This chill take on the well-known New Orleans shrimp stew comes together in roughly an hour, allowing you to get a taste of the Big Easy on any weeknight. A quickly made slurry of onions, bell peppers, ham, parboiled rice, cayenne, thyme, garlic and tomatoes is the start of this delicious dish. Let simmer until rice is tender, approximately 20 minutes. Stir in the shrimp until cooked (a few minutes) and you’re done! Season with salt & pepper as you go along.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup olive oil (extra virgin)
• 2 cups onions (diced)
• 2 cups bell pepper (diced), red or yellow preferred
• ½ cup ham (chopped, optional)
• Salt and black pepper to taste
• 1 ½ to 2 cups parboiled long-grain brown rice (see recipe)
• 2 tablespoons garlic, chopped
• ½ teaspoon cayenne, or to preference
• Several sprigs of thyme, fresh
• 2 cups peeled, seeded, chopped tomatoes (canned are fine as long as drained first)
• 3 to 4 cups shrimp stock (or other stock/water)
• 2 pounds shrimp, peeled (deveined if preferred). Cut in pieces if large.
• ½ cup fresh parsley leaves (chopped ) or scallions (sliced) for garnish. Can use both if you like.

Nutritional Information

Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings):
494 calories; 14 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 8 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 61 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 7 grams sugars; 30 grams protein; 194 milligrams cholesterol; 1198 milligrams sodium

Note:
The information shown is estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. This should not replace a a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Preparation

1. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a medium sized casserole dish. Add bell peppers, onions, and ham (optional). Sprinkle salt and pepper. Cook, occasionally stirring, until the onions soften and everything starts to brown (approximately 10 minutes).
2. Add the rice, garlic, cayenne and thyme, and stir for roughly 1 minute. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring for approx. 5 minutes until the tomatoes start to break.
3. Pour in the stock & stir. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to medium, and allow to cook uncovered for approximately 20 minutes, being sure to stir occasionally until the rice has tendered. Add liquid if necessary. Make sure the rice is tender, not soupy.
4. Add the shrimp and stir in with a fork. Cook for 2-3min, cover, and leave to rest for 10-20 minutes. Garnish with your preference of parsley or scallions, and serve hot.