“Sara Foster has remained true to her beliefs and convictions that good, honest food can be deliciously simple.” – Martha Stewart
North Carolina is fortunate to have many fine cooks and chefs. And we are fortunate that Sara Foster chose to move here in 1990. Her career in cooking took her from her roots in rural Tennessee to New York City where she attended culinary school, worked in restaurants, and became a part of Martha Stewart’s catering team. She eventually branched out on her own and opened her own catering business in Greenwich, Connecticut. One of her dreams had always been to open a gourmet food market and cafe and she found the perfect location for it in Durham, North Carolina. Foster’s Market became so successful that she opened a second store in Chapel Hill in 1998.
I have visited the Durham Foster’s Market on several occasions and was impressed with the array of food available for take-out and wished that I lived close enough to pop in after work to pick up chicken and dumplings or slow roasted pork shoulder with Foster’s applesauce. As it was I had to settle (by no means a hardship) for lunch ordered at the counter and eaten in the funky, but charming dining room.
Sara Foster has written three cookbooks and I own two of them, one signed by Sara herself. Her first cookbook is The Foster’s Market Cookbook which features recipes from the kitchen of Foster’s Market. I especially like the variety of sandwiches and salads that are included. The second cookbook is Fresh Every Day which is geared more to the home cook and includes food that Sara cooks in her own kitchen. She believes in “simple honest food prepared with fresh local and seasonal ingredients”.
To illustrate this philosophy she offers four sauteed shrimp recipes. For Winter, the recipe is the one I cooked today – Sauteed Tangerine Shrimp. For Spring, the recipe is Garlic Sauteed Shrimp with Spinach. For Summer, the recipe is Sauteed Shrimp with Corn and Tomatoes and for Fall, the recipe is Curry Coconut Shrimp.
I can honestly say that the sauteed tangerine shrimp were simple and flavorful and I am looking forward to the other seasonal shrimp recipes. I served the shrimp with jasmine rice and peas.
SAUTEED TANGERINE SHRIMP
The warmed sections of tangerine in this dish are a sweet surprise with the shrimp. If you can find them, use clementines, a Mandarin orange variety that comes from Spain. Not only do they have extra flavorful tangy-sweet flesh, clementines are a breeze to peel – and they have no seeds!
Serves 4 to 6
Juice of 4 tangerines or clementines
2 tangerines peeled, sectioned, and seeds removed
2 tangerines peeled, sectioned, and seeds removed
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (1-inch piece)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (21 to 25 per pound), peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1. Combine the tangerine juice and sections, ginger, garlic and shrimp in a bowl and toss to coat the shrimp. Cover and refrigerate to marinate for 2 to 3 hours.
2. Heat half of the oil and half of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter melts. Remove half the shrimp from the marinade, reserving the marinade, season with salt and pepper, and place in the skillet to saute for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes per side, until they turn pink. Place the shrimp on a platter covered loosely with foil to keep warm. Add the remaining butter and oil and cook the remaining shrimp.
3. When all the shrimp are cooked, pour the marinade and tangerine sections into the skillet, increase the heat to high, and boil the marinade until it has reduced by half, about 30 seconds. Turn off the heat and stir in the cilantro. Season with additional salt and pepper if needed and serve the shrimp warm with the tangerine sauce and sections spooned over them.
That sounds wonderful and very easy to make! I am looking into the Fresh Every Day cookbook. That sounds like something I would love to have.
The snow is melting…it is suppose to be in the low 70’s this weekend. It was beautiful while it lasted.
Penny
Your shrimp with clementines looks terrific. I’ll never forget the first time I tasted a clementine. I was standing in line at Publix and the man behind me had a box of clementines. I asked him if they were good since I’d never tried them. He promptly opened the box, handed me one and said, “Try this. They’re terrific and it’ll make your day.” What a generous gesture and he was right. Now we can’t live without them. I have some shrimp in the freezer and now I know what to do with them – make your salad.
Thanks, Sam
Man does that look good, Penny. I have some frozen shrimp on skewers — I think I’ll treat them to this for a potluck tomorrow night.
Penny-You will love the cookbook.
Sam-Hope you like the dish. I’ve been enjoying your travels.
Sharon-This is an easy recipe. Loved Lucy’s idea for puff pastry – might give it a try.
What a great recipe to utilize all of the wonderful citrus in season. Healthy too! Thanks for your comment on my blog. NC will always be my first love. I would move back in a heartbeat. I’m a southerner at heart!
This is a great recipe..thanks from Italy, hugs, Flavia
Try adding a little yuzu ponzu sauce for fun,