Bright & Tangy Shrimp Rice Bake with a bit of Heat from the Creole or Cajun Seasoning and the Holy Trinity Vegetables of Cajun Cooking with added diced Tomatoes & Garlic. Serve the whole tray at the Table for everyone to help themselves or individually plate, garnish and serve.
Shrimp Rice Bake Ingredients
Large Shrimp, Rice, Cajun Trinity (Onion, Celery, Bell Peppers), Creole or Cajun Seasoning, Hondashi, Pimento Sauce (Oil, Lemon Juice, Pimento Paste, Tomato Paste, Paprika, Garlic Cloves).
Pimento Sauce
This is where it all starts and is based on the Pimento Marinade with added Tomato Paste & Garlic. It is a Bright Tangy Sauce that is just perfect for Shrimp and a Seafood Rice Bake. The Pimento Sauce is used both for the Shrimp & Sauce, as well as the Rice Bake Liquids. Place all the Ingredients into a Glass Jar and blend with a Stick Blender.
Make the Pimento Sauce and use 1/2 C for the Rice Bake and 2 Tbl to cook the Vegetables & Rice in. Use the remaining Sauce to cook the Shrimp in. Add the remaining Sauce into a pan over medium heat to simmer for 5 minutes. Then add the Shrimp and cooked for another 5 minutes.
Pimento Sauce Ingredients
- 1/2 C Neutral Oil, Lemon Juice & Sweet Pimento Paste
- 2 Tbl Smoked Paprika & Tomato Paste
- 5 Cloves of Garlic
Ferma Pimento Paste
Use Sweet Pimento Paste for a moderate heat. Because the Creole Seasoning will be added. Or use the Hot Pimento Paste for a really Spicy Shrimp Rice Bake. Be warned though, this will make it really spicy for most. It’s better to just add a small amount of the Hot Pimento Paste to the Sweet Pimento paste to increase the heat as desired.
Shrimp
Use 1 lb. of Large Raw Deveined Shrimp. You can go with other sizes, just adjust the cook time. Cook the shrimp on the stove top in the same pan used for the rice bake, after simmering the pimento sauce for 5 minutes.
Take the frozen Shrimp out of the freezer and place into a bowl of cold water as soon as the Seafood Rice Bake comes out of the oven to rest. It should only take about 10 minutes for the Shrimp to thaw. Save the shells by placing them into a Ziploc bag and freeze to use for other recipes.
Large Shrimp
Use 1 lb. Raw Large Shrimp. Defrosted in a bowl of water for 10 minutes as soon as the Rice Bake comes out of the oven to rest.
Seafood Rice Bake
This recipe makes a Seafood Rice Bake that is perfect for all kinds of Seafoods from Shrimp to various Fish Fillets. In this recipe, cook the shrimp in the remaining simmered pimento sauce. Then pour it over the seafood rice bake after it has rested and toss.
For more information on the Rice Bake aspect of this recipe, check out the standard Rice Bake Recipe which goes into detail on just the Rice Bake.
Rice
The kind of Rice I usually have on hand is either Basmati or Jasmine Rice. Any kind of medium to long grain Rice is fine.
Scented Jasmine
Measure out 2 Cups of Rice and add to the Pan with the Vegetables after the Vegetables have softened a bit.
Seafood Rice Bake Liquids
This is the orange colored light Seafood Broth that is added to bake the Rice & Vegetables in. Combine the ingredients into a bowl and set aside. Once the Vegetables & Rice have been cooked for a bit, add the Liquid and bring to a boil over max heat.
Seafood Rice Bake Liquid Ingredients
- 2 1/2 C Water
- 1/2 C Pimento Sauce
- 1 Tbl Creole or Cajun Seasoning
- 2 tsp Hondashi
Hondashi
Hondashi is just a must for me when dealing with Seafood most of the time. It is a powerhouse of Umami flavors. It can really bolster that Seafood taste up in a dish wherever it is used.
Hondashi can be picked up at your local Asian Grocery Store. This adds so much Umami and is what creates that Seafood taste in the Seafood Rice Bake.
Hondashi
For this recipe, use 2 tsp of Hondashi with 2 1/2 C of Water to derive some Seafood & Umami Flavors and create the light Seafood Broth.
Seafood Rice Bake Vegetables
The Cajun Holy Trinity consists of Bell Pepper, Celery, and Onions. Dice these up and set aside until ready. Optionally, include one diced Tomato. Garlic is included with the Pimento Sauce that will be used both for the Seafood Rice & Shrimp.
Cajun Holy Trinity Vegetables
The ratios may vary but typically 2:1:1 or 1:1:1 of Onions, Bell Peppers & Celery.
This recipe uses 1 Cup of each or about 1 Med Onion, 1 small Bell Pepper and 2 Celery.
Cajun Holy Trinity Vegetables with Tomatoes
Optionally, include 1 Diced Tomato with the Cajun Holy Trinity.
Cajun Seasoning
I have my own blend of Cajun Seasoning I am working on. But Tony’s Creole Seasoning will work, or other kinds of either Cajun or Creole. This is added for Flavor & Heat, used at the end if needed to adjust the seasoning throughout the Rice Bake.
How to Make Shrimp Rice Bake
Make sure you have the Pimento Sauce, Seafood Rice Bake Liquids & Vegetables prepared and in their separate bowls.
Vegetables
Heat a large pan up over medium heat and add 2 Tbl of the Pimento Sauce with the Vegetables. Cook until the Vegetables are softened.
Rice
Add 2 Cups of Rice and mix well. Cook for another 1–2 minutes.
Rice Bake Liquids
Add the Rice Bake Liquids and bring to a boil over max heat.
Casserole
Empty the contents into a casserole tray, cover, and bake in the middle rack position at 450 F for 45 minutes.
Remove from the Oven and let rest for 20 minutes while still covered.
Thaw the Shrimp
As soon as the Rice Bake is removed from the oven, place 1 lb. of Shrimp into a bowl of Cold Water to defrost for 10 minutes. Peel and save the shells for other recipes.
Shrimp & Sauce
Place the remaining Pimento Sauce into the pan you previously cooked the Rice Bake in and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes. Then add the Shrimp to cook for 5 minutes.
Cooking Shrimp & Sauce
Place the Large Shrimp in a single even layer. Flip the Shrimp over halfway through. Cook for a total of 5 minutes. Optionally, add some Parsley.
Other sized shrimp will cook up at different rates. If not using large account for this.
Fluff the Rice
Remove the cover and Fluff the Rice, scraping the bottom and sides.
Add Shrimp & Sauce
Add the Shrimp & Sauce on top of the Rice Bake.
Toss together the Shrimp Rice Bake
Toss everything together, mixing well. Taste and add more Creole Seasoning if desired to mix into the Rice.
Garnish with Parsley to serve the whole tray at the table, or individually plate and garnish.
Equipment
- 1 Large Wok or Saucepan
- 1 Stick Blender & Jar for the Pimento Sauce
- 3 Bowls Vegetables, Rice Liquids, Shrimp
- 1 Casserole Tray with cover or use tin foil – 2 1/2 quarts or larger
- 1 Digital Scale to weigh the Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 lb Large Shrimp - Raw and Deveined
Pimento Sauce
- 1/2 C Neutral Oil, Lemon Juice & Pimento Paste - each
- 2 Tbl Tomato Paste & Smoked Paprika - each
- 5 Cloves Garlic
Seafood Rice Bake
- 2 C Basmati - or Jasmine Rice
- 2 1/2 C Water
- 1/2 C Pimento Sauce - from above
- 1 C Onion - Diced
- 1 C Celery - Diced
- 1 C Green Bell Pepper - Diced
- 1 Tbl Creole or Cajun Seasoning
- 2 tsp Hondashi
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 F. Combine Pimento Sauce ingredients together into a Glass Jar and blend with the Stick Blender. Set this aside for now. Into a large Bowl combine 2 1/2 C of Water, 1/2 C Pimento Sauce, 2 tsp of Hondashi & 1 Tbl Creole Seasoning for the Rice Bake Liquids. Set this aside. Wash & dice the Vegetables and set aside.
- Heat a large pan over medium heat with 2 Tbl of the Pimento Sauce, Add the Vegetables and cook until softened. Add 2 Cups of Rice and continue to cook for 1–2 minutes.Add the liquids for the Rice and bring to a boil over max heat. Empty the contents into a Casserole Dish, cover, and place into the oven to cook for 40–45 minutes.
- Remove the casserole from the oven and let rest for 20 minutes while still covered. Meanwhile, start preparing the Shrimp portion of the Dish.
- Place frozen shrimp into a bowl with cold water and let thaw for 10 minutes. Peel the Shrimp and save the shells.In a skillet over medium heat, add the remaining Pimento Sauce and cook for 5 minutes. Add the Shrimp in an even layer and continue to cook for 5 minutes, flipping them over halfway through.
- Fluff the Rice Bake and Pour the Shrimp & Sauce over the Rice and toss well again. Taste and add more Creole Seasoning if desired to mix into the Rice. Garnish with Parsley and bring the whole tray to the Table or Plate and then garnish with Parsley.