AUTHENTIC  ITALIAN  RECIPES

 FROM

 RISTORANTE  d'ANNAMARIA

COPPETTE DI GAMBERETTI (Literally “Little Cups of Little Shrimp”) I haven’t tried this one myself, but you have to admit, it does sound good.

Ingredients for 4 persons:

Shrimp (small to medium)                 10 ounces

Artichokes [hearts only (fresh)]         4

Garlic                                               1 large clove

Lemon juice                                      as needed

Parsley (fresh or dried)                      if fresh - a bunch about 4 inches     

                                                        inches in diameter.

                                                        if dried -   ± about ¼ cup

Bay leaf                                            1

Wine vinegar                                    1 tablespoon

Extra virgin olive oil                         4 tablespoons

Salt                                                  to taste

Pepper                                              to taste

How to do it:

The shrimp -

Clean and devein the shrimp under running water.

Boil the shrimp for no more than five minutes in a large container of water (a gallon) that has had a tablespoon of vinegar and a bay leaf added to it.

In the meantime:

The artichokes -

I've mentioned this before in other recipes, but it probably warrants repeating. Artichokes are mostly waste. Don't worry that you seem to be trimming most of the artichoke away. This is normal. The reason many people don't like artichokes is because they are tough and fibery. This is simply because they weren't trimmed sufficiently. OK enough said about trimming artichokes.

Trim off the artichokes' hardest and toughest outer leaves.

Cut the top of the artichoke off leaving only about 1 to 1½  inches of artichoke from the base.

Remove the fuzzy choke and trim off most of the remaining leaves, leaving only the tender hearts from the center.

Place the hearts in water with lemon juice added and boil until tender.

Remove them from the boiling water and let them cool to room temperature while you're finishing the shrimp.

Drain and pat dry the shrimp.

Place the shrimp in a shallow pan and season them abundantly with the fresh parsley (finely chopped)or dry parsley, the garlic (finely minced), the olive oil, and the lemon juice (the shrimp should not be sour, but pleasantly tart).

Thinly slice the cooled artichokes.

In 4 small dessert or salad bowls -

Place the slices of 1 artichoke heart(add a pinch of salt to the arichoke hearts before covering with the shrimp), then the shrimp on top of them.

Sprinkle a tablespoon of chopped fresh or dried parsley on top of the shrimp.

Garnish with a lemon slice or two.

Serve cold.