Recipe: Shrimp in Coconut Curry Sauce

the appetizer:

Avec Eric: A Culinary Journey with Eric Ripert, Featuring Over 100 Simple Recipes by Eric Ripert includes recipes like Shrimp in Coconut Curry Sauce; Portobello "Fries" with Truffled Aïoli; and Cod Basquaise.

Shrimp in Coconut Curry Sauce

Serves 4

Perhaps it is the position of the islands along the spice route in the Caribbean Sea that gave Caymanians access to exotic spices, or maybe it's due to the British influence on the island, but either way, it is quite common to find Indian-inspired dishes on the island. This shrimp curry is influenced by some very delicious seafood curries that I have enjoyed on the islands.

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 stalk lemongrass, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons Thai red curry paste
1 teaspoon Madras curry powder
1/2 cup chicken stock (recipe page 29 of the book)
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1-1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup fresh basil, julienned

Heat the canola oil in a saucepan over medium heal. Add the shallot, garlic, lemongrass and ginger and sauté until softened. Add the Thai curry paste and curry powder and stir to combine. Add the chicken stock and simmer for about 10 minutes, until lightly reduced. Add the coconut milk and simmer for 5 more minutes for the flavors to come together. Remove the curry sauce from the heat and season to taste with salt and pepper. Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into another saucepan.

Season the shrimp with salt and pepper and add the shrimp to the curry sauce. Bring the curry sauce to a simmer and cook just until the shrimp start to turn opaque, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lime juice to taste. Divide the curry among 4 bowls, then garnish with the basil and serve immediately.

Note: This curry sauce can be served with a simple piece of sautéed fish or chicken.

Wine Pairings

The inspiration for the Shrimp Curry recipe came from some time spent in the Caymon Islands where we prepared the curry to go with local snapper. There is certainly some Indian influence in the cuisine of the Caribbean (most likely because of their position in the original spice route) and curry ends up being used often as well as ginger, coconut, basil and hot peppers. These flavors are typical of tropical food and both the Riesling and the Viognier, with their refreshing qualities and a little bit of residual sugar, really compliment the dish.

Eroica Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington

The Riesling grape variety is without a doubt one of the greatest, yet at the some time, most under-appreciated varieties. Riesling always triggers a sweetness that is, most of the time, the decided style of a wine maker or perhaps their expression. Rieslings can be totally dry but keep in mind that completely dry wines are very often hard to match with food, therefore a tiny amount of residual sugar brings a lot of harmony into a pairing. Eroica is joint venture between the famous German Riesling producer Ernst Loosen and Chateau St. Michelle from the Columbia Valley in Washington state. Eroica is certainly one of the best U.S. Rieslings.

Starlite Vineyards Viognier, Alexander Valley, Sonoma, California

The origin of Viognier is unknown and is assumed to be on ancient varietal. The most famous appelation for this varietal are the very steep sites of the Rhone Valley's Condrieu and Chateau Grillet. Starlite Vineyards has produced quite a pure and impressive Viognier that is full bodied with a fresh acid and typical spices, which are very distinct. The Starlite winery is a family owned winery located in the Alexander Valley in Sonoma County.