# Why grate the red pepper, its a hassle!!



## kevin20422 (Dec 7, 2009)

Sorry but its been a tough week and I just found a new simple recipe we like but why does the author say to grate the red pepper. Although the red pepper I used was previously frozen it seems like quite a bother to grate, perhaps the fresh I have for tonight will grate easy I will try but sooner or later I will want to thaw some frozen pepper and use it for this dish.

I used the blender and it seemed to work fine.

Am I acting okay, I am just a little tired.


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## nicko (Oct 5, 2001)

You would only grate fresh. If your using frozen use a robo coupe to get the same effect.


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Kevin, one piece of advice I feel you need is to stop obsessing so much. Above all, cooking is supposed to be fun; which it isn't if you drive yourself crazy.

Instead of worrying about _how_ you get there, first ask yourself what "there" is. Then consider alternatives of getting to that point.

In this specific case, the whole point is to get the peppers to a thin pureed state. And the fact is, you can run fresh ones through the food processor, as well as frozen, to reach that stage. In fact, if you ever to try grating peppers, you'll turn to a machine ever after.

I do have some concerns with that recipe, though. I mean 15 minutes to cook shrimp? That's an awfully long time, and they're likely to come out way overcooked, IMO. What I'd do, in this case, is saute them just until they start turning opaque on both sides. Set them aside. Then return them to the sauce to finish cooking.

A varient that might make this taste even better: Roast the peppers, first, scrape the waxy peels away, and then grind them for the sauce.


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## kevin20422 (Dec 7, 2009)

Thanks for the great advice KY.  I always appreciate your input.  The roasting idea is a good one too.


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## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I feel sorry for this shrimp.  First of all it's already cooked.  Then she sauteed them.  Then she braised them.  Can shrimp withstand such long cooking times?  Do they eventually get tender after so much abuse like squid or do they stay rock hard?

I'm all for simple recipes and I won't argue this is a nice one albeit a little one dimensional.  I would try roasting the peppers as well before pureeing.  I may even add a dash of cumin.

What purpose does the lemon serve?  Are you supposed to squeeze it over the dish or is it just a decoration... because if it's just decoration I would rather stick a vase next to the platter and call it a day.


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## chefbillyb (Feb 8, 2009)

I agree on the roasting and peeling of the peppers, process as if your making a Red pepper Coulis. I would also start with uncooked prawns................Good luck...............Bill


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

I must have missed the part that she started with cooked shrimp. All the more reason not to go through that multi-cooking routine.

_Do they eventually get tender after so much abuse like squid _

Not in my expererience they don't.

Given the nature of this recipe, all I would do is make the sauce, then add the shrimp, over low heat, until they were just warmed through. And I'd also perk up the sauce a bit. Cumin is one nice choice, but there are others. You just don't want to overpower the shrimp flavor.


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