Pili Pili Shrimp with Braised Cannellini Beans

Pili Pili Shrimp with Braised Cannellini Beans

Pili pili is the Swahili word for chile, and this recipe uses three common pantry varieties, each bringing something different when it comes to spice level, color and flavor. When sizzled with olive oil and garlic in olive oil, the chiles create a flavorful marinade, infusing the shrimp with spice but not spiciness. The chiles here are all quite mellow, so that none upstage the others. Instead of adding cilantro as a garnish, here it's added earlier in cooking so it has a more gentle flavor, a trick learned from my grandmother, Agnes.

Yield: 4 servings

1 pound peeled, deveined large shrimp, tails removed

Kosher salt

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ teaspoon paprika

½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

¼ teaspoon ground cayenne

½ medium yellow onion, chopped

2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon ground cumin

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 cup chicken, seafood or vegetable stock

1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed

3 tablespoons plain yogurt or heavy cream

Long-grain white rice, flatbread or grilled sliced sourdough, for serving

In a medium bowl, season the shrimp with salt and set aside. 

Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the garlic to a cold pan. Set over medium-low heat and cook until garlic is fragrant and just begins to sizzle, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the paprika, crushed red pepper and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Pour the flavored oil into the bowl of shrimp, tossing to coat. Set aside to marinate. 

In the same pan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium. Add the onions, cilantro and cumin, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato paste, lightly season with salt and stir until the tomato paste has slightly darkened in color, 2 to 3 minutes. 

Stir in the stock and beans and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the shrimp mixture to the pan. Cook until the shrimp start to curl and turn pink, 1 to 2 minutes, then immediately remove from the heat. (The shrimp will carry on cooking from the residual heat.) Stir in the yogurt and season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.