(NC)—This summery dish was created by Chef Anthony Rose, formerly of the Drake Hotel in Toronto, for the Almond Board of California. It's a take on the classic ratatouille, using grilled shrimp, and a smooth, buttery almond oil and white wine glaze. Blended with seasonal vegetables and topped with a homemade pesto, it's perfect on the grill for backyard entertaining.
Almond and Garlic Fried Shrimp with Grilled Summer Ratatouille
and a Basil Pesto
Serves 6
For Grilled Ratatouille:
1 each red, yellow, orange pepper, cut in half and cleaned
1 large zucchini, sliced lengthwise
1 large Asian eggplant, sliced lengthwise
1 large red onion, sliced thick, approx. ½” (1.3 cm)
1 pint (470 mL) cherry tomatoes
¼ bunch tarragon, finely sliced
¼ bunch chives, finely sliced
1/3 cup (75 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste
Pesto:
2 cloves garlic
1 oz (30 g) grated parmigiano cheese
1/8 cup (25 mL) toasted blanched almonds
1 bunch basil
4 oz (120 g) extra virgin olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste
Shrimp:
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup (250 mL) slivered almonds, toasted
1 tsp (5 mL) chili flakes
¼ cup (50 mL) almond oil
2 lbs (908 grams), about 16-20 wild white shrimp (peeled, deveined, tail on)
2 oz (60 g) white wine
2 tbsp (30 mL) butter
Salt & pepper, to taste
Method:
Drizzle peppers, zucchini, eggplant and onion with 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil, season with salt and pepper and grill until just cooked. When cool, cut vegetables into pieces the size of cherry tomatoes and set aside in a large bowl.
In a large pan over medium-high heat toss cherry tomatoes with 1 tbsp (15 mL) of olive oil and cook until they burst. Add tomatoes to bowl of grilled vegetables and toss with tarragon, chives and drizzle with 2 tbsp (30 mL) olive oil. Season to taste.
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together garlic, parmigiano cheese and almonds for 10 seconds. Add basil leaves and olive oil. Pulse until basil is processed fine and pesto is formed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
In a large skillet over medium high heat, sauté garlic, slivered almonds and chili flakes in almond oil approximately 30 seconds. Add shrimp, season with salt and pepper and sauté, continuously tossing and flipping shrimp until done, about 4 minutes. The garlic should be brown and a little crispy. Deglaze with white wine, scraping browned bits from the pan. Add butter and stir, forming a sauce. Remove from heat.
To Serve: Spoon summer ratatouille onto a plate, top with shrimp and dot shrimp with a dollop of pesto.
Nutritional Analysis: per serving
Calories: 808.5, Fibre: 8.6 g, Fat: 61 g, Cholesterol: 244.2 mg, Sat Fat: 9.8 g, Sodium: 313.4 mg, Mono Fat: 39 g, Calcium: 237.2 mg, Poly Fat: 9.4 g, Magnesium: 173.4 mg, Protein: 41.5 g, Potassium: 1,190 mg, Carb: 25.6 g, Vitamin E: 17.1 mg*
* total alpha-tocopherol equivalents.
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