Doctor's Kitchen Monday: Orange Shrimp & Scallops over Rice Pilaf

Eating clean in the neighborhood!  Pardon my rip off of Applebee's slogan about "the neighborhood" but while we were in the mood to eat out, I knew neither Gene nor I really needed the extra fat and calories that seem to come as an automatic side to any restaurant meal.

What to do?

Eat out, only do it at home.

After perusing several recipes online I came up with this seafood dish loaded with veggies, fresh taste, and a little extra oomph for our not so ordinary dinner at home.

Featuring fresh thyme, Orange Broiled Seafood is a natural dish for Weekend Herb Blogging, created by the wonderful Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, hosted this weekend by Joanna of Joanna's Food.  The round-up of all the wonderful herbaliciousness is usually posted by late Sunday evening or Monday morning.  Please go see Joanna and Kalyn for more great recipes.

Glenna's Broiled Orange Seafood over Rice Pilaf

Recipe by Glenna Anderson Muse

Rice Pilaf:

3/4 cup brown rice (I use Texmati light brown as a concession to my love of nutty chewy brown rice and Gene's love of white rice)

2 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup (total) finely diced veggies of choice: celery, carrots, onions, sweet pepper, etc.

(I used 2 cups water with 3 cubes Maggi bouillon.  Not my favorite but the last time I sent Gene to the grocery he didn't realize that "vegetable broth" was in a can and not in the cubes. It's what I had but I don't usually use bouillon cubes because of the salt. I prefer canned or A.B. Jameson's soup base.  You still have to watch out for salt but the flavor is so much better than bouillon cubes.

For veggies I used 2 Tbsps dehydrated "soup greens" that I get from The Amish Country Store in Branson. I really loved these.  So easy to throw in some extra veggies into whatever you're cooking. The dehydrated mix is carrots, onions, celery, spinach, and sweet peppers.

By the way, I know I plug The Amish Country Store in Branson a lot and for those of you not living near me it may make you say "meh" out loud but I do love the place and they do ship...so if you're in the mood to add toys to your pantry...)

1/2 tsp minced garlic

2 Tbsp toasted pine nuts.

1 Tbsp butter (Don't leave this out. You need that little bit of mouth feel to really make dish feel more extravagant than it is.)

Directions:

1. Toast pinenuts and garlic in bottom of medium sauce pan in the butter. Add veggies and continue to saute until translucent (or add dehydrated veggies with water). 

2.  Add rest of ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover and turn heat down to slow simmer for 25-30 minutes or until water appears to have been pulled into rice. Still covered, set rice aside to steam for additional 10 minutes.

Broiled Seafood & Veggies:

1 1/2 pounds mixed seafood: shrimp, scallops, crab, etc. (I used shrimp and sea scallops)

1 bunch green onions, chopped coarsely

1 sweet red pepper, chopped into thin strips

1 medium zucchini, chunked into 1/2" dice with skin on

1 Tbsp orange juice concentrate

Juice AND zest of 1 fresh orange (approx 3 Tbsp juice)

Juice of 1/2 fresh lemon (approx 1 Tbsp)

1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves

2 Tbsp honey

2-4 drops of red chili hot sauce (Rooster or Tabasco) or more to taste

1/8 tsp Salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Rinse seafood and pat dry.  If sea scallops are thick, slice in half across thickness to allow cooking faster.  Lightly salt scallops.

2. Mix juices, zest, thyme, honey, hot sauce, and salt/pepper together in a medium bowl.

3. Place seafood into marinade and place into fridge for 2 hours or overnight. (If you have time it will enhance the flavor. If you don't have time, don't let the marinading part stop you from making this recipe, just coat the seafood and go on.)

4. When ready to finish recipe, remove seafood with tongs and set aside.  In remaining marinade, place onions, pepper strips, and zucchini in marinade and toss.

5.  Pre-heat oven to broil.  On a large jelly roll pan (18" x 12" or whatever that size is) spread a sheet of foil to make clean up easier.  Dump the veggies and marinade out onto the baking pan and place in the oven for approximately 10 minutes or until vegetables are cooked to taste.

6.  Add seafood to veggies and broil for approx 4 minutes longer or until shrimp have curled and are pink and rest of seafood is barely cooked through. Do not over broil or seafood will be rubbery.

Serve seafood and sauce over rice pilaf.  Serves 4.

Per serving:  Calories:  340; Protein: 23gr: Carbs:  41; Fat:  7gr; Fiber: 4:  Weight Watchers points: 7

Comments

[sher]

Oh Glenna--that looks wonderful!

And it's very high in iron! :):)

[Glenna]

Thanks, Sher! I was really pleased with it.

[Kalyn]

That sounds delicious and easy. Now I'm wondering why I haven't tried broiling scallops, since I love them so much.

[Glenna]

Kalyn--Thanks. Funny, that was exactly what I was thinking as I walked by the seafood counter...they're so easy, why don't I do these more at home?

[Joanna]

I love the orange idea, wouldn't have thought of that combination. And I'm very jealous of the Amish soup veg, it sounds very useful

Joanna

[Rachel]

Wow! I would have never thought of the orange-broil trick. Very cool!

[michelle]

that looks awesome!

[Natashya]

That looks fabulous, so colourful and inviting.

[Glenna]

Joanna-=-Thanks. It was a little different but really light. perfect for summer

Rachel--Thanks!

Michelle--Thanks!

Natashya--I'll be doing it more often. I love the combination of orange with seafood.

[Jude]

That picture looks great... Everything you need in one big bowl.