Williams-Sonoma's Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes & Feta

I am loving the new cookbook my mom gave me for Christmas, Williams-Sonoma’s “One Pot of the Day”. It is full of recipes that only require one pot/dish for cooking so cleanup is minimal and the recipes are simplistic but packed with delicious ingredient combinations. This recipe needed one baking dish that could go from stovetop to oven but since I altered the recipe for just 2 people, my big Le Creuset baking dish was unnecessary. So I did steps 1 and 2 in a frying pan on the stovetop and transferred it to a smaller 8″ x 8″ baking dish for the oven.

©EverydayCookingAdventures 2014

I made a change to the recipe and that was to add chopped fennel to the onion and garlic in step 1. This added some additional crunch and sweetness to the dish and a little more substance for our stomachs. I also omitted the parsley because I didn’t have any and just rinsed off some of the fennel fronds and scattered them on top which gave the dish a nice anise flavor. I LOVED this recipe. I would make it again tonight if I had the ingredients still. It was savory and sweet and the flavors were so vibrant. I served it alongside some warm bread and a Viognier (see my Wine Journal for notes).

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes & Feta

Recipe from: Williams-Sonoma’s One Pot of the Day, 2012

Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 Tbsp. thinly sliced garlic
2 medium tomatoes, halved, seeded and chopped*
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3/4 lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 lb. feta cheese, coarsely crumbled
1 1/2 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF. In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and translucent, 5-8 minutes.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, the oregano, 1/8 tsp. salt, and a few grindings of pepper and summer until slightly thickened, 5-8 minutes more.

3. Pour about half the tomato mixture into a 1 quart baking dish. Arrange the shrimp over the tomatoes and scatter the feta over the shrimp. Spoon the remaining tomato mixture over the top and spread evenly.

4. Bake until the shrimp are opaque throughout but still tender when tested with a knife, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve. Serve with a chilled white wine and plenty of bread for dipping into the juices.

*There is no need to peel the tomatoes for this easy, rustic Greek dish. Just slice the tomatoes in half horizontally, scoop out the seeds with your fingers, and chop.