Shrimp noodle bowl with pineapple

Recipe adapted from epicurious.com

This week I found myself daydreaming about being on a beach in a bikini, and though the weather where I live has been beautiful, I would still today like to have my feet in the sand. My solution, in my humble kitchen? Cook something tropical!

This recipe was sweet and if making again I would add the basil (which I did not have) and reduce the amount of juice. It did not quite send me on vacation, but it reminded me vacations are in my future, where I will eat pineapples wearing only the tiniest of garments. I joke, but not really. Sometimes I take out my appropriate only in Miami and otherwise not in the contiguous American states bathing suit which I have not ever worn and sigh wistfully about wearing next to nothing and sipping a drink, perhaps out of a pineapple, but certainly a grownup drink in a celebration of finally having a grownup life. This dish was a symbolic hour in the sun, and it delivered on the sweet but needed more savory.

Ingredients

0.5 pkg of rice noodles - I bought whole wheat thin noodles but the epicurious recipe called for pad Thai noodles- Either I think would work

medium shallot

2-3 cloves of garlic

medium cucumber

lb of jumbo shrimp (which in my kitchen cook down to medium shrimp)

generous cup of fr pineapple

0.5 cup of orange or pineapple juice

0.5 cup of Thai basil chili sauce

salt and pepper to taste

tbls of grated garlic

2 tbls of soy sauce

3 tbls of olive oil

Plan of Attack

Core your pineapple and cut into medium pieces

Defrost (if necessary), clean and pearl your shrimp

Add the shrimp, pineapple, ginger, and soy sauce to your medium mixing bowl and let marinate.

While the mixture marinates, cook the noodles according to package directions and set asaide

Add 2tbls of olive il to the medium skillet and then using tongs, place only your pineapple in the skillet.

Cook on medium heat until browned on both sides. Remove the pineapple from the pan and set aside on a plate.

Add some diced onion/shallot and 3 garlic cloves (diced) to the drippings from the same pan and when aromatic, add the shrimp to the pan. Cook the shrimp until done (salmon color on both sides). Remove the shrimp from the pan and put on the pineapple plate.

Add the Thai garlic sauce and the juice to your skillet and then cook until the water cooks out and the mixture is syrupy.

Add the shrimp an pineapple back into the pan and stir to coat in the juice mixture. Simmer and add noodles to the skillet. *Optional- add sugar snap or snow peas to the mixture and let them cook in the same juices.

Serve hot garnished with raw onion and cucumber

*this recipe called for adding basil (which I did not have) and for using pineapple juice. I used orange juice but would be interested in knowing what the pineapple juice would add. I feel the need to add cilantro the next time, so we’ll see where this wild and crazy cooking ride takes us!