Firecracker Shrimp with Five-Spiced Acorn Squash Drizzled with Ginger, Peanut and Cilantro Sauce

Acorn Squash is the perfect bowl to serve these spiced shrimp. Chili paste gives this soy-lime marinade a wonderful blast of flavors. Adjust the amount of chili paste to suit your taste!

Ingredients

2 small acorn squash 2 TBS lime juice
1 tsp five-spice powder 1 TBS mirin
20 large shrimp(16-20 count) peeled and deviened 2 TBS low-sodium soy sauce
tail left on 2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp olive oil 48 snap peas
1 tsp fennel seeds, crushed 2 TBS chopped chives
1 tsp Chili paste w/ garlic Ginger, Peanut, Cilantro Sauce (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut acorn squash in 1/2 and scoop out seeds. Season squash with sprinkling of five-spice around the edges, and place them in a shallow baking dish, flesh side up. Pour about 1/2 in. of water into baking dish, cover dish with foil, and bake for about 45 min., or until fork-tender. Keep Warm.

Combine fennel seeds, chili paste, lime juice, mirin, soy sauce and garlic in a bowl. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and Marinate for 30-35 min.in refridgerator.

Get a steamer going for snap peas.

Meanwhile, place olive oil in large non-stick saute pan and set over medium-high heat. Remove shrimp from marinade and reserve, and place in pan in a single layer carefully, not to get burned by spattering of oil. Saute for 2-3 min. per side. Add reserved marinade, and simmer for additional 2 min., or until shrimp are cooked through. Be careful not to over-cook.

While shrimp are cooking, place snap peas in steamer, and steam for 2-3 min, until tender and bright green.

To Serve:
Place 1 acorn squash half in center of plate. Place 5 shrimp inside each squash, letting their tails hang over the sides of the squash. Place snap peas in the middle of the shrimp in an upright position. Sprinkle w/ Chopped chives, and drizzle w/ Ginger, Peanut and Cilantro Sauce.

Ginger, Peanut and Cilantro Sauce

Ingredients

1 1/2 TBS fresh ginger finely minced
1 TBS rice vinegar
1/4 cup orange juice
1 TBS lime juice
1 tsp chili garlic paste
2 TBS all natural peanut butter
1 TBS honey
2 TBS water
1 1/2 TBS chopped cilantro

Place all ingredients except cilnatro in blender, and blend until smooth. Place cilantro in belnder and pulse 4-6 times to combine.

Let me know your thoughts on this one.