Roasted Shrimp for One

I call this "Dinner for One" because, quite honestly, it is my favorite thing to eat when I have a weeknight home alone. The shrimp in this recipe are marinated briefly in lemon and garlic and flash-roasted to utter succulence. The red peppers seem to complement the dish nicely, and the crusty rustic bread is essential for sopping up all of the wonderful juices that are released from the peppers and the shrimp marinade. The shrimp and vegetables are all prepared in a single pan, requiring very minimal cleanup. By all means, feel free to "scale up" this recipe for a crowd. The shrimp, served alone, make a wonderful appetizer that really sing when paired with a dry, white sparkling wine.

This evening I picked up a bottle of Monkey Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2007 from New Zealand to drink with the shrimp. The bracing acidity and flavors of grass, minerals and citrus are just right with the shellfish - a wonderful weeknight indulgence in just under 30 minutes!

Roasted Red Peppers

1 red bell pepper

2 t olive oil

Kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper.

Preheat the oven to 450 F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Core and seed the bell pepper and cut into long strips. Toss the peppers strips with the oil, salt and pepper on the baking sheet and roast for approximately 20 minutes. Peel away pepper skin, if desired.

Serves 2

Roasted Garlic and Lemon Shrimp

6 to 8 large peeled and deveined shrimp (thawed if frozen)

1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced

Juice of half a lemon

1 T olive oil

Kosher Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 F. Toss all ingredients in a bowl and let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Dump the shrimp and the marinade on a foil-lined baking sheet and spread out to create a single layer. Roast the shrimp for 3 to 4 minutes, until just barely cooked and still tender. Serve immediately.

Serves 1

Serve the shrimp with roasted red peppers and plenty of crusty, rustic bread to soak up the juices from the shrimp.