Stir-fried Shrimp and Asparagus in Lemon Sauce

We all love asparagus at our home. The past several weeks we have gotten a pound of asparagus in our bountiful baskets. Every time I ask my kids what do you guys think I should make for dinner. Quin always responds quickly with a cheer SHRIMP! I have tried to tell him that we save shrimp for special occasion dinners because they can be expensive. He accepts this but it hasn't stopped him from putting in this request each time I inquire for a dinner suggestion. So for no special reason other than I needed an idea for dinner, we had all the ingredients for this stir-fry, and it was quick! What more could I ask for!! Call it a special occasion and get cook'n! (Reference: The Best Light Recipe cook book p.285)

Stir-Fried Shrimp and Asparagus in lemon Sauce

Serves 4-5

Let the Shrimp marinate as you make the sauce and prepare the vegetables.

1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons dry sherry (I use the Sherry cooking whine found by the vinegars in the store)

3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed

1 Tablespoon grated fresh ginger

3 Scallions, white parts minced and green parts cut into 1/4-inch lengths (1/4 cup sweet onions minced)

5 teaspoons peanut or vegetable oil

1 lb asparagus, tough ends removed, sliced on the bias into 2-inch lengths

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 2-inch matchsticks

Toss the shrimp with the soy sauce and sherry in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine garlic, ginger, scallion whites, and 2 teaspoons of the oil.

Heat 1 more teaspoon oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over high heat until just smoking. Add the shrimp and coo, stirring occasionally until curled and bight pink, about 1 1/2 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a clean bowl.

Add 1 more teaspoon oil to the pan return to high heat until shimmering, Add the asparagus and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the asparagus to a clean bowl. Add the remaining teaspoon oil and carrots to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. REturn the asparagus to the pan.

Clear the center of the pan and add the garlic mixture. Cook, mashing the garlic mixture into the pan with the back of a spatula, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Stir the garlic mixture into vegetables. Add the scallion greens and shrimp and toss to combine. Whisk the sauce to combine, then add it to the pan and bring to a simmer. Remove the pan from the heat and toss until the all the ingredients are well coated with sauce and sizzling hot. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

FOR the SAUCE:

LEMON SAUCE:

Makes enough for 1 stir-fry recipe

The flavors in this sauce are mild and work especially well with shrimp.

6 Tablespoons low-sodium chicken broth

1/4 cup juice from 2 lemons

1/4 cup dry sherry

2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

2 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Quick and Easy Shrimp Tempura

Jack has been craving fried shrimp lately, so when I asked him, "What do you want for dinner tonight?" He replied, "I really want fried shrimp!" I grabbed the shrimp out of the freezer and did a quick search on Food Network. Our Disney Family Cookbook had a recipe for Vegetable Tempura that we loved, so I knew I could use it if I needed to (I just don't enjoy the fried splattered kitchen that comes with preparing fried foods without a deep fryer). When comparing the recipes they were quite different in the ratios of flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. So I guess I will have to post the vegetable tempura recipe at a later time. I was pleased with how quickly this tempura came together and Jack was pleased with the meal, so it was a win/win situation.

Shrimp Tempura

Soak the Shrimp in a Brine for 20 minutes

The recipe I printed called for 1/2 cup rice wine (which I didn't have on hand and probably don't have readily available to me at the local grocery store) and 1/4 teaspoon salt. For 1/2 pound fresh shrimp, peeled and deveined.

1 cup water

1 teaspoon salt

1/2-1 lb frozen, peeled and deveined Shrimp thawed.

Brine under refrigeration

For the Tempura Batter

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup ice water

1/4 cup cornstarch

1 egg yolk

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

In a medium bowl, mix together all the batter ingredients. Dip shrimp into the flour mixture until coated with flour mixture (2-3 at a time works). Carefully place a few shrimp at a time in the hot oil (375 F Degrees) and deep fry until golden brown on all sides, about 1 1/2 minutes total. (I usually watch for the shrimp to start turning pink and then flip them to cook the other side. I more or less pan fry mine, because I don't want to waste so much oil just to fry food. If you have a deep fryer, let it do its thing! ;-)) Remove the shrimp when cooked to a plate lined with paper towels.

You can serve it with extra soy sauce, duck sauce, or any other favorite oriental sauces.

Pasta Primavera with Shrimp/ Chicken

I got this Pasta Primavera with Shrimp recipe from www.familyfun.com . Every time I have made it for my family the kids gobble it up. If guest are here they ask for the recipe. This recipe has made its way into my "Foodies" binder!

This simplified primavera has plenty of kid appeal, but if your family prefers other fresh vegetables, such as asparagus, green beans, or zucchini, they'll work well too.

1 ½ cups (abut 6 oz) baby carrots, trimmed (I add extra carrots because my kids love them)
2 cups (about 7 oz) sugar snap peas (zucchini)
3 cups ( about 8 oz) uncooked penne pasta
1 Tablespoon olive oil
32 or so (about 8 oz) medium fresh or thawed peeled shrimp (I use 8 oz Cubed Chicken)
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup chicken broth
1/3 cup whipping cream
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
¼ cup (1 oz) grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add the carrots and let them simmer for 1 1/2 minutes. Add the snap peas and simmer for another minute. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the vegetables to a bowl. Now cook the pasta in the boiling water according to the package directions. Drain the pasta well.

2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and cook them, stirring often, for 2 minutes. Add the carrots, peas, salt, pepper, and garlic and continue cooking for another minute, stirring often.

3. Stir in the chicken broth, scraping the pan to loosen any browned bits. Then stir in the cream and lemon juice and cook for 1 minute. Add the pasta and grated cheese, stirring well to coat. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the parsley. Serve the pasta warm. Makes 4 to 6 servings.