Carmela Soprano’s Shrimp Aragonate

Got an email.

Could I post the recipe for Carmela’s Shrimp Aragonate?

Ah…  Shrimp Aragonate… Great recipe… in a lousy post.

It was one of the early Carmela recipes from the Entertaining with The Sopranos cookbook that I had posted about.
About is the operative word.

When I started posting Carmela’s recipes in 2010 I wasn’t particularly big on details.

Just a chatty piece, with a quick description of the ingredients and comments about how much Paul and I enjoyed eating it.

I know, big help.

The Shrimp Aragonate was in a post that also mentioned Carmela’s Baci Cake, a glazed chocolate cake with hazelnuts.

Together they made for a really great meal.

A year after that first post I got an email asking for the cake recipe.

So, I wrote out the recipe for Carmela’s Baci Cake.

Nobody asked for the Shrimp Aragonate recipe.

Until now.

Shrimp Aragonate can be served either as an appetizer or as a main course.

Either way, it’s quick, easy and delicious.

And Paul and I really liked it.

Hints:

In the recipe Carmela used fresh bread crumbs made from Italian or French bread, with the crusts removed.
I used store-bought unseasoned bread crumbs.
The box didn't say what country they came from.
I would guess Canadian.

She also used 1/3 Cup chopped fresh flay-leaf parsley.

I used 1/4 Cup dried.

What can I say?

Paul and I really liked it.

                        Shrimp Aragonate

Serves 6

Oil a large baking pan.

Cut into wedges

2 large lemons

In a medium bowl combine

1 Cup bread crumbs

1/3 Cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (or 1/4 Cup dried)

1 large garlic clove, finely chopped

salt and pepper to taste

Stir in

1/8 to 1/4 Cup olive oil (just enough to moisten the crumbs)

Arrange on the oiled baking pan in a single layer

1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, shelled and deveined

Curl each shrimp into a circle.

Preheat the oven to 450º F

Spoon some of the bread crumb mixture onto each shrimp.

Bake 10 minutes - the crumbs should be browned and the shrimp should be cooked through when cut in the thickest part. 

Place the shrimp on a large serving platter.

Garnish with the lemon wedges.

Serve hot or at room temperature.