Midweek Meals
Reader faves + faves from the archive 🌞
Happy Wednesday. Today, I have a few reader faves plus ideas from the archives to keep you cooking this week.
Midweek Update
Not many food updates this week because I’ve been busy with the new addition to our family! I wasn’t sure I was ready to bring in a new kitty just yet, but we met this handsome fellow at a somewhat unexpected pit stop, and I fell in love immediately. He’s a tiny tuxedo, just 10 weeks old, and the name that seems to have stuck is Manwich (yes, like the Sloppy Joe) and Manny for short.
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MINI RECIPE
It’s SO hot today, so I’m doing a cold dinner tonight. Since green salads are off the menu for the foreseeable future, it’s going to be shrimp cocktail with leftover potato salad I made the other day. I’ve made this shrimp cocktail so many times, and one of my favorite memories is from Galentine’s Day when the last few attendees of my party and I housed all two pounds at the very end of the night.
Shrimp cocktail is one thing that I have absolutely zero self-control with. There’s something about the plump, ice-cold shrimp with zesty cocktail sauce and extra lemon juice. YUM. I got many compliments about mine, and the key is really making sure the court bouillon (the poaching liquid) is well-flavored, well-salted, and that you don’t overcook the shrimp.
First, I peel 2 pounds of the biggest shrimp I can find (save those shells) and season them with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and refrigerate them. I love colossal or jumbo for this. You can leave the tails on or remove them. Leaving them gives a little more flavor to the broth, and removing them makes them easier to eat. I’ve done it both ways. For parties, I typically remove the tails to make it easier for my guests.
I combine about 8 cups of water in a large pot with 2 tablespoons of kosher salt. I add the shrimp shells, 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, 2 bay leaves, a peeled, quartered onion, a head of garlic (halved), and a few ribs of celery (cut into big chunks). I bring it to a boil and then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.
From there, I strain the broth into a large bowl, wipe out the pot, and return it to the stove. I pour the bouillon into the pot and bring it back to a boil, and then immediately turn off the heat, add the shrimp, and cover the pot. I let them cook in the hot water for a few minutes until they’re opaque and cooked through. Depending on the size of your shrimp, this can take anywhere from 4 to 8 minutes. I use a slotted spoon to transfer them to an extra-icy cold water bath to stop the cooking process.
After that, I arrange them on a platter covered in ice and serve them with lemon wedges and cocktail sauce. I’m hungry just thinking about it!
For now, let’s get into some reader faves and a few ideas to keep you cooking this week.
READER FAVES
Chicken and Pepper Linguine
This comes from Monica on Instagram, and I’m so happy to hear it was enjoyed! Sausage is such a great addition to this savory sauce. Perfection!
Fig Upside-Down Cake
Thank you so much for this comment! It’s a perfect late summer cake, and we’re getting close to fig season!
Stewed Chickpeas and Red Lentils
Thank you for the 5-star review! With a filling trifecta of red lentils, rice, and chickpeas, this flavorful vegan stew is a perfect midweek meal.
Shrimp and Pearl Couscous
Thank you! This is such an amazing shrimp recipe! Whether you make the homemade shrimp stock or opt for chicken stock, it’s a delicious meal that everyone at your table is going to love.
A FEW MORE IDEAS (FOR THE LOVE OF CORN)
Chicken with Corn Relish
This chicken with corn relish might be the perfect summer dinner. Juicy, spicy chicken is topped with a perfectly sweet and spicy honey-lime corn relish.
Aleppo Pepper Shrimp with Creamed Corn
This Aleppo pepper shrimp with creamed corn is the best of summer on one plate. It’s filled with creamy sweet corn, juicy shrimp, and burst summer cherry tomatoes.
Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Corn
This sun-dried tomato pasta with corn is unbelievably easy to make, and you need just five ingredients for this tasty vegan dinner recipe.
Mushroom Corn Chowder
A rich, flavorful corn chowder that’s even more savory thanks to the umami flavor of mushrooms.
That’s all for Midweek Meals! I hope everyone has a great rest of the week, filled with lots of tasty food. If you make one of my recipes, please drop a comment on the post to let me know how it turns out; I’d love to hear from you! You can also respond directly to this email! Byeeeeeeee! 💖💖
-kylie
And if none of these recipes caught your eye, use the link below to view all my recipes.
Looking to incorporate more vegan dishes into your meal plan? View all the plant-based recipes I post on Exploring Vegan!