Seared Shrimp

Food Service Search Staff

INGREDIENTS:½ cup garlic cloves, peeled
1 cup picked Italian parsley leaves (about 1 bunch)
¼ cup tahini
¼ cup yogurt
1 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch slices
1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
¾ lb. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 cup (packed) snow pea shoots
1 Tbsp. scallions, cut very thin on the bias DIRECTIONS:For tahini-garlic-parsley emulsion: Bring a pot of salted water to the boil. Cook garlic for one minute. Repeat two more times, each with a fresh pot of water. Refresh under cold water. Bring another pot of salted water to a boil, blanch parsley for 15 seconds, then immediately plunge into cold water. Combine cooked garlic, parsley, tahini and yogurt in a blender. Puree until smooth, adding water to thin as necessary. Season with salt and pepper.

For shrimp: Preheat grill. Toss eggplant with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat until cooked, about 10 minutes. Remove; cut into batons. Heat a large saute pan with the canola oil. Season shrimp with salt and pepper; saute over high heat until shrimp are just underdone, about 1 minute per side. Add eggplant to combine. Divide shrimp/eggplant mixture among four entree plates. Spoon tahini-garlic-parsley emulsion around. Divide pea shoots among the four plates, sprinkle with the scallions. Serve immediately.SERVINGS:4 servingsFrom:Executive chef John Wabeck, Topaz Bar at Topaz Hotel, Washington, D.C.