recipe: shrimp scampi with preserved lemon and fennel

Grocery shopping is a trip typically made together, with a few meals planned and a few thrown together later from whatever we have gathered. Last weekend I worked both days, so Partner-in-Crime set off to procure foodstuffs on his own. On a whim, he picked up a half pound of shrimp. We didn't have a recipe planned, so at 6pm on the night of their consumption (a week ago) we sat down on the computer to find a recipe, ultimately selecting one from Bon Appétit on Epicurious for Shrimp Scampi with Quick Preserved Lemon and Fennel on Polenta.

We lacked some ingredients, including the polenta. Instead of the amount of shallots listed, we used a combination of shallots and white onion that needed to be used quickly. Luckily, we had fennel for another recipe planned for later in the week and I frequently keep preserved lemons in the fridge, made using this method. This cream/fennel/lemon sauce is good enough to eat without the shrimp. I don't know why you would, unless you are serving a vegetarian or keeping kosher. (Which, if you are, cook the shrimp in an entirely separate skillet. Toss a bit of preserved lemon in the olive oil as you cook the shrimp and you are good to go.) Below is our adapted recipe.

Shrimp Scampi with Preserved Lemon and Fennel over Pasta
Ingredients:
1/2 lb pasta
1/2 shrimp
4 shallots, sliced thinly
1/4 white onion, diced
1 medium bulb fennel, halved and sliced thinly (about 1 cup)
1/2 preserved lemon peel, diced (about 4 teaspoons)
1/2 cup half and half (or cream)
 

[Preserved lemon, onion, shallots, fennel]

Peel and vein the shrimp. Note that prepping the shrimp will take the whole time it takes to cook pasta, so be sure to do this step first instead having your boyfriend do it while you make the pasta. Our pasta sat for a while waiting for the rest to be done. If this does happen to you, toss the pasta with olive oil.

After shrimp are ready, put the pasta on. Go for something long and stringy. We used standard spaghetti, linguine or fettuccine would be great too.

[After adding the cream]

Saute shrimp in olive oil over medium heat for 1 minute per side. Transfer to plate. Saute shallots, onion, fennel and lemon together, until fennel is tender, about 4 minutes. Add cream, bring to a boil briefly. Toss shrimp back in and cook until just opaque in the center. Serve over pasta.

[Tossing the shrimp in]

recipe: mom's roast chicken

Last weekend I decided I wanted to spend Sunday making food for the week, which I knew was going to be a busy one. I was well supplied with lunches and quick dinners, though still nded up still eating out more than planned. Dinner with a friend, lunch with coworkers when I had forgotten my lunch...




To prepare the chicken:
1 chicken, 1 lemon, 4-5 cloves garlic (smashed), kosher salt

Rub garlic over the chicken. Cut the lemon in half and rub over the chicken, squeezing out some of the lemon juice. Place both the garlic and lemon in the chicken. Rub generously with salt.




For the roasted vegetables:
I used shallots, potatoes and carrots. Wash the vegetables, peel the shallots and third the carrots. Toss in olive oil and place into pan. Put the chicken(s) on top.

Roast at 450 for an hour and twenty minutes.

[An early spring feast.]

With the leftover chicken, I experimented with making a quinoa salad. Prepare the quinoa according to the directions, but chop one preserved lemon rind into small pieces and place in the water about halfway through cooking. It gives a great flavor to the quinoa. I ate hot quinoa with chicken for dinner, then for lunch make a salad of quinoa, mixed greens, chicken and dried cranberries, with just a drizzle of olive oil for dressing.

[Office lunch eaten outside in the sun]

recipe: preserved lemons

A few weeks ago I posted a recipe using preserved lemons. You can purchase preserved lemons, but they are often very expensive and are simple to make. I used this process from Alice Waters at 101Cookbooks.com and added spices from the Moroccan method, adding whole cinnamon sticks, multicolored peppercorns, cloves and a bay leaf. Store for 3-4 weeks in the fridge then the lemons are ready to use.

recipe: pork tenderloin with preserved lemons over couscous

I tend to not cook much meat, especially nicer cuts of meat due to my fear of overcooking them. But when my parents visited and brought me a freezer full of frozen goods ranging from her homemade casseroles to a pork tenderloin, I knew I had the perfect accompaniment for the dish.

For Christmas presents for several family members, I had made preserved lemons. Preserved lemons are quite easy to make and I was able to bulk purchase Meyer lemons at Trader Joes. I made a jar for myself and they were just about ready to use when the bounty of meats arrived. Googling turned up a few recipes for pork with preserved lemons, but the most delicious sounding was one from Bon Appétit that didn't actually use preserved lemons. So naturally I had to adapt it just a bit. I ended up creating a new(ish) dish: Pork Tenderloin over Isreali Couscous with a Preserved-Lemon Butter Sauce.

Despite my fears and the possibility that I sliced the pork much thicker than an inch (it took far longer to cook than expected) the meal turned out great, one of my favorites for a long time. The preserved lemon tastes incredibly fresh and adds a sweet note to the meal and the vegetables crunch is complemented by the chewier couscous.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut into 1-inch-thick medallions
• 4 or 5 tablespoons butter
• 2 cup chicken stock or canned broth
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons capers, drained
• peel of 1 preserved lemon, diced
• 16 oz Israeli couscous
• 1 cup red peppers, roughly diced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

Cook couscous according to package.

Press pepper onto both sides of pork pieces. Heat 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. (Or do as I did and cook in your bacon-fat seasoned skillet.) Season pork with salt. Cook until just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plates and keep warm.

[Pork in the skillet.]

Add stock and preserved lemon to skillet. Boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 7 minutes. Whisk in remaining 4 tablespoons butter. Add tomatoes and peppers. Cook for 2-3 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Place pork on top of couscous and pour sauce over both.

[Phone picture halfway through the meal. With roomie's green beans.]

Update: recipe for preserved lemons here.