This is another simple yet delectable dish that I came across while trying to dig up some new recipes with Peyton (our pescatarian) in mind. This is a dish that can be thrown together quickly from ingredients that you can easily keep on-hand. As long as you have some canned cannellini beans and crushed tomatoes in your pantry and some frozen shrimp in your freezer, you're in business.
This is my twist on a Michael Chiarello recipe, and has been such a hit around here that we've made it twice already in the last few weeks. As with all recipes that require just a few ingredients, do make sure that you use the best you can find here, especially the EVOO and canned tomatoes and they lend so much of the flavor to the dish. Also, use a light hand and a medium flame when cooking the shrimp. The idea is to gently poach them in the oil just until they're cooked through then pull them from the heat. Overcooking renders them stiff and rubbery, not soft and translucent which is the goal.
The recipe can easily be adapted to incorporate all sorts of fresh herbs or veggies, or even the use of different beans, so don't feel shackled to this version and have some fun with it.
Cheers – Steve
Ingredients
- 2 - 15 1/2 ounce cans cannellini beans, (1 can with it's liquid, 1 can drained and rinsed)
- 1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons EVOO
- 30 large shrimp, peeled and de-veined
- 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1/2 - 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons finely minced fresh sage leaves, divided
- Juice of 1/2 lemon
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan place the 1 can of beans with their liquid, and the 1 can of beans that have been drained and rinsed. Add the 3 tablespoons of EVOO, 1 tablespoon of the minced sage, season with salt and pepper to taste, and set over a low heat to warm, gently.
- Set a large skillet over medium heat, add the 1/4 cup of oil, and when hot, toss in the shrimp to cook. Season lightly with salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently until just cooked through. Remove the shrimp to a bowl and cover to keep warm.
- Increase the heat under the skillet to medium-high and add the sliced garlic, the pepper flakes, and the balance of the sage. Cook until the garlic is lightly browned, then lower the heat slightly and add the crushed tomatoes. Cook 5 minutes to reduce slightly, then check for seasoning. Lower the heat and add back the shrimp to warm through. Spritz with the juice of 1/2 a lemon.
- To serve, spoon a helping of the beans into the bottom of a shallow bowl, top with 5 shrimp per person with a nice coating of tomato sauce. Drizzle with a touch more EVOO, and serve with a crisp green salad and a loaf of crusty bead.