Gulf Shrimp and Apricot Stuffed Peppers

(6 servings)

Ingredients:

• 6 red bell peppers
• 1 lb gulf shrimp (large)
• 2 bunches leeks (about 6 leeks)
• 2 cups apricots, diced (6 apricots)
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• dash large grain sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper
• 2/3 cup breadcrumbs (~3 slices G-F bread if making your own)
• 1/2 cup raw polenta (can be purchased at local grocery stores)
• 2 TBS honey, local if possible
• 3 cups chicken broth, low sodium/organic

How To Prepare

Pre-Heat oven to 375 degrees.

Wash all veggies and pat dry with clean dish towels. Peel and devein shrimp, set aside.

Using a serrated knife, cut the tops off your red bell peppers (cut about 1/4” down from the top of the pepper). Use your hands to scoop out the white connective tissue and any seeds inside the pepper (if you have trouble getting seeds out, turn the pepper upside-down and tap the bottom of the pepper). Place peppers in your baking dish and fill the bottom of the dish with 3 cups of chicken broth and 1 cup of water. Bake peppers in the oven for 20 minutes, until they begin to get tender.

Heat your saute pan over medium, add a drizzle of olive oil (~1 tsp.) and saute.

In a medium saucepan, add water about 3-4” high in pan. Bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer, add the 6 apricots and blanch for about 3 minutes. You are doing this to make it easier to peel the skin.

Remove apricots from the water, place in a glass bowl with saran wrap on top. Let them rest 5 minutes. After the time has elapsed, use your fingers to gently peel away the skin. Take a sharp knife and slice around the apricot in half and remove the pit. Cut the apricot into about 1/2” sections.

Cook polenta according to instructions on the package. Generally, it will say for 1/2 cup of raw polenta, boil 1 1/2 cups of water with a dash of salt. Add the polenta to the boiling water and whisk continuously, turning the heat down to a simmer (low). Continue to stir (about 3 minutes), until the polenta becomes thick. Turn off the heat and stir in 2 TBS of honey, set aside.

Next, trim the dark, tough tops off your leeks as well as the very bottom (with the roots attached). To make sure no sand or dirt is in your leeks, slice them lengthwise down the middle and run them under cold water, gently separating the layers just enough for the water to wash away any dirt. Then, lie them cut side down on your cutting board and slice them once more down the middle and then again in ~1/2” slices (horizontally this time).

Saute leeks in a saute pan with a drizzle of olive oil for 3-4 minutes, until they being to get tender.

Chop your shrimp into bite-sized pieces, season with a dash of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper and add to the saute pan with the leeks. After the shrimp turn pink (about 3 minutes), add the apricots and saute another minute.

Add the wine to the saute pan to de-glaze the pan (bring the bits off the bottom and enrich the sauce). Let the wine simmer and reduce for 3 minutes. Then, add the chopped basil, (add sea salt and pepper to taste).

Remove the peppers from the oven and spoon the shrimp mixture into each of the 6 peppers. Top with fresh polenta and bake in the oven for 6-7 minutes, until the polenta turns golden-brown.

Naturopathic Doctor Says:

These stuffed delights are a wonderland of nutrition. Red peppers are very high in vitamin C, vitamin E and antioxidant power. Shrimp is a good source of niacin, Iron, Phosphorus and Zinc, and a very good source of Protein, Vitamin B12 and Selenium. Although known for supposedly high cholesterol, one Rockefeller University study concluded that eating steamed shrimp raised HDL (the "good" cholesterol) more than the LDL (the "bad" cholesterol"), and triglycerides were lowered too.(1) Apricots are good source of fiber, vitamin A, C and beta-carotenes.   1- De Oliveira e Silva ER, Seidman CE, Tian JJ, Hudgins LC, Sacks FM, Breslow JL. Effects of shrimp consumption on plasma lipoproteins Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, Nov 1996; 64:712 - 717.

Recommended for the following Conditions:

 

 

 

Nutrition Information (amount per serving):

Calories 245, Total Fat 2g, Saturated Fat 0g, Trans Fat 0g, Cholesterol 39mg, Sodium 163mg, Total Carbohydrate 44g, Dietary Fiber 6g, Sugars 18g, Protein 10g, Vitamin A 121%, Vitamin C 278%, Calcium 9%, Iron 22%, Vitamin K~70%,

The information provided on this site is intended for your general knowledge only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment for specific medical conditions. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. The information on this website is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Never disregard medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the Nourish This site. Recipes and information provided on the Nourish This site are for personal use only.