Garlic: An Herb Society of America Guide

Recipes

Spicy Garlic Shrimp with Fresh Rosemary served over Penne Pasta

3½ to 4 cups dry penne pasta + boiling water and 1 tablespoon salt
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 cloves garlic – peeled and cut in match sticks
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves – finely snipped
3 medium onions – peeled and sliced
30 extra-large raw shrimp – peeled and de-veined
1 green pepper – seeded and cut in strips
1 red bell pepper – seeded and cut in strips
½ cup pitted cured black olives – cut in halves
1 teaspoon sugar
1/3 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon coarse grind black pepper
1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons Tamari sauce (a type of soy sauce)
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup dry sherry wine
¼ cup fresh basil leaves – cut in chiffonade
Optional: 2 or 3 dashes of Tabasco sauce

1. Prepare all vegetables, shrimp, etc. and measure out all ingredients as the cooking goes rather swiftly so you want to have everything ready to go in at the appointed time.
2. Bring large kettle of water to a boil, adding 1 tablespoon salt. When water is boiling add the penne and cook until done. (Don't overcook – a little beyond al dente – but NOT limp.) Drain and keep hot.
3. In a large heavy sauté pan (or wok) heat the oil until hot but NOT SMOKING. Add the garlic, cut in matchstick-sized pieces, along with the finely snipped rosemary leaves. Toss and stir until the garlic just barely begins to turn color. Using a slotted spoon, remove cooked garlic from pan and set aside, keeping warm.
4. Put the sliced onions into the infused oil in the pan (adding a little more olive oil if necessary) and sauté, stirring occasionally. Cook until just beginning to color, then add the shrimp and jalapeno pepper. Stir as the shrimp are cooking. When the shrimp are about half done, add the green and red peppers, plus the pitted and sliced olives. Once again, stir and cook until the shrimp are almost done, adding the garlic from Step #3.
5. Make a well in the center – add the sugar, salt, pepper, Tamari, Worcestershire and sherry. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Then toss and stir the contents of the pan until everything is coated with the sauce. Add the fresh basil leaves – stir again – tasting for salt, and serve over hot penne pasta immediately.

Note: use only extra-virgin olive oil – Colavita or Filippo Berio are good brands that are not terribly expensive. Only buy olive oil in clear glass bottles, and check to see that the oil has a greenish tint to it. Extra-virgin olive oil is from the first cold pressing of the olives, and it should smell slightly fruity with no rancid overtones. Tamari sauce is an Asian type of soy sauce. If you can't find it, use regular soy sauce – a little less of it than called for above. Use only high quality sherry wine for your cooking – only wine that you would enjoy drinking by itself.

Serves 4 people

Recipe © Patricia Reppert, from Mad for Garlic (57). Printed with permission.

Next recipe: Festival Hill Roasted Garlic Chicken with Tarragon

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