Smoky Shrimp and Wine Basted Sausage with Red Bell Pepper Rice


I have a very loving and supportive husband. Someone who makes my journey through life so much more fulfilling, tolerates my idiosyncrasies, and most importantly, believes in me. Recently we were sitting on the sofa staring into each others' eyes when I declared, "I love you."
"I love you more, " he replies.

I tilted my nose in the air and made another declaration, "And that's the way it will always be, darling."
We bursted out laughing. If there's one thing Keefer can always rely on, it's my ability to make him laugh, and while the last one was a bit of a cruel back-handed slap, we both know that I love him dearly.


Like many of you, our work schedules can get overwhelming at times. We both try to do our best to ensure that there is a well-balanced home-cooked meal at the table each evening. It's been busier than typical for me, so much of the cooking responsibilities have been taken over by my husband. Recently he made a sensational dish that combined plump and succulent shrimp with meaty well-seasoned Italian sausages and smoky sweet and savory red bell pepper rice. The entire dish is complemented with a touch of spice and united with toasted nutty and buttery nuances. If he continues cooking like this, I may never be available to cook again. It's a superb recipe that features many of the exciting Creole flavors of jambalaya, but with a much lighter style. While there are several steps, it's actually an approachable recipe, one that integrates all of the separately cooked ingredients beautifully towards the end. We look forward to making this recipe again.


Shrimp and Sausage with Red Rice
(recipe from Williams Sonoma)
The recipe calls for roasting red bell peppers in the oven, but you can also do this very easily over the stovetop as demonstrated in this post. You may also use any chili powder you fancy, we enjoyed the smoky flair that ancho chili added. 
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup apricot preserves
  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 16 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 2 large red bell peppers
  • 1 1/3 cups long-grain white rice
  • 2 2/3 cups water
  • 2 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 4 green onions, white portions and tender green tops chopped separately
  • 2 teaspoon ancho chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 4 sweet Italian sausages, about 3/4 lb. total
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Method
  1. In a saucepan over medium heat, combine the preserves, oil, lemon juice and mustard. Bring to a boil, pour into a non-aluminum bowl and let cool. Add the shrimp, cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking.
  2. Meanwhile, roast the bell peppers, you may do this either on the stovetop, or using in the oven. If you decide to use the oven, halve, de-seed and de-stem the bell peppers. Place the bell peppers, cut sides down, on a baking sheet. Broil until the skins blacken and blister. Remove from the broiler, cover with foil and let cool for 10 minutes, then peel away the skins. Chop the peppers.
  3. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the rice and water. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the rice is tender and the water is absorbed, about 18 minutes. Keep hot.
  4. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Add the white portions of the green onions and sauté until slightly softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the chopped peppers, chili powder, salt and broth. Cover and cook until the peppers are soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a food processor and blend until smooth. Return to the pan.
  5. In a fry pan just big enough to hold the sausages in a single layer, bring the wine to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium, add the sausages, prick in several places with a fork and cook, turning once, for 4 minutes total. Transfer the sausages to the oven. Cook, turning once, until cooked through, about 5 minutes total.
  6. Meanwhile, cook the shrimp on high heat. Lay each shrimp flat on the saute pan, turning once, until cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side.
  7. Slice the sausages, add to the red pepper puree and place over medium-low heat. Stir briefly, add the hot rice and mix thoroughly. Toss in the shrimp and the reserved green onion tops. Transfer to a warmed serving bowl, sprinkle with the parsley and serve.
Serves 4.

57 comments:

SKIP TO MALOU said...

awww what a romantic post this is Christine. The secret to a good marriage is indeed laughter!

and aren't you so lucky... your man could cook... that makes this post more romantic, because cooking is the most profound language of love... and not all men could express themselves that way...

cheers!
malou

KennyT said...

This is so cool! A couple who both cook and eat well! Life is good!

Angie's Recipes said...

:-) A romantic and funny couple..
The shrimp looks very delicious!

Sonia ~ Nasi Lemak Lover said...

This look fresh and delicious !

lululu said...

Reading your first paragraph was like having a glance of a light and heart-warming romance flick.
Same as the rice dish, so comforting!

Momo said...

beautiful couple,you and your husband!and the dish is delicious,also!

♥peachkins♥ said...

my mouth is watering juts by looking at the pictures!

Deana Sidney said...

Christine> you make me smile, how lovely that you take care of you. Often when things are hectic and everyone is tired it comes to "you cook" " no YOU cook" It is obvious your guy is a keeper!!! Great recipe.. how I love seafood and sausage!

Joanne said...

awww you guys are so super cute! And yeah if I found a guy to cook like this for me...my blog would suffer. Terribly.

Belinda @zomppa said...

So cute. =) And what a meal!

Simply Life said...

Wow,this looks delicious! I love the new layout of your blog! Is it through blogger or do you have your own domain? I'm trying to figure out the best way to get a "new look" but don't know where to begin!

Trissa said...

It's always great to be reminded about how much you love your partner... sometimes when you've been married awhile... it can be something you "know" but just forget to say... some re-assurance always helps! And the dish he made, well it looks fantastic. I love the prawns, they looks so succulent!

Tasty Eats At Home said...

Great post, and how lucky you are to have a companion chef in the house! :) This sounds tasty.

A Canadian Foodie said...

Wonderful that you can actually have a meal cooked for you. That is so amazing.And, what is MORE amazing - is that it looks like he can really cook! Wonderful that you both have that in common!
:)
Valerie

Sam Hoffer / My Carolina Kitchen said...

Ah, shrimp and sausage. Are you sure you aren't in New Orleans instead of NYC? This would definitely qualify as Creole, some of the most wonderful food in the world.

Keefer sounds adorable and definitely a keeper. Being able to laugh is a big component in a healthy marriage as well as in life itself.
Sam

TKW said...

A man that loves you more AND cooks lovely looking dinners like this one? You have a keeper!

Claudia said...

I'm giving this recipe to my husband! I love the hot with the sweet - especially with shrimp. And the shrimp with the sausage .... and the rice ... and the declarations of love in-between meals.

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

Sharing the culinary duties brings twice as many ideas to the table. Nothing says lovin' like something from the oven:D

Pam said...

You are one great couple! This recipe is definitely a winner!!! Love the sausage and peppers with it and will be trying it soon.

Patty said...

That dialogue sounds very similar to some of the ones my husband and I also have!! And you are most definitely a funny lady! As always, the photos here are gorgeous and the thought of eating shrimp, sausage and bell peppers makes my mouth water, first thing this morning! As always, thanks for sharing!

Ingrid de Villiers said...

What a beautiful post Christine! Thanks for sharing the lovely recipe.....! I am so glad to hear it when people are happily married...that is the way it should be!!!! Your photographs are stunning!!
Have a great week!
Ixx

kat said...

Isn't everything better when someone cooks it for you.

Cocina Savant said...

this is literally making my mouth water, and its only 10:30!!! great post!

Chef E said...

That so sounded like me and my hubby! Too cute you are!

I would love to have a plate of that right now. I so got out of cooking this weekend with an event and going out to dinner, I should be ashamed, but I am NOT! :)

ann low said...

You're both a loving couple and this dish is definitely a keeper.

Erica said...

I make a similar dish, but I use Colombian chorizo. The flavors in your dish are fantastic.

Gloria Baker said...

I love this, look really yummy! gloria

The Diva on a Diet said...

What a happy, happy post, FLB! Not only for this comforting recipe, but also for the love contained therein. How marvelous to be blessed with a loving husband ... who can cook magnificently as well! :)

El said...

Your husband sounds like a great person. I'm so glad you have such a wonderful partner - especially one who can cook! Looks great.

SavoringTime in the Kitchen said...

What a wonderful man he must be ;) This looks like such a tasty dish and a beautifully photographed post!

Andrea@WellnessNotes said...

What a lovely meal and what a lovely couple! :)

Anonymous said...

Very sweet! And this meal looks so good! Yummy stuff!

The Blonde Duck said...

You and your husband sound adorable.

Unknown said...

You guys are too cute. Keefer's such a great hubby!

Kim said...

Very cute post, Christine. The shrimp and sausage dinner looks and sounds fabulous. Keep laughing!

Juliana said...

Very nice post :-) I love this dish, it sounds and looks so tasty, full of flavor...shrimps and sausage all in one dish...yummie!

tasteofbeirut said...

Christine
That is indeed a great husband you have to cook these amazing things! I love that dish, the apricot in the marinade for the shrimp and then the red pepper in the sauce yummy!!!! I just made a red pepper (muhammara) pasta sauce and realized right then and there I needed to eat red peppers more often I like them so much.

Sook said...

I sure love shrimp! This dish looks so flavorful and beautiful, Christine!

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

Good for you for focusing on fresh meals together!

OysterCulture said...

I was wondering what you were going to make with those red peppers, and it was worth the suspense. I love the story and this recipe is a keeper.

Cocina Savant said...

Good stuff. You need something lighter for the warming weather, and shrimp seems to always do the trick.

3 hungry tummies said...

Oh how Sweet!! :)
The dish looks fantastic, a very satisfying one dish meal indeed!

tigerfish said...

Look at the big shrimps :) ...and they are well-coated with fried rice :D....

Penny said...

Great looking meal.Laughter and sharing are what it's all about.

Lori said...

Love this. I feel very fortunate that I've found someone who puts up with me. Ha, ha! It has to be difficult at times. :)

What a delicious dish. I'm intrigued by the apricot preserves in this recipe. It looks great!

sweetlife said...

arent' hubbys' great..love mine..great dish, kuddos to your hubby, hey he loves you and it shows in this dish

sweetlife

Asha @ FSK said...

Aww!! so sweet! very appetizing dish!

Gorgeous Glam said...

Wow! this looks so amazing! I'm so glad I found your blog! Thanks for sharing ;) xoxo

Reeni said...

You guys are cute! And Keefer is an excellent cook. This is so comforting and full of deliciousness! I could curl up on the couch with a bowl full and a movie.

Stella said...

Hey Christine, I loved reading this. I suppose I'm a romantic, but I try to pretend not to be.
This looks really delicious. I sometime wonder if there is anything better than fresh, wild shrimp (smile)!

Carolyn Jung said...

Too sweet! That's like dialogue out of a movie. ;)
When I hear people say they hate cooking or don't know how, I just sigh. I want to shake them to tell them that preparing a meal is much more than just about cooking. It's exactly what you said -- it's a way to nourish, express your love, and to show how much you care about someone.

MaryMoh said...

Just love the conversation...sweet romance! I thought I got stuck at the first paragragh...haha. Of course I love the dish with my favourite there....shrimps!

Lori Lynn said...

You brought me a smile this morning. There's nothing like a nice dinner prepared by your true love.

LL

Sutapa said...

Gorgeous color straight from heart! Looks great and sound delicious!

Jamie said...

Mmmm I spotted the creole/cajun influence right away and I love it! Fab recipe!

Table Talk said...

Shrimp is the ultimate fast-food---love them for busy weeknight meals. Nice that you help each other out in the kitchen :)

Justin said...

this really reminds me of a shrimp jambalaya recipe i love making. looks so good.