TASTE
Friends are sure to go crazy for this shrimp dish
| • | It's a piece of cake |
Washington Post
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If you're attempting some weeknight entertaining — a dinner for four, perhaps, with friends you really want to see this holiday season — consider this stripped-down stew with clean, bright flavors. It's on chef-restaurateur-TV star Mario Batali's menu for his last meal on Earth. It cries out for a big piece of crusty bread. It's a little messy to eat, because the shrimp are whole or tails-on, but that merely adds to the dish's informal charm.
The original was made with seawater; salted fresh water works fine.
Some store-bought pupu, a salad before or after, perhaps a cheese plate and something sweet and simple (again, store-bought is fine) and you've got dinner. Cook this while your guests stand about with you in the kitchen.
Adapted from "My Last Supper: 50 Great Chefs and Their Final Meals," by Melanie Dunea (Bloomsbury, 2007).
SHRIMP IN CRAZY WATER (GAMBERONI ALL'ACQUA PAZZA)
Heat the oil in a large soup pot over medium heat until it is almost smoking. Add the onion, garlic, chili pepper and fennel; cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is soft and light golden brown. Add the tomatoes and their juices, the wine and the salted water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes, until they are just cooked through. Season with black pepper to taste.
To serve, pour into a soup tureen or divide among individual deep bowls; garnish with the reserved fennel fronds.
Makes 4 servings.
