Tomato-Cilantro Shrimp

Prep Time:

Cook time: more than 20 minutes

Serves: 2-3

Description
The longer it cooks the better. For a quick weeknight meal, the dish can be made "express style," in 20 minutes. On a Sunday afternoon with plenty of time, the sauce can simmer, covered, for an hour or more, growing richer by the minute.

To make ahead, simply leave out the cilantro until you're ready to serve. Covered, the tomato sauce will keep up to a day in the fridge or a week in the freezer. When you're ready for dinner, just reheat the sauce, add the shrimp and cilantro, and serve with a crusty French baguette to mop up all the delicious tomato flavor.

Ingredients

 * 1 pound large shrimp, cleaned and butterflied
 * 3 tablespoons butter
 * 2 tablespoons minced garlic
 * 4 tablespoons tomato concentrate (double concentrate, like Cirio, is best)
 * 2 fresh tomatoes, pureed in blender
 * ½ teaspoon tabasco
 * ¼ teaspoon black pepper
 * pinch salt
 * ½ cup cilantro, chopped.

Directions

 * 1) In a large nonstick saucepan or wok, melt butter over low heat.
 * 2) Add garlic, stir two minutes until fragrant.
 * 3) Raise heat to medium, add tomato concentrate, and stir for two more minutes.
 * 4) Turn heat back down to low, add fresh tomato puree and stir to combine.
 * 5) Simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
 * 6) Turn heat to high.
 * 7) Add tabasco, pepper, salt, half the chopped cilantro and shrimp.
 * 8) Stir constantly until shrimp is cooked through, around five minutes.
 * 9) With shell-on shrimp, the shells will turn from transparent to pink when done.
 * 10) Sprinkle shrimp with remaining cilantro and serve with a french baguette.