Shrimp Fried Rice with Hot and Sour Soup on a Snowy Evening

I was at a meeting this afternoon when the first snow reports began to come in:

"Vancouver Island is anticipating 5-10 cm of snow!"

To anyone living in places where snow is a winter long occurence, I am certain you're rolling your collective eyes at me right now, but try to understand our plight here in rain country.

We generally get snow about once or twice a year - usually in late November, or December - but because it is so infrequent and unpredicatable, our cities don't budget much in the way of snow removal.

Which means, when it snows around these parts we get the highly coveted and longed for experience of:

A SNOW DAY!!!!!

Here's a shot of my back yard on snow days past.

It's so exciting to we islanders when the white stuff comes down that it is not uncommon to run out and take pictures.

I know.

Anyways, with the fireplace glowing and us tucked warmly inside for the evening, it seemed like the perfect night to try two more recipes from Emeril's cookbook: 20-40-60 Fresh Food Fast.

A cookbook that I am so impressed with I'm putting it on my Christmas list for this year.

What I love about the recipes is how easy they are.

Easy and delicious.

Like tonight's meal of Kicked Up Shrimp Fried Rice with Hot and Sour Soup

I can't even begin to tell you how delicious and impressive both of these recipes are.

And the Hot and Sour Soup - honestly - I would have a hard time ever ordering it again.

I hope you will try these wonderfully comforting and flavourful recipes - and if you do, let me know how you liked them.

I'll pass it on to Emeril ;)

Kicked up Shrimp Fried Rice
Printable Recipe HERE

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons peanut or vegetable oil
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 teaspoon Emeril's Creole Seasoning
• 3 green onions, white and green parts seperately minced
• 2 teaspoons minced ginger
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 3 cups cooked white rice
• 1 tablespoon dark Asian sesame oil
• 2 cups frozen stir fry vegetables de-frosted (I actually used fresh brocolli that I blanched and frozen peas)
• 2 Tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

Directions

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat. When it is hot, add the eggs and a pinch of salt and pepper, and quickly stir until the eggs are fully cooked, moving the skillet off and on the heat as necessary, about 40 seconds. Transfer the eggs to a paper towel lined plate and set aside. Chop the eggs into small pieces when cool enough to handle.
2. Add 1 tablespoon of the remaining oil to the skillet.
3. In a small bowl, season the shrimp with the Creole seasoning and a pinch of salt and pepper. When the oil is hot, add the shrimp to the skillet and cook until pink and lightly caramelized, about 2 minutes per side. Remove from the skillet and set aside.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil to the skillet. Add the green onion bottoms (white portion) the ginger, and the garlic, and cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Add the rice and cook, tossing until it is hot and golden, about 2 minutes. Add the sesame oil and stir fry vegetables, and cook until heated through, 1 minute. Add the soy sauce, the cooked eggs, and the shrimp, and cook until everything is warmed though, about 1 minute.
5. Season with salt and pepper to taste, garnish with green onion tops and serve.

Hot and Sour Soup

Printable Recipe HERE

Ingredients

• 8 cups chicken stock
• 6 ounces thinly sliced button mushrooms
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
• one cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast cooked into strips
• 1 teaspoon dark Asian sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons sliced green onion tops

Directions

1. Combine the stock, mushrooms, soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and crushed red pepper in a 4 quart pot. Cover and bring to a boil. Remove the cover, reduece the heat to a simmer, and cook until the mushrooms are tender, 7 to 8 minutes.
2. Whisk the cornstarch and the lime juice together in a small bowl. Add the cornstarch mixture and the chicken to the soup. Bring to a boil and cook until the soup thickens, about 1 minute.
3. Stir in the sesame oil and sliced green onions and serve hot.

Until next time,

Happy Snow Day everyone!!

xoxo

Lyndsay



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This recipe is linked to