Chef Peter X. Kelly
Explaining the recipe

Chef Peter X. Kelly is an award-winning chef and the owner of X2O Xaviars on the Hudson located in Yonkers, New York, so when we learned that he would be giving a chef demo as part of Westchester Magazine's Wine & Food Festival 2023, we made time in our tasting schedule to attend his demo and learn more from this engaging chef.  

Liz Bracken-Thompson
Moderator

Liz Bracken-Thompson of Thompson & Bender was the moderator for the well-attended and very tasty demo as attendees not only learned how to make Chef Peter X. Kelly's delicious recipe, but we also had the opportunity to sample it as well. Chef Peter explained that his Shrimp Sauté with Pernod, Tarragon & Green Peppercorns with Persian Rice with Apricots & Pistachios can easily be made at home, as you can make the rice ahead and keep it warm. He likes to use Basmati rice for both the flavor and texture, and while he recommends using a rice cooker to cook the rice, if cooking the rice on a stove, use one cup of rice with one and three-quarters of a cup of water and cook according to package instructions. 

Pouring a glass of wine to get the demo going

For this recipe, he toasts the spices all at once with butter to bring out their aromas and flavors before adding them to the rice. For the shrimp, he uses medium shrimp (16-20 size), allowing 6 shrimp per person to serve as an entrée and 3-4 shrimp per person if servings as a first course. 

As he prepared the Shrimp Sauté with Pernod, Tarragon & Green Peppercorns with Persian Rice with Apricots & Pistachios, he provided the demo attendees with terrific tips. He explained that he uses crème fraiche to create the sauce for the shrimp rather than using heavy cream as crème fraiche does not "break" (separate) the way that heavy cream can. Another great tip was that when he makes an alfredo sauce, he always finishes it with mascarpone to give it extra creaminess. 

Adding the Crème Fraiche

As a chef, Chef Peter he has created and eaten many wonderful meals, and when asked what his favorite meal is, he replied that he likes game birds, squab, pheasant, duck, and guinea fowl, and likes fish as well, but his favorite meal is probably crab, if he to pick only one.

Add some tarragon

Chef Peter X. Kelly graciously provides a delicious taste of his restaurant, X2O Xaviars on the Hudson, and memories of Westchester Magazine's Wine & Food Festival 2023 with his delectable recipe for Shrimp Sauté with Pernod, Tarragon & Green Peppercorns with Persian Rice with Apricots & Pistachios. Having tasted it after the demo, we cannot wait to make this tantalizing recipe at home. 

Chef Peter X. Kelly, X2O Xaviars on the Hudson, Yonkers, New York
Shrimp Sauté with Pernod, Tarragon & Green Peppercorns with Persian Rice with Apricots & Pistachios

Ingredients for the Persian Rice:

Now we are cooking

Garnish: Micro Cilantro (optional)

Preparation for the Persian Rice: Prepare 1 cup Basmati Rice per rice cooker instructions, keep warm. In a small pan over medium heat, melt butter, add cumin, cinnamon, cardamom, and saffron to butter and toast for 1 minute until aromatic. Add butter and spices to the rice. Using a rubber spatula (to not break the rice), fluff rice with the spices. Add apricots, dates, raisins, and pistachios to rice and mix in with fork. Season rice with salt and fresh ground pepper. Keep warm.

Preparation for the Sauté Shrimp: Season shrimp with salt and pepper. In medium pan over high heat, melt butter. When butter begins to foam, add shrimp to pan. Cook shrimp for 1 minute shaking pan and turning shrimp. Add tarragon (strip leaves from stem) and green peppercorns to pan. 

Remove pan from heat source and carefully add in Pernod (this will flame so be careful). Add crème fraiche to pan and coat shrimp. Remove from heat. 

Plating: Spoon rice into center of plate. Top the rice with shrimp. Spoon sauce around the rice. Top with a few sprigs of micro cilantro. Serve. 

Until next time, Bon Appetit! 

Debra C. Argen & Chef Peter X. Kelly

For more information on the next Westchester Magazine's Wine & Food Festival or their upcoming events, please visit their website or social media: https://westchestermagazine.com/wine-and-Food/,www.facebook.com/WMWineandFood/, www.instagram.com/westchestermagevents/.      

For more information on Chef Peter X. Kelly and X2O Xaviars on the Hudson, please visit the website: www.xaviars.com. 

Read more about our experiences at the Westchester Magazine's Wine & Food Festival 2023 in Luxury Experience's Gastronomy section. 

Westchester Magazine's Wine & Food Festival 2023
Kensico Dam Plaza
Valhalla, New York
United States
Website: https://westchestermagazine.com/wine-and-food/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/WMWineandFood/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/westchestermagevents/           
#Wmwineandfood 

X2O Xaviars on the Hudson
71 Water Grant Street
Yonkers, New York 10701
United States
Telephone: +1-914-965-1111
Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it  
Website: www.xaviars.com 

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