Shrimply Marvelous, Darling!

It’s Wednesday night, and you know what that means. And no, I am not referring to the latest installment of the utterly addictive Project Runway (Nick! I love you, man!).

No, what I mean is:

Poker night! The menfolk gather in the red room for a testosterone-filled evening of betting, drinking, and eating penultimately unhealthful ‘man-food’.

No offense to you menfolk who take the more healthful approach.

What this also means is that I’m on my own for dinner, free to indulge in DucCat-condemned fare. I'm talking seafood, shellfish, cruciferous vegetables, and sandwiches.

Sandwiches? Apparently these are not appropriate dinner-time fare. But I digress.

Since I wasn’t getting home until late, he kindly hit the grocery, picking up my requested shrimp and broccoli. As he set up the poker table, I washed and chopped the broccoli, and quickly peeled the shrimp. With a handful of garlic, and a generous glug of wine (for me AND the shrimp), table for madam was soon ready to go.


If you make this, I would seriously recommend doubling, or even tripling the pan-sauce. The garlicky reduction packed a powerfully rich punch, screaming for bread, rice, noodles, anything, really, that would soak up each and every pungent drop.


Garlic Lover's Shrimp

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup dry white wine (I added close to a cup)
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add pepper, garlic, and bay leaf; sauté 30 seconds.
Add shrimp and salt; sauté 3 minutes.
Remove shrimp from skillet.
Add wine, parsley, and thyme; bring to a boil, and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup (about 1 minute).
Return shrimp to skillet; toss to coat. Discard bay leaf.

Yield: 4 servings
from Cooking Light Magazine