What I Ate For Dinner

This is a simple dish with great taste and vivacity, but still light enough that it won't bog you down. Shrimp take on flavors in a marvelous way, so the acidity of tomatoes and the lime juice, not to mention the Serrano peppers, should you chose to use them, are provided with ample venue to strut their stuff. For best results, use the biggest shrimp you can find. Just about any pasta could be substituted for gnocchi: ravioli, tortellini, fettuccini, etc. would all go great.

1. Start with a tomato puree. Then add the juice of two or three limes, depending on size. If you wish, add minced Serrano peppers at this point. I reserve a small portion of the tomato puree for garnish at the end, but if you do this, be sure not to mix it with the raw shrimp (so as to avoid contamination hazard, since the reserved portion will not be cooked).
2. Add the shrimp to the marinade. Mix the shrimp in with the marinade until evenly coated. I use ¾ to a pound of shrimp for two portions. Refrigerate the shrimp in the marinade for at least 20 minutes, or one hour at the maximum.
3. While the shrimp is marinating, heat olive oil in a fry pan at medium-high heat. Add shallot, carrot, and corn and sauté until browned and soft. At the same time, boil water and then add gnocchi to the boiling water. The gnocchi is done when soft but still firm to the tooth.
4. Add the boiled gnocchi to the hot pan with the shallot, carrot, and corn. Allow the gnocchi to brown. While doing so, start to simmer shrimp in a fry pan with a small amount of olive oil. Pour more of the marinade over the shrimp as they cook. Drain off excess liquid if necessary (as I do in the video).
5. After the gnocchi brown, deglaze the pan with white wine and finish with Parmigiano Reggiano. The shrimp are done when white, pink, and firm, but take care not to overcook. Rubbery shrimp are to be avoided.

Pour the reserved marinade on the shrimp as a garnish after plating up the shrimp. Serve with salad.