Shrimp & Naan "Wraps"

A few days ago I sauteed shrimp in olive oil and garlic for dinner.  There were a few shrimp left over, and I was trying to figure out how to turn them into a tasty lunch.   Luckily my refrigerator and freezer offered a wealth of good options:  mango, spicy mayo, butter lettuce, and naan.  

Frozen naan is now a staple in my house.  It heats quickly in the oven, and is great not only for my attempts at Indian cuisine, but also as an alternative to crackers when serving cheeses and various tapenades.  Since I was heating up the oven for the naan, I also wrapped the shrimp in aluminum foil and put them in at the same time as the naan. The naan and the shrimp were heated through in about three minutes. The wraps were assembled as follows:

1 naan - spread generously with spicy mayo

1 leaf of butter lettuce

2 or 3 slices of mango

2 or 3 shrimp

The wrap was too thick to roll, but the naan was large enough to fold in half, sort of similar to a soft taco.  Yumm!

 I apologize for the lack of a picture, put as frequently happens, I ate everything before I had a chance to take any photos!  

Spicy "Szechuan" Fried Shrimp & other Comfort Food

I was home alone last night, and decided to make food which satisfied all of my cravings! A true indulgence. It was cold out, and I wanted comfort food and something spicy. The result was a multi-cultural meal of chickpeas with spinach, and my rift on szechuan pepper and salt shrimp.

I didn't have the right spices on hand for true szechuan shrimp, but knew I could satisfy my flavor cravings with a blend of cayene pepper, curry powder, garlic and salt. Success and easy to boot. Best of all, fresh shrimp were on sale, so for $3.50 I had a wonderful meal.

Spicy "Szechuan" Fried Shrimp

8 - 10 fresh shrimp, devined, with shells left on. Pat dry before proceeding.

In a ziplock bag combine:

1 tbsp. cayene pepper
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp kosher salt.
1/4 tsp. ginger powder

Combine well and taste. Adjust seasonings as necessary. Add dried shrimp to ziplock bag and shake to coat.

Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in medium skillet. Add shrimp and cook, approximately 1 minute per side, until shrimp are pink.

Serve with rice, plenty of beer and napkins.

Chickpeas with Spinah.

1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed.
1 shallot, minced
2 cloves of garlic, minced.
1/3 c. water
2 c. baby spinach
pinch of kosher salt.
1 tbsp olive oil.

Heat oil in a medium sauce pan. Add shallot and garlic, saute just until tender. Add chickpeas, stir to lightly coat with oil. Add 1/3 c. water and baby spinach. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes, until all ingredients have heated through and the spinach is wilted.