Tuscan Shrimp and Cannellini Beans

I made this dish after eating at an Italian restaurant in Chatham-  D’Oro. I reviewed it for the Patch.  I liked the place and we ordered a shrimp and bean dish for an appetizer. It was good but not great and so I decided to replicate and improve it a bit- to my taste.

The white beans in the original dish were tender but without a lot of flavor. I cooked the beans with a bit of pancetta and garlic to give it a lot of flavor. I also added some shallots and rosemary as well. I finished the dish off with my home grown cherry tomatoes and white wine. All the aromatics and wine made a huge difference and added a lot of flavor to the dish.

I marinated the shrimp in lemon juice, olive oil and salt. I quickly grilled it outside and served it with the yummy beans. I served the dish with some yummy bread and red wine.

My daughter ate it with some reservation but enjoyed it once she got over eating something new.

Serve this dish for an appetizer or a meal with a salad. Either way it is delicious.

• 1 pound jumbo shrimp (with tails on)
• Juice of one lemon
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 teaspoons salt

Marinate the shrimp in a shallow bowl with lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Let it sit for 2 to 3 hours.

Grill the shrimp on an outside grill or an indoor grill pan until done- a couple minutes on each side.

• 2 (15 oz) cans of cannellini beans, rinsed
• 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup pancetta, chopped
• 2 medium shallots, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary
• ½ cup a dry white wine (pinot grigio)
• ½ cup chicken broth
• Salt
• 1 cup grape tomatoes cut in half
• Juice of a lemon

Heat a large frying pan and add the olive oil. Add the pancetta and sauté on a medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the shallots, garlic and rosemary. Saute on medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes. Add the white wine. Cook for a minute and add the cannellini beans and chicken broth. Bring to a boil and lower the heat and cover for 5 minutes. Take the lid off and add tomatoes. Mix well and add salt to taste. Cook for another two minutes and serve with shrimp. Drizzle the lemon juice on top.