Sin categoría

Rice Mint Balls with Pistachios and Shrimps

Good morning Starshines, good afternoon… good evening… or good night! It’s finally sunny and hot here :D and I’m planning to go to the beach and to the swimming pool for this loooooong coming weekend! So I’m afraid I won’t be seeing your beautiful faces until next Wednesday, he, he, he! I will be off line, disconected, gone, in paradise…

Tuesday the 24th, is a Holiday here: Sant Joan; Saint John. We celebrate the change of the season, from Spring to Summer. If you take a look through google earth the night of the 23rd you’ll see lots of Bonfires all over Catalonia, Alicante and Galicia among other regions. This night it’s a tradition to burn all the house’s old furniture… all neighbours will gather around the old tables and chairs they have placed in the middle of the street and watch the fire while drinking sangria or other beverages and eating Coca.

Kids will play with firecrackers, a street orchestra will make your feet move and we’ll all dance and have fun… that’s why you need to have your dinner ready and waiting for you in the fridge so that you don’t spend any time cooking and can join the party as soon as possible!

Get your apron on, wash your hands and let’s cook this fresh beauties out!

Ingredients for 4 servings: 200 grs. of rice (I use Bahia), 350 grs. of shrimps, a garlic clove, 30 grs. of pistachios, 6 fresh mint leaves, olive oil, black ground pepper and salt.

  • Get some water boiling and add some salt to it, when it starts boiling pour the rice in and cook for 20 minutes or what your package says, strain and let it cool.
  • Pour some olive oil in a sauce pan and saute the shrimps, add some salt and a chopped garlic, have for 2 minutes, no more. Reserve. When cold, peel and cut in small pieces.
  • Smash the pistachios and mint leaves in a mortar.
  • In a big bowl put the rice, the shrimps and the pistachios and mint. Mix all ingredients and with your hands wet, make little balls and place in a recipient.
  • Once the balls are done, place in the fridge for at least two hours.
  • Serve with a sauce of your choice… Mint pesto? Soy sauce?

You can also make the dish changing the pistachios for peanuts or toasted almonds and the mint could be replaced by parsley too. Let’s be creative!

Of course a Fiesta is not a Fiesta if there’s no dish associated… Sant Joan has this special Coca… that’s how we call it!

Maybe next year I’m able to bake it myself ;-). Meanwhile, this year, I will have a good portion!

Salud!

Labels:

, , , , , , ,

Share

Comments

06/20/2008 · 12:23 h by Mallory Elise

oh my gosh! that is an amazing recipe! i love rice! gluten free! i think maybe ill make that for my birthday party in a couple weeks…

bisous!

06/20/2008 · 13:00 h by Peter M

This is an unusual combo if ingredients but I like the idea of mint with shrimp.

The French-Canadians here also celebrate St. Jean de Baptiste next week…Bon vancanes mon amie, cheri!

06/20/2008 · 13:19 h by Jen of A2eatwrite

Have a wonderful trip, Nuria! It sounds like paradise indeed. And both the rice balls AND the coca look so good. How beautiful.

Enjoy it all!

06/20/2008 · 13:24 h by Peter G

just beautiful Nuria…great mix of the mint with the shrimps. very refreshing. Enjoy the weekend and don’t get burnt!

06/20/2008 · 14:31 h by Judy @ No Fear Entertaining

Enjoy your vacation Nuria. That salad looks incredible and I am very curious about Coca!

06/20/2008 · 15:17 h by Josmans

Hey Nuria!

I’ve never tried that combination of flavors before, but it looks and sounds like something made for summer! Have a great weekend! I’ll enjoy it from afar, as saint john is my saint!! John is the english variant of Jan!! Fiestaa!

Jan

06/20/2008 · 16:04 h by JennDZ - The Leftover Queen

Sounds like Midsummer when I lived in Norway! We are celebrating tomorrow night in much the same way, although sadly it will only be a party of two….if only we could have a bonfire, it would be all the better! Have a great one, sweetie! Your dishes look superb!

06/20/2008 · 19:24 h by Ivy

Your dish sounds delicious. St. John the Baptist is also celebrated in Greece on the 24th of June. The tradition here is to light fires in the streets and usually there are dances and they jump over the fires.

Have a nice time.

06/21/2008 · 6:22 h by We Are Never Full

enjoy your vacation (now I understand the email you sent me!!)! i think shrimp and pistachio is an intriguing combination – bet you it’s delicious!

06/21/2008 · 18:35 h by Familia

what fun! will you have leeks and romesco sauce also?

06/22/2008 · 0:59 h by Maryann

I love it, Nuria! The celebration sounds like a good ‘ol time:)

06/22/2008 · 10:43 h by Núria

Thank you all for your always kind comments :D. I’m having such a great time… lots of sun and beach and pool and beers and good food… is there anything better in the world?

Inspiration strikes me everyday… wonderful dishes will be on your screens soon ;-)

06/22/2008 · 16:59 h by Susan from Food Blogga

Ooh, enjoy your holiday! In the meantime we’ll enjoy your delicious recipe.

06/22/2008 · 18:05 h by Bellini Valli

Enjoy Nuria!!!Your meatballs almost look like a Spanish version of sushi…yummmmmmmmmm:D

06/24/2008 · 18:51 h by glamah16

Sounds like a heavenly time with good food.

06/25/2008 · 15:36 h by anno

That coca looks amazing!! But the real reason I dropped by was to let you know that until yesterday, I had never heard of risotto balls, but now, thanks to Jen of A2eatwrite, I can’t imagine my life without them. They were completely fabulous, and it took every bit of restraint I could muster not to eat the entire bowl. Hope you are enjoying your vacation!

06/25/2008 · 18:11 h by Núria

Hola Anno and welcome to Spanish Recipes! You make me giggle :D Really? you liked them that much? Hey I’m so happy you enjoyed the rice balls… thanks so much for letting me know. Cheers!

Leave a comment

Subscribe Contact me Scroll to Top