Courtesy of Julius Jackson from “My Modern Caribbean Kitchen”
My best friend and I used to enjoy a dish very similar to this when we were teenagers growing up in Hawaii. We would have girls’ night out at a local seafood spot overlooking the ocean. We would order a strawberry lemonade and a very memorable shrimp-feta tomato dish served with pasta. It’s been 15 years since we ate there, but we still talk about this dish. This homage to our teenage years is updated with the twist of white wine and saffron. Serve with Persian Rice with Turmeric and Saffron (page 123).
Yields 2 to 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
¼ teaspoon loosely packed saffron
2 tablespoons (30 ml) warm water
3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil
1 large shallot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
|¼ cup (60 ml) white wine
1 pound (453 g) medium-sized shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper flakes
1 medium tomato, chopped
4 ounces (113 g) feta cheese, roughly crumbled
basil leaves, for garnish
lemon wedges, for garnish
PREPARATION
- In a small bowl, steep the saffron in the warm water for a few minutes.
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, drizzle in the olive oil. Add the shallot and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes until it turns a light golden brown and softens.
- Add the saffron and water and stir into the oil. Add in the garlic and continue sautéing until the garlic is a light golden color, for another 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine and reduce for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add in the shrimp and season with salt and Aleppo pepper, stirring everything together. Add in the tomato and continue cooking until the shrimp is opaque and the tomatoes have released their juices and softened.
- Taste for seasoning and remove from the heat. Add in the feta and garnish with basil leaves and lemon wedges.
To learn more about Julius Jackson and his get a preview of this book, “My Modern Caribbean Kitchen,” be sure to stop by Book Grub.
