Baked Shrimp in Tomato Feta Sauce

A dish doesn’t have to be complicated, or take a lot of time, to be good. My father found this recipe for baked shrimp in a tomato sauce with feta cheese in a special publication by Fine Cooking (one of our favorite food magazines) called Eat Smart. Now my dad will be the first to tell you that he doesn’t like shrimp. Most shrimp recipes I propose are usually met with that reminder and a change of subject. But this one caught his eye for some reason. We made it early one afternoon so we could get good light for a photograph, and then had to taste it. We kept tasting it, and tasting it, and then we had to call my mother over because we were well on our way to eating the whole pan. The only thing I wish we had at the time was some crusty Italian bread to dip in the sauce.

Baked Shrimp in Tomato Feta Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 14.5-ounce cans of diced tomatoes
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 Tbsp minced fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
• 1 to 1 1/4 pounds medium sized raw shrimp, peeled and deveined (can leave tails on), thaw if frozen
• Pinch of salt, more to taste
• Pinch black pepper, more to taste
• 3 ounces feta cheese (about 2/3 cup, crumbled)

Method

1 Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large, oven-proof skillet on medium high heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds more.
2 Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer, reduce heat and let simmer for 5-10 minutes, until the juices thicken a bit.
3 Remove from heat. Stir in the herbs, shrimp, feta cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Place pan in oven and bake, uncovered, until shrimp are cooked through, about 10-12 minutes.
Serve immediately. Serve with crusty French or Italian loaf bread, pasta, or rice.

Yield: Serves 4.