the temperature is dropping, but the heat is on

Last week my local ShopRite had USA wild caught, never frozen shrimp on sale. Despite the fact sale meant $12.99/lb., I splurged and purchased some for dinner. I recently found a wonderful one pan meal on the NYT Cooking app for Shrimp in Purgatory. This recipe by Sarah Digregorio is a riff on the southern Italian dish, Eggs in Purgatory where eggs are poached in a spicy tomato sauce that you can sop up with crusty Italian bread, my preference, or serve over pasta or polenta. ​

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For the Shrimp in Purgatory, you’ll need olive oil, red or yellow onion, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, fresh garlic, dried oregano, red pepper flakes, fennel seed, Calabrian chiles, roasted red peppers, shrimp, scallions, capers and Parmesan cheese.
 
I was able to find Calabrian chiles at my local Wegmans food store. For a for the chiles, use jarred cherry peppers or cherry pepper relish. As this recipe comes together quite quickly and easily, I suggest using the miso en place method, that is, have all your ingredients at hand measured, chopped, or minced and ready to go.
 
Once the sauce was done, the last ingredients to go into the pan are the shrimp, scallions and capers. Off the heat you add the Parmesan cheese and adjust the seasonings of salt and pepper if needed. You can also add additional red pepper flakes, however, my husband and I enjoyed the level of spiciness the recipe called for. It was a delicious and zesty dish. Serving the shrimp with the Italian bread was a great option for us as we thoroughly enjoyed the sauce.
 
So, if you’re looking for an easy Valentine’s dinner, may I suggest Shrimp in Purgatory. If you prefer getting your shrimp from a local fishmonger, may I suggest Local130, Jody & Jodee’s Fishery, Mr. Shrimp or Atlantic Offshore Fishery. ​

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​Shrimp in Purgatory
By Sarah DiGregorio
The New York Times/NYT Cooking
 
Yield: 4 servings
Time: 25 minutes
 
INGREDIENTS
 
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 yellow or red onion, minced
 Kosher salt and black pepper
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried oregano
½ to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
2 tablespoons minced jarred Calabrian chiles or minced jarred cherry peppers, stems removed, or cherry pepper relish
8 ounces roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (about 1 cup)
1 (14-ounce) can whole or crushed tomatoes
1 to 1 ½ pounds peeled, deveined shrimp
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon capers, drained
½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
 
PREPARATION

1. Warm the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the onion, season generously with salt, and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, soft and starting to turn golden, 7 or 8 minutes. If necessary, decrease the heat to medium to prevent scorching.
2. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the oregano, red-pepper flakes and fennel seeds, then the Calabrian chiles, roasted red peppers and tomatoes. (Crush the tomatoes by hand, if using whole.) Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for about 5 minutes to slightly reduce the sauce and blend the flavors.
3. Add the shrimp, scallions and capers, and cook until the shrimp are curled, pink and opaque, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on size and quantity. Turn off the heat and taste the sauce. Add more red-pepper flakes, salt and pepper, if you like. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and serve, passing more Parmesan and red-pepper flakes at the table.

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