Italian American Shrimp

Name: Italian American Shrimp
Yield: serves 6
Ingredients: 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil; 4 garlic cloves, sliced; 1 stalk celery, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch strips; 1 large carrot, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch strips; 28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand; 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano; 1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes; 1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped; 8 large cremini mushrooms, sliced; 1 medium zucchini, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch strips; 1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch strips; 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined; 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, shredded

December 14, 2011

Vegetables are often used together with fish in traditional Italian cooking. This recipe is over the top and seems to have every available vegetable cooked with shrimp; to me it resembles jambalaya without the chicken and sausages, and it is great served over steamed rice or pasta.

Recipe information

Yield
serves 6

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, sliced

1 stalk celery, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch strips

1 large carrot, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch strips

28-ounce can Italian plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon peperoncino flakes

1 bunch scallions, trimmed and chopped

8 large cremini mushrooms, sliced

1 medium zucchini, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch strips

1 red bell pepper, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch strips

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, loosely packed, shredded

Preparation

Step 1
Pour the olive oil into a large Dutch oven over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, let sizzle for a minute, then add the celery and carrot. Cook and stir until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, then slosh out the can with 1 cup hot water and add that as well. Season the sauce with the oregano and peperoncino, bring to a rapid simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
Step 2
Toss the scallions, mushrooms, zucchini, bell pepper, and salt into the pot. Bring the sauce to a simmer, and cook until the sauce is thickened and the vegetables are tender, about 10 minutes more.
Step 3
Stir in the shrimp. Simmer until they are pink and just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the basil, and serve as I like to do, over rice, pasta, or even polenta.

Cover of the cookbook featuring the author with a table full of fresh herbs and vegetables.

Reprinted with permission from Lidia's Italy in America by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Copyright © 2011 by Lidia Matticchio Bastianich and Tanya Bastianich Manuali. Excerpted by permission of Knopf, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. Buy the full book from Amazon or Bookshop.

Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Recipe notes