Shrimp Versatility

This is for the shrimp lovers out there.

I love shrimp because it's quite versatile. It goes with a variety of flavors, from bold and spicy to mild and sweet. Cold, hot, it's good either way! But one of my new favorite recipes pairs shrimp with another thing that I have started to really like in the past few years....feta cheese. Feta is good for a variety of dishes: pizza, pasta and salads, to name a few. But it really shines here in this recipe from the Food Network. I have modified it a little bit...I don't usually have fresh herbs on hand because they're so darn expensive, and I never can seem to use up what I have! This recipe also works better if you remove the tails from the shrimp...I've experienced it both ways and it's better without the extra "crunch!"

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

1 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 28 oz can tomato puree
2 tsp dried parsley
2 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
cooked white rice (optional)


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the tomato puree (carefully) and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 5 minutes or until it starts to thicken.

Remove from heat. Stir in the parsley and dill. Lay shrimp in one even layer on a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Spread sauce over shrimp, then sprinkle with feta. Bake until the shrimp are cooked through and chesse melts, approx. 12 minutes. Serve with rice if desired.

This would also make a really good appetizer with some crusty bread!