Shrimp with Bell Pepper

Wash and clean the shrimp but don’t remove the shell. Then, dry and set aside. Now wash and dry the bell peppers, cut them into thin strips. Chop the onions and garlic into medium sized pieces (not too small, you want to be able to see and taste it all).

Always remember, you can’t go wrong with adding more bell peppers or onions or garlic or even shrimp. Just remember to adjust the white wine and vegetable stock if you do. You want lots of liquids later.

After everything is chopped and sliced, heat up the olive oil (medium heat) in a large frying pan or large casserole. Sauté the onions and the garlic (still keeping the heat at a medium level) until they are soft but not browned. Add the sliced bell peppers and fry them with the onions and garlic for a few more minutes. Season with salt and pepper (and/or chili pepper) the way you like it. Turn up the heat a bit and pour in the white wine and after it just starts boiling add the vegetable stock.

Let it boil for a few minutes to soften the bell peppers before adding the shrimp. Once the shrimp are in the pan it only needs to cook for a few minutes – basically until it turns pink.

Reduce the heat and add the olives and capers (if you don’t like olives or capers just ignore this bit. It’ll taste great without them too). Add these just before you’re getting ready to serve. They only need to heat up a bit.

Sprinkle the fresh thyme and basil over the cooked dish and serve immediately.

Serve with fresh French baguette or your favourite bread. And don’t forget to soak your bread long and hard in the fingerlickinglicious sauce. It’s the sauce that’ll make you weak.

It looks like a lot to do but it is so amazingly simple and delicious. Easy to prepare and super easy to handle while it’s cooking. It’s the perfect summer dish. We love to cook it in a huge paella pan outside on the barbecue.