One-Pot Shrimp Perloo

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Details

In the Lowcountry region (the coastal areas of the Carolinas and Georgia), perloo is a beloved rice dish often made with the region’s plentiful shellfish. Similar to jambalaya, perloo starts with a flavorful base of rice simmered with tomato, bell pepper, celery, garlic and onion. We’re making ours with hearty, absorbent bomba rice—a Spanish variety traditionally used for paella—and cooking it risotto-style before stirring in the shrimp right at the end. The heat of the perloo will cook the shrimp, even without a flame, for the perfect, crisp texture. Enjoy, chefs!

Ingredients

Note: Measurements are for 2 serving recipes.

Instructions

step 1

Prepare the ingredients:

Wash and dry the fresh produce. Peel and mince the garlic. Halve the celery lengthwise; slice crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces. Cut out and discard the stem, ribs and seeds of the bell pepper; medium dice. Peel and small dice the onion. Cut off and discard the root ends of the scallions; thinly slice the scallions, separating the white bottoms and green tops. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Finely chop the parsley leaves and stems.

step 2

Start the perloo:

In a large pot, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the garlic, celery, bell pepper, onion and white bottoms of the scallions; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 4 to 6 minutes, or until softened and fragrant.

step 3

Add the rice:

Add the rice and ¾ of the spice blend to the pot; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until toasted and fragrant.

step 4

Add the tomatoes & water:

Add the diced tomatoes and 3 ½ cups of water to the pot; season with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low. Simmer, stirring occasionally, 14 to 16 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat.

step 5

Add the shrimp & finish the perloo:

While the perloo simmers, pat the shrimp dry with paper towels; season with salt, pepper and the remaining spice blend. Toss to thoroughly coat. Off the heat, add the seasoned shrimp, half the parsley and the juice of all 4 lemon wedges to the pot; stir to thoroughly combine. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

step 6

Serve your dish:

Divide the finished perloo between 2 dishes. Garnish with the green tops of the scallions and remaining parsley. Enjoy!