Ginger-Garlic Shrimp with Tangy Tomato Sauce

Here's a shrimp recipe with Thai tendencies. Lemongrass and basil. Ginger and garlic. Half the recipe and it's delicious as dinner on a bed of couscous. Or double the recipe and make a platter the centerpiece of a summer buffet. (Food & Wine suggests using the marinade on pork or chicken. I would have to agree.)


Ginger-Garlic Shrimp with Tangy Tomato Sauce
From Food & Wine magazine.
Makes ten servings. (That's the official word. Don't be surprised if four hungry folks eat each and every bit.)


SHRIMP:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 1/2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined

DIPPING SAUCE:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 stalks of fresh lemongrass, tender inner bulb only, minced
1 1/2 pounds tomatoes—peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Kosher salt

Marinate the shrimp: In a large bowl, mix the vegetable oil with the parsley, garlic, basil, ginger, lemon juice, salt and crushed red pepper. Add the shrimp and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.

Meanwhile, make the sauce: In a medium saucepan, heat the vegetable oil. Stir in the ginger, garlic and lemongrass and cook over moderate heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool to room temperature, then stir in the lime juice and cilantro. Season with salt. Transfer the sauce to ramekins.

Light a grill. Loosely thread the shrimp onto 10 skewers. Grill over moderately high heat, turning once, until lightly charred and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to plates and serve with the tomato sauce.


Food/Wine Pairing: I actually opened two bottles of wine for this one. A Spanish Albarino as suggested by Food & Wine and a Sauvignon Blanc that ranked as a "Value Brand of the Year" in Wine & Spirits Magazine. The Martin Codax Albarino--honey-colored with a citrus nose tempered with the wonderful salty dryness found in wines from Raix Baixas--is the better "drinking" wine. But the Veramonte Reserva Sauvignon Blanc was perfect with the recipe. Ginger, garlic and red pepper all add heft and spice to the dish, and the slightly "green"/herbal nose and taste with plenty of citrusy grapefruit/melon zing perfectly refreshes the palate.