The Little Kitchen is on the market now. A bitter sweet situation as the price, if it sells will go along way toward supporting our family in the years to come. I’ve put all I can into the business over the years including moving profits from the sale of our Amagansett Café into the mortgage in Sag Harbor. Today we have a productive little business that keeps 6 people fully employed and it provides me with a part time commitment. I’ve put it on the market as a test to see if the value really does exceed 2 million dollars. If that’s the case it’s time to sell and open a new chapter in my life. If not, we’ll stay the course.
On Wednesday night the kids had a dinner at home prepared by Nanny Mimi, she makes a great effort but sometimes the results fall short of expectations. That was the case on this particular Taco Night. So Jess called on Thursday morning asking if I might come in to prepare “a healthy” dinner for the girls prior to our outing to a political fund raiser hosted by our friend and neighbor Cash Conway.
My bus arrived on 85th street from East Hampton @ 3:30 and as I walked up 3rd Ave. I stopped in the first food store that I passed to pick up vegetables. Then, further up the street into the fish store for a pound of shrimp in the shell.
For Shrimp & Vegetable Stir Fry with Lundgren’s wild rice mix:
Clean and devain all shrimp (1 lb 16-20 Tiger shrimp)
1 bunch asparagus (Cut into 2 inch pieces on the base)
1 yellow pepper
1 red pepper (both seeded and sliced into thin pieces)
1bunch scallions (sliced like the asparagus)
1 head of broccoli (florets cut into bite size pieces, stems peeled and diced)
4 cloves garlic, slice all but 1
1 knob of ginger (the size off your thumb), peel and slice into thin pieces
4 tablespoons vegetable oil
½ cup soy sauce
¼ cup citrus juice (grapefruit for this dinner)
2 tablespoons sweet rice wine vinegar
4 tablespoons orange marmalade
½ teaspoon chili flakes
Begin by placing the shrimp shells and 1 whole garlic clove in a sauce pan with 1 tablespoon of oil over high heat, stirring until they begin to turn pink and get crisp. Now take all of the rest of the waste from the vegetables (ginger trim, scallion trim, pepper seeds ect. and stir them all together with the shrimp shells). After a minute reduce heat to medium and add the soy sauce, citrus, vinegar, marmalade and chili flakes. Stir and reduce by half, then strain the sauce and reserve for service, discard the solids.
Refer to the directions for your chosen rice and start preparation according to your service plan. Once the rice has been cooked, turn off the heat, leave covered and allow to rest.
At this time place a large sautee pan or a wok over high heat and add remaining oil, add the ginger and garlic and stir, follow soon after with the broccoli and asparagus stir for a minute or 2 and then add the rest of the vegetables and shrimp. Stir constantly, add a bit more oil if needed.
When the shrimp have cooked through the dish is ready. Plate the rice first. Just prior to service bring the shrimp & vegetables to high heat, stir in the sauce and plate along side the rice immediately. Try not to steam the dish in the sauce, simply bring it to temperature and serve.