Recipe: Saganaki

the appetizer:

In Simply Shrimp, James Peterson blends delicate shrimp with influences from the world's cuisines, including recipes like Thai Shrimp "Bruschetta" (Thailand & Italy), Saganaki (Greece & Turkey), and Shrimp Tagine (Morocco).

Cookbook

Saganaki

Makes: 6 first course
or 4 main course servings

This is one of those dishes, now ubiquitous in Turkey, that, like tiramisu or crème brûlée in the United States, was nowhere to be found 50 years ago. This recipe calls for feta in keeping with "authentic" versions, but those who find that feta has an aggressive note can substitute a mild American or French goat cheese. The word saganaki is the name of the vessel the dish is cooked and usually served in, a circular, metal shallow dish with handles. Copper versions can be found in cooking supply stores and while never cheap they're attractive enough to be useful for baking all sorts of foods—especially gratins—and then can be brought straight to the table.

Ingredients

1 small onion, chopped fine
2 jaiapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 2 teaspoons fresh marjoram leaves
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped coarse
30 large shrimp for first courses or 20 jumbo shrimp
for main courses, peeled and deveined (deveining optional)
6 ounces feta or other crumbly goat cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons ouzo (anisette-style liqueur), Pernod, or Ricard
1 small bunch parsley, large stems removed,
leaves and small stems chopped fine just before serving

Directions

If you have a metal dish to serve the saganaki, use it to cook the onions and chiles in the oil over medium heat for about 10 minutes; otherwise use a saucepan. Add the oregano, cook for 1 more minute, and add the tomatoes. Turn the heat up to between medium and high and cook the sauce for about 10 minutes, stirring every minute or two, until it thickens. When you're ready to serve, fire up the broiler and nestle the shrimp in the hot sauce. Sprinkle the feta and ouzo over the shrimp and slide under the broiler. Broil for about a minute—keeping a close eye on it—until the cheese melts and bubbles. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.