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Cajun Shrimp and Pepper Skillet

Name: Cajun Shrimp and Pepper Skillet
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 2 shrimp-and-rice plates
Ingredients: 10 oz raw peeled deveined shrimp, thawed if frozen (285 g); 1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml); 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (150 g); 1 small onion, thinly sliced (100 g); 1 garlic clove, minced; 1 teaspoon sweet paprika; 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper; 1/4 teaspoon fine salt; 1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml); 2 cups hot cooked rice (about 320 g); 1 tablespoon chopped parsley

2 shrimp-and-rice plates · Active 15 min · Total 25 min

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Shrimp and peppers cook quickly enough for a meal before leaving, with paprika, thyme and a little cayenne giving the skillet a clear Cajun-inspired seasoning. The rice is a separately prepared base, not something expected to cook in the short shrimp stage. Have it ready and hot before the shrimp goes into the pan.

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Cajun-inspired shrimp and pepper skillet served with rice.

A short cook needs everything ready

Pat thawed shrimp dry and slice the peppers before heating the pan. Cook the vegetables first, then move them aside so the shrimp meet the hot surface. Shrimp should become pearly and opaque rather than remain translucent; they curl as they cook but curl alone is not a doneness test. Finish with lemon and serve promptly. A minute spent searching for a plate matters more with shrimp than with a long-simmered stew.

Ingredients

10 oz raw peeled deveined shrimp, thawed if frozen (285 g)
1 tablespoon olive oil (15 ml)
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced (150 g)
1 small onion, thinly sliced (100 g)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1 tablespoon lemon juice (15 ml)
2 cups hot cooked rice (about 320 g)
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

Set out

12-inch skillet, Spatula, Food thermometer for reheating rice

Allergens

Crustacean shellfish. Check labels and substitutions.

Make it

Have rice freshly cooked and hot, or use rice cooled promptly, kept at 40°F/4°C or below and within 24 hours of its original cooking. Reheat chilled rice only once to 165°F/74°C for immediate serving. Mix paprika, thyme, cayenne and salt.
Heat oil in the skillet over medium-high. Cook pepper and onion for 5–6 minutes, stirring, until tender-crisp. Add garlic for 30 seconds.
Push vegetables aside, add shrimp and sprinkle over seasoning. Cook for 2 minutes, turn and cook for 1–2 more minutes until pearly and opaque throughout.
Fold shrimp and vegetables together, remove from heat and add lemon juice and parsley. Serve immediately over the hot rice.

Set the table first

Shrimp are best when the final stage runs straight into eating. Put out the bowl, fork and rice before the two sides of shrimp finish cooking.

A useful detail

Use raw shrimp for this timing. Already cooked shrimp need only gentle reheating and can become rubbery with the full cook.

Another way

Use green bell pepper in place of red for a sharper vegetable flavor.
Reduce cayenne to a small pinch if the seasoning is hotter than you enjoy.

Keep it well

Store shrimp and peppers separately from rice. Refrigerate that mixture within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F/32°C, at 40°F/4°C or below for up to 2 days; reheat to 165°F/74°C. Cool unused freshly cooked rice quickly, ideally within 1 hour, keep at 40°F/4°C or below and eat within 24 hours of original cooking. Reheat rice only once to 165°F/74°C and eat immediately. Discard uneaten rice that was already reheated; do not save it for another meal.