atop Orange, Cranberry & Pecan Texamati Rice

Serves Four to Six

Ingredients

• ¼ cup Texas olive oil

• 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, minced

• 3 cloves fresh garlic, minced

• 1 ½ pounds Texas wild-caught shrimp

• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

• 2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

• 12 ounces Andouille sausage

• Orange, Cranberry & Pecan Rice (see recipe)

Preparation

1. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill and heat to medium-high.

2. In a small bowl mix together olive oil, rosemary and garlic and set aside.

3.  Peel and de-vein the shrimp leaving the tails intact. Then marinate the shrimp with the rosemary garlic oil for about fifteen minutes.

4.  Begin grilling the sausage for about four minutes, turn over and cook for another four minutes until heated through. Set to the edge of the grill to keep warm

5.  Season the shrimp with salt and pepper accordingly and place on the grill in a single layer cooking for about three minutes, turn over and cook for another three minutes until the shrimp begins to curl a bit and is no longer translucent in the center. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp or they will become tough.

6.  Remove the shrimp from the grill and place in a bowl with the sherry vinegar, toss to coat the shrimp.

7.  Spoon rice onto a warm platter.

8.  Slice the sausage and lay on top of the rice and then top with the shrimp. Serve hot!

Orange, Cranberry & Pecan Texamati Rice

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon Texas olive oil
• ½ cup yellow onions, minced
• ½ cup celery, minced
• 1 cup Texmati long grain white rice
• 1 ¾ cup chicken stock, boiling
• ¼ teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 small Texas oranges
• ¼ cup San Saba pecan halves, toasted
• ¼ cup sundried cranberries
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Add the oil to a medium size sauce pan over medium heat and stir in the onions and celery, saute until the vegetables become softened and the onions are translucent. (Do not allow them to brown). Add the rice to the pan and stir for one minute.
2. Pour the boiling chicken stock in to the pan and stir with the rice to mix, add thyme and bay leaf.
3.  Bring the mixture back to a boil over high heat and then immediately reduce the heat to a simmer and cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and let it rest covered for 6 minutes.
4.  While the rice is cooking use a zester to get enough zest from one orange to fill a scant teaspoon and set aside. Peel both oranges and use a paring knife to cut segments of the orange flesh by cutting the orange between the membranes to extract small wedges, discarding any seeds that may be lodged in the orange segments.
5.  When the rice is finished cooking pour it into a bowl and stir in the zest, orange segments, pecans and cranberries mixing well. Adjust seasoning accordingly with cayenne, salt and pepper. Remove bay leaf and serve hot.