The Lush Chef

Libations used: 1 cup white wine...
Libations left over: Pretty much the whole bottle, so serve with din-din...
I've been in a seafood mood as of late, and perhaps it's because LA was experiencing unseasonably hot temperatures for the past couple of weeks.  In other words, I wanted something light and fresh.  This "Saucy" Sautéed Shrimp with Lemon Quinoa from The Kitchn was just the thing I needed for a warm Sunday evening.  The white wine sauce is further enriched with shallots, garlic, red bell pepper, and sun-dried tomatoes. I used jarred, julienned sun-dried tomatoes to get a little more flavor from the oil.  Pick a bottle of nice, full-bodied white wine to cook with and that you'd also like to polish off with the meal.  I popped open Sanford's Chardonnay, which is crispy and light on the oak finish. It also happens to be a favorite of The Lush Chef's mama (sorry, you weren't with me to share, mom!).  Any size shrimp is actually fine, and I opted for a larger, pink variety. I plan on cooking the quinoa with wine and lemon again to use in salads, as a side dish, or the base for other recipes.  This meal also comes together quickly, so it's great for weeknights and lazy Sundays.

Saucy Sautéed Shrimp & Lemon Quinoa - serves 3-4
Ingredients:

• 1 cup quinoa
• olive oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 lemon, zested and juiced
• 1 cup white wine (I used Sanford's Chardonnay), divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped Italian parsley, divided
• 3 Tbs unsalted butter, divided
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 large shallots, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely sliced
• 1 lb fresh shrimp, peeled and de-veined

- Rinse that quinoa well in a fine-meshed sieve under running water.
- In a medium sauce pot over medium heat, add a drizzle of olive oil.
- Add the drained quinoa and lightly toast, stirring for about 1 minute.
- Add the salt, lemon juice, 1/4 cup of the white wine, and 1 1/2 cups water.
- Bring to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer, letting the quinoa cook for about 15 minutes.
- While the quinoa is cooking, place a large skillet over low heat and melt 1 Tbs of the butter.
- Add the garlic, shallots, red pepper, and tomatoes, stirring frequently until the garlic and tomatoes are softened and fragrant.
- Turn up the heat to medium and add the second Tbs of butter and the rest of the white wine.
- Whisk constantly, bringing the wine to a simmer, and cook until the mixture is slightly reduced and shiny.
- Turn down the heat to very low to keep the sauce warm.
- In a separate large sauce pan or skillet over high heat, heat the remaining Tbs of butter.
- Add the shrimp and sear them quickly until cooked (about 1-2 minutes).
- Add the shrimp into the pan of sauce and veggies and toss in half of the parsley.
- How's that quinoa doing? Turn off the heat, and let it stand covered for about 5 minutes.
- Remove the lid and fluff the quinoa.
- Stir in the lemon zest and the remaining parsley.
- Divide quinoa evenly amongst plates and top with the shrimp and veggie sauce.  If you have any more lemon zest and parsley, then sprinkle some on top!