Marinade takes shrimp dish from so-so to special
Sometimes a little imagination can mean the difference between a so-so meal and a special one. For instance, daydreaming about a trip to a Greek island could lead to a culinary inspiration involving fresh mushrooms and shrimp bathed in a marinade with the sun-drenched flavors of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano.
Good news: The dish can become reality in a matter of minutes, no travel time needed. In the following recipe the mushroom-shrimp mixture is grilled, then piled on warm pita and served with a refreshing cucumber-yogurt sauce laced with mint and garlic.
Grilled Lemon Shrimp and Mushrooms
Recipes developed for The Associated Press by the Mushroom Information Center
8 ounces fresh white mushrooms
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 medium-sized zucchini, sliced 1-inch thick (about 2 1/2 cups)
1 medium-sized red onion cut in 8 wedges
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 pitas, warmed
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce (recipe follows)
Preheat outdoor grill or broiler until hot. Leave small mushrooms whole; halve larger ones. In a large bowl, place mushrooms, shrimp, zucchini and red onion. In a small bowl, combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, oregano, salt and black pepper, and pour over vegetables; toss until well coated. Place vegetables and shrimp on a vegetable grilling rack or a rack in a broiler pan. Grill or broil no more than 6 inches from heat source until vegetables and shrimp are just cooked, about 8 minutes, stirring often and brushing occasionally with remaining marinade. Serve on pitas with Cucumber Yogurt Sauce.
Yield: 4 servings
Approximate nutrition per serving: 308 calories, 16 grams fat (2 grams saturated, 34 percent fat calories), 25 grams protein, 42 grams carbohydrate, 161 milligrams cholesterol, 3.8 grams dietary fiber, 657 milligrams sodium.
Cucumber Yogurt Sauce
1 cup plain low-fat yogurt
1 cup peeled, seeded and diced cucumber
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint or parsley
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon salt
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients and blend well.
Yield: About 1 1/2 cups