Basque Lemon Shrimp

Must Try Recipes

Well, it’s finally happened.  My dairy and meat loving self has finally started to crave the lighter foods of summer.  And so this lemon shrimp dish found me just in time.  It comes together quickly but needs an hour or two to marinate.  Just try not to make it too far ahead of time- the lemon juice will continue to “cook” the shrimp, leaving it a bit rubbery if you let it sit for more than a couple hours.

But my guess is they won’t make it that long.  With a pleasant lemony tang punctuated by the occasional sharpness of the olives and anchovies, the shrimp are great alone as a cold salad or antipasto.  Or put them atop a bed of greens or grains with a side of sliced avocado for a simple summer meal.

Basque Lemon Shrimp

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

 1/2 cup lemon juice
1 Tablespoon sherry or wine vinegar
3 Tablespoons olive oil, divided
12 black olives, pitted and roughly chopped
6 anchovy filets, roughly chopped
1 medium red onion, very finely sliced
1 bay leaf, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced (optional)

Directions:

Prepare marinade by combining the lemon juice, vinegar, 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, olives, anchovies, red onion, bay leaf, and cayenne.

Heat the remaining tablespoon of olive oil in a medium sauté pan and fry the garlic 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring occasionally until no longer pink. Add the shrimp, garlic and accumulated juices into the marinade and stir to coat.

Let cool to room temperature and then place in the fridge to chill another hour or two, stirring once or twice.

Serve alone or atop a bed of lettuce or whole grains, with the sliced avocado, if desired.

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