I host a bible study/dinner at my house each week in the summer time. We all bring something to share and we usually have a theme night. It is a lot of fun! Our group is nicknamed "Concord Girls" and we are in our third year, and MAN have we had some tasty recipes at our table! I am kicking myself for not sharing them here until now, but this summer I hope to post some of our favorites this, starting with this gem....(my picture did not come out, the one below looks the part and is from Google images. There was no photo credit with it otherwise I would post it. However, it is from Cooking Channel website. I will post a picture of mine next time I make it)
SHRIMP FRA DIAVOLO
(This recipe is for a party of 8-12 so adjust accordingly)
Ingredients
3 pounds of large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Olive Oil
Cajun Seasoning (to taste)
Kosher Salt (to taste)
Sugar (to taste)
2 Large Shallots Diced
10 cloves of garlic minced (I am heavy on garlic because our crowd LOVES it, you can adjust this)
2 CUPS Dry White Wine
2 Cans (15 oz) of tomatoes (I use Hunts Fire Roasted)
1 Can (15 oz) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 1/2 Pounds of Pasta Of Choice--I use Angel Hair Pasta
Step 1: Toss shrimp in the Cajun seasoning. Cook in a Dutch oven or large skillet with about 2-3 TBS of olive oil for aprox one min on each side. I did mine in three batches. After shrimp is pink on both sides remove it and set it aside. DO NOT cook shrimp beyond just making it pink on each side or you will end up overcooking it!
Step 1 Part 2: GET A LARGE POT OF WATER STARTED FOR PASTA!
Step 2: Cook the shallots in the same Dutch oven/skillet until translucent.
Step 3: Add tomato sauce and tomatoes with juices, wine, garlic, oregano, and basil to the pot. Bring to a low boil.
Step 4: TASTE! Then add your salt and pepper a little at a time! If the sauce tastes bitter then add sugar--1 Tablespoon at a time. Each time you taste and add a little stir it in well and let it hang out for about five minutes and then taste again. If you need more then just repeat until you reach the taste desired for your taste buds. You can add things like cayenne here too if you want more heat.
**I add the step to taste because like most fruits and veggies canned tomatoes have different degrees of sweetness and acidity. Each can may taste differently. This is a big reason why when people follow recipes to the letter for sauces that they do not always come out the same each time. That being said, Step 4 is the most important step!
Step 5: Once it is to taste, let it go at a low boil for about 10-15 minutes so it will thicken a little. This will NOT be a dense sauce like spaghetti sauce.
Step 6: Add shrimp back to the Dutch Oven/Skillet. COVER AND TURN THE HEAT OFF!! You want to reheat the shrimp and NOT cook it any longer. If you do the shrimp will be tough!
Step 7: The water in your large pot should be boiling, add your pasta and cook it according to pasta directions for al dente.
Step 8: Toss pasta into the sauce and mix well. (I left the pasta separate and it was not pretty, so make sure you toss the pasta in the sauce or at least pour it over top of the pasta in a large serving bowl.)
Step 9: You can toss with cheeses of choice if you would like as well.
TIPS:
* YOU CAN MAKE THIS IN ADVANCE! I had some left over and it actually tasted much better the next day. Mind you, it was really yummy the day of! If you plan on doing this in advance DO NOT store it with your pasta! Make your pasta before you serve it. I say the same if you want to keep some for lunch the next day, store the two separately but reheat them together.
* You can change the shrimp out for another meat, such as chicken or meatballs or sausage.
* For a twist use sausage and put it over some rice!
* You can use minced in the jar garlic if you hate chopping garlic. I usually keep that stuff on hand at all times because I find dealing with garlic a pain the in the rear. The jar stuff is great and it has garlic juice in it as well that you can use if you need just a smidgen of garlic for a recipe.
* If you want your sauce thicker then you can add some tomato paste. I would do a TBS at a time until you get the thickness you desire. Just keep in mind that this loose sauce is meant to be absorbed by the pasta and not stick to it.
* ADD YOUR PASTA TO THE SAUCE WHILE BOTH ARE HOT! (if you are reheating a lunch portion, mix the two and microwave together). The sauce will absorb a lot of the liquid.
* IF YOU USE FRESH HERBS, make sure you multiply what you would use dried by 3. Dried herbs are more intense than fresh. I find with sauces that dried works better and the fresh is a great garnish.
* IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ANYTIME YOU USE CANNED TOMATOES (home canned or store canned) that you bring them to a boil for at least five minutes before you eat them. This is more so for home canned, but it is best to keep this in mind each time you use tomatoes.
* TASTE TASTE TASTE!! Make sure you taste this and ANY sauce or gravy as you prepare it. Sauce and gravy recipes should always be treated as a guideline. Your taste buds should always be a component in sauce making! That is the only way to know for sure when a sauce is done. If it tastes good to you and you would eat it then it is ready to serve, if not then do not put it on your table.
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