This recipe from Sylvia Fountaine’s ‘Feasting at Home,’ has been a big hit at family dinners of late — and is the perfect way to make the most of the bounty of August tomatoes. Served as a summer appetizer or entree, the shrimp is pan-seared and backed in fresh tomato sauce with feta, and Kalamata olives and mint.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 lbs large raw jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, more to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, more as needed
- 1 cup diced onion
- 6 cloves garlic, rough chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (Aleppo is nice)
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 2 1/2 cups tomatoes, diced (and their juices)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon fresh oregano (or 1 teaspoon dried oregano)
- 3 ounces feta cheese (1/3 -1/2 cup) — sheep’s feta is nice here!
- 1/4 cup Kalamata olives, cut in half lengthwise
- 1/4 cup mint leaves, torn (or substitute parsley or basil)
DIRECTIONS:
- Preheat oven to 400F
- Pat dry the shrimp and season with salt and pepper. In a large, wide, ovenproof skillet (or braiser) add half of the olive oil and heat the pan over medium high heat. Add the shrimp, searing each side (no need to cook through) and set these aside in a medium bowl along with any pan juices.
- Wipe out the skillet, return it to the stove, lower the heat to medium, and add the remaining olive oil. Add the onion and garlic, and saute until tender, roughly 5 minutes. Make a well in the center and add the chili flakes and lemon zest. Saute for one minute, then combine.
- Add the tomatoes and all their juices, honey and the oregano. If it seems dry, add a small splash of water and white wine (or Ouzo!). Cover, lower heat to med-low, and simmer gently until tomatoes break down, roughly 7-8 minutes.
- Pour any of the pan juices from the shrimp bowl and stir. Sprinkle the tomato sauce with half of the feta. Nestle in the shrimp. Add the remaining feta crumbles, and tuck in the olives. Give the pan a good shake.
- Place the pan in the oven, uncovered, on the middle rack, for 15 minutes or until the feta starts to melt. Feel free to place under the broiler for a few minutes to get the top golden.
- Taste, adjust salt, add a squeeze of lemon juice to taste if you like.
- Sprinkle with the fresh mint leaves and serve.
NOTES:
- The original recipe included a splash of ouzo to deglaze the onions and garlic. Feel free to include or substitute a splash of dry white wine.
- Serve warm as an appetizer with crusty bread or grilled crostini, or as a main entree over rice, orzo pasta, or creamy polenta.
- You can also bake these in 4-6 mini cast iron skillets (4-6 inches in diameter) for a more authentic saganaki experience.
- Leftovers will keep up to 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Reheat gently on the stove top adding a splash of water to loosen if need be.
Find it online: feastingathome.com/shrimp-saganaki