A little blogging about Easter dinner now, and for those of you who do not celebrate that particular holiday,
let's call this a perfect Spring dinner idea. There is nothing particularly Eastery about this blog other than
it's part of what I cooked for yesterday's Easter Sunday dinner.    If you haven't figured this out about me by
now, I adore shrimp.  The look, the taste, their versatility, and their quick cooking time.  At the risk of getting
Forrest Gumpy here, there really is no way I can think of that I don't like them..ok...yes there is..i'm not
fond of the dried shrimp used in many Southeast Asian cuisines.  But that is just me..  Asparagus, the
best you can get at this time of the year, are the needle thin ones that also take no time to cook.  My youngest
daughter was eating them like they were chocolates from her Easter Basket. 

   This is the reason for the holiday and since this is a personal experience
blog, I wanted to share the Shrine of the Resurection from my parish church, Our Lady of Mt.Carmel in Asbury Park,
NJ, the town made famous by the Boss Bruce Springsteen, and Danny DeVito.  In fact, DeVito was an altar boy
at this Church.  He may even have helped with setting up this shrine every year.  In THROW MOMMA FROM THE
TRAIN check out the Bingo game that goes on in one of the train cars.  The banner says Our Lady of Mt.Carmel
BINGO, i guess a nod to the church of his youth.  I find the shrine a very traditional symbol of the Easter Holiday, so
I decided to add it to my Easter Dinner blog.  Hope you enjoy it too. Now, let's leave the Jersey Shore and go up
to the Lehigh Valley in Pa. where we ate at my wife's sister's house.  Farmstands aplenty up there in the area
around Bethlehem and Allentown.  She found the most AMAZING asparagus..so thin and so green, and so
fresh...two nice big bunches.  Cut off about 1 1/2 off the bottom, then rinse them under lots of ice cold water.  Drain
and pat dry with paper towels.  Pull out a 2 ft. piece of aluminum foil.  Now do it again and lay it over the first one.
In the center, with about 2 inches on all sides, lay out the asparagus. 


Sprinkle some sea salt over them, black pepper, and a nice drizzle of olive oil, extra virgin if you
have it;. Take 3 cloves of garlic, whack them with your hand or the side of a knife, and place them
around the asparagus.  Now make 2 more of those foil sheets and tightly fold up all side.  Place
this on a baking sheet and roast it for 20 minutes in a 375 degree oven.  Remove it, and let it
stay in the packet opening only when ready to serve.  Great as a room temperature dish.

 There is the finished AND
very very simple vegetable dish.  Nothing overwhelms the earthy Spring goodness of those farm
fresh asparagus.  Onto the shrimp dish.
Shrimp Oreganato...as many versions of this dish as there are shells on the beach.  This is my version.
Peel and devein 2 lbs. of good 16-20 shrimp.  Set the shrimp aside in a bowl, keep refrigerated.  In a
pan, toast 1/8 cup of breadcrumbs continually shaking the pan over medium heat.  The crumbs will start
to brown (toast), keep moving them around, do this for no more than 3 minutes.  Remove from the heat.
When they are cool, as 2 tbs. of Parmigiano Reggiano (HA!  you thought I was going to say Pecorino).
The Parmigiano's nutty flavor goes great with the toasty crumbs.  Now, in a large skillet with 2 tbs. of
olive oil, partially cook the shrimp in batches sprinkling a tbs. of oregano over each batch while they are
partially searing.  Cook about 2 minutes per side.  Then remove them to a bowl.  Between each batch,
the shrimp will let go of some of their moisture, pour that shrimpy liquor into the bowl also between
batches.  Wipe out the skillet and add 2 tbs. olive oil, 3 sliced cloves of garlic.  Let this get fragrant.
Add some salt and black pepper and then 2 tbs. of butter.  When this had melted add a splash of
sherry or vermouth.  Let this cook for about 2 minutes then add the shrimp back in.  Toss well and add
3/4 of the breadcrumbs...let this heat through for about 5 minutes and the shrimp are now done.  Spill
these beauties out onto a nice serving platter sprinkling the remaining crumbs and add some sliced
green onion, squeeze 1/2 a lemon over it all and serve.
Great for anytime of the year...but truly sings with the song of Spring!