For the second installment of Project Food Blog, the folks at FoodBuzz asked that we step outside our comfort zones and create a dish from a cuisine that we were unfamiliar with. What’s more, we had to keep it authentic. The problem for me is that I’m pretty comfortable with many cuisines and that I had to make the dish with what I had on hand, as we’re slated to move soon.
As far as stepping outside my comfort zone, I did so by following a recipe to the letter. In my book, that’s about as far outside the zone as I can get. I swear that I only adapted the recipe by using canned tomatoes instead of fresh, and dried basil instead of fresh basil. For me cooking without interpretation is almost painful, but the result was worth it.
Cooking cuisines from other cultures can teach you many things. Things that join all human beings together in small, every day ways.
Within minutes of starting, the house was full of the aromas of onions cooking in butter and crushed garlic. These scents mingled with the briny smell of the sea, chopped parsley and bay leaf. the combinations might not have been what I’m used to, but they were comforting and soothing on a very universal level.
The end result was, as most Mediterranean dishes are, far more than the sum of its parts. What seemed to be a very tame recipe was hiding a hidden blast of flavor in the whole peppercorns added to the sauce. The method for cooking the shrimp cooks it to perfection, even if you accidentally leave it on a bit too long. (Or have to leave the skillet sitting on the stove while you shoot pictures of the dish.)
As to the authenticity, I got the original recipe from Binnur’s Turkish Cookbook, the most authentic source of Turkish recipes that I know of, and one that my wife swears by. (And if anyone should know what Turkish food tastes like, it’s a lady who has lived there for over a year.) I strongly suggest this recipe to anyone who loves shrimp. It’s simply amazing.
And remember, your votes count in this competition. Voting opens tomorrow, so hop over to my contestants profile and give me a nudge towards challenge #3 if you think the recipe is deserving!
Ingredients:
- 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 Tbsp butter
- 2 onions, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced then crushed with salt
- 2 – 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes, drained
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 Tbsp basil, chopped
- 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
- 2 Bay leaves
- 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 4 cups cooked white rice
Method:
Saute the onion with butter in a large skillet over medium high heat for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato, sugar, basil, parsley, bay leaf and peppercorns. Reduce heat to low and cover. Cook for 20 to 25 minutes or until sauce thickens.
Add shrimp, salt and pepper. Cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Serve over white rice.
Serves 4.
Share and Enjoy!
What I would have done differently had I thought of it at the time:
I think I would have crushed the peppercorns instead of leaving them whole. Biting into a whole peppercorn is a bit aggressive, but the blast of flavor is nice. Big chunks, yes. Whole corns… Not so much.
Links to other recipes like this:
- Shrimp Saute with Tomato (Domatesli Karides Sote), from Binnur’s Turkish Cookbook
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{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
I’m so with you, Jerry…the hardest part for me too is following a recipe. It requires discipline! Good luck – hope to see you in Round 3.
We’ll see about round 3, there are some pretty impressive dishes in this round of the competition and I was a bit rushed due to family issues. regardless it’s been fun so far!
This looks like a terrific dish! I rarely cook to the recipes… unless it is a baked good which are not as forgiving of substitutions and experimentation. Best of luck to you!
Baking is a science, cooking is an art. I leave most baking to my wife, who is both lovely and extremely talented in that department. (Though I do make good bread). The dish was amazing. My oldest don and I ate enough for 4. It was awesome.
Following a recipe to the letter is a challenge in itself. I look forward to following you throughout the competition Jerry.
bellini valley,
For me it’s excruciating. From start to finish I had to stop myself from making additions, substitutions or just “winging it” for the rest of the recipe. I’m glad I didn’t. It was wonderful
Beautiful! You know I’m with you on following a recipe to the letter. That was so rough, I kept thinking of things I could be doing with mine that I knew I shouldn’t do.
Good luck to you, dearest!
I’ve never known a chef or a good cook that doesn’t want to change the recipe to suit his/her own tastes, but sometimes it is very much worth it not to o so. This dish was one of those times.
Mmmmmm, my fav cuisine by far! Looks great! Good luck on PFB!
I’m just delving in to Turkish dishes, but so far have not been disappointed with anything I’ve tried. The food is amazing, with hints of the exotic.
Thanks for the encouragement, too
These look great! I can’t wait to try them out.
You won’t regret it!
There are so many ways to interpret going out of one’s ‘comfort zone’ and I can definitely relate to yours. The dish definitely looks like one I’d want to try!
For me the term “follow the recipe” is something that gives me fits. It was one of the hardest things I’ve done in a while, LOL
Voted for you and good luck with PFB :)
I would like to invite you to participate in my giveaway
http://atasteofkoko.blogspot.com/2010/08/mini-pistachio-tea-cakes-40.html
Here is my entry for PFB http://www.foodbuzz.com/project_food_blog/challenges/2/view/1039
Not bad, I need to add more ethnic foods into my repertoire, this might be a good fit.
That looks amazing! I haven’t made a good shrimp recipe in a while, it’s difficult to buy fresh shrimp locally, and I don’t care for the taste of frozen shrimp. However, if I can get my hands on some fresh shrimp, I am definitely trying this recipe! Thanks for sharing it.