Black History Month is finally upon us and I’m celebrating with one of my FAVES. I do always say that, but honestly this one brings all the Lowcountry and southern vibes. Shrimp over Rice is exactly how it sounds. Simple and phenomenal and full of all the things I love, especially seafood and carbs.
I start with building savory and umami-flavors by sautéing garlic, onions, and shallots in butter and layering in Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and chicken broth. The shrimp is cooked in the liquid as it thickens into a gravy. Staying true to the Lowcountry inspiration, I serve the shrimp and gravy over Carolina Gold Rice and top it all with any favorite greenery combo (usually freshly chopped scallions and parsley and, if you’re really on a health kick, throw some microgreens on there too). For some spice, crushed red pepper flakes to taste.
While this is certainly a dish that pays homage to my Carolina roots and unquestionably deserves this Black History Month spotlight, I really do make this dish quite often. So . . . I guess I pay homage on like a monthly basis because Shrimp over Rice is definitely on repeat over here. It’s quick but doesn’t taste as lazy as some of my quick meals, and it’s a perfect way to use some of my regular finds at the farmer’s market, like garlic, onions, shallots, scallions, and parsley.
Lowcountry Cuisine
Southern cuisine, like any other, can easily be divided into regions. The dishes you’d find in my home state of Virginia (like ham biscuits) are way different than what you’d find in other states in the South, like Louisiana. When you hear Lowcountry (or “low country”), think the South Carolina and Georgia coasts, which means cities like Charleston and Savannah are concentrated with some of my favorite Lowcountry dishes, like crab cakes and shrimp & grits.
Carolina Gold Rice (“Charleston Ice Cream”)
Native to Lowcountry South Carolina, Carolina Gold Rice gets its name from the golden color of its unhulled grains. It is the true all-purpose rice that can be used for any rice-based recipe from the simple fluffy, white rice side dish to creamy risotto. It’s known for being non-aromatic and having a slightly nutty and sweet flavor in comparison to other varieties, like basmati rice.
At one point, it was the most popular rice in the States since it was the first commercial rice the country ever produced. The rice crops disappeared in the early 1920s and re-appeared later in the century. Unfortunately, the legacy of Carolina Gold Rice wouldn’t exist without the labor and skill of enslaved Africans who were forced to harvest according to the extremely high demand. Since then, it’s become a in low country cuisine and staple dishes, like Charleston Red Rice.
Loose Recipe Notes
The recipe is pretty straightforward and doesn’t require a lot of steps – basically, you start by building the gravy and then adding the shrimp to allow it to cook directly in the crazy. Cover briefly to ensure the shrimp cooks all the way through and toss around in the gravy before topping with freshly chopped scallions, parsley, and crushed red pepper flakes.
- Preparing the Shrimp: I have made this dish with both fresh shrimp and frozen shrimp and both tail-on and tail-off. Of course, my preferred method is fresh shrimp, tail-on. I know everyone hates having to peel shrimp while eating a final dish, but leaving the tail on is 1000% worth it when it comes to the flavor it adds to the gravy. With that said, frozen shrimp that you allow to completely defrost is perfectly fine and so is opting tail-off.
- Serving Inspo: If you don’t have Carolina Gold Rice on hand or you’re unable to get your hands on it, any white or brown rice can be used as a substitute. This shrimp and the flavorful gravy work perfectly atop grits for Shrimp and Grits.
Shrimp Over Rice
Shrimp over Rice is a Lowcountry-inspired savory shrimp and gravy dish served over Carolina Gold Rice. I start with building savory and umami-flavors by sautéing garlic, onions, and shallots in butter and layering in Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and chicken broth. The shrimp is cooked in the liquid as it thickens into a gravy and is served over Carolina Gold Rice.
Ingredients
- FOR THE SHRIMP:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ½ yellow onion, chopped
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoon gluten-free soy sauce
- 2 to 2 ½ cups chicken stock or broth
- 1 bay leaf
- A large pinch of dried thyme
- A large pinch of dried oregano
- 1½ to 2 teaspoons corn starch
- 1 pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail-on preferred
- 1/4 cup chopped scallions
- Chopped parsley, for serving
- Red pepper flakes, to taste
- FOR THE RICE:
- 6 cups spring or filtered water
- Fine sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 cup Carolina Gold Rice
- 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces
Instructions
- In a large nonstick sauté pan, melt butter and sauté onions and shallots on medium-high heat for about 2 minutes until they begin to soften. Add garlic and continuously toss for another minute. Season with salt and pepper.
- Lower heat to medium and add Worcestershire and soy sauce to coat the onion/garlic mixture. Add chicken stock or broth, bay leaf, thyme and oregano. Stir in cornstarch and bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes. The liquid should reduce and thicken into a gravy.
- Tuck shrimp in a single layer in the simmering liquid and cook for about 3-4 minutes until the bottoms and sides turn pink. Flip the shrimp and cover with a lid. Continue cooking for another 3-4 minutes until the shrimp is bright pink and cooked through. Toss the shrimp to coat it in the gravy. Before serving, remove the bay leaf and top with scallions, parsley, and red pepper flakes.
- For the rice, I used Anson Mills’ method: Heat the oven to 300 degrees F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a saucepan, bring the water and a tablespoon of salt to a boil over high heat. Stir in the rice and, once the water returns to a boil, reduce the heat to bring the rice to a low simmer, uncovered. Simmer for about 15 minutes until the rice is tender with no hard starch at its center. Drain the rice in a sieve or fine-holed colander and rinse well with cool water.
- Distribute the rice evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven to allow the rice to dry. After about 5 minutes, use a spoon or spatula to toss the rice. Dot with the butter and sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Return the baking sheet to the oven for another 5 minutes to allow the rice to warm through until the butter has melted and the rice is hot. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl and serve with the shrimp and gravy.
Leave a Reply