Stir Fried Shrimp and Almonds

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2  lb. raw shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 slices fresh ginger root (about size of quarter)

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

1/2  tsp. salt

1 to 2 celery stalks

1 garlic clove

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. sherry

2 Tbsp. water

2 Tbsp. oil

Dash of pepper

Cooked rice

Toast almonds in 350 degree oven in shallow pan, stirring often until lightly browned.  Cool. 

 

To butterfly shrimp, cut the shrimp almost through lengthwise, leaving tails intact, and open up like a butterfly.  Hit them sharply a couple of times with the flat of a large knife to encourage them to lay flat. 

 

Mince ginger root; add to shrimp with cornstarch and salt.  Toss to coat.  Mince celery; crush garlic.  Combine soy sauce, sherry, and water.  Heat oil.  Brown garlic lightly to season oil and discard.  Add shrimp, stir fry until pinkish, about 2 minutes.  Add minced celery and pepper; stir fry 2 minutes more.  Quickly stir in soy/sherry mixture and stir fry another minute.  Garnish with almonds and serve at once over hot cooked rice.

We had a big Chinese food feast at St. George Island one weekend.  Joyce Dunaway tasted her first raw oyster that weekend.  It seems like we chopped, and measured, and mixed, and folded all day, but it was a lot of fun with lots of hands to help and lots of laughs.  This was one of the recipes that really made a hit.  It's easy to do and good enough for a meal without all the "trimmings."