chamomile tea cake with strawberry 🍓 icing with a cup of chamomile tea to just take a moment and slow this year down. Baking with tea is both creative and fun. Earlier this year I made Earl Gray sugar cookies which are made using the same method of infusing the butter with loose tea. For my tea cake I also rubbed the lemon zest into the sugar -another way to lend a pop of citrus to your baking. The strawberry icing is made using freeze dried strawberries, I pulverize them in my spice mill and then they are pressed through a fine sieve into the confectioner's sugar. In addition to using lemon zest rub...

chermoula spiced multi colored cauliflower salad

What do you do when you've said, "no"to the same person so many times that you feel like a new approach is needed, like I'll get back to you, or say something that's not true- I did that or whatever when you haven't done anything at all. Or you could try being honest and say I'm never going to say yes or do that thing that you keep asking me about, not going to happen in this lifetime. I wish that everything in life would be as straight forward as making a salad, especially a salad that could be made ahead of time and brought to a potluck in a beautiful handmade pottery bowl. Should you tell people at the potluck that you made the bowl yourself? In your pottery studio overlooking the Pacific Ocean ?? Probably should draw a line on that one, I don't know, maybe you could give it a try. Or you could share that you made up the recipe while doing brain surgery. Might be a good way to make some crazy new friends because the people you know alre...

kale quinoa apple pecan salad with feta

Salade Kale Quinoa Apple Pecan with Feta 1&1/2 cups water or vegetable broth 3/4 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained 1/2 cup dried cranberries 6 cups curly leaf kale, washed, rinsed, trimmed and chopped Sea salt 1 Fuji apple, cored and thinly sliced 1 small shallot, thinly sliced 1/3 cup toasted pecans, chopped 2 ounces crumbled Feta 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 tablespoon lemon juice Piment d’Espelette, to taste, or a generous pinch Freshly ground fermented white pepper, to taste In a medium saucepan bring the water or vegetable broth to a boil and add the quinoa, reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until water is absorbed and quinoa is tender. Fluff with a fork and place the cranberries on top. Cover the pan and let steam for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, place the kale in a large salad bowl and season with the sea salt, rub in about 1 teaspoon salt and massage with y...

Tarragon and Chives

Search This Blog