Tuscan Styled Shrimp

If somethings has shrimp in the name, it’s a given I am going to like it. This is also pretty true for any most kinds of Italian food too. Preparing shrimp in an Italian way, well, that is definitely going to be a winner, no doubt about that. 🙂

I made Tuscan styled shrimp, or at least that’s what I am calling it, and it was oh so good. I loaded it up with spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, onions, tomatoes, mushrooms and of course lots of huge jumbo shrimp. Shrimp and seafood are not traditionally part of the Tuscan diet, as Tuscany is landlocked and plunged in the center of rolling hills, but today, anything goes. Traditional Tuscan food is more centered around meats, cheeses, wild game, and of course fresh vegetables and bread; all the foods that come from the land.

Tuscan styled foods are simple foods made in a light sauce, usually made with olive oil and/or broths. They are made using fresh, high-quality ingredients that bring out the natural flavors in each dish. They are made with fresh aromatic herbs and peppers, garlic, onions, tomatoes, lemons, legumes, just to name a few. All the foods I love. I cook this way all the time. Sometimes, they are referred to as “poor man’s food or cucina povera“. I must really like poor man’s food a lot, because, no matter what style I am cooking in, these are the dishes I tend to gravitate to the most.

Cucina povera became the way to cook in order to survive when Tuscany was a poor, rural area. With access to limited ingredients, Tuscans got creative in the kitchen to make the most of what they had by embracing a no-waste philosophy. The magic of cucina povera lies in the frugal Italian cook’s ability to transform humble ingredients from the Tuscan countryside into simple, flavor-packed dishes.

Tuscan Styled Shrimp

1 1/2-2 lbs large shrimp or prawns, peeled and deveined

4 cups baby spinach, stems removed

2 large tomatoes, diced

1-2 cups sliced mushrooms

1 can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half

1 onion, diced

1-2 TBSP garlic

salt & pepper to taste

red pepper flakes to taste

1 TBSP capers

2-3 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP lemon olive oil, optional

2 TBSP lemon balsamic vinegar, optional

1 cup dry white wine

1-2 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1-2 tsp basil

1-2 tsp oregano

1-2 tsp marjoram

Get a large skillet very hot, then add the olive oil and lemon olive oil, if using. Add the shrimp and cook until completely pink, about 2-3 minutes per side. Remove and set aside.

Saute the onions and garlic for about 2 minutes, then add the spinach and mushrooms. Cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the wine and cook down for about 1-2 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Then add the tomatoes, capers, chicken broth and seasonings.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer and continue to cook for about 7-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the artichoke hearts and re-add the shrimp at about the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Drizzle more lemon olive oil or lemon juice on top and mix in, then serve over cooked pasta or cooked cannellini beans. This is a light sauce, so a lighter pasta is perfect. I used angel hair pasta. You do not want a heavy pasta. The delicate flavors of the sauce will get lost on it. Top it with some fresh Mozzarella or Parmigiano, serve it with some warmed bread and chilled wine, and dinner is done. !Buon Appetito!

You can also use this same sauce for chicken too.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.