Try this Basil Shrimp in Fresh Tomato Sauce recipe
- Carbohydrate 17.64375875 g
- Cholesterol 5.5 mg
- Fat 3.27480374865 g
- Fiber 4.33610015296936 g
- Protein 5.71086125 g
- Saturated Fat 1.30502999981359 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (567g)
- Sodium 112.228124999973 mg
- Sugar 13.3076585970306 g
- Trans Fat 0.316697499963442 g
- Calories 113 calories
Step-by-step
- Put on water to boil for pasta; heat oil in non-sick skillet, add onions and saute for 5 min, without browning; add garlic and orange peel, saute another minute.
- Add tomatoes, cut into large cubes, and cook 15 min., stir occasionally.
- While its cooking, add pasta to boiling water, remove and drain when done, keep warm.
- If sauce seems watery, cook another few minutes.
- Add shrimp and pepper to sauce, cook gently about 3 minutes, til shrimp are pink.
- Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
- Remove orange peel, add basil.
- Divide pasta between 2 plates, spoon shrimp and sauce over, sprinkle w/cheese.
Overcooking the shrimp ruins a fresh tomato sauce dish faster than any other misstep. Seafood proteins tighten rapidly when subjected to sustained high heat, turning rubbery within seconds. Fresh tomatoes release significant liquid when heated, requiring proper reduction before any seafood enters the pan. Capturing the balance between vibrant acidity and tender protein demands attention to sequence and timing.
- Sauté onions over medium-low heat for exactly five minutes to soften them without caramelizing, preserving the bright background profile needed for fresh fruit.
- Strip the orange peel cleanly with a vegetable peeler, avoiding the bitter white pith underneath that muddues the citrus notes.
- Dice ripe tomatoes into large cubes so they collapse into a chunky sauce rather than dissolving into a watery puree during the fifteen-minute simmer.
- Extract the orange peel before adding fresh basil and seafood to keep the citrus presence subtle rather than dominant.
- Poach shrimp gently in the finished reduction for three minutes maximum, watching for the flesh to turn opaque and pink.
Substitutions remain straightforward for dietary adjustments. Swap the standard wheat bow-tie pasta for a certified gluten-free alternative without altering the reduction timing of the sauce.
