Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

Being an avid home cook, I don’t mind recipes that are complicated. I get wary about recipes in cookbooks, magazines and on fellow bloggers’ sites that have the words “easy” or “20-minute” or “5-ingredient” in the name of the dish. Is what makes these dishes special their convenience and speed of preparation alone? So much of the time, these recipes call for shortcuts that detract from the quality of the final product, cutting out steps that I, at least, am happy to do, especially if it means a better result. So, all of this is to say that I like recipes for the food they produce, not how easy they are to make.

With that said, this recipe for garides saganaki, a light but intensely flavorful Greek dish of sauteed shrimp in spicy tomato sauce with feta cheese, was incredibly quick and easy. It came together in about half an hour but was just as tasty as some dishes I’ve made where I had to slave in the kitchen for half a day. True, there are more complicated versions of this dish, calling for additions like oregano, mint,  lemon, white wine, or ouzo, which I don’t doubt would play well with the other Mediterranean flavors here. But, if you’re looking for a quick meal with under 10 ingredients, definitely give this one a try.

Garides Saganaki (Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta)

Total Time: 25 min.

Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• ½ medium jalapeno chile, stemmed and finely chopped
• 1  14.5-ounce can whole, peeled tomatoes in juice, crushed by hand
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 1/2 pounds large  shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 4 oz. feta, coarsely crumbled
• 1 tbsp. finely chopped parsley

Method

• Heat broiler to high. Heat oil in a heavy ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and chile, and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, and season to taste with salt and pepper; cook until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes
• Arrange shrimp in single layer in skillet and simmer until shrimp are pink and just cooked through, about 2 minutes per side. Scatter feta over shrimp, then transfer skillet to broiler, and broil until feta begins to melt, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet, garnish with parsley, and serve

Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew)

I was listening to NPR last week and they were interviewing a catfish farmer from somewhere around the Gulf states. Besides providing some predictably amusing quips, the guy gave some interesting information about the decline of seafood consumption nationwide and how, if we want to keep the American fishing and aquaculture industry going, we all need to do our part and eat more seafood (of course, he recommended catfish, specifically).

When I found this recipe for a Brazilian fish stew called moqueca, I noticed that it suggested using any firm, white-fleshed fish, like catfish or halibut. So I thought I would support the catfish farmers of America by buying some filets and whipping up this tasty, quick-to-prepare stew. A sofrito base of onion, garlic, mild chile peppers and tomato is layered with coconut milk and the tangy, briny flavors of lime-marinated shrimp and catfish, then perked up with a last-minute sprinkling of fresh cilantro and basil before being ladled around a fluffy mound of rice. It was creamy, but still light, a bit spicy, and big on flavor. Definitely my kind of seafood dish…

Moqueca (Brazilian Fish Stew)

Adapted from a recipe by Saveur

Total Time: 45 minutes

Yields: 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 ½ lb. boneless, skinless catfish filets, cut into 2″ pieces
• 8 oz. medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 8 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 ½ small yellow onions (1 minced, ½ thinly sliced)
• 1 Anaheim chile, stemmed, seeded (half minced, half thinly sliced)
• 2 plum tomatoes, cored (1 minced, 1 thinly sliced)
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 2 T. peanut oil
• ¼ cup minced cilantro
• ½ cup minced Thai basil leaves
• Cooked jasmine rice, to serve

Method

• Toss fish, shrimp, juice, half the garlic, and salt and pepper in a bowl; set aside

• Heat olive oil in a 6-qt. Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add remaining garlic, minced onion, and minced pepper; cook until soft, about 6 minutes. Add minced tomatoes; cook until broken down, about 5 minutes

• Add stock, coconut milk, and peanut oil; bring to a boil

• Drain fish and shrimp and add to pot; cook until just cooked through, about 7 minutes. Add sliced onion, pepper, and tomato; cook, covered, for 5 minutes

• Stir in cilantro and basil; season with salt and pepper. Serve with rice

Shrimp and Grits

I’ve been playing around the past couple months with what the idea of “comfort food” really means, stretching the definition of the phrase a bit (partly due to the lighter, more summery foods I’ve been making), but tonight, we’re getting back to basics. And that means shrimp and grits, a classic Southern American dish of creamy yellow corn grits topped with plump, juicy shrimp sauteed in sausage drippings, then simmered in a sauce loaded with pancetta, spices, wine and tomato, and topped with crispy nuggets of Andouille sausage and green onions. Porky, spicy, creamy and definitely comforting.

Shrimp and Grits

Adapted from a recipe by Maxie’s Supper Club

Time: 45 minutes (30 minutes active)

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

For the sauce:

• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 3 ounces pancetta, small dice
• 1/4 medium red onion, small dice
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons dry white wine
• 3/4 cup clam juice
• 1/2 seasoning packet from a chicken flavored ramen noodle pack
• 1/2 chipotle in adobo sauce, minced
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

For the grits:

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 3/4 cup whole milk, plus more as needed
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more as needed
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper, plus more as needed
• 3/4 cup yellow grits (not instant)

To finish:

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 (3-ounce) andouille sausage, medium dice
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 tablespoon scallions, dark green parts only, thinly sliced

Method

For the sauce:

• Place the vegetable oil and ham or pancetta in a medium frying pan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the fat has rendered and the meat is crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 4 minutes

• Add the tomato paste, garlic, curry, cumin, cayenne, and paprika and stir until evenly incorporated. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture darkens and a coating forms on the bottom of the pan, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until nearly evaporated, about 30 seconds. Add the clam juice, bouillon cube, and chipotle and whisk, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the cream, whisk to combine, and cook until simmering, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside

For the grits:

• Combine the water, measured milk, cream, butter, and measured salt and white pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat and bring to a simmer
• Stir in the grits and bring to a simmer again. Cook, without stirring, until the grits float to the surface, about 1 to 2 minutes. Cover with a tightfitting lid, remove from heat, and let sit until all of the moisture has been absorbed, at least 10 minutes. Whisk until smooth, taste, and add more salt and white pepper as needed. Whisk in additional milk as needed to reach the desired consistency. Set aside

To finish:

• Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat until shimmering, about 3 minutes. Add the sausage to the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a small bowl; set aside
• Add the shrimp to the pan in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until just pink on both sides, about 1 to 2 minutes (the shrimp will not be fully cooked). Add the reserved tasso sauce, stir to combine, and reduce the heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is bubbling and the shrimp are fully cooked, about 1 to 2 minutes. (If the sauce is too thick, stir in a little water until it reaches the desired consistency.)

• To serve, divide the reserved grits among 4 bowls, top with the shrimp and sauce, and garnish with the reserved sausage and chives