Bring a Greek influence to shrimp
This foolproof saganaki recipe is sweet, garlicky, creamy and bright
In the traditional Greek dish called shrimp saganaki, sweet, briny shrimp are covered with a garlic- and herb-accented tomato sauce and topped with crumbles of creamy, salty feta cheese.
Restaurant versions, however, can be a gamble. The shrimp can be tough and rubbery, the tomato sauce can turn out dull or overwhelming, and the feta is often lacklustre. We set out to develop a foolproof recipe for home cooks.
Canned diced tomatoes along with sautéed onion and garlic provided the base for the sauce. Dry white wine added acidity, and ouzo, the slightly sweet anise-flavoured Greek liqueur, added welcome complexity.
While the shrimp are typically layered with the tomato sauce and feta and baked, we were after a quick and easy dish.
We opted to cook the shrimp right in the sauce; adding the shrimp raw to the sauce helped infuse them with the sauce’s bright flavour.
And for even more flavour, we first marinated the shrimp with olive oil, ouzo, garlic and lemon zest while we made the sauce. A generous sprinkling of feta and chopped fresh dill over the sauced shrimp finished our recipe.
The cooking time is for extralarge shrimp (about 21 to 25 per pound). If using smaller or larger shrimp, be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed. If you don’t have ouzo, you can substitute an equal amount of Pernod or 1 tablespoon vodka plus 1/8 teaspoon anise seeds.
Greek Style Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta
Makes 4 to 6 servings
1 pounds extra-large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
cup extra-virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons ouzo
5 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest Salt and pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1 red or green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
tsp red pepper flakes 1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained with 1⁄3 cup juice reserved
cup dry white wine
2 tbsp coarsely chopped fresh
parsley
6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (1 cups)
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill
Start to finish: 45 minutes Toss shrimp in bowl with 1
tablespoon oil, 1 tablespoon ouzo, 1 teaspoon garlic, lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper; set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in 12inch skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, bell pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables release their liquid, three to five minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid evaporates and vegetables are softened, about five minutes. Stir in remaining garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about one minute.
Stir in tomatoes and reserved juice, wine and remaining 2 tablespoons ouzo. Bring to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until flavours meld and sauce is slightly thickened (sauce should not be completely dry), five to eight minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Reduce heat to medium-low and add shrimp along with any accumulated juices; stir to coat and distribute evenly. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until shrimp are opaque throughout, six to nine minutes, adjusting heat as needed to maintain bare simmer. Off heat, sprinkle with feta and dill and drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Serve.
Per serving:
330 calories (45 per cent from fat); 17 grams fat (6 g saturated); 168 milligrams cholesterol; 1,298 mg sodium; 16 g carbohydrate; 2 g fibre; 11 g sugar; 21 g protein.