VENUS RICE WITH SHRIMPS AND ZUCCHINI
INGREDIENTS
250 g of Venus black rice (parboiled)
20 g of Tulone extra-virgin olive oil PDO Sicily
300 g of shrimps
300 g of zucchini 300 g
1 Lemon (both juice and peel)
Salt
Black pepper
1 clove of garlic
Tabasco
PREPARATION
Start by cooking the rice: fill a pot with plenty of water and bring it to a boil, add the rice and some salt and let it cook for about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, wash and trim the zucchini, then grate them with a grater with large holes.
In a pan, heat the olive oil with the peeled garlic clove, add the grated zucchini and season with salt and black pepper. Let them cook them for about 5 minutes, then remove the clove of garlic and set the now ready vegetables aside.
The next step in line is the cleaning of the shrimps: remove the “carapace”, the outer shell, cut off the tail and divide them in half lengthwise. After this first part is done, proceed to remove the intestine, the dark filament located on the back. Place the cleaned shrimps in a bowl, sprinkle them with olive oil, flavor them with the grated lemon peel, salt and pepper and a few drops of Tabasco. Sauté the shrimps in a hot pan for a couple of minutes, letting them blend with the lemon juice.
As soon as the shrimps have browned, turn off the heat and set them aside.
The Venus rice should be ready by now, so take it off the stove, drain it and put it into a bowl. Add the cooked zucchini and mixed with a spoon.
Everything is ready to be served: take a serving dish and place a round pastry cutter in the center, fill it with plenty of Venus rice and press the surface with the back of the spoon to make it look compact, garnish the rice by placing the sautéed shrimps on top with the help of a pair of kitchen pliers. The final touch consists in gently removing the pastry rings and immediately serve the dish.