Shrimp with Spicy Coconut Red Lentils & Asparagus

Lentils- they're not just for soup!

Time: 40 Minutes

Serving Size: 4 Servings

Allergy Notes: Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Soy Free

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Up until my first year of grad school (Go Tigers!) I had never had lentils. Well, that's not entirely true, but I'm not sure the small quantity of lentils that float around in canned vegetable soup really count. I originally sought them out as a cheap protein source and soon realized just how versatile and varied lentils can be. This recipe calls for red lentils- one of my favorites. What sets red lentils apart is their smaller size and their ability to break down into what I can only describe as a delicious mush. So let's make a delicious mush and pair it with some shrimp... you know, as a garnish.

Ingredients

• For the Shrimp

  • 16 oz. Raw Shrimp

  • 1 16 oz. jar sliced Roasted Red Bell Pepper, drained

  • 1 sliced Shallot

  • 1 tbsp Garlic Powder

  • 1 tbsp Olive Olive

  • 1 tsp Lime Juice

  • 1/2 tsp Kosher Salt

• For the Lentils

  • 1 1/2 c. Red Lentils

  • 1 13.5 oz. can Coconut Milk (I like the full fat kind for extra creaminess, but dealer's choice.)

  • 1 13.5 oz. can of Water

  • 1 tbsp Tomato Paste (Pro Tip: Use the tomato paste in the tube so you always have it on hand in the refrigerator and never have to deal with extras.)

  • 1 tbsp Harissa Paste

  • Salt & Pepper to taste

• 2 bunches Asparagus

• Salt & Pepper to taste

• Optional Garnish

  • 1 small bunch Cilantro (Pr Tip: Keep you cilantro fresher for longer by treating it like you would fresh cut flowers. Keep them covered in a cup of water in your refrigerator. I promise you it will last 10 times longer!)

  • Spritz of Lime Juice

  • Hot Sauce of Your Choice (I like sriracha for this preparation)

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Directions

To Prep

1. Defrost the shrimp if frozen and set aside to drain. We want to make sure our shrimp is nice and dry otherwise our seasoning will be watered down and we won't get an even sear.

2. Devein and de-tail the shrimp if they did not come that way. If you've never deveined shrimp before, it's okay! We're here to learn and have new and exciting experiences that don't involve shrimp poop in our food. Here's a great tutorial from the Food Network on how to complete this task.

3. Wash your lentils and remove any debris or unwanted bits. (Pro Tip: Washing lentils can help reduce potential gas!)

4. Wash all of your produce and pop open that can of coconut milk.
   

To Cook

1. Heat a heavy bottomed pot, such as a Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the cleaned lentils, tomato paste, and harissa, stirring for approximately 1 minute or until the tomato paste and harissa become fragrant and start to caramelize. Harissa is a lovely, complex spicy paste used in a lot of North African cooking. I typically get mine from Trader Joe's.

2. Add the coconut milk, water, salt & pepper, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil.

3. Once the lentils have come to a boil, cover with a lid and reduce bring it down to a simmer. Cook for approximately 15 minutes or until the lentils are soft and beginning to break apart. Be sure to stir occasionally to avoid the lentils from sticking.

4. While the lentils are cooking, add the cleaned shrimp, olive oil, garlic powder, and salt to a small bowl, tossing to combine. Set aside to marinate.

5. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Meanwhile, cut the shallot into thin slices and cut the ends off the asparagus.

6. Once the pan is hot, swirl the olive oil into the pan followed shortly by the shallots. Sauté the shallots for about a minute or two until they begin to soften. Add the roasted red pepper, the lime juice, salt and pepper. Stir to combine and cook for 2 minutes. Add the marinated shrimp and cook until the shrimp are just pink.

7. While the shrimp is cooking, sauté the asparagus to desired doneness with olive oil, salt and pepper over a medium high heat. I like an approximately 7 minute asparagus which results in a soft, yet not mushy asparagus as mushy asparagus is one of the least appealing foods in my humble opinion.

8. My favorite vessel for plating this dish is what West Elm calls "pasta bowls" and I call "plate bowls." I'm not saying they're wrong because you can definitely eat pasta out of the high walled plates, but they are especially good dishes for foods that have a little extra liquid involved. So all that being said, pick whatever plate you want, but also buy yourself some plate bowls- you won't be sorry.

9. Place several spoonful's of the lentils into the bowl, followed by the asparagus, and the shrimp and pepper mixture. Top with optional garnishes of cilantro, hot sauce, an additional lime juice. Enjoy!