Appetizer: Mediterranean Shrimp

We recently started a supper club with some friends. Kathleen and I were the first hosts, and decided that for our inaugural club supper, we would prepare all the dishes. We love Italian food, so Kathleen picked some great recipes from some of our favorite cookbooks: a succulent roast pork loin, a delicious side dish of green beans in chunky tomato sauce, and heavenly tiramisu for dessert. Kathleen also decided to make her delicious risotto for a side dish.

But we needed a great opening act. And I volunteered to come up with an appetizer. What would go well with the rest of the Italian-inspired meal, be easy to prepare and be a crowd-pleaser? How about shrimp, with Mediterranean flavors?

The verdict? Well, let’s just say, we polished off two pounds of it (and there are only three couples in our supper club at this point)!

Start 2 – 2 ½ hours before serving

Serves a crowd

½ cup olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried oregano (do not use fresh oregano – it will burn in the oven)
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds shrimp (26-30 count per pound), shelled, deveined and tails removed.

Combine the olive oil, salt, oregano, pepper and minced garlic in a large baking dish (I use a 9- x 13-inch one). Add shrimp, and turn to coat thoroughly with the olive oil mixture. Be sure the shrimp are in a single layer.

Cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 hours, turning the shrimp several times.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Place the shrimp in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Roast for 8-10 minutes until the shrimp are firm, pink and cooked through.

Serve warm.