Shrimp in the Shells with Lots of Garlic and Probably Too Much Butter by Alison Roman

Of all of Alison’s shrimp recipes, this one was easily my favorite. I’ve never met a combination of sliced garlic, tomato paste, and butter that I didn’t like. Even one covering shrimp. 

And that’s just it, really. I sauteed several garlic cloves and two tablespoons of tomato paste in olive oil, and yes, probably too much butter. Red pepper flakes add a touch of heat as the shelled shrimp hit the skillet. Four minutes later, they were cooked through and ready to eat. I squeezed half a lemon over the steaming shrimp. I stood at the stove and peeled away one of the shells before obediently dragging the shrimp through the hot butter and garlic still sizzling in the pan. It was delightful. I ate several more, and left the rest for Jordan. 

This recipe confirmed two things for me. One, even if a recipe does not call for deveined shrimp, I will still devein them. I have to draw the line somewhere. And two, I sometimes like shrimp. But only when they’re piping hot and doused with other strong flavors. Cold shrimp? Forget it..

205 recipes cooked, 20 to go.

Harissa-Rubbed Pork Shoulder with White Beans and Chard by Alison Roman

You know that feeling when you’re eating a bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos and your mouth is on fire but you still can’t wait to eat another one? It’s a scorched craving sensation; the burn you can’t wait to feel. 

This was exactly my experience with this pork shoulder recipe. I hate to love it. It set my mouth on fire and left me wanting more. For Jordan, he just loved it – no fire (I have a low spice tolerance). 

This recipe requires almost no work – dare I say it’s the easiest “main course” recipe of Alison’s thus far? First, the pork is rubbed with a marinade made of harissa paste (a whole half-cup!), tomato paste, brown sugar, distilled vinegar, and salt and pepper. This is the most hands-on part, and it’s over before you know it. The pork and 1.5 cups of water take a shallow dive into a dutch oven to cook, lid on, for 3-3.5 hours at 325. The low-and-slow braising method strikes again! 

Once the meat is close to falling apart and the smell is impossibly good, two cans of rinsed and drained white beans join the fun, lid off, for about 45 minutes at 425. I chose Great Northern instead of Cannelini. Mostly because that’s what I had on hand, but also because Great Northern tend to be stronger and lose their structure more quickly. During their time in the pot, the beans soak up a majority of the liquid. 

Before plating, a bunch of torn swiss chard and sliced preserved lemon get stirred into the beans to wilt. What results is a tender, fall-apart pork bursting with spicy, rich flavor, and softened white beans and chard with briny lemon that do just enough to counterbalance the heat. I still needed a glass of oat milk to calm down my tastebuds, but to Jordan, it was absolutely perfect. And both of us wanted more. 

I left for a quick trip the morning after I made this, but I’m told that the leftovers were just as excellent. 

78 recipes cooked, 147 to go.