Tahitian Shrimp In Coconut-Vanilla Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 -3 tablespoons oil
2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tahitian vanilla bean
1/2 cup rum
1 cup coconut milk
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

Heat the oil in a saute pan or skillet over medium-high flame. Add the shrimp and saute until cooked through and lightly browned. Remove the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
Slit the vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the seeds. Add the rum, vanilla bean pod and seeds to the pan and bring to a boil. Cook until the rum is largely evaporated.
Pour in the coconut milk and cream. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer slowly until the sauce is thickened and its volume is reduced by about half.
Remove the vanilla bean pod and return the shrimp to the pan. Simmer to heat through and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot over rice with a side of sauteed spinach or chard.
Variations:
Saute a minced onion after you saute the shrimp and simmer in the sauce.
Use evaporated milk instead of cream.
Don't throw away the vanilla bean pod. Rinse it off and set it out to dry. When it's dry, bury it in a jar of sugar and store in the cupboard for delicious homemade vanilla sugar. Use the sugar in baking or for coffee.