Cooool Caribbean Paella

Baby, it's hot out there!  Here's a recipe that, despite the fact you have to use the stove, will keep you cool.  You're cold, you say?  No problem!  This fresh-tasting rice, bean, and shrimp dish is perfect at any temperature. 

Caribbean Paella

2-1/2 cups water

1 Tbsp orange zest

1 Tbsp lime zest

1 lb large shrimp - shelled and deveined

1 cup long-grain white rice

1/4 c orange juice

2 Tbsp lime juice

2 Tbsp white-wine or white-rice vinegar

1 tsp ground cumin

3/4 tsp dried hot red pepper flakes

1 16 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 red bell pepper - finely diced (I didn't have red, but had four small orange ones)

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves (or 1/4 cup dried cilantro if fresh is not available)

Bring water, orange and lime zests to a boil. in a medium saucepan.

Reserving water, remove zest and set aside. (Using a small mesh colander, I poured the mixture from one pan to another with the colander catching the zest.)

Put shrimp in reserved water, bring to boil.  Cover, remove from heat and let sit for two minutes.  Reserving water, remove shrimp with slotted spoon, place in colander and rinse with cold water.

Bring reserved water to a boil, add rice,

return water to a boil then cover and reduce heat to low.  Cook rice 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until water is absorbed.

While rice is cooking, combine reserved orange and lime zest, orange and lime juices, vinegar, cumin, and red pepper flakes in large serving bowl. 

If desired, halve shrimp lengthwise before adding to mixture.  Toss shrimp until coated and set aside. 

Rinse black beans, dice red bell pepper

and chop cilantro.  Set aside.

Add beans, pepper and cilantro to shrimp,

then stir in rice and serve.

A delicious meal in less than 30 minutes!  And using a minimum of dishes - hooray!!

Hubster wrapped scallops with prosciutto strips and grilled them - yum!!  And I had some yummy Asian Fruit Salad leftover from Friday's supper that went very well with all of the flavors.  Look for that recipe soon:-) 

Have a Coooool kind of day ~

Robin Z