Recipe: Shrimp piri piri with quick-preserved Meyer lemons

Total time: 50 minutes plus 30 minutes marinating time

Servings: 4

Note: This recipe is an adaption and combining of two recipes from Marcus Samuelsson’s “The Soul of a New Cuisine.” Piri piri is an African dish named for a hot chile pepper. We substitute jalapeños. Black (Forbidden) rice is available at selected supermarkets and food specialty stores.

Quick-preserved Meyer lemons

6 Meyer lemons

1/4 cup kosher salt

1/4 cup sugar

1. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the lemons, trying to keep away from the white pith. (If necessary, scrape any pith away from the peels with a small knife.) Squeeze the juice from the peeled lemons into a bowl and reserve: You should have about 1 cup. Add water to bring the liquid up to 2 cups; set aside to reserve.

2. Place the peel and 2 cups of water in a saucepan and bring to a rolling boil. Drain. Repeat this procedure once more. Return the drained peel to the pan, add the reserved juice, salt and sugar and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Makes about three-eighths cup.

Shrimp piri piri

1 cup black rice (Forbidden rice)

4 red jalapeño chiles, seeded, ribs removed and chopped

2 green jalapeño chiles, seeded, ribs removed and chopped

2 serrano chiles, seeded, ribs removed and chopped

2 cloves garlic

1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus additional for garnish

1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley

Juice of 1 Meyer lemon

1 recipe quick-preserved Meyer lemon peel, julienned, divided

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 pound medium shrimp, tail-on, peeled and deveined

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Additional chopped cilantro for garnish

1. In a medium saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, cook the black rice according to the package instructions (about 30 minutes) and reserve.

2. In a food processor, combine the chiles, garlic, cilantro, parsley, lemon juice and one-eighth cup of the preserved lemon peel and process until the mixture is a coarse paste. Add one-half cup olive oil in a slow stream and reserve. (Makes 1 cup.)

3. In a large bowl, toss the shrimp in the sauce and allow to marinate, covered and refrigerated, for 30 minutes.

4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over high heat until it shimmers, then add the marinated shrimp. Toss for 3 to 4 minutes until the shrimp is opaque, taking care not to overcook. Season with kosher salt.

5. Serve the shrimp over the black rice, garnished with the remaining preserved lemon and a little chopped cilantro.

Each serving: 705 calories; 28 grams protein; 67 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 37 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 172 mg. cholesterol; 3,610 mg. sodium.