Name: Cajun Shrimp and Wild Rice
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Cajun
Ingredients: 2 pounds peeled and deveined White Gulf Shrimp, thawed; 1 onion, diced; 1 red, yellow or orange bell pepper, diced; 2 cups wild rice, rinsed; 4 1/2 cups water (for more flavor use chicken or vegetable broth); 6 tablespoons olive oil; 8 teaspoons Cajun Seasoning (see recipe above for Kid-Friendly Cajun Seasoning); 1 tablespoon minced, fresh parsley (flat-leaf or curl-leaf); Lemon wedges for garnish

Question 1

What is Cajun Seasoning?

Accepted Answer

“Cajun is a word used to describe the Acadians, who were the French colonists who first settled in a region of Canada known as Acadia. Eventually, the Acadians were moved out of Canada by the British in the early 1700s and they migrated waaay down south to Louisiana. Because they didn’t have refrigerators, Cajuns learned to use every part of their animals for food and also used smoking and splicing techniques for preserving their foods. Cajun food is basically interpreted to mean “heavily seasoned” — which doesn’t always mean spicy, but often is anyway because of the heavy use of cayenne pepper in a lot of recipes.”

Question 2

Homemade, Kid-Friendly Cajun Seasoning

Accepted Answer

I scoured the web for Cajun Seasoning recipes, and landed on a mild variation inspired by Emeril Lagasse. Just a hint of cayenne keeps this recipe from being too spicy for kids, and the smoked paprika adds a primal flavor, though can be easily substituted with regular paprika. Mix the following ingredients in a small container, and store extra for your next Cajun meal!

Question 3

The Key to Cooking Tender, Seared Shrimp

Accepted Answer

Start with a hot pan so the shrimp begin to sear as soon as they go innDon’t overcrowd the pan; the shrimp need space to sear, not steamnCook the shrimp 2-3 minutes per side and remove them from the pan as soon as they’re opaque. Remember, they will continue to cook once removed from the pan.

Question 4

How to Grill Cajun Shrimp

Accepted Answer

Another delicious way to make Cajun Shrimp is to grill them, especially this time of year. You can grill them on skewers, especially if they are small and risk falling through the grill grate, or directly on the grill if they are large enough. If using skewers, soak them in cold water for 15 minutes to prevent the skewers from burning over the fire. Next, coat the raw, thawed shrimp with the olive oil and Cajun seasoning as described in the recipe below. Let the shrimp marinate while you fire up the grill or campfire. You’ll want a high-heat fire with flames directly under the grill grate. Once the fire is ready, thread the shrimp on the skewers and place them on the grate. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side, until the shrimp are charred and become opaque. Rasa Malaysia has a mouthwatering recipe for Honey Cajun Grilled Shrimp.

Question 5

Fresh Versus Frozen Seafood

Accepted Answer

There’s a popular myth that fresh seafood is better than frozen. Unfortunately, unless you’re eating seafood fresh off the boat or from a seaside market or restaurant, seafood rarely lives up to the word “fresh” in supermarkets. On the contrary, it has likely traveled miles and/or been thawed for days by the time it hits the seafood counter, sacrificing nutrition, flavor, color and texture. Wild For Salmon freezes seafood at peak harvest, preserving all of these characteristics. You can read in detail why they value transparency around their harvesting, processing, storage and transportation practices, and why they stand by the taste and quality of once-frozen seafood. The other benefit to buying frozen seafood is that you always have pre-portioned, nutrient dense, flavor-bursting protein in stock!

Question 6

How to Thaw Frozen Shrimp

Accepted Answer

The best way to thaw frozen shrimp is overnight in the refrigerator. However, if you forget to do this, don’t sweat. Transfer the frozen shrimp to a bowl of cold water. Let the shrimp sit for 15 minutes and then drain the water. Cover with fresh cold water and break apart any shrimp that are stuck together. After 15 minutes, drain in a colander and set the colander over a shallow bowl to continue draining. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use. Fine Cooking also recommends leaving the shrimp in a bowl of cold water with a trickle of water going into the bowl, but I believe my method preserves water use and yields the same results.

Question 7

The Health Benefits of Shrimp

Accepted Answer

As someone struggling with thyroid issues, shrimp are one of my favorite foods. Most humans are deficient in iodine, essential for healthy thyroid function. This is a result of a largely landlocked diet, sparse in seafood. Not only do shrimp have a particularly high iodine content, according to Healthline, they also contain 50% of our daily needs for selenium, among 20 different vitamins and minerals packed into each bite. Continue reading about the health benefits of shrimp, including nutrition and calories, at Healthline.

Cajun Shrimp and Wild Rice

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