Baked Shrimp and Feta

Picked up some beautiful Carolina spring shrimp at Saltwater Markets on Friday. Starting to be quite nice here, and I wanted something light for dinner. Had most of these ingredients on hand and the dish came together quickly.

1-1/2 lbs shrimp, peeled and deveined
5 tbsp. olive oil, I used OMed’s Picual – it smells just like a fresh tomato leaf!
2 tsp oregano
1 medium onion, chopped
2 tbsp. Italian parsley, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of Rao’s arrabbiata sauce
Crushed red pepper to taste
5-6 oz crumbled feta cheese

Heat oven to 400 deg. F.

Add the shrimp, 3 tbsp. olive oil, and 1 tsp oregano to a Ziploc bag and combine. Marinate for 15 minutes while preparing the rest of the dish.

Heat a skillet on medium, sauté the onion in 2 tbsp. olive oil for 6-7 minutes until soft. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper, stir until combined. Mix in the arrabbiata sauce and 1 tsp oregano, simmer for a few minutes until heated through.

Butter a 9″ baking dish. Add the shrimp and Italian parsley to the sauce mixture and stir until blended. Pour into the buttered baking dish and top with the crumbled feta. Bake for 14-17 minutes, until feta is browned and starting to slightly melt. Serve over rice, and hit it with a squeeze of lemon. Enjoy!

Mussels with White Wine and Tomatoes

Last night I was shopping at my favorite grocery in Cornwall. Over by the seafood counter a standalone display caught my eye. There were a handful of 2 lb nets of jet-black mussels with ice packed around them. I love mussels, so naturally I grabbed a bag for Saturday night dinner.

Mussels are pretty easy to prepare. This time I decided to do mine with white wine and tomatoes. They are usually available scrubbed and debearded; you can also ask your fishmonger to do this. When ready to use them, rinse well in a colander. Discard any with broken shells or open mussels that do not close when you tap lightly on them.

Let’s cook! 🙂

3 Tbsp. Kerrygold butter
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes (my favorite are Mutti Finely Chopped Tomatoes)
1/2 cup of dry white wine
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Warm, grilled slices of baguette

Melt the butter in a stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and saute until fragrant and soft, approximately 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute, until that wonderful garlic aroma is drawn out.

Add the tomatoes, white wine, and parsley. Stir until combined and then season with salt and pepper. Bring to just a simmer, not a rolling boil.

Add the mussels, cover, and simmer until all the shells are open; about 4-6 minutes. Discard any shells that are not open.

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Spoon mussels into a bowl and ladle sauce over them; garnish with more parsley. Serve with grilled baguette slices to mop up that wonderful sauce.

Enjoy!! 🙂

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Pickled Shrimp

Although sadly my Patriots did not make it to the Super Bowl this year, the Seahawks did and that’s definitely a great reason for a celebration! Looking for an easy appetizer for our Super Bowl celebration, I decided on Pickled Shrimp. Make it the night before, and quick to be on the table on game day. 🙂

I use 16/20 shrimp in this recipe, but you’re free to use whatever size you prefer. If you’re packing to someone else’s party, this would look great in a mason jar! Makes 1 quart.

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8 1/3 cups of water
Kosher salt
2 lbs 16/20 shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
1 cup high quality olive oil
2 cups cider vinegar
8 bay leaves
3 teaspoons crushed red pepper
4 cloves garlic, chopped in large chunks
1 lemon, thinly sliced, remove seeds
1/3 cup capers in brine, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 tsp celery seeds

Bring 8 cups of water to a boil, and add 6 Tablespoons of kosher salt. Add the shrimp and boil for two minutes, until they are just pink. Drain the shrimp and let cool.

Combine all the remaining ingredients, including the 1/3 cup of water, in a large bowl. Stir and add 2 teaspoons of salt. Taste and add more salt as desired. Add the shrimp and stir, making sure all the shrimp are submerged. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Enjoy! 🙂