Inspired by the bright flavors of Peruvian cilantro rice, this weeknight dinner features spiced shrimp and warm black beans served over herby, garlicky rice. The secret to the quick cook time and minimal mess? Your broiler. In just five minutes, you can make beautifully browned shrimp and tender, ever-so-slightly charred shallots.
Of course, those juicy shrimp and sweet shallots need a bed to lie on, which is where the rice comes in. While the rice cooks, you’ll make a garlicky cilantro oil by mixing olive oil with garlic, cilantro, lime zest and juice, and red pepper flakes. When the rice is done cooking, you’ll pour in the oil, coating every grain with vibrant, citrusy flavor.
The beauty of this recipe is that it’s super flexible. You can toss any quick-cooking ingredients you like onto the sheet tray to cook alongside the shrimp. For ingredients that require a slightly longer cook time, give them a headstart and add the shrimp and shallots during the last five minutes of cooking. You can also wilt some greens (like baby arugula or spinach) into the rice just after adding the oil. Here are some ideas.
- Give them a head-start: Trimmed asparagus spears; green beans; cherry tomatoes.
- Add with the shrimp: Cubed or thinly sliced bell peppers; thinly sliced red onion or scallions instead of shallots; corn kernels.
- Leftovers: Warm up as is or make fried rice. A little bit of cooked sausage is also delicious with the flavors of this dish.
- Take it to the grill: If you’d rather cook outside, use the same seasonings for the shrimp and shallots, but skewer them instead.
Broiled Shrimp with Black Beans and Cilantro Rice
- 1 cup long grain white rice
- 1 cup water (plus more for rinsing the rice)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt (divided)
- 4 cloves garlic
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender leaves (plus more for garnish)
- 2 medium limes
- 5 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 small shallots
- 1 pound raw large peeled and deveined shrimp ((16 to 20 per pound))
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (about 15-ounce) can black beans
Arrange a rack 6-inches from the broiling element and heat the oven to broil on high.
Place 1 cup long-grain white rice in a fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold water until the water no longer runs cloudy. Transfer to a small saucepan and add 2 cups water and 1/2 teaspoon of the kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and cook undisturbed until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the rice is tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the cilantro oil and shrimp.
Grate or mince 4 garlic cloves. Finely chop 1 packed cup fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems (chop more cilantro for garnish if desired). Place all the cilantro and half the garlic in a medium bowl. Zest 1 of the medium limes over the bowl, then juice the lime into the bowl. Add 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, and whisk to combine. Taste and season with kosher salt as needed.
Quarter 2 small shallots. Pat 1 pound raw shrimp dry with paper towels. Place the shallots and shrimp on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, season with the remaining garlic, remaining 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin, 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and toss to combine. Arrange the shrimp in a single layer.
Broil until the top of the shrimp are pink with a light golden-brown crust, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir the shallots and flip the shrimp. Rotate the baking sheet from front to back and broil until the shrimp are just cooked through, about 2 minutes more. If the shrimp are charring too quickly, move the baking sheet to a lower rack to finish cooking.
Squeeze the juice of the remaining lime over the shrimp. Use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, then stir to coat the shrimp and shallots.
Drain and rinse 1 can black beans. When the rice is ready, remove from the heat and fluff the rice with a fork. Add the beans and cilantro oil and gently stir to combine. Cover and let sit until the beans are warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes. Spoon the rice into bowls, top with the shrimp mixture, and garnish with more cilantro if desired.
Make ahead: The shrimp can be tossed in the olive oil and spices and refrigerated up to 4 hours ahead.
Storage: Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 2 days.
Repost from: Kitchn.com