While I was face timing with daughter Paula the other night (I think “face timing” is the right term for her being able to see every wrinkle on my face and me being able to see how beautiful she is), she told me about a great shrimp and green bean dish she had prepared for dinner that evening. It sounded just like the kind of dish that Mr. C. and I would also enjoy. Easy to prepare, containing ingredients I almost always have on hand, and easy to prepare. (Oh wait, I already said that, but it bears repeating.) So of course I asked for the recipe. Being a good, dutiful daughter, she gladly acquiesced. So I served this dish last evening with steamed rice. And there was much rejoicing at the Carr dinner table over my decision to give this delightful dish a try.

Now to tell you the truth, I had been a bit concerned about the combination of green beans and shrimp in a dish. Green beans and mushrooms, no problem. But shrimp and green beans together? Can’t say I’d ever tasted these two lovely ingredients sharing equal prominence in the same dish before. Then I went on line. There are an abundance of fantastic recipes for shrimp and green bean dishes out there. Which rock had I been hiding under all these years? Because after preparing this recipe, I tasted for myself that shrimp and green beans are indeed a great combination! And what better way to use these two fabulous ingredients than in a delicious and easy to prepare stir fry! (There’s that “easy to prepare” statement again. Must be true if I’ve bothered to mention it THREE TIMES in this post!) Anyway…………

Now you too have a great new dish with which to dazzle and delight your family. And don’t we all need a little “dazzle and delight” right now. I don’t know what it’s doing outside where you live, but here on Camano Island it’s Juneuary in full bloom. Foggy (I can’t even see the water, much less the mountains), rainy (actually pouring would be a better descriptor), and chilly. And yes I have lived in Western Washington long enough to know that June is often rainy (and cold). But that still doesn’t make it OK in my book. Bring on the summer sunshine and warmth of August darn it!

But aside from the weather, the inhabitants of Chez Carr are still doing well in spite of the extraordinary circumstances which we are currently experiencing. (The Coronavirus threat still alive and well, hostile reactions to peaceful protests, fake news, and political leaders for whom the words compassion and humanity appear to be totally foreign concepts.) But through all of this we have steadfastly remained sane (not easy in today’s world) and committed to each other and to the well-being of those around us.

So as always – please think love rather than hate, display strength rather than weakness, and please, please reflect empathy rather than condemnation. Love and peace to all.

water

1½ tsp. granulated sugar, divided

2 T. vegetable oil, divided

1 lb. fresh green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces

¼ tsp. kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

1 lb. large raw shrimp

5 tsp. sesame oil, divided

½ med. onion, chopped

8-10 mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 T. minced fresh ginger

1 T. oyster sauce

1 T. soy sauce

2 T. mirin (can sub dry sherry or sweet Marsala wine in a pinch)

2 tsp. corn starch

Bring a pan of water to a boil. (Just enough water to cover the beans.) Add 1 teaspoon of the sugar, 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil, and the green beans to the boiling water. Cook the beans for 4 minutes, remove from heat, then pour into a colander. Rinse with cold water (to stop the cooking process) and set aside.

Whisk the salt, pepper, and 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil together in a medium sized bowl. Add the shrimp and stir to make sure every bit of each shrimp is coated with the mixture.

In a large fry pan or wok, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil. Add the shrimp and cook just until done. Do not overcook. Using a slotted utensil, remove the cooked shrimp to a small container and set aside. Add another 2 teaspoons of the sesame oil to the pan, along with the onion and mushrooms. Cook until the onions are softened and the mushrooms start to brown. Add the garlic and ginger; cook for one minute.

While the onion and mushrooms are cooking, whisk the remaining ½ teaspoon sugar, oyster sauce, soy sauce, mirin, 2 remaining teaspoons of sesame oil, and corn starch together.

After the garlic and ginger have cooked for one minute, add the cooked green beans and the cooked shrimp. Stir in the soy sauce mixture and stir until all of the veggies and shrimp are covered with the sauce and the sauce is slightly thickened. Serve immediately. Great with steamed rice on the side.