Shrimp saganaki

Shrimp. Tomatoes. Feta.

These three ingredients have been dancing around my imagination for a while – how could you go wrong with these summery flavors? (Even in a cold March.)

Turns out this is a well-known combination in Greek cooking, known as shrimp saganaki!

I read lots and lots of different recipes – there are baked versions and stovetop versions, using all kinds of different herbs and flavorings – and eventually cobbled together my own version.

It’s fun to cook this way, taking ideas from many sources and turning them into a recipe that sounds best. I settled on:

A combination of fresh and canned tomatoes (you could do one or the other, if you prefer)
Shallots (instead of onion)
Dried oregano and fresh mint (dill is another option)
A splash of Ricard pastis, since it has a similar anise-flavor to Greek ouzo, and I have a bottle in my fridge inspired by our time in Provence (ouzo is another option, of course, or you can leave this out)

After making the sauce on the stovetop, I added the shrimp and feta and cooked them in the oven, finishing under the broiler.

This is a true one-pot meal – it’s perfect served right in the pan, hot from the oven. Add crusty bread with some good olive oil for dipping, and dinner is served!

***

2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup minced shallots (2-3 large shallot cloves)
3 medium cloves garlic, put through press
Up to 1 tsp chili flakes (to taste: use 1/4-1/2 for mild heat, 1 tsp for spicy!)
10 oz small or cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 tsp dry oregano
2 tbsp Pernod or ouzo (optional)
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/3 lb feta, in 3/4 inch cubes

Preheat oven to 400°.

Heat olive oil in a large, ovenproof sauté pan. Add shallots, garlic, and chili flakes and cook for a few minutes, until softened.

Add tomatoes and cook a few more minutes until tomatoes begin to soften and break down. Add crushed tomatoes, oregano, Pernod, and mint, and heat through.

Arrange shrimp in pan, nestling it into sauce but not covering. Distribute feta cubes evenly around shrimp, again being sure not to submerge them.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until shrimp are opaque. Move to top oven rack and broil on high for ~2 minutes, or until cheese begins to brown at edges.

Serves 2 hungry people generously. To serve 4, increase shrimp to 1 1/2 lbs and feta to 1/2 lb, but keep other ingredients the same.