Always looking for new recipes using Kale, I came across these little Shrimp and Kale bundles. A few simple ingredients in a fancy package, what caught me by surprise was how incredibly, indescribably fantastic these are. This recipe has more than just looks, the bundles seal in and intensify the flavors.
Shrimp & Kale Bundles
So how on earth can Shrimp be a part of a budget meal? I’ve done it before with Shrimp Po’ Boys, and I’ve come up with a few tricks. First of all, the Shrimp in this recipe acts almost like a condiment, an accent – a few perched on top allow a bit of flavor to steam through the beans nestled, below, while the majority of the meal is what else is in the bundle.
The other way of saving is to give up the idea of the most expensive shrimp on the market. (This was a hard one for this reformed food snob.) Bought at the right time and treated correctly, frozen can be cost-effective and better than one might imagine. Buy around Christmas or during Lent, I normally choose Shrimp in the Shell and thaw it slowly, overnight, and find that some of the issues that plague frozen shrimp are minimized.
Shrimp & Kale Bundles – Just out of the oven, open immediately
Of course, if you have access to great seafood, by all means, use the best! One can’t go wrong with this recipe, and if its great with a frozen shrimp, it will be even better with a shrimp fresh from the sea.
This recipe was originally a Lucinda Scalla-Quinn recipe, fabulously frugalized. Smart woman, great show, I’m sad to see it gone. The memory lives on in these incredible Shrimp bundles.
Shrimp & Kale Bundles – Unbelievably Good!
Shrimp & Kale Bundles
- 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced (about 3/4 cup)
- 1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds (cut into half-moons, if large)
- 1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 1/2 cups white beans, cooked, or 15 oz can, drained
- 3/4 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary (I go light on this)
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon coarse salt
- Freshly ground pepper
- 1 small bunch kale (about 8 – 12 ounces), stems and center ribs discarded, leaves thinly sliced crosswise
- 12 peeled and deveined shrimp
- 1/2 cup homemade chicken stock
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut four pieces of parchment paper to measure 12 by 13 inches each. Stir together carrot, celery, onion, beans, rosemary, lemon juice, oil, and salt in a large bowl; season with pepper. Add kale and shrimp; toss well.
Lay parchment rectangles on a work surface (putting them in a small bowl is helpful. Divide shrimp mixture evenly among them, mounding in center of each. Make sure each serving has the same amount of shrimp. Working with one piece at a time, gather paper around filling to form a bundle; loosely tie with kitchen twine, leaving a small opening. You’ll be tightening it later so don’t knot. .(About a foot and a half long is a good measurement for the twine.)
Pour 2 tablespoons stock into opening of each bundle; tie twine in a bow tightly to seal.
Transfer bundles to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake 20 minutes; shrimp should be cooked through. Place packets in large serving bowls. Serve immediately, opening packets at the table.
Note: Make sure to finely chop onion so the raw taste has a chance to dissipate in the short cooking time. If you don’t have parchment, you can make this with aluminum foil. If you aren’t using all your packets right away, open them so the steam dissipates and they don’t keep cooking.
from the kitchen of http://www.frugalhausfrau.com, adapted from Mad Hungry
Let’s talk about how to save money/time on this recipe:
- Use a coupon matching site! One of my favorites in my area is Pocket Your Dollars, but every store has a group of enthusiastic Coupon Matchers. Do not discount the savings! I check their site every week, even if I don’t “need” to go to the store and often find bargains I can’t pass up.
- Follow my Strategies – You’ll see them all explained on the upper left tab of every page and how I apply them, below.
- Don’t get discouraged if your prices don’t match mine! Keep shopping at the best prices and your fridge/freezer and pantry will be stocked with sales priced ingredients.
- Read {Strategies Applied} for additional tips as well as throughout the recipe, for saving time and managing food.
Nutrition:
Cal: 353, Cal fr Fat: 121, 34%; Tot Fat: 13g, Sat fat: 2.41g; Chol: 34mg; Sodium 560mg; Carb 42g; Fib 10g; Sug 2.5g, Prot 18g
Put Your own Spin on It:
You could season your Shrimp and Kale Packets with White Beans in any manner you please, vary the seasonings or herbs, or perhaps use Broccolini or Broccoli in very small florets instead of Kale. You’ll need a vegetable that has some volume to it so the steam can pass through and cook everything properly. A bit of white wine would be nice, and a few red pepper flakes would go well.
Shrimp and Kale Packets with White Beans made March, 2012
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