Recipe 43: Baked Shrimp with Zucchini and Much Cheese

You know what is hard?  Naming recipes.  And yet, making a quickie recipe is not terribly hard.  Seems kind of bass ackwards, no?  Judging from this being my second shrimp recipe in a row, the interwebs brain-trust can probably figure out that I bought a 3 bag o'frozen shrimp to keep my 3 pound bag o'frozen blueberries company in the freezer.  I've been thinking about making something not soup (gasp) in Le Creuset for a while.  Since I didn't want to feed a small army, I chose to use my smaller Le Creuset, Triple B.  (Which retrospectively is kind of a stupid name.  If you have a better one, because Little White sounds kind of awful and that's all I got, lay it on me.)  This was a great success, but then again I'm pretty sure throwing tomatoes, zucchini, garlic, and cheese in a pot and baking it will taste delicious, no exceptions.  I get the distinct feeling you can add or subtract anything you want to this; I actually intended to add a can of cannelini beans but cleverly forgot until I'd put it in the oven.  As is, this recipe has a lot of extra liquid, but it thickens a bit as it cools.  I'd recommend serving it over polenta, pasta or even rice (whatever your starchy poison is) or doing like I did and tearing up some bread and stirring it into my bowl to soak up the delicious.

Baked Shrimp with Zucchini and Much Cheese
(via my brain, courtesy of my stomach)
Serves approximately 4

Recipe 47: Fresh Pea Soup St. Germain

I select this recipe for one reason, and one reason only:  I am dying to see green.  This winter has been long and hard.  I am ready for spring!  I want to see little green things poking up from the cold frozen ground!  As bonus, this recipe was not only violently green, but mindnumbingly easy and quick.  I doubled it, and while it is decent, I wouldn't say it's all that great.  If you like green peas, and I recommend this soup.  I would also recommend adding more flavor to the recipe below, either in the form of garlic, maybe some curry...other spices...something.  It tastes just like fresh peas, so if that is your thing, you will love this soup! As per, it came from my bible, The Soup Bible.   Size wise, this is maybe the only recipe in the book with a realistic outlook on servings.  My only other suggestion is get rid of none of the water if you want your soup to be at more soupy than smashed pea-y.  Seriously.  Just stick a blender in there and have at it.  This recipe features a special Le Creuset guest, Blue's baby brother, Blue's Baby Brother.  From here on out, he will be referred to as Triple B.  

Say hello to Triple B!

Triple B looks good in spring green, don't you think?

Fresh Pea Soup St. Germain
(from The Soup Bible, by Debra Mayhew)

Ingredients:

A small knob of butter (hehe, knob.  I'm twelve)

2 to 3 shallots, minced

3 cups fresh peas, or frozen peas that have been thawed and rinsed

2 1/4 cups water

salt and pepper

a crouton or bread garnish

OPTIONAL: 3-4 tablespoons cream (if you prefer creamy soups)

 What to do with your ingredients:

1. Melt the butter in your pot.
2. Add your minced shallots and cook for approximately three minutes, stirring occasionally, until they become tender.
3.  Add the peas and water to the pot, season with some salt.  Cover and let this simmer for approximately 12-18 minutes, until peas are tender, bright green, and taste cooked.  Don't overcook or they will turn Army Puke Green. 
4. When the peas meet the tender green description above, remove from heat and either add the mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender to blend until smooth.  Remember, use all the liquid if you want it to be more soupy, less if you want it more firm and like smashed peas.  
5. I did not strain my soup because I am lazy, but the OG recipe recommends it.  Whatever, if you want to do more dishes and have a high class soup, be my guest.  
6. If you want to use the cream, add it now, while reheating the soup on low.  I chose leave it out and let my guests cream their own soups.  Yes, that's what she said.  Also, gross.
7. Garnish and serve hot to your non-pea hating friends.