January | 2017 | Capers in Cooking

(All photos in this post are by LibbyVision.com)

One of my favorite go-to recipes is Tuscan Shrimp with White Beans from Michael Chiarello and the Food Network. I almost always have the ingredients on-hand and it’s a quick recipe that you can pull together in no time. It’s especially nice on chilly evenings. This recipe has some heat to it, but you can very easily omit that if spicy isn’t your thing. This is grain-free, gluten-free, and so delicious! If the Basil is a little bit too much for you, use fresh Baby Spinach leaves.

Our talented friend Libby from LibbyVision.com was looking for something to make with some beautiful local Red Grouper last week; she had white beans and tomatoes on hand and loves spicy food. I sent her the link to the Tuscan Shrimp recipe and told her that it would be a great place to start. She used it as inspiration and built her own delicious meal using the recipe as a guideline. Not only did she create a delicious meal, but she also took some absolutely stunning photographs of it to share with you.

Tuscan Grouper with White Beans (Serves 2)
(Adapted from Tuscan Shrimp with White Beans by Michael Chiarello)

1 pound fresh Grouper Fillet
1 can (15 ounces) White Beans
4 cloves fresh Garlic (sliced)
1 cup tomatoes (peeled and seeded), 1 can diced tomatoes, or about 15 grape tomatoes
1 cup fresh Basil leaves
1 tablespoon fresh Lemon juice
Salt & Pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Parsley
Olive Oil (you can use any oil that works with your dietary needs)
1 sliced Serrano Chile or Red Pepper Flakes (optional)

Drain the beans over a bowl and reserve the liquid. Place the white beans in a large skillet with just enough of their liquid to moisten them (about 2 tbsp). Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and bring the beans to a low simmer. Keep them warm while you prepare the shrimp.

Heat 1/4 cup oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the grouper, season with salt and sear (about 2-3 minutes per side). Remove the grouper carefully to a plate and cover with foil to keep warm.

Reduce the heat to medium high. Add the garlic to the pan and saute until the garlic browns, stirring frequently. Add the serrano and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and cook one minute. Add basil and stir briefly, then add the lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Toss well and add the grouper back to the pan to reheat the fish.

Spoon the white beans on a platter or individual plates. Drizzle them with the best olive oil you have, and then top with the grouper and spoon the tomato-basil-pepper mixture over the fish. Top with chopped parsley. Serve warm.

(Photo by LibbyVision.com)

( Photo by LibbyVision.com )

You may remember our Crab and Bacon Quiche recipe from a while back. This is an easy thing to pull together and it’s perfect for lunch, brunch, or dinner. Just add a side salad or a cup of soup and you’re all set! You can pretty much use anything you have on hand. I had some Smoked Gouda leftover from the holidays that hadn’t been eaten and some pancetta in the fridge… you can use any cheese you like or happen to have. I made a Pink Shrimp & Pancetta Quiche last week and our friend Libby from LibbyVision.com styled it and photographed the finished product for me!

NOTE: For this and other savory pie recipes, I replace half of the flour in the following recipe with yellow cornmeal. If you do not want to do this, go ahead and use 1-1/2 cups of flour and omit the cornmeal. For this particular recipe, I used half yellow cornmeal and half gluten-free flour… which makes this gluten-free!

Basic Pie Crust:

3/4 cup gluten-free flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1/2 stick), cut into small pieces
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Put flour and salt into a medium size bowl. Cut in the shortening/butter using a fork or a pastry blender until all the pieces are smaller than peas and it reminds you of a wet sandy mixture. Add the ice water one tablespoon at a time until it comes together into a ball. If you DO opt to add cornmeal, you might need a little more water to get it to form a ball. Just add it a little bit at a time. Shape it into a disc, cover it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. (You can do this a day ahead, too!) Roll it out and place in your pie dish. You can also do this in a stand mixer or food processor if you feel like washing it. You can also just skip ALL of this and buy a prepared pie crust.

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On to the quiche…

Pink Shrimp & Pancetta Quiche:

4 eggs, beaten
1 cup half & half
8 ounces shrimp (peeled, deveined, chopped, and cooked)
4 ounces pancetta (chopped)
1 cup shredded cheese
1 small onion (diced)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
fresh thyme

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and gather your ingredients. I did not add salt to the quiche because the cheese and pancetta already have so much salt.

Sauté the onion and pancetta until the onions are soft and the pancetta has a little color to it. Mix together the remaining ingredients and stir in the onions and pancetta last (so it has a chance to cool off and doesn’t cook the eggs). Pour the mixture into your prepared pie crust.

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Bake at 350 degrees for around 45 minutes. As soon as the center is set (not wiggly) and it’s brown and bubbly, it’s done. Let it sit for about 15 minutes before you slice it. The possibilities are almost endless with this. You can use cooked shrimp, cooked lobster, and any combination of cheeses! Enjoy!! We topped ours with some fresh local tomatoes and organic microgreens.

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