Adapted from a Blue Apron recipe that called for Bomba rice. I substituted Arborio which was delicious too. The recipe also called for 10 ounces of shrimp, but unsurprisingly a full pound of shrimp made it even better.
1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp
1 cup Bomba rice (Arborio or Valencia or other medium-grain rice would work too)
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 rib celery, medium diced
1 green bell pepper, medium diced
juice of 1 lemon
1 yellow onion, diced
1 bunch parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons Cajun spice blend (I used Penzey’s)
Sauté the garlic, scallions, celery, green pepper, and onion in 1 tablespoon olive oil for 4-6 minutes, until softened and fragrant. Season with salt and pepper.
Add the rice and 4 teaspoons of Cajun spice. Cook, stirring frequently, 1 to 2 minutes, or until toasted and fragrant.
Add the diced tomatoes and 3 1/2 cups water to the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Heat to boiling on high. Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, 14 to 18 minutes, or until the rice is tender and mixture has thickened. If it seems dry, add more water. Remove from heat.
While the perloo simmers, dry the shrimp with paper towels and season with salt, pepper, and the remaining 2 teaspoons of Cajun spice blend. Toss to thoroughly coat.
Once you have turned off the heat under the perloo, add the seasoned shrimp. half the parsley, and the lemon juice to the pot. Stir to thoroughly combine. Let stand 2 to 3 minutes, or until the shrimp are opaque and are cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Serve with a garnish of the remaining parsley.