Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta and a Ravioli Review

I’m back with another dish that I served last weekend at our Mother’s Day brunch. I originally saw this recipe in Ellie Krieger’s book, The Food You Crave, but by the time I got around to making it, I’d returned Ellie’s book to the library. Luckily, the recipe was also available on the Food Network’s site. I think I can safely say that this was the most popular dish at the brunch! Folks reached for seconds and Shane and I even ate the leftovers for dinner that night. I love the ease and simplicity of this dish. With just a few ingredients and a little time, you get a wonderful dish with a lot of flavor (and it’s healthy!). Based on some of the reviews of the recipes I read, I added some crushed red pepper flakes to the sauce and it gave the dish just a bit of heat. This recipe is definitely going into our dinner rotation!

Before I get to the recipe for Ellie’s baked shrimp, I wanted to quickly mention a new product I tried last week. The FoodBuzz Tastemaker program gives those Featured Publishers who have signed up an opportunity to sample products from different companies. Recently I received a coupon to try Buitoni’s new Riserva line of ravioli. I selected the quattro formaggi agnolotti which “pairs the savory depth of fresh-roasted garlic with an artful combination of creamy, imported grana padano, parmesan, custom ricotta and fontina cheeses.” These were a quick lunch for me so when I read on the package that the ravioli could be served simply with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, that’s what I did! I drizzled the olive oil on the warm ravioli, sprinkled on a few fresh herbs and dug in. The verdict? Impossibly delicious – definitely the best ravioli I’ve ever had. They’re a bit pricey (I believe the 9 oz. package was about $5.50 at my local grocery store) but I can see myself splurging on them from time to time. There’s a wild mushroom variety I’ve got my eye on for next time!

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta
from FoodNetwork.com

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cloves garlic, minced (about 2 teaspoons)
2 (14.5-ounce) cans of no-salt-added diced tomatoes, with their juices
1/4 cup finely minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon finely minced fresh dill (I used basil instead)
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 pounds medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Heat the oil in an oven proof skillet (I used my Dutch oven) over a medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 3 minutes, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer for about 5 minutes, until the tomato juices thicken.

Remove from the heat. Stir in the parsley, dill, red pepper flakes and shrimp and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle the feta over the top. Bake until the shrimp are cooked through and cheese melts, about 12 minutes.