St. Augustine Shrimp Pilau

2 strips bacon, chopped

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 clove garlic, minced

1 Tbsp. pimento

4 to 5 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup vinegar

2 cups rice, well washed

1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined

1 Tbsp. datil pepper sauce or Tabasco

Salt, pepper, celery salt to taste

Brown bacon in skillet.  Then brown onions, garlic, and celery in drippings.  Remove from heat and add pimento.  Place four cups chicken broth in a large kettle and heat to boiling.  Add salt, vinegar, and rice.  Cover and reduce to simmer for 20 minutes.  Immediately add vegetable mixture and shrimp.  Cover and let steam for 7 to 10 minutes until shrimp are just pink.  Stir mixture thoroughly and add hot sauce and seasonings to taste.  Add more broth if rice seems dry.  It should be quite moist.  

Donald remembered Kenny and Michael’s grandmother Alpha Melcher, "Grammy" to all, making great shrimp pilau.  He thought there was also chicken in it.  That would be good, too, sort of like jambalaya. This recipe came from a St. Augustine cookbook where it was called Minorcan Shrimp Pilau,  so it's possible Grammy's pilau was much like this, since she was of Minorcan descent and lived in St. Augustine.  Datil peppers are delicious and hard to find anywhere but in the St. Augustine area.