When we had dinner at Susanna Foo Gourmet Kitchen,Tina loved this dish so much that she wouldn't give any of us even a tiny taste of it. Now this is most uncharacteristic behaviour and it made me lust for this dish even more than I usually desire my dining companions' meals.( I am sure that they have ordered more wisely than I.) Then when I was perusing Foo's latest cookbook, Susanna Food Fresh Inspiration, I found the recipe for this dish. Nothing else would do but to cook it right away--which we did with absolutely fantastic results.
CRISPY JUMBO SHRIMP WITH CARAMELIZED ORANGE SAUCE
(serves 4)
- 16 jumbo shrimp , peeled and deveined
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 large navel orange
- 1/4 cup julienned red bell pepper
- 1/2 pound baby bok choy, washed
- Oil for deep-frying
Rub the shrimp well with the salt, then rinse thoroughly under cold running water. Dry well with paper towels.
Remove the zest of the orange with a small knife or vegetable peeler. Cut away and discard any white pith still attached to the zest, then slice the zest lengthwise into julienne strips. Remove the orange segments from their membranes. Set the segments aside in bowl.
Cook the orange zest for 2 minutes in a small saucepan of boiling water. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain well, and place in a small bowl. Cook the red pepper and bok choy separately in the boiling water for about 1 minute each, remove with the slotted spoon, and plunge into a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain again, place on separate mirowaveable dishes or on a plate.
Heat about 3 inches of oil in a deep fryer or a deep skillet to 350-375 degrees. Meanwhile, heat the orange sauce in a small saucepan and keep warm.
Dip each shrimp into the batter to coat lightly, making sure it is completely covered, then drain off any excess batter, drop into the hot oil an deep-fry until golden brown, burning once.Do not crowd the pan: cook in 2 batches if necessary. Place on a plate lined with a thick layer of paper towels to drain well.
Warm the bok choy and red peppers in a microwave just until hot, about 30 seconds. Or saute them separately in a small skillet, adding 1 teaspoon oil to keep them from sticking, for 1- 2 minutes, or just hot.
To serve, place 4 shrimp in the center of each of four plates. Top with the red pepper and orange zest. Spoon the sauce over all and garnish with the orange segments and baby bok choy.
CARAMELIZED ORANGE SAUCE
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
- 2 star anise
- 1 tablespoon grated orange zest
- 1 cup orange juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch, mixed with 1 teaspoon cold water
Place the sugar and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Stir and heat over medium heat until the sugar begins to melt. Shake the pan, wait 1 minute, then stir and cook until it caramelizes and turns a very light golden color, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, ginger, and star anise and cook for another 20 seconds. Stir in the orange zest and juice, lemon juice, fish sauce and cornstarch mixture. Turn the heat to low and stir until any lumps of caramel dissolve. Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Strain through a fine sieve.
This sauce can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated, covered.
TEMPURA BATTER
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 cup club soda, chilled
Sift the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder together into a large bowl Slowly stir in the egg yolk and club soda. Mix until thoroughly blended. The batter will be thick.
The batter can be prepared up to 2 hours ahead and refrigerated, covered.
Cooking with good friends has to be one of life's great pleasures.
Exquisite two posts! Thanks so very much! Your joy said it all!
Posted by: janet | August 09, 2009 at 08:55 PM