Thursday Night Menu: Not Turkey Edition

What better way to combat turkey fatigue than with a crab and shrimp menu? It was a toss up between this and a nice Vegetable Beef Soup. We’ll do the soup next week. Maybe JeffW and I can coordinate and he can come up with a nice hearty bread recipe for next Thursday to post along with the menu (that’s a hint, Jeff, in case you missed it). I’m travelling again this week, but I’ll do my best to answer any questions you might have.  The shrimp is a bit of a different recipe, instead of traditional coconut shrimp which is fried in a coconut batter, this one is simmered in a coconut milk sauce. I like Jasmine rice and if you haven’t tried it, now is your chance. I actually use a nice brown Jasmine rice that fluffs up almost as well as its white counterpart. And of course, vanilla ice cream is only a suggestion here, it won’t ruin the entire menu if you go all wild and choose something like mango.

On the board tonight:

1. Shrimp in Coconut Milk
2. Jasmine Rice
3. Cucumber Sea Salad
4. Crushed Pineapple & Coconut over Vanilla Ice Cream

Shrimp in Coconut Milk

• 2 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil
• 4-6 green onions, chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 8 oz sliced frozen carrots
• ½ tsp crushed garlic
• 1 tsp ginger powder
• 1 lb frozen or fresh shrimp, de-veined
• 14 oz coconut milk
• ¼ cup tequila (opt)
• 1 tbsp limejuice
• 2 tsp brown sugar
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh Thai basil leaves
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 tbsp shredded coconut

wok or skillet

Heat oil, sauté onions, pepper, carrots, garlic until tender (2-3 minutes). Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, immediately reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes. Serve immediately over rice. Garnish with coconut.

Cucumber Sea Salad

• 1 cucumber, peeled, thinly sliced
• 4 oz crab meat
• 2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
• 1 cup white wine vinegar
• 6 oz frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed

Combine cucumber, crab, & celery into bowl. Mix vinegar and apple juice concentrate, pour over mixture and refrigerate until served.

Shopping list:

• 8 oz crushed pineapple
• 1 qt premium vanilla ice cream (or other favorite)
• 1 cup jasmine rice
• 4-6 green onions
• 1 red bell pepper
• 8 oz sliced frozen carrots
• 1 lb frozen or fresh shrimp, de-veined
• 14 oz coconut milk
• ¼ cup tequila (opt)
• Fresh Thai basil leaves
• Cilantro
• 2 oz shredded coconut
• 1 cucumber
• 4 oz crab meat
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 cup white wine vinegar
• 6 oz frozen apple juice concentrate

Also: peanut oil or vegetable oil, crushed garlic, ginger powder, limejuice, brown sugar,