Jumbo Shrimps and Leeks Omelet
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For the longest time, I used to walk by leeks in the grocery and did not know what to do with them until I cooked this Jumbo Shrimps with Leeks Omelet. A cousin who lived in Manila told me “you’re lucky you have access to those giant leeks, there’s so many things you can cook with them.” This made me take a second look when I was back at the markets.
The big, burly long stems of leeks that looked like giant scallions were generous with flavor and aroma once I got cooking with them. The hefty 2-inch wide leeks, nearly white at the stem and green at the tips, were heavy and leafy when I brought them back from the farmer’s market stalls. Together with the fresh shrimps I purchased, I knew I had a winner for dinner. This omelet is a wonderful weeknight solution for any homemade meal any day. It’s also a dish that surpasses all seasons. You can find the shrimps, leeks and of course, eggs all year round easily.
It’s a breeze to prepare, too. First I made sure to follow Mom’s tried and true cooking tip – to pre-boil the shrimps in a small saucepan filled with ginger ale (or a can of sprite). It only takes about 8 minutes to watch the shrimps turn to a pink-orange hue and you know they’re cooked. Once peeled, do a quick stir fry in a large non-stick skillet with onions and leeks. Saute and sniff at the divine butter-olive oil aroma as you watch the steam from all the ingredients. If you’re inspired further, add some red peppers and tomatoes to make the colors even more luscious-looking. Lastly, make it all come together by pouring beaten eggs onto the skillet. Keep the heat low and slow to maintain the moist, dewy consistency of the eggs. Season the whole omelet and supper is served.
The complete recipe of Sauteed Shrimps and Leeks Jumbo Omelet first published on my guest post for Homemade Quirk, the community blog of Quirk Books.
Jumbo Shrimps and Leeks Omelet
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound fresh jumbo shrimps uncooked, washed, peeled, tails removed
- 1 can (8 oz) ginger ale pre-cooking shrimps
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice save rinds of fresh lemon for pre-cooking shrimps
- 2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon butter unsalted
- 2 stalks large leeks rinsed, roots trimmed, sliced thin
- 1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
- 6 whole eggs
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- for serving: boiled rice or bread
Instructions
- In a small stockpot, over medium high heat, boil the shrimps in ginger ale and lemon juice. Toss in lemon rinds. When it boils in a minute or 2, simmer till shrimps turn to pink in about 8 minutes. Drain shrimps and set aside.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk the eggs. Slowly add the heavy cream. Whisk till frothy for about 3 minutes. Add the salt and black pepper. Set aside.
- In a large non-stick skillet, over medium heat, add the extra virgin olive oil. When oil is hot enough in about 1 minute, add the butter. Once butter sizzles, add sliced leeks and cook for 2 to 3 minutes till leeks are soft.
- To the skillet, add the pre-cooked shrimps. Mix in the red bell pepper slices. Stir around so flavor combine.
- Pour the beaten egg mixture over the shrimps. Tilt the pan to spread eggs. Cover and cook omelet for 5 minutes or till no more liquid is visible. Turn off the heat after 5 minutes. The residual heat will continue cooking the omelet. Serve steaming hot with boiled rice or bread.
- Cook's comments: Leeks are available year round but are in season during the spring. To prepare, remove the outer greens on top by hand. Trim the lower roots at the end of the white parts with a knife. To clean, place the whole bundle in a bowl of water. Swirl bundle like a brush to remove residue and grits. Pat dry with paper towels.
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Nutrition
Notes on Nutrition: The nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and specific brands of ingredients used.
Did you like this recipe? I have more classic recipes inspired by my late mother’s cooking in my popular cookbook: My Mother’s Philippine Recipes. If you’re learning how to cook Filipino food or a fan of Philippine cuisine, buy my cookbooks and books on Amazon.com sold worldwide in paperback and Kindle format.
Hello, Friends! Please DO NOT LIFT OR PLAGIARIZE my original recipe, stories, photos or videos. All the images and content on this blog are COPYRIGHT PROTECTED and owned by my media company Besa-Quirino LLC. This means BY LAW you are NOT allowed to copy, scrape, lift, frame, plagiarize or use my photos, essays, stories and recipe content on your websites, books, films, television shows, videos, without my permission. If you wish to republish this recipe or content on media outlets mentioned above, please ASK MY PERMISSION, or re-write it in your own words and link back to my blog AsianInAmericaMag.com to give proper attribution. It is the legal thing to do. Thank you. Email me at [email protected]
Definitely want to try this recipe. What a great use for leeks. Love your tip about using ginger ale to ore-cook shrimp. But why does it work?
Thanks, Laura. The cooking tip to pre-boil shrimps or any shell fish in ginger ale (or sprite) came from my mom. I simply classified it as one of those things that “mother would know” best 🙂
Hello Elizabeth that is a very interesting tip about the shrimps. I know in a lot of Korean cooking they use sprite in the marinade for beef,etc. I will have to remember this recipe for a fun and different light brunch or dinner. Have a super weekend. BAM
Thanks, Bam. The use of Sprite (or 7-Up)for marinades or for cooking was something my Mom did often. I never asked why, but the broth or ingredients tasted superb afterwards, so I did it, too. Happy weekend, too 🙂