Shrimp Boil with Three-Bean Salad and Brown Rice

When the temperature drops I am very susceptible to bad eating habits (think pasta, potatoes, bread, cheese cheese cheese). To jump start a week of healthy eating, I adapted a Shrimp Boil with Three-Bean Salad recipe from FoodandWine.com, substituting in the freshest looking vegetables from my grocery store.

Shrimp Boil with Three-Bean Salad

• 1 Endive, sliced
• Cherry Tomatoes, halved
• Green Beans & Yellow Wax Beans, cut into thirds
• 1/2 package of Edamame, defrosted and removed from shells
• Red Onion, thinly sliced
• Basil Chiffonade, wait until last minute
• Brown Rice (optional)

Dressing

• 1 Head Roasted Garlic
• 2 tbs Creole Mustard (or whole grain dijon)
• 2 tbs Rice Vinegar (may substitute with champagne vinegar)
• 1 1/2 tsp Honey
• Olive Oil

Boil

• 10 Shrimp, shelled
• 2 Quarts Water
• Juice & Zest of 1 Lemon
• 1 1/2 tsp of both Salt & Pepper
• 1/2 tsp Cayenne Pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh Thyme Leaves
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

I began by getting the garlic roasting (40 mins) and the rice cooking (50 mins). While they cooked, I brought the 2 quarts of water to a boil and cooked the green and yellow beans for 3-4 minutes, then removed with a slotted spoon to a cold water bath to stop the cook process (see blanching). To that water I added the lemon juice & zest, S&P, cayenne, thyme and garlic, brought to a boil and cooked for 5 minutes. I added the shrimp and simmered for 3 minutes, removed to a plate and allowed the boil to cool. Once the boil cooled to room temperature, I returned the shrimp to the pot until I was ready to serve.

When the garlic was soft, slightly caramelized and fragrant, I squeezed the cloves out of their shell and mashed into a paste. To the garlic I added the mustard, honey and rice vinegar. To finish the dressing I slowly whisked in olive oil and S&P to taste. I tossed the vegetables & basil with the dressing, topped with the shrimp and served with a side of brown rice.

I really enjoyed the flavors and texture of this dinner, especially considering how healthy it was. I strongly recommend using basil in the dish as it infused the vegetables with a brightness that was missing. I'm also interested to try the "shrimp boil" method on other seafood items as it infused a lot of flavor into the shrimp.