A great philosopher once said: “Shrimp is the fruit of the sea. You can barbeque it, boil it, broil it, bake it, sauté it.” Truer words have never been said. 

Whether it be pan fried, deep fried, or stir fried, there are any number of tasty preparations! There's pineapple shrimp, lemon ship, coconut shrimp, pepper shrimp, shrimp soup, shrimp stew, shrimp and potatoes, shrimp burger, shrimp sandwich.

That’s about it.

This dish highlights what makes shrimp so appealing. The shrimp itself is bathed in a hot broth of tomatoes, feta, and fresh herbs. It emerges slightly buttery, with a hint of sweetness. The smell? Slightly briny, and a smell that is reminiscent of the sea. In a word: heavenly.

The best part? It takes less than 30 minutes!

When you’re ready to eat, be sure to have some crusty bread around. The sauce is so good, you’ll definitely be coming back for more!

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes, Feta, and Herbs

First, a note about shrimp. It's best to look for frozen. It's more convenient, as you can defrost it when you need it. Unless you live next to the ocean, you'll likely never be buying 'fresh' shrimp anyway. The stuff at the seafood counter is just defrosted for you. Since shrimp spoils very quickly, it is frozen immediately on the boat. If you do buy it fresh, be sure to use it quickly (at most a couple days).

In terms of price, look for frozen most of the time too. For instance, you can get it frozen (raw), peeled and de-veined at Trader Joe's for under 10 dollars. Otherwise, look for sales. Wild shrimp will generally have a stronger flavor than farmed shrimp. 

If the shrimp you bought didn't come peeled and de-veined, it's time to get to work. It takes a while, so if you can find some help, enlist another pair of hands. Here's a video if you're unsure how to do it. 

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After the shrimp is ready to go, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Get your mise en place ready to go too!

Now, heat your oil in a large, oven-proof skillet on medium-high heat.

Add the onions. Cook until softened, about 3 - 5 minutes.

Now, add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds, just long enough to release the fragrance.

Add the tomatoes and bring to a simmer.

Reduce heat and let it simmer for 5 - 10 minutes, until the juices thicken a bit. For me, it usually takes about 10. You don't have to be that precise here.

Once thickened, turn off the burner. In stages, stir in the herbs and feta. Mix to incorporate.

Then, add the shrimp. Give everything a quick stir again. Salt and pepper to taste.

Place the pan in the oven and bake, uncovered, for about 10 - 12 minutes. Or until the shrimp are cooked through. Often that is less than the recommended time. The shrimp are done when they are pink and firm.

Serve immediately. You can serve it with crusty French or Italian loaf bread in a bowl, as I did. I've also served it over pasta, and it's quite tasty too.

Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS (SERVES 4)

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 medium onion , chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 14.5-ounce cans of diced tomatoes

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

1 tbsp minced fresh dill

1 to 1 1/4 pounds medium-sized raw shrimp (20-25 per lb), peeled and deveined, tails left on

Salt, to taste

Pepper, to taste

3 ounces feta cheese (about 2/3 cup, crumbled)

Recipe courtesy of one of my favorite food recipe blogs, Simply Recipes.