Shrimp With Fennel Recipes

Steps:

• Place shrimp in a bowl and season with fennel, red pepper flakes, lots of salt and pepper, the zest of 2 lemons. Add garlic and oil and use your hands to coat shrimp evenly. Heat a skillet to medium-high and cook shrimp until pink and firm, douse pan with the juice of 2 lemons and serve immediately.

Steps:

• 1. Peel the shrimp, reserving the shells. (It is impractical to devein small shrimp, but if you are using the larger ones, I recommend that you do.) Split the shrimp lengthwise in half down the back, cover, and refrigerate until needed.
• 2. Remove the fronds (lacy top) from the fennel, coarsely chop, and reserve for garnish, covered and refrigerated. Trim off the tops and tough outer layers of the fennel and coarsely chop, reserve for the stock. Quarter the fennel bulb lengthwise, cut away the core, and cut very thinly across into 1/4- to 1/3-inch slices.
• 3. Add 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and the 2 crushed garlic cloves to a 10- to 12- inch high-sided skillet or sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat until the garlic begins to brown. Add the shrimp shells and sauté for 5 minutes, or until the shells turn red and are very aromatic. Add the fennel trimmings, the wine, and water, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 20 minutes. Season lightly with salt. Strain the stock; you should have 3 1/2 cups.
• 4. Heat a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over low heat and add the bacon. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the bacon is a crisp golden brown. Pour off all the fat except 1 tablespoon, leaving the bacon in the pot.
• 5. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and chopped garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the onion, sliced fennel, fennel seeds, and optional crushed red pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 10 minutes, until the onion and fennel are softened but not browned.
• 6. Add the potatoes and the reserved shrimp stock. The stock should just barely cover the potatoes; if it doesn't, add enough water to cover. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil. Cover the pot and cook the potatoes vigorously for about 8 minutes, until they are soft on the outside but still firm in the center. If the broth hasn't thickened lightly, smash a few potatoes against the side of the pot and cook a minute or two longer to release their starch.
• 7. Reduce the heat to medium, add the tomatoes, and simmer for 5 minutes more. Stir in the shrimp and cook for 1 minute, then remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cream. Let sit for 10 minutes while the shrimp finish their slow cooking. Taste the chowder and season with black pepper and more salt if needed. If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover the chowder after it has chilled completely. Otherwise, let it sit at room temperature for up to an hour, allowing the flavors to meld.
• 8. When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over low heat; don't let it boil. Ladle into cups or bowls, making sure that the shrimp, fennel, potatoes, and bacon are evenly divided. Sprinkle with the reserved chopped fennel fronds.

Steps:

• In a large pot bring water to a boil. If you have them handy, toss in a few shrimp shells to flavor the water. Be sure to remove them before putting in the pasta.
• Cook pasta according to manufacturer's directions.
• Remove & drain cooked pasta from water with slotted spoon, reserving about 2 cups of liquid.
• Bring another pot of water to boil to blanch the fennel.
• While the water is heating, cut the greens off the fennel, remove the tough outer layer and quarter the bulbs. Keep the greens.
• Blanche fennel for 30-seconds to 1 minute in boiling water.
• Finely chop the leafy greens for use as a garnish.
• Slice blanched fennel bulb to pieces about the same size as the shrimp.
• In a large sauté pan heat olive oil over med-high heat.
• Slice/dice/crush garlic & sauté in hot oil (the finer the garlic, the stronger the flavor. For very mild flavor, slice the garlic thick & remove before adding any other ingredients).
• Add shrimp and some pepper flakes to pan. Cook shrimp in oil, about 1 minute each side.
• Remove shrimp from pan.
• Add fennel pieces to pan, and sauté for 1-2 minutes with pepper flakes to taste.
• Reduce heat to med and add pasta to pan, along with 1 1/2 cup of pasta water. The pasta water will form a creamy sauce.
• Stir while cooking about 2 minutes. If sauce cooks down too quickly or is not enough, add more pasta water.
• Add salt and pepper flakes to taste.
• Add shrimp back & stir to evenly coat with sauce.
• Just before serving toss in about 2 tablespoons of chopped fennel greens and parmesan cheese. Make any final salt/pepper adjustments.
• Serve garnished with additional fennel greens.

Steps:

• Heat 4 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, fennel and red pepper. Sauté until vegetables are tender, about 6 minutes. Add tomatoes and oregano. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and cook 5 minutes. Transfer to bowl. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)
• Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook until just pink and opaque, about 3 minutes. Add vegetables and heat through. Stir in cheese. Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve over orzo.