This easy-to-make recipe originally comes from Cook's Country, which is part of the America's Test Kitchen family. I've modified it somewhat and even the first time you make it, you won't need to do much in the way of measuring or following the recipe too specifically. The technique is more important than the quantities.
It’s made on a single sheet pan in your oven making for easy clean up. Quick to make for a weeknight meal, you can even substitute the various vegetables using whatever you happen to have on-hand. Do however try to include the fennel.
This isn’t a vegetable that is used much in America and I was skeptical having never cooked with it before. Fennel, as you may know, is known for the taste of black licorice. However, even though it does have the light scent of licorice when you are cutting it, the flavor of licorice will not be present in the dish after roasting. If fact it has a very pleasant flavor more along the lines of celery than licorice. But it’s certainly worth including here and probably in other dishes you make as well.
2 fennel bulbs
2 carrots
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
Salt and pepper
2 pounds jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound preferred)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus lemon wedges for serving
1/2 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
Or substitute feta cheese
1/2 cup pitted Kalamata olives, halved
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley
Instructions
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450F degrees. Use the convection function if you have it.
While the oven preheats, peel and slice the potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick slices. For the fennel bulbs, cut off and discard the top stalks. Cut off the tough root end but just enough to remove the root so the bulb still holds together. Peel off the outer lay of the bulb if it is large, thick and tough. Cut the bulbs in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch-thick wedges through stem end. Peel the carrots and cut into bite-sized pieces, on the horizontal.
Toss the vegetables with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon oregano together in bowl. Spread vegetables in single layer on rimmed baking sheet and roast until just tender, about 20-25 minutes.
While the vegetables roast, peel and devein the shrimp. Optionally you can remove the tails if you prefer so the meal can be eaten simply with a fork. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Toss shrimp, oregano, lemon zest, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper together in bowl.
Using this metal spatula, flip potatoes and fennel so browned sides are facing up being careful not to break up the vegetables. Scatter shrimp over top insuring the shrimp sit on top of the vegetables and not on the hot pan. Return to oven and roast until shrimp are cooked through, 6-7 minutes. Sprinkle olives, cheese and parsley over top. Drizzle with extra oil if needed.
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