10 Minute Dinner: Lemon Oregano Shrimp

This dish is also so easy that there isn’t need for a recipe as much as general directions. And isn’t that all you can manage on nights when dinner has to be done pronto?

Another great thing about this Lemon Oregano Shrimp is that is uses lots of fresh oregano, which is in abundance this time of year. As much as I love the pungent herb, I use it in pretty limited ways: a Greek salad here, grilled lamb chops there. This is another way to use yours up, especially helpful if you’re getting bunch after bunch from your garden or CSA (a community supported agriculture farm share).

I find that recipes like these, that help use up an over abundance of fruit, herbs and veggies are particularly useful for family cooks trying to manage varying tastes, picky phases and limited meal prep times. Getting the same ingredients from your garden or in your CSA box over and over can make meal planning tricky (which led me to ask last year: Are CSAs family-friendly?).

Hopefully, this recipe helps. At the very least, it will make mealtime quick and tasty.

10-Minute Lemon Oregano Shrimp

• Heat a healthy glug of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in a large skillet set over medium heat.
• Add shrimp and cook for 1-2 minutes, depending on how big your shrimp are, until they just begin to turn pink.
• Add a splash of white wine (or fish or chicken broth).
• Allow the wine to nearly cook off and, when it does, squeeze in the juice of 1 lemon.
• By now, your shrimp should be cooked through and a sauce should have formed. If not, add a little more olive oil and lemon juice and cook for 30 seconds or so while the sauce comes together.
• Take shrimp off of the heat and add fresh oregano—lots of it. Swirl the pan and toss the shrimp around. You want the retained heat to wilt the oregano, drawing out the flavorful oil.
• Season with salt and pepper and serve! (This is great with rice or couscous, both of which I combine with lemon zest, feta cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and canned chickpeas for extra protein.)