Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta

Baked Shrimp with Tomatoes and Feta
Recipe from the book, "Eating the Greek Way"

This is a great dish for entertaining, because the shrimp are cooked with their shells on. It's fun to peel the shrimp at the dinner table while conversing with friends and family.

Ingredients:

1 pound shell-on large shrimp
4 tablespoons olive oil
4 large shallots, finely sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves or 1 1/2 tablespoons dried
2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick or 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 3/4 pounds ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
Salt and pepper
9 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
1 bunch scallions, white and green parts, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 teaspoons cold-pressed flaxseed oil (optional)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a saute pan over low heat, add the shallots and cook until soft, 5 minutes. Add 1 of the garlic cloves, 2 tablespoons of the thyme, the bay leaves, and cinnamon. Add the tomatoes, stir briefly, then cover, and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, to allow the flavors to blend. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer the tomato sauce to a large, shallow ovenproof dish. Sprinkle the feta cheese on top and place in the oven for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and the remaining 3 garlic cloves, and 1 tablespoon thyme and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and fennel seeds and cook, turning frequently, until the shrimp are opaque, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp to the dish with the tomatoes and feta and return the dish to the oven for 10 minutes so the flavors can develop fully.

Drizzle the remaining tablespoon of olive oil over the top, together with the flaxseed oil, if using. Leave to cool slightly before serving.