It’s been over 6 years since we made this lovely braise, and thought it high time to create it again. It’s from Molly Steven’s “All About Braising” cookbook, and we adjusted the recipe slightly.
“The shrimp get tossed in just a few minutes before serving, making the finished dish a real cornucopia of seafood and vegetables.”
Molly Stevens
The braising liquid for this dish consists of a colorful mix of tomatoes, garlic, onion, carrots, and celery that is brightened with the zests and juice of orange and lime. Also included are small potatoes turning it into a satisfying one-dish meal.
*However, even though I halved or quartered the baby potatoes, they still were on the hard side after 45 minutes! We suggest either microwave, or steam the potatoes before adding them to the pan, or omit them altogether and serve over a bed of orzo. Both times we made this dish, we used a 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes instead of the smaller 14.5-ounce size; and that is reflected in the list of ingredients below.
Then there’s the age old controversy about leaving the olives pitted, which can be annoying when trying to eat civilly in the presence of company. But when you cook olives whole, it’s almost like an anchovy. The salt comes out of the olives, and the olive becomes more like a vegetable, and the salt from the olive flavors the dish really wonderfully. Pits, or no pits, we’ll leave that dilemma up to you…
Orange-Scented Mediterranean Shrimp Braise
Ingredients
- 3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 to 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- ½ cup finely chopped yellow onion (about ½ small onion)
- 1 small carrot, finely chopped
- 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
- Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
- ½ cup dry white wine or dry white vermouth
- 2 strips orange zest, removed with a vegetable peeler (each about 3 inches by ¾ inch)
- 1 strip lime zest, removed with a vegetable peeler (about 2 inches by ½ inch)
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- ¼ cup freshly squeezed lime juice
- One 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, drained and chopped
- Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
- ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- ¾ lb. small potatoes*, preferably fingerlings or white creamers (omit altogether and serve over orzo)
- ¼ cup small green olives, such as Picholine, (pitted or not, that’s up to you)
- 2 Tbsp. capers, rinsed and drained
- ¾ lb. large shrimp (30 to 35 count per pound), peeled and deveined
- 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces (optional)
Directions
- The aromatics and braising liquid: Heat the oil in a large deep lidded skillet (13-inch works well) over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the onion, carrot, and celery. Season with salt and pepper, stir, and sauté until just beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, sauté another minute more. Add the white wine, orange and lime zests, and orange and lime juices, and let the liquid simmer vigorously until reduced by half, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, crushed red pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the parsley. Return to a simmer.
- The braise: Turn the heat to very low, cover, and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Then add the potatoes, olives, and capers. Stir so the potatoes are evenly distributed, replace the cover, and continue to simmer until the potatoes are easily pierced with the tip of a knife, another 30 to 40 minutes.
- The finish: Add the shrimp, leave the pan uncovered, and adjust the heat so the liquid simmers gently. Simmer just until the shrimp are cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons parsley, and taste. If the sauce tastes too acidic or too sharp, stir in the butter. The small bit of butter will soften the acidity nicely. Taste again for salt and pepper. Remove the zests if you like, and serve in shallow bowls.
Recipe adapted from Molly Stevens “All About Braising”
Accounting for Taste 