Roasted Shrimp with Feta

Here is another recipe from one of my Christmas cookbooks, Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That? and it was great. And fairly healthy, which is a bit of a rarity from Barefoot Contessa! I loved the fennel's pleasant crunch and the shrimp were perfectly cooked. Also you can assemble the dish beforehand and then bake when it's dinner time. This recipe will definitely be put into regular rotation!

Roasted Shrimp with Feta

adapted from Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa How Easy is That?

3 T olive oil, divided

1 1/2 c fennel, medium-diced

1 T (about 3 cloves) garlic, minced

1/4 c dry white wine

1 (14 1/2-oz) can diced tomatoes

2 t tomato paste

1 t dried oregano

1 t kosher salt

1/2 t pepper

1 1/4 lb peeled shrimp (use the 16 to 20/lb size of shrimp)

4 oz feta cheese, crumbled

1/2 c Panko breadcrumbs

3 T fresh parsley, minced

1 lemon, zested

juice of 1 lemon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, heat 2 T olive oil in an over-proof skillet over medium-low heat. Add fennel and saute until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, until garlic is fragrant but not browned. Add wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any browned bits. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until liquid is reduced by half. Add the tomatoes and their liquid, tomato paste, oregano, salt and pepper. Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Arrange shrimp in one layer over the contents of the skillet. Sprinkle feta evenly over shrimp. In a small bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs, parsley, 1 T olive oil and lemon zest. Sprinkle mixture over shrimp.

Bake for 15 minutes. Juice the lemon and sprinkle juice over shrimp.