Smoky Shrimp Saganaki
A delightful dish full of flavor, combining shrimp, feta cheese, and spices for a warm and comforting meal perfect for sharing.
Ingredients
Chiles and Garlic
- 1 chipotle chile, stem and seeds removed
- 1 ancho chile, stem and seeds removed
- 2 fresh long red chiles, split open lengthwise with the stem intact
- 1 head of garlic 1 clove minced, the rest separated but left skin-on and whole
Main Ingredients
- 24 ounces cherry tomatoes
- 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- to taste fine sea salt and black pepper
- 1 (8-ounce) block feta cheese
- 1/2 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro
- as needed crusty bread, for serving
Instructions
Preparation
- Heat the oven to 425 degrees F.
- In a 10-inch cast-iron pan or an 8-by-11-inch broiler-safe baking dish, add the chipotle chile, ancho chile, fresh chiles, whole garlic cloves, cherry tomatoes, olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, and a good grind of pepper. Make sure the dried chiles are tucked underneath so they stay submerged in oil.
- Bake for 10 minutes and then stir, keeping the chiles submerged.
Cooking
- Nestle the feta in the middle of the mixture and return it to the oven for 15 minutes, until the tomatoes are charred and the feta has softened.
- While the feta is cooking, gently butterfly the shrimp by making a shallow cut along the back of each shrimp from head to tail using a sharp knife.
- Set the broiler to the highest setting and let it heat for 5 minutes.
- Stir the shrimp and the crushed garlic into the tomato mixture, leaving the feta whole in the center. Broil on the top rack for 3 to 5 minutes, until the shrimp is cooked through and the feta is golden.
Serving
- Spoon some of the tomato mixture on top of the feta, sprinkle with cilantro, and enjoy with crusty bread.
Notes
Use fresh shrimp for the best flavor. Frozen shrimp can work, but make sure they are thawed completely. Don’t skip the resting time after baking; it helps the flavors blend. Feel free to adjust the type of chiles to your spice preference. If you have leftovers, let the dish cool, cover it tightly, and store it in the fridge for about 2 days.