Category Archives: seafood

Shrimp Seared with Paprika and Other Good Stuff

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Raw Shrimp after being butterflied, cleaned and de-veined

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Raw Shrimp on Baking Sheet with Dry Spices

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Finished Product Sprinkled with Chopped Fresh Parsley

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Yeah !!!! I’m back and cooking. I had rotator cuff surgery and repaired a tear in my right arm 7 weeks ago.  Yes my right arm, so how that translates to me is no spinning, no biking, no cooking and basically no nothing. First few weeks are so bad you don’t really want to do much but as you start to feel better you want to do more but can’t because you are stuck in a sling for 5 weeks!!!! This surgery is a bear and sort of unbearable. No choice in the matter I had to do it, so here I am healed up enough 7 weeks later to start cooking again!!!!!  Joel and I were so sick of take-out food and eating out 7 days a week . You realize that it’s the little things in life that mean the most to you. I am still not up to very difficult tasks but am healed up enough to whip up this delicious Paprika Shrimp . Not too difficult to prepare but make certain you read through recipe thoroughly before cooking. You too can look like a rock-star and cook up this meal.

If you like shrimp this is a must try recipe and if you don’t.   I called my local fish store in the morning (Roslyn Seafood Gourmet) I asked him to clean and de-vein but ask him to butterfly it as well. Joel butterflied it for me and it’s not that difficult to do it’s just time consuming.  I called the fish store in the morning and picked up in the afternoon, so they were all ready for me to cook. I asked for Mexican Whites and the largest he had was Under 15 so this was perfect. I realize that shrimp can be pricey but there is a lot of different shrimp out there priced for every pocket today.

So happy to be back cooking and sharing with all of you as I enter into my  5th year of writing this blog. Thanks again for all the support you’ve all given me throughout .

Keep Cooking with Candi .

*original recipe adapted from The Pollan Family Table — my new favorite cookbook

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 Tablespoon Paprika

1 Teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or any other coarse type of salt

1/8 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or any coarse salt you like

2 lbs. large shrimp ( 15-20 per pound) peeled, deveined and butterflied. Ask them to leave the tails on. I used 1 1/2 lbs. for the two of us and there wasn’t a single piece left!!! *see picture

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

6 Tablespoons unsalted butter

3 large cloves of garlic minced app. 1 Tablespoon minced garlic

5 chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil (available in a jar)

2 teaspoons capers, drained

1/2 cup dry white wine I used a Pinot Grigio

1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon finely chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley , don’t leave this out . It gives it a super professional look.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

In a small mixing bowl, combine the flour, paprika, sugar, salt and pepper.  Pat the shrimp dry on paper towels and lay the shrimp out on a rimmed baking sheet. Make sure to cover the shrimp with the mixture. Make sure to get both sides covered. Use all of the spice mixture up. I used my hands to completely cover the shrimp.

Heat 1 Tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil is hot , place half the shrimp in one layer in the skillet. Let cook undisturbed for about 2 minutes, using the timer.  Flip the shrimp and sear the other side, for  2 more minutes. Wipe the skillet clean with paper towels before the second batch. Add 1 more tablespoon of olive oil and the remaining shrimp. Put the shrimp in a sprayed ( cooking spray) oven-proof baking dish. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake until lightly browned on the edges and opaque in the center. I cooked for 5 minutes.

While the shrimp are baking, wipe out the skillet with a paper towel again and return to the stove top over low heat. Melt 1 Tablespoon of the butter. Add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds and be careful not to burn garlic. Add the chopped sun-dried tomatoes and capers, raise the heat to medium-high and sauté for 2 more minutes. Add the wine and lemon juice and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for app. 5 minutes. Melt the remaining 5 tablespoons of butter into pan. Pour the sauce over the shrimp and stir. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve. I served over rice. Amazingly delicious.

No Fuss, No Muss Salmon

This is really the easiest way to grill salmon and truly my most favorite way to cook and eat it! It really takes no time and the ingredients are simple, fresh and tasty. That’s why I call it No Fuss, No Muss Salmon. You can cook it in the oven if you don’t want to grill.  Just bake it in a baking dish at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes depending on the size of the piece of fish.

INGREDIENTS:

I use 2 1/2 lb salmon filets (1 per person)

1 lemon

Capers

Dijon mustard

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Take a piece of aluminum large enough to hold 1 filet. Put the filet on aluminum and fold up edges (as pictured), making a little tray out of foil.

First pat salmon dry with a paper towel and very lightly sprinkle salt and pepper on each filet (it really doesn’t need it, but I use a little bit). Next, spread dijon mustard on the filet with a butter knife (all over the top). Sprinkle a few capers on each–as many or as little as you like, I don’t use a lot; just a few is good. I cut the lemon in 1/2 and then squeeze a little all over each piece (1/2 lemon is good for the 2 pieces) and then I slice very thin slices from the other 1/2 of the lemon and place them right on top of the salmon.

I then place the salmon on a hot grill in aluminum, lower heat to a more moderate heat and cook for about 20 minutes. Next, remove from heat, fold up sides and just let it sit for about 5 minutes. When you open up the aluminum and take the salmon out, it should lift right off the skin but you may have to play with it. The skin is actually very crispy at this point. Salmon should be light pink and flaky.

I served this with a beautiful salad, gazpacho and homemade macaroni salad. We sat  outside and ate. It was a beautiful night.

Salmon Done Simply in Foil

Again, I need to thank my friend Drew for finding this recipe. It is so good, it’s restaurant worthy. The oregano, lemon and tomatoes give it a mediterranean flavor. It is healthful, simple and very delicious. Joel decided to try to eat more healthfully in 2012 (incorporate more fish, etc.) Usually he doesn’t like to eat fish and if I make it he is disappointed.  But for this, he gave me the green light and the next night I made it. Drew had also tried it, after he came across the recipe from Giada de Laurentis. Really easy and really yummy, this one’s a keeper.  Thanks Drew and thanks Giada!

Ingredients: 

4 (approx. 5 oz. each) salmon fillets (I used 3 6 oz. for the two of us and we finished it all.)

2 teaspoons olive oil, plus another 2 tablespoons

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 tomatoes, chopped (I used about 2/3 of the container of the small plum tomatoes; it’s not an exact count but you can eyeball it.)

2 shallots, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Sprinkle salmon with 2 teaspoons olive oil and a little salt and pepper. In a bowl, stir together the tomatoes, shallots, 2 tablespoons olive oil, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, salt and pepper to blend.

Place each salmon fillet on a piece of aluminum foil (make it large enough to wrap ends and tent.)  Spoon the tomato mixture over salmon. Fold the sides of the foil over the fish and tomato mixture, covering completely, then seal the packets closed. Place the foil packet on a baking sheet. (Do whatever works for you, I sort of spiraled the ends, and then folded up the top. As long as aluminum foil piece is large enough to cover it won’t be a problem.) Repeat this step with each piece . Place each individual piece on the baking sheet. Bake until the salmon is just cooked through, about 25 minutes. (That was the perfect amount of time for each piece for me. If your pieces are on the thinner side, you may want to remove before 25 minutes.) At the store, ask for salmon filets from the center; this will be the right size. Using a metal spatula, place the salmon on plate, and make sure to get all the sauce. Delicious! I served with rice pilaf and string beans. Of course, Joel ate the salmon and rice, not the string beans, but that’s okay as it was a very healthy meal.

Sexy and Sassy Shrimp for Valentines Day – Fra Diavolo

photo (3) photo (5)photo (2)OK it’s Valentines Day and that’s the reason for the sexy, and the reason it’s sassy is because this shrimp packs some heat known as Fra Diavolo sauce. What a perfect meal for Valentines Day and it’s red!!! this was so delicious and light. I highly recommend it and it really was an easy dish to make. I would say it’s downright easy to make. This 1 lb. of shrimp should feed 4. I made it with Bucatini pasta, which is a thick ropey spaghetti, you can use whatever type of spaghetti you prefer or none at all. I would say that this whole dish start to finish took 1/2 hour. That’s so perfect. Buy your shrimp peeled and deveined which will save you time. Happy Valentines Day!

*don’t leave out the fresh herbs, they kick it up a notch

Ingredients:

1 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 teaspoon of kosher salt , plus more as needed

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 (14 oz. can) diced tomatoes

3 tablespoons olive oil, plus 2 teaspoons

1 cup dry white wine

3 garlic cloves , chopped

1/4 teaspoon oregano leaves

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, I didn’t think this was too spicy ,  you’ll have to adjust to your own taste buds. I actually thought 1 teaspoon was pretty mild, next time I will add more, but we like it spicy.

3 tablespoons chopped fresh italian parsley leaves

3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves

Directions:

In a medium bowl toss the shrimp with 1 teaspoon of kosher salt and crushed red pepper flakes. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shrimp and saute for a few minutes, toss around a bit and continue cooking until shrimp is just cooked through. ( you’ll want it pink and slightly curled up)

Remove shrimp to a bowl, set aside.

In the same skillet add 1 – 2 teaspoons of olive oil and add onions and saute until translucent and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the can of tomatoes with their juices, wine, garlic, and oregano.  Simmer until the sauce starts to thicken up, about 15 minutes. If sauce sits for a while it may loose some of its liquid , you can just add a little bit of water at a time to get sauce where you’d like it, but just a little at a time.  When you’re ready to serve, add the shrimp back into simmering sauce with any juices that they may have accumulated, toss to coat the shrimp, and cook for about 3 minutes . You can cut into a shrimp to make sure it’s cooked , it should be opaque not translucent. Stir in the parsley and basil. Taste for salt, and serve.

*prepare pasta according to directions and serve shrimp and sauce right on top.

Clams and Spaghetti–White Sauce

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Riley skiing on Ajax Mountain . First time on Ajax!!!!! he’s only 7.

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Picture Riley took of me preparing salad.

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The three of us skiing on Aspen Mountain in Gondola.

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Turoff Family Skiing on Snowmass. Xmas Vacation.

IMG_6286IMG_6287 (2)IMG_6283 (2)This was the first time I ever made clams in the house. I have cooked them on the grill but never in a pot on the stove. I guess I was always a little nervous about it and for no apparent reason . I was looking through Jessica Seinfeld’s “The Can’t Cookbook” even though I totally can cook and saw this recipe and she made it look so simple I figured it was the right time to get over my “stage fright”. I made it for my Daughter and her family and two of our Best Friends in the world who really qualify as Family.  Our Son in Law Brian is a world-famous eater and a true pleasure to cook for so I decided to break my cardinal rule of never ever cooking something new for guests since these guests were really all family anyway. I wanted to hear their opinions but was still a little nervous. I served alongside a beautiful Tenderloin Roast which was my backup anyway. It all turned out so well and I was more than pleased and delighted that I went out of the box .  I still contend that it’s never a good idea to try out new recipes for dinner guests but everyone here was family and after all what is family for if not to try out your recipes? Of course it goes without saying that Joel won’t eat clams so once again it’s his loss and our gain. He did love the Tenderloin Roast and ate a little of the pasta. Give this one a try it is truly delicious . I bought my clams at Whole Foods and I did clean them but they really were super clean and yummy. I bought them a day ahead and kept them in the fridge. If possible I would probably purchase the day of but Joel told me there was nothing to worry over and so I didn’t. Enjoy!

http://www.doitdelicious.com this is Jessica Seinfeld’s site or you can just buy the book “The Can’t Cookbook”.

Ingredients:

2 dozen littleneck clams

3 cloves garlic

app. 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 cup dry white wine, such as Sauvignon blanc. I actually used what I had open which was a Pinot Grigio

1 box spaghetti, you can use any kind of spaghetti you like. I actually had bucatini style in the house so that’s what I used

3 Tbsp. Olive Oil

*if you’d like a little heat and you should know your audience because mine didn’t so I put on table for those who wanted to add heat. If you are adding add app. 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper

Kosher Salt , to taste. I have to say I added almost no extra salt at all.

You’ll need a large deep pot to cook clams in. I used my Le Creuset Pot.

Directions:

I placed my clams in a colander and I put the colander in a larger bowl in the sink and I filled the bowl with cold water. I let the clams soak for a few minutes, then rubbed with my fingers to dislodge any dirt; then drained the clams. Throw away any clams that remain open or were smashed. ( my clams were pretty clean) I purchased them clean from Whole Foods. Any Fish Store will clean them for you, but always run them through this process to remove any residual sand, etc.

Smash the garlic and chop it . Chop the Parsley. Measure the Wine. Place all your ingredients near to the stove.

Cook Pasta according to directions on box.

Place a large pot on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Pour in 2 Tbsp. of Olive Oil until it heats up and shimmers ( a few minutes) Add chopped garlic to the pot, and cook , stirring , for at least a minute, until you can actually smell the garlic breaking down. Don’t Burn!!!! Now add the wine and the clams and cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid and you’ll want a fairly high flame, probably medium-high . Cook clams until they open, I probably cooked for about 10 – 12 minutes. Looked so beautiful! Add the parsley and the red pepper now if you’re using. Throw away any unopened clams, they are no good.

Once pasta is al dente and drained I transferred to a large serving bowl and added 1 Tbsp. of Olive Oil to pasta, top with clams. Sprinkle if you’d like a tiny bit of coarse salt now if you feel it needs it. I did not need to add any additional salt or pepper. Adjust to your taste.

Amazing!!!! and did I mention Super Easy!!!!!

Tuscan Shrimp with White Beans

Misc. dinners and New Years Eve 071Misc. dinners and New Years Eve 073Misc. dinners and New Years Eve 074This is what I made with my friend Susan for New Years Eve dinner back in 2013.  It is a wonderful and very simple meal and perfect for Christmas and New Years or any time of the year. By very simple, I mean the ingredients are simple as is the preparation. We had gone to the movies and came home and literally cooked this shrimp up and it was prep to table in about 1/2 hour! So great. The original recipe comes from Michael Chiarello and I highly recommend it.
The beans are a perfectly healthy alternative to pasta.

Ingredients:

*this is for 4 servings

3 cups canned Cannellini white beans

1/4 cup plus tablespoons olive oil

app. 16 large shrimp ( this would be 4 per person, so adjust depending on size of shrimp)

4 cloves garlic, sliced

1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper depending on how spicy you want it

1 cup diced tomato from a can is fine. in the summer I would use fresh tomatoes

1 cup whole basil leaves

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Kosher Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

*you can use some extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling

* sprinkle of fresh chopped italian parsley if you like as well

Directions:

Drain the beans over a bowl and reserve the liquid. Put the white beans in a large skillet with just enough of their liquid to moisten them. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and bring the beans to a low simmer. Keep them warm while you prepare the shrimp. Lay out the shrimp on some paper towels and sprinkle with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the seasoned shrimp and cook , tossing frequently for a few minutes till shrimp turns pink , curls up and is cooked. ( don’t overcook) Remove the shrimp to a bowl with tongs. Add the garlic to the pan and saute until the garlic browns a little bit. Add the crushed red pepper flakes and cook for another minute. Add the tomatoes and basil and stir briefly, the add the lemon juice. Season with a little more Salt and Pepper. Cook for another minute or so, and then stir in the shrimp. Toss well and cook briefly to reheat the shrimp and make sure it’s fully cooked.

We placed beans on a large platter with shrimp over them. Drizzle with a little of the best olive oil you have on hand. Sprinkle with parsley if you’d like. Serve warm. You can also just serve shrimp with beans on the side. We thought it made a lovely presentation on the platter.

* leftovers were amazing

Shrimp, Spinach, Tomatoes and Pasta

I love the recipe with Chicken, Spinach , Tomatoes and Pasta so much that I decided to make it with Shrimp. It turned out as delicious as I imagined it would. My daughter and grandsons are out here visiting, and I wanted to make a special dinner for her first night. I didn’t feel like making chicken again, so I made the basic recipe but changed it around a little bit for the shrimp. How can this be bad??  With cooking you can mix and match and screw around with the recipes, more or less seasonings, etc. With baking you really can’t, when you start substituting it gets very dicey and I don’t recommend doing it unless you’re just screwing around in the kitchen. There is nothing worse than going to the effort and expense of baking and having to scrap the whole cake because you tried to change an ingredient.  Usually with baking , I follow the directions carefully and try new ingredients before I will make them for any one else.   With cooking you can be more flexible and be a bit more daring. There is definitley room for error with cooking but not with baking. Baking is much more precise a science. Heed the advice and have fun with this recipe. This is what I did.

Ingredients:

2 boxes Cherry Tomatoes or little grape type tomatoes. During the summer you may want to use some of those beautiful fresh tomatoes either from your garden or from the farm stand. In the winter months stick with the small cherry types. I was able to obtain some fresh cherry tomatoes grown locally and they were sweet and delicious.

Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper –to taste

2 Tablespoons Butter ( unsalted)

4 Cloves Garlic, minced

4 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

3/4 cup Chicken Broth

3/4 cup white wine ( I use whatever I have open) if no white wine in house double up on chicken broth

Shrimp , we used Ocean Garden brand or any Mexican White Shrimp shell on whites under 10 – 15 size.  Use whatever you like but I highly recommend this brand. I used enough for the three of us about 5 pieces each ( they are nice size) and cooked up the rest for shrimp cocktail for the next day. Joel recommends using Mexican White Ocean caught shrimp. The under 10 size means there are under 10 to a pound. These are the perfect size for shrimp cocktail and many dishes. They are rather costly though. Ask your seafood person for help , you’d be surprised how a little knowledge goes a long way in this area. We buy it by the box (5 lb.) and it comes frozen in a block. It gets defrosted, cleaned and deveined. You can also go into your local fish store and buy 1 lb. of shrimp about 10 – 15 to a lb. and have them clean it and devein it. We prefer the shrimp from Mexico or Equador, ask for white shrimp from Central or South America.

1 bag baby spinach

*crushed red pepper if you like a little heat ( totally optional)

1 lb. of spaghetti , I used perciatelli type of pasta. Use whatever type you like.

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and set aside. I like to keep a cup of the pasta water in case I need a bit more liquid for finishing the sauce. I always do this.

Clean and devein shrimp.  Thank goodness Joel does this for me, but you can ask them in your seafood dept. or fish store to do this they usually will,  it takes a lot of the work out of it.

Cut small tomatoes in 1/2, if you are using larger tomatoes just chop up.  Heat olive oil over medium high heat, turn heat down to low and add garlic for about a minute. Pour in wine and broth , raise the heat and allow the liquid to come to a boil. Allow the liquid to boil for a few minutes and it will reduce , cooking liquid should reduce by at least 1/2. Lower to a simmer and add tomatoes, I let them cook for a while, probably 1/2 hour or so for this sauce. The tomatoes will release their liquid a bit, and soften up .  Sprinkle some kosher salt and pepper now on tomatoes.  ( about 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt) and a few grinds of the black pepper ( to taste) Let tomatoes simmer, while you cook shrimp. You can always turn heat off, and just turn back on when you’ll add the shrimp.

I pat shrimp dry on some paper towels, and sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper.

In another smaller frying pan, I add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil over low – medium heat. When oil is hot , I add shrimp , I just quickly sear the shrimp about 3 minutes each side. Then I add shrimp to my tomatoes and simmer for a few more minutes. I add the pasta right in to my large skillet, and mix in pasta with the shrimp and tomatoes. Right before serving , I add in the bag of baby spinach and let it wilt, and that’s it! Plate it up! Delicious! Vegetable, Protein and Starch all in one bowl! Yum

Baked Salmon with Honey Dijon and Garlic

photo 1 photo 2 photo 1 (2)photo 4 (2)photo 2 (2)Always on the lookout for new Salmon recipes because Joel will eat Salmon and I think it’s such a good thing to try to eat at least once a week. I must eat it more often but he really is more “meat and potatoes”. He loved this recipe and I will definitely make it again and next time remember to buy the parsley. If nothing else it makes it look really good and definitely adds flavor to the fish. Joel probably wouldn’t like the green stuff but I would recommend using it. This is a super easy recipe and once again I used Maille Honey Dijon Mustard, it’s my favorite brand of mustard, try to find it. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 10 ounce Salmon Filets ( I left the skin on even though the fish comes off the skin when it’s done most of the time) 3-4 cloves of garlic, minced 2 – 3 tbsp. finely chopped parsley 3 heaping Tbsp. Honey Dijon Mustard juice of 1/2 a lemon a pinch of kosher salt 1/8 cup of olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line a large baking sheet with foil. Place salmon pieces on top of the foil and set aside. I pat the salmon dry with paper towels first. In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, parsley, honey Dijon, lemon juice , salt and olive oil. Whisk well until well-combined then I used a pastry brush ( must have) brush on the sauce onto the salmon pieces generously Bake uncovered for 15-20 minutes depending on how thick the salmon is you may need to reduce the time by 2-3 minutes or increase it by 2- 3 minutes just keep an eye on it. Serve with your favorite sides. I served with Asparagus (for me) and roasted sweet potatoes.

Maple Dijon Salmon

photo 2 (3)photo 1This is a very easy and light salmon recipe that is perfect for dinner. I used 2 tablespoons of light mayonnaise but feel free to omit it.   I would cook for a very short time next time and check the doneness of the salmon frequently. It really only needed 8 mins. to roast , and about 3 minutes with sauce on it under the broiler. You can always brush a little more sauce after it is cooked. You’ll just want salmon to be cooked through perfectly–not over and definitely not undercooked. I used a silicone brush to put sauce on salmon and was left with a lot of sauce so I served on the side. Don’t be afraid of the mayonnaise because you really only use such a small amount on the fish itself. The lemon and garlic give it another layer of flavor in addition to the mustard/maple flavor. This is so easy and try the White Beans and Spinach to serve with it.

INGREDIENTS:

1 1/4 pound wild salmon, cut into 4 pieces , I leave the skin on but if you’d like you can remove it. I cooked with skin on but skin stuck to the parchment paper anyway.

2 tablespoons whole grain mustard or Dijon mustard, I used Dijon tonite

2 tablespoons Mayonnaise ( you can definitely use Light Mayo) I did

2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup (nothing beats the  flavor of a real maple syrup) It’s worth it

1 clove garlic, minced

juice of 1/2 lemon

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place salmon pieces on a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Rinse and pat dry the salmon fillets. Season fish with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; be liberal with salt. Put in oven for 8-10 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine mustard, mayonnaise,  maple syrup, garlic and lemon juice. Whisk or stir very well to get rid of lumps of mayonnaise. After the first 8-10 minutes of cooking, brush salmon with mixture and return to the oven for approx.3 – 5 minutes under the broiler or until salmon is just cooked through (which will also depend on the thickness of your salmon pieces.)  I let salmon sit for about 5 minutes before serving. It will continue to cook for a few minutes after it is removed from oven.

Cooking times will vary depending on size of fillets and your oven. In my oven it was 8 minutes to roast and 3 minutes under the broiler. You can play around with these times depending on your needs. Total cooking time was only 11 minutes! I served with a side of delicious white beans and spinach , and for Joel some roasted butternut squash . Rice is always perfect with fish.

*recipe for White Beans and Spinach in a Pan on cookingwithcandi.com

Shrimp and Tomatoes with White Beans and Spinach

photo 4 (14) photo (65)photo 5 (15)photo 1 (30)Today I am posting a recipe that is very close to one I have already posted titled “Tuscan Shrimp with White Beans” it has a few differences and they’re both excellent. Just wanted to let you all know what I did this time. I served as is and the beans are a delicious alternative to pasta. The beans and spinach make it healthy and hearty. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

app. 2 cups baby spinach ( or arugula)

3 cloves garlic , chopped

1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 cup dry white wine, I used Pinot Grigio because that’s what I had on hand and open already ( sauvignon blanc would be fine as well)

1 1/2 lbs. large shrimp, peeled and deveined. Ask your local fish store to do this for you.

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper ( if you like a little kick, if not you can omit)

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. kosher salt, to taste

Directions:

Wash spinach and dry. Chop up garlic cloves. Peel and devein the shrimp if not done.

I used a large sauté pan for this but any large pot will do. Place pot on stove and turn the heat to medium. Pour 2 Tablespoons olive oil and heat it up till it gets shimmery looking, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant ( very quickly for about 1/2 minute) Don’t burn the garlic!!! Add the can of tomatoes and cook for a few minutes. Pour in the wine and bring to a low boil. Once it starts to boil add the shrimp and cook, turning with tongs till shrimp is done , you may have to cut into one after 5 minutes depending on the size of your shrimp will start to curl up, and get opaque inside. Don’t over cook ! You can always put shrimp back if undercooked but no one likes rubbery shrimp. The shrimp will continue to cook during next step , so don’t worry.

Stir in the beans, spinach, red and black pepper and cook, stirring often till the beans are heated through and spinach wilts, about 3 – 5 minutes more. Season with salt to taste, I used about 3/4 of a teaspoon of kosher salt, it depends on your taste.