Garlic and Lemon Shrimp with Feta

Mmmm…this is one of the best shrimp dishes I have tried in a long time. It’s really special! The flavor is a lot like shrimp scampi but with the added tang of feta cheese. The recipe comes from Greece and is typical of the southern areas of the country. Using the shrimp with the shells on, intensifies the flavor, but if you prefer, you can clean the shrimp ahead of time and reduce the cooking time. The dish should be spicy, but the red pepper used should not overpower the other ingredients. Enjoy with rice, couscous or simply a green salad.

Garlic and Lemon Shrimp with Feta
Adapted from “Mon carnet Gourmand, Tessa Kiros”
Ingredients:
2 pounds of large, raw shrimp
7 Tbs. butter
salt
5 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 bunch fresh parsley
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper (or peri-peri)
juice of 2 lemons
1 cup feta cheese, crumbled

To Make:
Rince and de-vein the shrimp. In a large dutch-oven or saucepan, sprinkle 2 T. of butter (in pieces) over the bottom. Add a layer of shrimp and lightly salt each piece. Sprinkle 1/3 of the parsley and garlic over the top and add a pinch of the red pepper. Add another 2 T. of the butter, then more of the shrimp and follow with the parsley, garlic and red pepper in the same manner. Continue until all of the shrimp are used. Cover and cook over medium heat for around 10 minutes, or until shrimp are slightly colored. Add the lemon juice and the feta. Mix well to mix the sauce. Using a spoon, top the shrimp with the sauce mixture and continue to cook, covered, an additional 10 minutes or until the feta is melted. Serve immediately.

Yield:
2-3 servings