Shrimp with Lemon Rice

This shrimp and rice dish gets its gorgeous golden color and aromatic warmth from turmeric and mustard seeds bloomed in butter. The shrimp sautes first, soaking up those spices, then the rice toasts in the flavorful drippings before everything bakes together in a casserole with white wine and lemon juice.

The sequencing is what builds the flavor. Turmeric and mustard seeds heat in butter for 2-3 minutes until fragrant and the mustard seeds start to pop. The shrimp goes in next for a quick 5-minute saute, then comes out. The pre-cooked rice gets stirred into those buttery, shrimp-scented drippings until golden, then mixed with diced pimentos, wine, and lemon juice.

Assemble everything in a baking dish and bake covered for 1 ¼ hours. The long bake lets the rice absorb the wine and lemon, and the shrimp stays tender buried inside the rice. Fluff with a fork right before serving.

Chef Tips

• Use raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp. Pre-cooked shrimp will turn rubbery during the long bake.
• Toast the mustard seeds until they start popping. That’s when they release their sharp, nutty flavor.
• Don’t skip toasting the rice in the drippings. It adds a nutty depth and keeps the grains separate.
• Keep the dish covered during baking. The steam is what cooks the rice through evenly.

Variations

• Coconut milk addition: Replace the white wine with coconut milk for a creamier, Thai-inspired dish.
• With peas: Stir in 1 cup of frozen peas during the last 15 minutes of baking for color and sweetness.
• Scallop swap: Use sea scallops halved horizontally instead of shrimp for a different seafood option.