Skillet Shrimp with Basil, Garlic and Tomatoes...

Jeff asked if we could slip in a shrimp dish at some point while I was menu planning for the week ahead this weekend. It is going to be pretty busy around here the next few days, so I was more than willing since shrimp take no time to cook!

I dove through my smaller to-try pile of seafood recipes and decided on this Skillet Shrimp with Basil, Garlic and Tomatoes as I already had everything on hand. Before I added the shrimp to the skillet, I let loose a few thinly sliced cloves of garlic, a little orange zest and a pinch of crushed red pepper into a small pool of olive oil. Keep the heat on the low side at this point - you are just looking to release those brilliant flavors into the oil and not gain any color on the garlic.

When that aromatic punch wafted up from the skillet, we slid the peeled shrimp (and yes, I whisked those shells into the freezer for stock this time!) inside and let them cook on one side until they began to pink up. Once we flipped them over, we doused them with fresh orange juice and let the shrimp bubble away in that sweet acid until they were just cooked through. To bring in that timely summer flavor, a chopped tomato and shreds of basil leaves are added at the end just to warm through. As it was fairly saucy, we served this over a bed of nutty brown basmati rice, cooked using the no-fuss method that I've really taken a liking to. Orzo, quinoa or any other of your favorite grains would also be a good choice to serve this with. With such bright flavors and a mild kick, we both thought this was a solid dish and a snap to prepare - I'll be sure to remember this light recipe when we want something tasty and quick!

Recipes
Skillet Shrimp with Basil, Garlic and Tomatoes