Garides Saganaki me Masticha (shrimp saganaki)

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Garides Saganaki is an appetizer made with shrimps and tomato sauce. Saganaki takes its name from a frying pan with two handles called “sagani”.

The most popular way of making this appetizer is with ouzo.

I was not going to post this recipe today but some time after Easter, as I wanted to focus on strictly Lenten recipes.   Those who read my blog regularly know that I have been fasting since Clean Monday that is since 2nd March and I have been posting only nistisima, which are vegetarian and vegan recipes, as during lent no animal or products derived from animals such as eggs and dairy products, are allowed to be eaten.   The only thing allowed is seafood and on two Sundays, the 25th March andd on Palm Sunday, fish.

During Lent, on Sundays, I either make octopus, kalamari or shrimps and on the other days, I usually cook vegetables or dried legumes.

This recipe was made on the morning of my birthday on the 29th March. That morning it was a lovely spring, sunny Sunday and we enjoyed our lunch outside on the balcony accompanied by some ouzo.

The dish finishes with the addition of feta so as I was the only one fasting, before adding the feta I took some out for myself and added some feta for the rest of the family, who are not strictly fasting.

Apart from this dish, I also made some Bourekia with Mushrooms, a Greek salad and with some crusty bread, it was a very filling meal.

I cook more than three different recipes daily so it is impossible for me to post all the recipes I make as early as I would like to.  I have more than 100 unpublished recipes some dating more than a year back and whenever the occasion arises I publish whatever I think suitable.  I have made this recipe more than once.   When I was hosting the Think Spice event, I made a thorough research about mastic and it was then that I saw mastic liqueur used in saganaki,  so I had that in mind when making the recipe.  Those recipes did not have any of the ingredients I added but I made the usual saganaki which is usually in a tomato sauce and feta making my own twist by adding mushrooms, peppers and fresh herbs.   It was as simple as that.

This morning when I visited a Greek blogger, I saw a certain similarity to my recipe and just said that I had made a similar recipe.    He started sending me e-mails, surprised that I could think of something he has also thought of, as if he had made the discovery of the century.   I replied to his questions and I even sent him a copy of my recipe as well as the above picture.   He insinuated that I made everything up and was warned not to post the recipe as I would make a fool of myself to claim that I made a similar recipe since he published it first and copyrighted it.

I am sure that the Greek bloggers have understood to whom I am referring to, as they have had a similar experience with him in the past.

He chose not to publish my comment.    The conclusions are yours.

Enjoy the recipe.

Garides Saganaki  

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time:20 minutes

Serves: 2 -4 as mezes

Ingredients:

• 300 grams shrimps, deveined
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 cup bell peppers, red, yellow, green, julienned
• 5 button mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1 sprig fresh oregano, finely chopped
• 1 sprig fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 shot masticha liqueur
• 1 ripe tomato, peeled and cubed or grated
• 100 grams feta

Directions:

1. Heat the olive oil in a non-stick frying pan and sauté the onion and the garlic until translucent.
2. Add the shrimps and sauté for a few minutes.
3. Season with salt and pepper and add the liqueur and mix for a minute until the alcohol evaporates.
4. Add the mushrooms, peppers, fresh herbs parsley, oregano and thyme and sauté for five minutes.
5. Add the tomato and keep mixing about 15 minutes until all the liquids evaporate and it remains only with the sauce. (The dish finishes here as a Lenten dish).
6. Add the feta and stir for a few minutes.

This dish can be also served without the feta for a Lenten (nistisimo) dish.

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,

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