Shrimp in Purgatory

By Sarah DiGregorio

Published May 24, 2021

  • Armando Rafael for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
25 minutes
Rating
4(1,791)
Comments
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This one-skillet shrimp dish is inspired by the bright flavors of eggs in purgatory, the classic Southern Italian dish in which eggs simmer in a spicy tomato sauce. The exact origins of the name are uncertain, but many say the sauce is meant to represent purgatory, and the eggs, souls. Here, shrimp stand in for the eggs, and the tomato sauce is rich and tangy, with roasted red peppers and capers. You can use frozen shrimp; just defrost them first. Serve the shrimp in shallow bowls, with crusty bread, or over orzo, couscous or polenta. Find a slow cooker version of this dish here.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil

  • 1 yellow or red onion, minced

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 8 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano

  • ½ to 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving

  • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds

  • 2 tablespoons minced jarred Calabrian chiles or minced jarred cherry peppers, stems removed, or cherry pepper relish

  • 8 ounces roasted red peppers, drained and chopped (about 1 cup)

  • 1 (14-ounce) can whole or crushed tomatoes

  • 1 to 1 ½ pounds peeled, deveined shrimp

  • 2 scallions, thinly sliced

  • 1 tablespoon capers, drained

  • ½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

17 grams carbs; 241 milligrams cholesterol; 355 calories; 9 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 16 grams fat; 4 grams fiber; 828 milligrams sodium; 38 grams protein; 8 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Warm the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Add the onion, season generously with salt, and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, soft and starting to turn golden, 7 or 8 minutes. If necessary, decrease the heat to medium to prevent scorching.

  2. Step 2

    Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and softened, about 2 minutes. Stir in the oregano, red-pepper flakes and fennel seeds, then the Calabrian chiles, roasted red peppers and tomatoes. (Crush the tomatoes by hand, if using whole.) Season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, adjust the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook for about 5 minutes to slightly reduce the sauce and blend the flavors.

  3. Step 3

    Add the shrimp, scallions and capers, and cook until the shrimp are curled, pink and opaque, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on size and quantity. Turn off the heat and taste the sauce. Add more red-pepper flakes, salt and pepper, if you like. Sprinkle the cheese over the top and serve, passing more Parmesan and red-pepper flakes at the table.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,791 user ratings
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Comments

Tim

Really, Susan, the point of the dish is the chiles, so why should you "caution" us? And if you don't think the oregano, scallions and capers add flavor, leave them out and see what you get. Substitute chicken for shrimp? O.k. but, is that about cost or taste, or making an entirely different dish?

Max Alexander, Rome, Contestant MasterChef Italia 2020-2021

Calabrian peppers are just small hot red peppers--not as small or hot as Thai bird chiles, about 1.5 to 2 inches long. Just buy any fresh hot red varieties. Likewise use fresh sweet red peppers, frying them with the onions as they do in Calabria. Italians would never use this much garlic--maybe three whole cloves which would then be removed before serving. Red pepper flakes are served at table, not added during cooking. Only Calabrians would add more. Cheese with shrimp? A felony here.

Top 10

One of the best recipes from the Times I have ever had..I followed recipe best I could..only heard of Calibrian peppers from Bobby Flay..couldn't find them went with cherry peppers..this has serious heat..served over Jasimine Rice. This is Crazy..Crazy good..!!!!

Joslyn B

Took the advice of other cooks and used 3 whole crushed garlic cloves (removed prior to serving), and omitted the parmigiano-reggiano, both without regret. Also omitted the dried red chile flakes intending to put them on the table. I used only 1.5 Tbs of Calabrian chiles in the skillet, however the resulting 3-alarm fire in my mouth prevented total enjoyment of the dish. This was seriously spicy, and I LOVE spicy food!! Will definitely make again and put the Calabrian chiles on the table.

Leslie

I made this for company tonight. Couldn’t find any of the chilis in the recipe, Calibrian or cherry, so I used chipotle in adobo sauce. On polenta. And it was delicious.

Mo

Really liked this. Instead of serving it on rice or polenta, I just folded in a can of rinsed cannellini beans toward the end and ate it like a stew, as a low glycemic option. Delicious and nutritious!

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