They say it’s not easy being “green,” but this chef says by just buying food that is produced locally, you can reduce your carbon footprint.

Chef Randy Evans from Haven Restaurant shares why local foods are eco-friendly, and cooks with a Texas treat with shrimp and corn.

Wild Texas Shrimp w/ Crushed Texas Corn

Makes 6 appetizers

1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp (16-20 count)

Salt and pepper to taste

3 slices thick cut bacon finely diced

1½ cups thinly sliced baby bella or shiitake mushrooms

1 clove shaved garlic

½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

1 recipe Crushed corn

¼ cup thinly sliced green onions

 

Crushed Corn Sauce

3 ears yellow corn (approx. 3 cups)

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 cup small diced 1015 onion

1 clove shaved garlic

2 cups shrimp

1 cup milk

Juice of ½ lime

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

¼ teaspoon white pepper

FOR THE SAUCE

Remove kernels from cobs. Scrape the cobs with the back of a knife and add milked corn to the kernels. Set cobs aside. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat; sauté the corn, onion, and garlic for 5 minutes or until translucent. Add reserved cobs and cover with stock and milk. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove and discard cobs. Add lime juice, salt and pepper. Purée half of the sauce in a blender and add back to the sauce pan.

FOR THE SHRIMP

Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat; render bacon lardons until almost crispy. Add mushrooms and garlic cook for 3-4 minutes until most of the moisture has evaporated. Season the shrimp on both sides with salt and pepper. Add shrimp to the pan and once the shrimp are almost cooked, but still slightly gray in the center, deglaze pan with wine. Add the thyme and allow shrimp to cook through.

TO PLATE

 

Spoon crushed corn in center of a shallow bowl. Spoon the bacon mushroom mixture around the bowl and place 3 shrimp on the crushed corn. Garnish with a sprinkling of green onions.