Meatless Monday - Zucchini Caponata

There's something about summer that makes eating meat-free seem effortless. With so much gorgeous fresh produce available, I really don't even think about meat, until the husband starts to revolt. So get thee to your local farmer's market and worship at the altar of local fruits and vegetables.

I developed this recipe to use up some pretty zucchini I picked up at our farmer's market. A caponata is traditionally made with eggplant, but I think the other ingredients equally compliment fresh dark green zucchini. We topped a piece of toast with the caponata and then capped it all with a poached egg (also from the farmer's market). The caponata would also be delicious tossed with hot pasta or spread on toasted baguette slices and topped with some melted mozzarella.

1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 large zucchini, cut into a 1/4" dice
1/2 sweet onion, cut into a 1/4" dice
2 Tablespoons chopped sun dried tomatoes
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano and thyme
1 teaspoons chopped capers

Heat oil over medium high heat in a saute pan. Add onion and zucchini and saute until nicely browned, 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chopped sun dried tomatoes and garlic, stir to combine. Lower heat to medium low and cook 1 minute. Add vinegar, stirring well, and cook 1 minute. Add herbs and capers, stir to incorporate and serve immediately.

Meatless Monday - Assorted Links

photo by John Kernick (from epicurious.com)

I'm in a between seasons cooking rut. It's too spring-like to cook my winter favorites, but it's not quite spring enough to get my hands on any fabulous produce yet. So, here's a few meatless recipes from my epicurious recipe box that I have been meaning to try.

Beet and Pear Napoleons with Ginger Juice Vinaigrette (it just looks so pretty!)

Mini Provolone Popovers

Zucchini, Lemon, and Ricotta Galettes

Orzo, Green Bean, and Fennel Salad w/ Dill Pesto

Meatless Monday - Tortellini w/ Carmelized Onion & Tomato

Tortellini w/ Carmelized Onion & Tomato, originally uploaded by s_ripperton.

Sometimes convenience and tastiness meet happily in the middle. Those little refrigerated packages of fresh pasta are a perfect example for me The fillings range in flavor from fancy lobster and truffle to plain three cheese. The fancy ones are delicious on their own, but the plainer flavors make a great base for a quick topping.

This recipe was made up on-the-fly. I had a different plan for the cheese tortellini that involved broccoli and lemon, but someone (pointed look in the husband's direction) ate all the broccoli. Oh well, at least he likes vegetables.

These portions serve 2 heartily, but could be stretched to 4 servings.

1 package refrigerated cheese tortellini, I like Buitoni brand or Trader Joe's
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, halved and finely sliced
salt to taste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup grape tomatoes
1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Parmesan cheese to top

Cook tortellini according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add onion and salt. Saute until onion softens and browns, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes.

Add garlic to onion mixture and cook until garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute longer.

Lower heat to medium. Add tomatoes and cook until they soften and begin to burst, about 7-10 minutes.

Add balsamic vinegar and cook 1-2 minutes until the vinegar as become syrupy.

Serve immediately over the tortellini and top with fresh Parmesan cheese.

Meatless Monday - Roasted Cauliflower with Capers and Onion

Roasted Cauliflower with Capers and Onion, originally uploaded by s_ripperton.

Mmm, cauliflower. I don't believe there is a winter vegetable I enjoy quite as much. As winter draws to a close here in the south (finally!) I have found myself trying to cram as much cauliflower goodness in before my attention turns to spring greens and white cucumbers.

Roasting cauliflower is my go-to technique for everday cauliflower consumption. It's relatively quick and extremely easy. Cauliflower also takes well to lots of flavors, which makes it versatile, too. Feel free to experiment at will.

1 head cauliflower will serve 4 people as a side dish.

1 head cauliflower, washed and cut into 1 inch florets
1 onion, halved and finely sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon drained capers

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except capers. Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange cauliflower in a single layer on the sheet.

Bake for 40-50 minutes, stirring once halfway through, until cauliflower is nicely browned. Top with capers and serve warm.

Meatless Monday - Gazpacho

Mmm, gazpacho. Eating it always reminds me of summer. However, a tasty version can be made even in the dead of winter thanks to high-quality canned plum tomatoes. Considering our southern winter seems never-ending (calling for snow tomorrow, in MARCH) we needed a dish like this to remind us that summer isn't too far away.

1 carrot, peeled and cut into 1" lengths
1 green pepper, seeded and cut into 1" pieces
3 scallions, cut into 1" lengths
1 - 28 ounce can of high quality Italian style plum tomatoes
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 Tablespoon hot sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Put all ingredients in a food processor and and process until the soup is mostly smooth but with a few chunky bits left. Pour soup into a bowl and chill for at least an hour. Garnish with a little more red wine vinegar and cilantro. To round out the this meatless meal, serve with cheese quesadillas.

Meatless Monday - Tuna with Asian Dipping Sauce

A few months ago, I happened upon a show by this guy one lazy Sunday morning. He was doing a show about ponzu soy sauce (and bacon, but as it is Meatless Monday, no bacon talk today). I'd seen ponzu in the grocery stores right there next to all the soy sauces, and the obligatory bottle on each table at sushi restaurants, but I never found an occasion to try it. However, the episode had some really yummy sounding recipes that I frantically scribbled on the backs of some magazine subscription cards laying nearby. After I finally bought a bottle, I fell in love at first taste with ponzu. It's salty and tangy and all around delicious. It just tastes fresher and more interesting than regular soy sauce.

I created this recipe because it showcases how well ponzu works in a variety of ways. One, as a tangy compliment to meaty seared tuna, and two, as a bright dressing that works perfectly with crisp greens.

Portions below will serve 2

Tuna:
2 1-inch thick sashimi grade tuna steaks
1 teaspoon fennel seeds, ground
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, ground
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Dipping Sauce/Dressing:
1/3 cup ponzu soy sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried ginger (fresh ginger would also be lovely)
1 scallion, very thinly sliced

4 cups mixed greens for salad

Let tuna come to room temperature, about 15 minutes before you are ready to cook. In a small bowl, combine fennel seeds, cumin, salt, and pepper. Sprinkle 1/2 of the mixture on each tuna steak, pressing gently to adhere.

Heat oil in a large non-stick pan over medium high heat. When hot, add tuna steaks and cook to your preferred doneness. If you are like me, that's about 1 minute per side for rare.

Combine all dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle about 2 Tablespoons of sauce over greens and toss to combine. Divide greens evenly between 2 plates and top each with a tuna steak. Serve with remaining sauce on the side for dipping the tuna.

Meatless Monday - Eggs Baked in Parchment with Spinach and Mushrooms

Full disclaimer this week - this recipe is inspired by one in a recent copy of Everyday Food. However, it has been amped up quite a bit with the dressing, as I thought the original recipe would be too bland. The following proportions will make 2 packages.

1 package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 package cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 eggs
2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper

Dressing:
2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.

Layout two sheets of parchment paper that have been cut into a long oval. Spread spinach and mushrooms in middle of one half of each parchment, leaving at least 2 inches of parchment to the edge. Make two shallow wells in each bed of mushroom and spinach and crack an egg into each well. Season with salt and pepper. Fold over other half of parchment and crimp edges to seal.

Place sealed packets an a baking sheet. Bake at 400 until eggs are set, but yolks are still runny, about 7-10 minutes.

While eggs are baking, combine all ingredients for dressing in a small bowl.

Remove packets from oven and tear or cut off the top layer of parchment from each. Divide dressing equally among the two packets and serve.

Cooking this dish in parchment isn't 100% necessary, but it is impressive to deliver to the table and rip open. If you want to skip the parchment, combine spinach and mushrooms with a little more olive oil and spread in the bottom of a shallow glass baking pan and top with the eggs. OR to serve four, lightly grease 4 small ramekins and divide spinach and mushrooms between them and top with 1 egg each.

Meatless Monday - Quick Garlic and Lime Shrimp

I know I just did a shrimp recipe a few weeks ago, but shrimp is just too yummy and quick to not eat often. This one has a ridiculously easy marinade and then just a few minutes in a hot skillet and dinner is ready. This would also be great served over pasta for a heavier meal. We ate it with a salad of blood oranges and red onions.

1 pound shrimp, peeled and deviened

Juice from 1 lime

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a non-reactive bowl (glass or ceramic), and toss well to combine. Allow to marinate in fridge for an hour.

Remove shrimp from fridge. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and marinade to pan when pan is hot and cook until shrimp are opaque. Serve with pan juices.

Meatless Monday - Curried Salmon Salad

I turn thirty in a few short weeks, and it makes me realize that milestones usually sneak up and surprise me when I'm not paying proper attention. Like the fact that this is my 215th post on Modern Renaissance. Yay me and yay you for reading, thanks!!!

I have a real treat for this Meatless Monday. The husband has a new job which means we get to see each other on the weekends, sweet! However, I am used to only feeding myself lunch on the weekends and now that he expects food, too, I have fallen into a recipe rut. For the past three weekends, we have had tuna melts for lunch every Sunday! Every single one! Now, I love me some tuna melts, but it was getting ridiculous.

Did I do anything about it, though? OF COURSE NOT! I totally forgot about it until lunchtime Sunday rolled around. I didn't succumb, though, I looked through the pantry and came up with the following recipe as a riff on our normal tuna melts. And it was a major success.

Even though we ate it for lunch, with a green salad or nice bowl of soup, these open faced sandwiches would make an excellent light supper, too. Recipe below is for 2.

1 14-ounce can salmon OR 2 5-ounce cans. picked through and any bones removed
1/4 cup chopped celery
2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped apple
2 Tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon curry powder

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Chill until ready to serve. Serve in lettuce cups or pile it on some toasted bread, dust with cheese, and broil like I did.

Meatless Monday - Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

I have noticed that portobellos are often touted as the vegetarian's steak. I have always failed to see the comparison, though. For me, portobellos are actually more interesting than most steaks. Dark, earthy, and juicy, they lend themselves well to many recipes. But if I happen upon some pretty portobellos, nine times out of ten I am going to stuff them.

The good thing about mushrooms is they taste good with a lot of other ingredients. I don't technically have a set recipe for stuffing them, I just go with what seems right that I have on hand. So feel free to adapt at will.

2 large portobello mushrooms, de-stemmed and de-gilled
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
2 Tablespoons finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
zest from one lemon
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan
1 Tablespoon olive oil, plus a little for brushing mushrooms

Preheat oven to 400. Brush mushrooms with a little oil and place on a foil lined baking sheet. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients to form the stuffing. Stuff each mushroom with 1/2 of the stuffing mixture, about 1/2 cup each. Bake in oven for 20 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and the stuffing is browned.

This recipe can be doubled to serve 4. I served these with a simple radish and celery salad garnished with lemon juice and cilantro.

Meatless Monday - Baked Shrimp in Foil

Sometimes making a home cooked meal is just easy. This is a recipe to keep handy for nights after long hard days. A few minutes prep time, a quick pop into the oven, and dinner is served. I buy frozen shrimp whenever I find them on sale, which is often since I have a network of friends that call me with hot tips on where to find discount shrimp. That's just how I roll.

Baked Shrimp in Foil

Amounts given are per person and will make 1 foil-wrapped package

1/2 pound shrimp, thawed if frozen, and unpeeled
1/2 lemon sliced into wedges
1/2 Tablespoon butter, cut into pieces
1/2 Tablespoon Old Bay seasoning (or more to taste)

Preheat the oven to 400. Roll out a piece of aluminum foil about 18" long. Place ship in the middle of the foil. Scatter lemon, butter, and Old Bay over shrimp. Pull up the short sides of the foil and roll together to seal, then roll the two remaining open sides to make a tightly sealed packet. Place packet on a small baking sheet in case any juices escape during baking. Place on a rack in the middle of the oven and bake for 20 minutes until the shrimp are cooked through. Serve with a nice piece of crusty bread for sopping up the lemon butter sauce.

Meatless Monday - Buttermilk Fresh Cheese

I hope everyone had lovely holidays. The first day back to reality is never fun, so here is a fun recipe to chase away post-holiday blues!

Have I mentioned that I love the Lee Brothers? I think I have maybe once or twice. This is another cool recipe from their Simple Fresh Southern cookbook. The husband and I were intrigued with the idea of making cheese ourselves. Actually, we gasped out loud and shouted 'We can make cheese at home?!? How have we never heard of this before?!' Ok, that last part was just me, but seriously, I can make cheese now!

Once again, the Lee Brother's technique is really very easy. I highly HIGHLY recommend running out and buying their cookbook IMMEDIATELY, especially since I followed their recipe exactly to make the cheese, so I don't feel like infringing on their copyright by posting the recipe here. (psst - it's here, though, so you can try it yourself if you don't get their book right now)

Meatless Monday - Fried Deviled Eggs

Even though I am a recipe junkie, I still sometimes I stumble across a recipe that totally surprises me. This one from The Splendid Table did just that. In theory, I supposed it could work. An egg with all the extra flavors from juiced up yolk filling AND the crispy edges of a fried egg sounded tantalizingly like the best of both worlds. However, I have been led astray by novel recipes before, so I hesitated a bit before plunging ahead with this one. It didn't disappoint, though, and was really easy as well. This would be an interesting lunch dish for any house guests who might be around during the holidays. I've modified the original recipe a bit and cut it in half so the recipe below will feed two as a main dish for lunch or 4 as a side/first course for supper.

Eggs:
4 large hard-boiled eggs, peeled
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon very finely minced onion
1 Tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
1 teaspoon white vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

Dressing & Salad:
Leftover egg stuffing
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons white vinegar
4 cups baby spinach, well-washed and dried

Cut each egg in half lengthwise and carefully scoop out yolks into a medium bowl. Reserve the whites on a small plate nearby.

Add mustard, onion, milk, mayonnaise, vinegar, and salt and pepper to the yolks and stir well to combine. They will make a thick paste.

Carefully stuff each egg white half with the yolk mixture. Level off so that the stuffing is level with the edge of the egg white, not mounded up like with traditional deviled eggs. This is important so the eggs will lay flat when they are fried. Reserve remaining stuffing to make into the dressing.

Heat 2 Tablespoons of oil over medium heat in a large non-stick pan. When hot, place each egg stuffed side down into the pan. The oil will bubble up some, so be careful and keep a close eye on the pan. Fry the eggs until the crisp up, about 4-5 minutes. Remove from pan and turn stuffing side up onto paper towels to drain.

In same bowl with reserved stuffing, add oil, mustard, and vinegar. Stir well to make the dressing. Put spinach in a large bowl and add dressing, tossing to coat evenly. Plate the salad and top with the fried deviled eggs.

Meatless Monday - Blackened Citrus Glazed Green Beans

I was lucky enough a few weeks ago to meet the Lee Brothers at an event a few weeks ago. Their new cook book is really fantastic and they are just as charming and witty in person as their writing. These beans were inspired by their Skillet Green Beans with Oranges recipe, however, I couldn't be bothered with the sectioning of the orange and what not the evening I made this. I did, however, have some fresh squeezed citrus juice handy thanks to the husband's excellent bartending skills (see below for a bonus holiday cocktail recipe). My tastebuds are indebted to the Lee Brothers for pointing out the lovely combination of green beans and citrus.

We ate these along with some delicious steamed crab legs. The combination of the sweet crab and the tender, citrusy green beans was great. However, the beans would also be good alongside poached or grilled chicken breasts or steamed fish fillets.

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lb green beans, trimmed
juice from 1/2 lemon
juice from 1/2 lime
juice from 1 clementine, or 1/2 orange

Combine the juices from the lemon, lime, and clementine in a small bowl.

Add oil to a large non-stick skillet and heat over high heat until just smoking. Add the beans in a single layer to skillet. Cook for about 8 minutes, only stirring every 1-2 minutes so the green beans get nicely charred.

Remove pan from heat and add the citrus juice. Swirl around pan to coat the beans until nearly all the juice has evaporated. Remove from pan immediately to prevent the juice from reducing too much and burning. Serve warm.

BONUS RECIPE: The Clemaretto Sour

The husband came up with this recipe a few years ago. Since clementines are only available for a short time around the holidays, this is the perfect cocktail to serve at a Christmas party or before a big holiday dinner. I suppose an orange could be substituted for the clementine, but then it wouldn't be as special!

Juice from 1/2 lemon
Juice from 1/2 lime
Juice from 1 clementine
Amaretto

Combine the juices in a cocktail shaker. Depending on the juiciness of the citrus, it should be between 1/4-1/2 cup of juice. Add an equal amount of Amaretto to the juice and a lot of ice. Shake until chilled, then strain. Serve in a martini glass with a wedge of clementine to garnish.

Meatless...Thursday? - Olive, blue cheese, tomato omelette

Wow, I didn't anticipate being so busy after the Thanksgiving holiday, but here it is Thursday and I haven't even gotten around to posting a Meatless Monday recipe. So here it is a few days late. Don't blame the recipe, though. It's delicious and totally not at fault for my tardiness.

This recipe is based on a similar one from my current fave cookbook Olives, Anchovies, and Capers. All the ingredients are staples in my fridge, so it was easy to throw this together for a very quick dinner. This would also be a wonderful brunch dish. Toss a green salad and go.

1 Tablespoon butter

4 eggs, beaten

1/4 cup chopped black olives (oil cured black olives or straight from a can, don't use kalamata or green olives as a substitute, they will taste weird with the blue cheese)

1/4 cup chopped grape tomatoes

2 Tablespoons crumbled soft blue cheese, gorgonzola or roquefort

In a 12" non-stick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Swirl around pan to cover bottom. Add eggs and cook a few minutes. When edges begin to set, lift them carefully and tilt pan so the runny uncooked egg will flow under the omelette. When the top begins to set, sprinkle olive, tomato, and cheese on one side of the omlette. Carefully fold the other side of the omelette over top the filling and let cook just until cheese melts. Slide omelette out of pan and onto serving platter. Use a big sharp knife to cut thick wedges. Serve immediately.

Meatless Monday - Stuffed Piquillo Peppers

This week's recipe could not be easier. A little messy - you will have goat cheese under your fingernails all night, but it's so delicious you won't mind.

Piquillo peppers are a Spanish staple and luckily are becoming widely available here in the States. They are the best peppers from a jar ever - smoky, sweet and tender. If you can't find them near you, jarred roasted red peppers will work, too, but they'll need to be cut in half or quartered.

This dish is served as tapas in Spain, and it really is best as a snack or appetizer. It's tasty even when served cold, but better after a few minutes under the broiler to melt the cheese inside the peppers. These would be great on top crusty rounds of toasted french bread or eaten straight from the pan in barefeet in the kitchen.

1 jar Piquillo peppers, 8-10 peppers total

6 ounces fresh goat cheese

2 Tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

Preheat the broiler. Drain jar of peppers and pat peppers dry with a paper towel. Gently open each pepper and stuff with goat cheese (mine took about 1 Tablespoon cheese per pepper). Arrange peppers in a shallow oven-proof dish. Pour olive oil over peppers and sprinkle garlic over all. Broil for 5-7 minutes until hot.

Meatless Monday - Braised Belgian Endive with Balsamic Vinegar

Late fall and early winter brings forth glorious greens. Among them are the lovely snowy teeny heads of Belgian endive. While I can't decide the best pronunciation for endive, I certainly do enjoy eating it. When raw, it is incredibly crunchy and bitter. It's great chopped in a salad with other greens, but too bitter to stand on it's own. However, give it a nice slow braise to take the edge off and it turns into a tender, complex early winter vegetable dish.

I served this over polenta to catch all the cooking juice and vinegar run off. The blue cheese is optional, but adds a nice extra oomph to the dish if serving as a main course.

4 small heads Belgian endive
2 Tablespoons butter
1/4 cup white wine
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Cooked polenta
4 Tablespoons crumbled blue cheese (optional)

Remove any bruised outer leaves from the endives. Trim a little off the core end, but don't cut the core entirely off. Halve each endive lengthwise.

In a medium dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the endives, cut side down, and cook 5-7 minutes until beginning to brown. Flip over and cook another 5 minutes until both sides are browned.

Add wine to pan and cover. Cook 25-30 minutes until the endives are soft.

Add vinegar to a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer until reduced by half, about 2-3 minutes. Watch carefully, it can go from perfectly syrupy to burned mess in just a few seconds.

Pile polenta in center of individual plates. Top with blue cheese crumbles then endive. Pour reduced vinegar over endives. Season with freshly ground pepper.

Serves 2

Meatless Monday - Mushroom and Celery Salad

My mother has been in town the past few days and I have over-indulged in her good cooking. I feel like I should pay penance and eat meatless all week, starting with this light, lovely salad.

Mushrooms and celery make a great combination, earthy and chewy versus fresh and crisp. This salad wouldn't say no to being served over a bed of freshly washed greens. Or serve it alongside a broth-based soup (like egg drop) for a light supper. If not eating meatless this is a great side to simply grilled chicken, steak, or fish.

1 pound fresh white mushrooms, cut into 1/4 inch slices
3 ribs celery, finely sliced
1 Tablespoon onion, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Combine mushrooms and celery in a large bowl. Combine onion, lemon juice, and mustard in a small bowl. Slowly whisk in olive oil to make dressing. Add Parmesan to dressing and stir to combine. Toss with mushrooms and celery. Serve chilled or at room-temperature.

Meatless Monday - Smoked Paprika & Garlic Shrimp

The husband and I sometimes argue about Meatless Monday. He says that it's cheating to eat fish and eggs on Meatless Monday. I disagree, however, and since this is my blog, I can get my own way.

This recipe is ridiculously good. Also, ridiculously easy. Do make a lot of it - I promise it will all get eaten. Also make sure to have plenty of crusty bread on hand for sopping up the delicious sauce.

This recipe includes two very Spanish ingredients - smoked paprika and sherry. Smoked paprika can be a smidge hard to find. I've used regular paprika in its place and it was still very good. The sherry needs to be a good quality dry sherry. It's flavor is pretty pronounced in the dish so do NOT under any circumstances use cream sherry or cooking sherry. Any good wine shop should have a selection of dry sherry. Unlike most wines, it keeps indefinitely in the fridge.

Serve small glasses of sherry over ice with this dish and reserve the rest for another application. I have a great recipe for sherry applesauce which I hope to have up here soon.

3-4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons smoked paprika (can substitute regular paprika)
2-3 Tablespoons sherry (NOT cooking sherry or cream sherry)
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
salt and pepper to taste

Combine garlic, pepper flakes, paprika, sherry, and oil in a small bowl. Mix well to combine. Place shrimp in a shallow dish and cover with marinade. Let sit in fridge at least 20-30 minutes.

Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add shrimp and marinade and cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp curl and change colors. Serve immediately.

Meatless Monday - Couscous with Roasted Squash and Preserved Lemons

The husband and I set out to make preserved lemons a few weeks ago. Then we realized we had a whole jar of preserved lemons and nothing to do with them. A quick search turned up this recipe, which I adapted slightly based on what we had in the pantry. While a little labor intensive, the dish turned out very tasty, one of those terrific recipes where everything is represented - tart, savory, sweet, salty. Delicious. We ate it as a main course for meatless Monday, but it would be great served with any kind of roasted meat, too.

1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled and seeded, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
10 ounces dry couscous
1 large onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice (are you seeing a pattern here?)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 preserved lemon, flesh removed, peel cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 475. Line a baking sheet with foil. Toss butternut squash with 1 Tablespoon oil and spread in even layer on baking sheet. Roast in oven for 15 minutes, or until squash is tender. Dump squash into a large bowl.

Cook couscous according to manufacturer's directions. Toss with a fork and add to bowl with squash.

Meanwhile, heat remaining Tablespoon of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until it begins to turn golden, about 5 minutes. Add onion to couscous mixture.

Return skillet to stove top and toast pine nuts over low heat until golden, about 3-4 minutes. Add to bowl with couscous mixture.

Add all remaining ingredients to couscous and toss well to combine. Serve either hot, room temperature, or cold.

For anyone interested, we got the recipe for preserved lemons from this book. All I can attest is we made them, ate them, and didn't die. They were actually very tasty, though felt disgustingly slimy. I think Sunday Supper's recipe looks much prettier, though. I will be trying their way next.