St. Augustine Minorcan Shrimp Pilau

Toast rice before adding liquids

Add a dash of rosemary 

The Usina recipe has allspice and a little brown sugar

Add shrimp last, no matter what these recipes say

Most recipes include tomatoes

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.

Another version—Mickler recipe from St. Augustine Record Newspaper

Mickler/Birkett Minorcan Shrimp Pilau (too many tomatoes in this recipe)

1/3 cup salt pork (cut ¼ inch pieces or ½ lb bacon into small pieces to render fat)
3 to 4 medium onions, chopped
3 large cans of diced tomatoes in juice
1 1/2 lbs. shrimp, peeled/deveined
Rice (2 cups of water to 1 1/4 cup rice)
1 tbsp. datil hot sauce
2 datil peppers (whole)
Salt to taste

Keep hot water on stove to add as needed. Use heavy pot with tight lid!  Heat pot and add chopped bacon pieces to pan (remove when fat has rendered).  Add onions, stir into fat, brown on medium heat. Takes about 30 to 40 minutes. Don't rush it!

Add tomatoes and cook down until a dark semi-paste. Add shrimp cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Stir.
Add hot water (2 cups) and bring to a boil. Add rice, stir and bring to a boil again. Lower the heat; put lid on and don't lift for 15 minutes. Then check and fold (DO NOT STIR!) and cook for and additional 20 minutes or until rice is done.  Additional bacon/salt pork can be used as a garnish.  (I don’t think shrimp should be added until almost done and then cooked only briefly.  The would be like leather if cooked that long.)

Recipe from O’Steen’s Restaurant in St. Augustine

1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1 onion, diced

1 to 2 chopped datil peppers

Salt and pepper

1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails off

2¹⁄₂ cups water

1¹⁄₄ cups uncooked rice

1. In a large pot over medium heat, cook

tomatoes, onion and datil peppers until to-

mato juice is almost a paste. Season to taste

with salt and pepper.

2. Add shrimp and water; bring to a boil.

3. Stir in rice, reduce heat to low, cover and

cook until water is almost absorbed. Remove

from heat and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve hot.

Another version:

Courtesy of Minorcan Datil

This recipe is a long time favorite in St. Augustine, Florida and comes from the owners mother in-law, Mildred McQuaig.

INGREDIENTS:

½ lb. white bacon
2 medium onions
1 large can tomatoes
1 green pepper
2 bay leaves
8-10 whole cloves
½ teaspoon thyme
2 lbs. shrimp
3 cups rice
3 cups water
salt and pepper
1 datil pepper (can use one from you Minorcan Datil Vinegar bottle!)

DIRECTIONS:

In heavy pot, render diced bacon. Add minced onion, green pepper, datil pepper and sauté until light brown. Add can of tomatoes, bay leaves, cloves, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook until the consistency is thick. Add cleaned shrimp and water, cook about 5 minutes. Add raw rice and bring to a rolling boil. Turn heat down, stir and cook over very low heat for 10-15 minutes. 

Remove from heat, stir gently and allow to stand an additional 30 minutes or until rice is done.

Another version:  

Shrimp Pilau (Perlow) Recipe

The commercial shrimping industry has roots in Northeast Florida and has been a vital part of the St. Augustine economy and food culture for over a century. Shrimp is also a popular ingredient in many Spanish and Minorcan dishes. Looking for some dinner inspiration? Maybe we can help! Try this recipe for Shrimp Pilau, a First Coast favorite:

• 2lb fresh shrimp

• 1/3lb salted bacon

• 2 cups rice

• 1 can tomatoes

• 4 medium onions

• 1 small green or red sweet pepper

• 1 small datil pepper

Wash shrimp, cut in two (medium size shrimp give the best flavor). Cut bacon and onion in small pieces, fry bacon slowly. Take out half of bacon pieces. Cook tomatoes and onion in bacon fat. Add pepper cut fine. Cook until nice brown, add raw shrimp, and cook a few minutes. Add enough water to tomatoes and onion to equal 3½ cups. Put in heavy pot. When it boils, add two cups of rice. Cook slowly until the rice is done and fluffy. Salt to taste. (Serves 4-6).

Another old version from WPA:

2 pounds headed shrimp cut into medium size

1/3 pound salt pork diced into small pieces

2 cups rice

1 small can of tomatoes

1 medium-sized onions

1 small green pepper or red sweet pepper

1 small datil pepper (very hot)

Instructions

Fry salt pork then add the canned tomatoes and peppers cut fine and simmer until light brown. Add shrimp and cook for a few minutes, then add 3 ½ cups water put all together in a heavy pot. When the contents comes to a boil, add rice. Cook slowly until finished. Add thyme and other spices to taste. Serve when the rice grains are cooked and separated.

WPA Florida Records