SHRIMP OMELET WITH HOT GLAZED FRUIT

We’re in a supermarket walking through the frozen seafood section where my eyes view a package of cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp. I mutter disdainfully “who would want that?” The tipster counters derisively: “who wouldn’t; it’s cooked, peeled and deveined and all the work is done for you.”  I retort that the head and shells are where the flavour lies. You can make a wonderful stock with them, or at least boil the headless shrimp in the shells, otherwise the shrimp don’t have much taste. I know that you can add zip to precooked shrimp with clam juice but I like using the shells.

My beloved convinces me to purchase a package of the aforementioned crustaceans because they were heavily discounted and I thought I would highlight the taste of the shrimp with a tasty fruit accompaniment. I decided to make a shrimp omelet.

We both agreed that the dish was very tasty in a lip-smacking sort of way. I hope you will try it; it is delicious and easy to prepare because you don’t have to peel and devein the shrimp.

Shrimp Omelet with Hot Glazed Fruit          Serves four

Hot Glazed Fruit

Ingredients

• 3 cups (750ml) assorted sliced fruit (such as apples, pears, peaches, bananas, mangoes and pineapples, your choice)
• 4 tablespoons (60ml) butter
• ¼ cup (50ml) light brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon (2ml) grated gingerroot
• ½ teaspoon (2ml) salt
• 2 tablespoons  (30ml) lemon juice

Method

• Prepare the fruit, then slice approximately ½ inch (1cm) thick
• Melt the butter over medium heat in a large skillet
• Add the next 3 ingredients and stir till sugar melts
• Add the lemon juice and stir in the fruits
• Fry, stirring gently for 1 or 2 minutes until fruit is hot and glazed

This will stay warm for at least 30 minutes, giving you ample time to make the omelets.

Shrimp Omelets (4)

Ingredients

6 (90ml) tablespoons butter

1 lb (450gm) small shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined

1 teaspoon (4 ml) lemon juice

8 large eggs, beaten

¼ cup (50ml) milk

¼ teaspoon (1ml) garam masala (use a commercial product or see below)

½ teaspoon (2ml) salt

¼ teaspoon (1ml) black pepper

Hot glazed fruits

Method

• Melt 2 (30ml) tablespoons of butter in a small pan or skillet
• Add the shrimp and sprinkle lemon juice over them
• Stir quickly just to heat and then remove from fire and keep warm

• Combine the eggs with the next four ingredients and beat well
• Melt 1 (15ml) tablespoon of butter in the omelet pan or skillet over high heat
• Before the butter turns brown, pour in  1/4^th of the eggs
• Let the eggs settle for a few seconds, then gently stir a couple of times with a fork
• Spoon into the centre of the eggs 2 heaping tablespoons (40ml) of warm shrimp
• Fold the omelet in half. remove and keep warm on a platter
• Repeat with the remaining 3 omelets
• Any remaining shrimp will be used as garnish

Put the omelets and fruit side-by-side on each plate and garnish the omelets with remaining shrimp. If you desire, garnish the fruit with sliced almonds or chopped dates.

Garam masala powder         Makes about ¼ cup (50ml)

1 tablespoon (15ml) cumin seed

1 tablespoon (15ml) cardamom seeds

½ teaspoon (2ml) whole cloves

½ teaspoon (2ml) black peppercorns

2 dried bay leaves

2- 3 inch (8cm) and sticks cinnamon broken into pieces

Heat a 6 inch (15cm) skillet over medium heat. Put the spices in the skillet and stir for 2 minutes.

Listen for crackling sound, they should be a little darker in colour but not burnt

Pour into a bowl and let cool for 5 minutes.

Put the roasted spices in a mortar and pestle or electric spice grinder (clean coffee bean grinder is ideal) and grind until finely textured.

Keep in airtight jar. After about one month, the flavour starts to diminish.

This is also known as Garam Masala (warm mixture).

Enjoy.