Shrimp with Feta and Tomato | Garides Saganaki

Being a seafood lover, there is much to learn from Greek cuisine, which I seldom venture. Getting some pointers from Kim at Stirring the Pot, Tessa Kiros’ shrimp with feta and tomato appeals to me. Furthermore, I believe going beyond what I know (phyllo and Greek yogurt), and exploring mezedes (sharing plates of appetizers) sounds like a wonderful idea.

The Greeks seem to have inherited such a natural sense of community — as though all of life were just a long Greek dance. Enjoying meze on a long table with friends and family should happen more often. For me, at least something to seriously think about.

I know what my family would love to see on such a long table. Stuffed vine leaves, grilled octopus and lamb. So, let’s get to work and make the shrimp with feta and tomato to start.

The dish can be baked or cooked on the stovetop. I did both. First, prepare the tomato sauce with aromatics (green onions and garlic). After a five-minute simmer, add the shrimp in the pan, covered for 3 to 4 minutes. Then scatter the feta in and place the pan under the broiler until the shrimps are properly cooked. Ideally, I want to see some char over the sizzling tomato sauce. Alas, my broiler is not hot enough.

There are some parallels between the shrimp with feta and tomato dish and Ottolenghi’s grilled tomatoes and onions with feta-Harissa pine nuts. At the moment, both dishes are still work-in-progress, awaiting improved flavor development. In other words, yours truly has more work to do before the dish shows up on the long table.

Print Recipe

Shrimp with Feta and Tomato | Garides Saganaki

Serves: 6-8

Ingredients

• About 15 medium raw shrimps
• 5 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 green onions, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, chopped
• 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 1/2 ounces feta, crumbled

Instructions

1

Peel the shrimp, leaving the tails intact, and devein them using a toothpick. Heat the oil in a wide nonstick pan that has a lid and saute the onion on medium-low heat until softened. Add the garlic and fry until it smells good, then add the tomatoes, half the parsley and some salt and pepper. Put the lid on and simmer for 10 minutes or so.

2

Add the shrimp to the pan and turn through to cover all of them with sauce. Simmer, covered, for 3 to 4 minutes. Scatter the feta in, put the lid back on and cook until the feta just softens, about 5 minutes, rocking the pan once or twice. Serve with a good grind of pepper and the remaining parsley scattered on top, and some lovely Greek bread.

Notes

Adapted from Tessa Kiros' Food from Many Greek Kitchens