Add these flavorful Shrimp Bowls to your dinner menu rotation. Karen Schneider / For The Forecaster
Here’s how it goes: In the morning, take a few moments to place frozen shrimp in a Ziploc bag with a marinade made from a few pantry ingredients. Stick this combo in the fridge and leave it.
This simple marinade is also delicious used with salmon, pork or chicken. Maple syrup can be substituted for the honey, if you prefer. Cook any type of rice of your choosing to reheat at dinner time. Whip the cream for dessert, combine the preserves with the liqueur and stow all that in the fridge as well. Relax. Go about your day.
Karen Schneider cooks and writes in the village of Cundy’s Harbor. You can reach her at iwrite33@comcast.net.
An hour before supper time, whip this decadent cake together and put it in the oven. It will make any day a special occasion. Don’t hold back on the whipped cream and preserves, whatever you do! You can also use raspberry preserves and Chambord liqueur for a change-up.
Feeding ourselves well is one thing we can do every day to stay positive!
Shrimp Bowls
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 pound medium uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 teaspoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 small onion, diced
1 1/2 cups frozen peas and carrots, thawed
2 cups cooked rice of your choice
1 pound fresh broccoli, broken into florets
Whisk honey, soy sauce, garlic and ginger together in a medium bowl.
Place shrimp in a large Ziploc bag. Pour in half the marinade and shake, then allow shrimp to marinate in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 8 hours. Refrigerate remaining marinade.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and toast sesame seeds until browned, about 1 minute. Remove to a plate. Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and sauté onion for 5 minutes. Add peas and carrots and sauté for 2 more minutes. Combine vegetables with rice and keep warm.
Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium heat, steam broccoli in an inch or two of water until just tender.
Remove shrimp from marinade and sauté over medium-high heat on one side until pink, about 45 seconds, then turn shrimp over. Pour in the other half of the marinade that was reserved and cook for 1 minute more or until shrimp are cooked and marinade is a bit thickened and bubbling.
To serve, divide rice among four serving bowls. Top with shrimp and marinade then garnish with broccoli and sesame seeds. Yield: 4 servings
Flourless Chocolate Cake with Cherries & Cream
1 1/2 sticks butter, cubed
2 cups (12 ounces) semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate
6 large eggs, separated
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup sugar, divided
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
In a saucepan over low heat, melt and stir butter and chocolate until smooth. Set aside to cool.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9-inch round springform pan with nonstick cooking spray and line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper.
Place egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, or use a large bowl and a handheld electric mixer. Beat egg whites on medium-high until foamy then slowly pour in lemon juice and half the sugar, continuing to beat until egg whites are glossy and hold a soft peak (do not overbeat). Set egg whites aside.
Place egg yolks, remaining sugar and salt into another bowl and beat on medium until thick and pale yellow, about 1-2 minutes. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the chocolate-butter mixture, mixing well. Fold one-third of the beaten egg whites into the chocolate cake batter. Fold half the remaining egg whites in carefully, then the remainder.
Transfer batter to prepared cake pan. Bake until the center is puffed up, just barely firm/dry to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few dry crumbs clinging to it, about 35-40 minutes. Do not overbake. Place the cake on a rack to cool completely. It will sink in the center.
Use a knife to loosen the edges of the cake from the pan and invert it onto the rack. Peel off parchment paper then invert cake on a serving plate.
Topping
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons sugar, or more to taste
2 teaspoons vanilla
Whip together with an electric mixer until soft peaks form.
1/2 cup cherry preserves
2 tablespoons kirsch (sour cherry brandy, optional)
Combine these two ingredients in a small bowl.
Cut cake into wedges and spoon preserves then whipped cream on each piece. Yield: 8-10 servings
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