if shrimp and lobster had a love child

Have you heard of Argentinian red shrimp? Well now you have, and you're welcome. Argentinian red shrimp taste like shrimp and lobster got together, had a love child, and the result was like shrimp, but a little sweet and buttery, like lobster. Shobster? Anyway, it's delicious, and you can find it at your local Trader Joe's if you're lucky enough to have one nearby. Jason rolls his eyes at my obsession - let's call it a love affair - with Trader Joe's, but I'm not ashamed.

Let me back up. A few years ago, our friends Ian and Courtney lived in Springfield for a year. Courtney is one of those natural cooks. Everything she makes is delicious and I always end up asking for the recipe. We have similar food brains, I think, and tend towards the same types of dishes. She shares my love of Ina Garten, for one thing. We cooked a lot together during that year; I miss those dinners.

One of the dishes that Courtney taught me to make was a Greek-style bake of shrimp and potatoes covered with tomatoes, oregano, lemon, and feta. It was one of those enlightening dishes that I came to crave often. It's kind of unexpected. It's nice to have those in your back pocket.

I had sort of forgotten about the dish until recently, but the recipe didn't make it to California. So I made it from memory and I think Courtney would have approved. The dish is hearty, but really fresh and bright from all the lemon. It's a year-round sort of dish, I think. But then again, I'm now living in the land of eternal Spring and Fall {we went for a run on the beach today, in January, not to rub it in or anything}.

Greek shrimp & potatoes
serves four
4 medium sized yukon gold potatoes
1 lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 T olive oil
1 1/2 lemon, juiced
zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp dried oregano
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the potatoes into 1/4 inch slices and layer into the bottom of a 9x12 inch baking dish. Cover the potatoes with water and bake for 30-40 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Drain the water and re-arrange the potatoes back into a single layer. Set aside.

While the potatoes are baking, combine the olive oil, lemon juice and zest, salt, pepper, oregano and garlic in a small bowl and whisk together to combine. Reserve half of the olive oil mixture and add the other half to the thawed, peeled, shrimp. Mix gently to cover the shrimp with the marinade and refrigerate for about 20 minutes.

Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Pour the remaining half of the olive oil mixture/marinade over the baked potatoes. Add the tomatoes, shrimp, and feta (in that order) evenly. Bake for 15 minutes or until the shrimp are cooked through. Remove the dish from the oven, cool for five minutes and serve.