Sharing a Recipe from Sunday Casseroles

Photo by Susie Cushner

Photo by Susie Cushner

This week marked the official launch of my newest book, Sunday Casseroles. I shared this news on Facebook, and can’t begin to thank all of you who sent me good luck notes and congratulations! Like all the books I’ve written, this one was the work of many–assistants who cooked with me daily to create the recipes, testers who offered invaluable critiques, and the talented team at Chronicle Books who edited, designed, and produced this beautiful collection. Oh, and, the gorgeous photos are the work of talented photographer, Susie Cushner!

Sunday Casseroles Cover 1

To celebrate the publication, here’s a recipe for Shrimp Baked in Coconut and Lime Rice, perfect for hot August weather. It’s easy–count on just a little chopping and juicing. It’s also intensely colorful–rosy-hued shellfish, bright orange mangoes, and verdant specks of cilantro form a heavenly color combo. And, it has an interesting flavor profile—hot and spicy accents are paired with cooling and refreshing ones! Add a salad of summer greens tossed in a lime and honey dressing, and for dessert serve scoops of icy cold sorbet with fresh berries and your favorite cookies.

Shrimp Baked in Coconut and Lime Rice
For this delectable dish with Southeast Asian accents, jasmine rice is cooked in coconut milk, which provides a hint of sweetness to the casserole. Lime juice and zest counter with a citrus note, while fish sauce provides a salty tang, and serrano pepper and ginger offer a Continue reading

An Early Taste of Mardi Gras

Shrimp and Andouille Sausage Jambalaya 1When my son, Mike, called last Wednesday to say that he and his family were thinking of driving from Boston to Amherst for the weekend, I knew they were all angling for some home-cooked meals. Since Mike, his wife, and both kids all love seafood, I decided on a shrimp jambalaya for the first night. My husband and I both spent childhood vacations as well as our college years in New Orleans and so are longtime devotees of this dish.

Instead of a classic version in which the rice is cooked separately, then topped with a tomato-based sauce with shrimp, for this variation the rice and sauce are conveniently baked together in a casserole. The shrimp are arranged atop the spicy mélange during the last few minutes in the oven. I gilded the lily by buying mini-lobster tails on sale at Whole Foods last week. They were quickly steamed, their meat picked out and added as an extra garnish when the dish came out of the oven. Continue reading