Shrimp Via Augusta

Circle B Kitchen

Adapted from the SF Chronicle

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled but tails left on

1/4 cup olive oil

1/4 cup chopped shallots

2 teaspoons smoked paprika (pimenton de la Vera)

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Salt to taste

1 lemon cut into wedges

Combine the shrimp, olive oil, shallots and paprika in bowl; mix thoroughly. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes to marinate.

Five minutes before cooking the shrimp, preheat the broiler.

Turn the shrimp mixture into a shallow, oven-proof dish just large enough to hold them in a single layer. Use a spatula to make sure all the marinade makes it into the cooking dish. Place the dish on the highest oven shelf and broil the shrimp for 2 minutes on one side, then turn and broil for 1 to 2 minutes on the other side. The shrimp should just barely be firm; do not overcook.

Remove the dish from the oven, add the lemon juice, parsley and chives and stir well. Add a bit of salt, if desired, but shrimp often are briny enough on their own. Serve with pan juices, lemon wedges and rice with pine nuts (recipe follows).

Serves 2 or 3

Rice with Pine Nuts

1 cup of jasmine rice

1 large shallot, minced

1 3/4 cups water

1 - 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup chopped beet greens (optional)

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup of toasted pine nuts

Rinse the rice in cold water and drain until the water runs clear (2- 3 times) and let drain.

In a small skillet sauté the shallot in the olive oil until fragrant (about 3 minutes). Add the beet greens and saute another few minutes. Sprinkle with a little salt.

At this point I just dump everything (except the pine nuts) in my rice cooker and push the button. In about 45 minutes I have perfectly lovely rice. Alternately, you can do this in a pan on the stove. Just bring it all to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

While the rice cooks toast up the pine nuts in the saute pan that you used for the shallots.

Remove the rice from the heat (do not lift the lid) and let sit for another 10 minutes before stirring in the pine nuts.