This was a great autumn meal that helped us end a day at the beach with a wonderful seafood addition. We have always been fans of a good peperonata but adding some seafood to this and then serving it over rice really elevated things. Allowing the whole thing to sit a little bit after it has finished cooking also goes a long way to deepening the flavors. It comes from Sheela Prakash in NY Times Cooking with a few minor embellishments.
For this you’ll need: 1 lb uncooked shrimp (shelled and deveined), x3 red peppers (cored and thinly sliced), 1/2 red onion (thinly sliced), x3 garlic cloves (crushed and chopped), 2 Tbs capers, 3 Tbs tomato paste, 3 Tbs olive oil, 1 Tbs unsalted butter, 1-1/2 cups water, 1 Tbs white wine vinegar, salt, pepper, cooked brown rice.
In a high sided skillet place x1 Tbs olive oil and the butter over medium heat. Pat dry the shelled shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Add x1 crushed/chopped garlic clove to the heated oil/butter and stir quickly for about 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the shelled/seasoned shrimp and stir well to coat. Cook until opaque and pink, stirring once or twice, about 3-5 mins. Place the shrimp and most of its juices/seasoning on a plate but keep the skillet warm and do not clean it out.
Add a further x2 Tbs of olive oil to the skillet you just cooked the shrimp in over medium heat. Add the sliced red peppers, onion and garlic and stir well. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce the heat slightly and cook the vegetables until they are just softening and the onion is starting to caramelize – about 5-8 mins – stirring often.
Add the tomato paste and the capers and mix everything together allowing the tomato paste to darken and bit and coat everything, stirring often for about 2-3 mins. Then add the water and bring the whole thing to a boil. Reduce the heat immediately so that it gently simmers and then allow the whole mixture to cook down until reduced and thickened, stirring often, about 15 mins.
Add in the shrimp and all of the collected juices/seasoning from the plate and stir well to combine over low heat for about a minute or two.
Remove from heat and stir in the white wine vinegar and some additional salt/pepper seasoning, if needed. Allow the whole mixture to stand, covered, for 10-15 mins or more to deepen the flavors. Warm up again over medium heat and serve over brown rice.
Dinner at Our Place 