It’s September. And if you’re in denial that summer is coming to an end, chef Ana Sortun has the perfect dish for a gentle fall transition. Her hearty shrimp saganaki will warm you right up as the weather cools down —without letting go of fresh, summer flavors. Slow-simmered tomatoes, onions and fennel ease you into those chilly evenings when only stew can warm you up, while shrimp and feta cheese offer up the perfect farewell to summer.
Shrimp Saganaki
Ingredients
- 6 plum tomatoes (or 2 cups canned chopped tomatoes, drained)
- small bowl of ice water
- 1 white onion, cut into half an inch dice
- 1 bulb fennel, cut into half an inch dice
- 1 head of escarole, trimmed of its outer leaves, washed and cut into half an inch pieces
- 2 green bell peppers, cut into half an inch dice
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into half an inch dice
- 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil
- 2 teaspoons chopped garlic
- 1 teaspoon of dried oregano (rigani)
- 18 large shrimp (U-10), peeled and de-veined
- 1 cup good sheep’s milk French feta
- 2 tablespoon Ouzo
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
Directions
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Fill a small pot with water and bring it to a rolling bowl.
- Cut an X on the end of the plum tomatoes and drop them into the boiling water.
- When the skin starts to pull away from the X, pull them out and drop them into the ice water.
- Peel the skins and quarter. Remove seeds, roughly chop and set aside.
- Place the onion, fennel, escarole, peppers, tomato and olive oil in a cazuela or large surfaced deep sided sauté pan and slowly simmer until onions are soft and peppers are tender, about 10 minutes.
- Stir in garlic and oregano and cook for a few minutes more. If you chose not to flambé with ouzo, add the ouzo at this point, stirring into the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Season the shrimp with salt and pepper to taste. Embed the shrimp into the vegetables in one even layer.
- Sprinkle with feta and place in oven.
- Cook for 20 minutes until shrimp is cooked through and casserole is bubbly.
- Flambé with ouzo and sprinkle with fresh dill.
- Serve with rusk, toasted whole grain bread or rice.
