Melissa Clark's Roasted Broccoli with Shrimp

You should totally make this for dinner tonight. No, really, you should. It's fast, it's delicious, it dirties only one pan (two, if you decide to make some rice, which I think you should), and it's so simple you can enlist your partner to help with measuring spices and seasoning the shrimp and opening and closing the oven door, proving that one day the two of you might find pleasure together in the kitchen at once. A minor miracle, if you ask me. And possibly my favorite meal of the past month.

Did I mention it was delicious? We ate the whole mess between the two of us, despite the fact that it's meant to serve four. You probably already know how wonderful roasted broccoli is, and if you don't, you should. But did you know just how much roasting shrimp could imbue it with such sweetness and tenderness? I didn't. Those plump, pink curls fairly pop in your mouth. And the combination of shrimp and broccoli, well, the Chinese have long known it to be a felicitous pairing, so I suppose it was only a matter of time before the rest of us caught on, too.

I had to make a few minor changes to the recipe, because I didn't have any whole coriander or cumin. So I halved the amounts and used ground spices instead. I liked the recipe so much that I'm not sure I'd make this any other way again. The ground spices spread out and subtly perfume everything. And then I made the mistake of using the same amount of regular salt instead of kosher salt. If you're going to use kosher salt, fine, follow the recipe. If you're going to use regular salt, go easy (halve it?). You can always add more salt afterwards, if need be.

What I love is how two fairly pedestrian ingredients are combined with a few smart flavorings to incredible effect. The idea to roast, season with Middle Eastern spices, and finish with a Mediterranean double whammy of lemon peel and lemon juice (don't leave out that final squeeze - it's key) is inspired. Further more, it's the kind of thing I wish I saw more often in newspaper food sections: tasty inventiveness that really works for the home cook. I dare say this might become a weekly standard in our house.

Roasted Broccoli with Shrimp
Serves 4

2 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (or 1/2 teaspoon ground)
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (or 1/2 teaspoon ground)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot chili powder
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 1/4 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons oil, coriander, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and chili powder. In a separate bowl, combine shrimp, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon zest, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

2. Spread broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Add shrimp to baking sheet and toss with broccoli. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until shrimp are just opaque and broccoli is tender and golden around edges, about 10 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges, or squeeze lemon juice all over shrimp and broccoli just before serving.

Comments

[Lecia]

Looks fabulous! I just found you via Orangette - wonderful site!

[Jeff]

Roasted broccoli...one of my favorites. I'd never run into any one else that did this. But my daughter won't eat it any other way. Combined with the shrimp, spices and lemon, this sounds like a winner. Thanks. (And thanks to Molly from Orangette for linking me over here!)

[Paula]

Linked over from Orangette, made this tonight. Great recipe. And it got the "make again review" from my DH.

[Christina]

We made this on Monday night and it was a total success; my husband has always said that he hates broccoli, but this recipe with its Middle Eastern spices has converted him. I will definitely make this again. It's exciting to see so many people enthusiastic about it!

[Melissa]

I have cooked this twice, once with ground spices and once with the seeds. I liked it your way with ground spices best. This is a keeper recipe! Fast, healthy and delicious!

[Susan]

What do you know...I clipped this from the paper a few weeks ago..and just came across it today and thought: I have to make this. Glad to hear it was so delish!

[Midwesterner]

With all my substitutions using ingredients I had on hand tonight, I can't exactly say I made your or the NYT recipe. But I was inspired by this and the cumin, corriander and lemon combo was fabulous. I used frozen shrimp, partly thawed by running water. My bag of frozen broccoli turned out to be a mix of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots. Everything roasted together for 25 minutes, with a quick stir at 10 minutes. I halved all ingredients and omitted salt, but still used the zest and juice of a whole lemon. Served with rice this made a wonderful and quick meal for two. Thanks for the fun commentary.

[Rose-Anne]

I've made this dish twice with tofu instead of shrimp, and I think it's an amazing recipe. I'm so jealous I didn't come up with it myself! Such genius! For anyone who is curious, I posted my tofu version here:

http://lifeloveandfood24.blogspot.com/2009/02/just-in-time.html

Luisa, thanks so much for bringing this dish into my life! And double thanks for letting me post my tweaked version :-)

[Esther]

I made this tonight. I confess, I was skeptical, but both my husband and I LOVED it. And it was so easy. Thank you for sharing it.

[Angela]

Finally made this, it is delicious. Used half broccoli and half cauliflower because that is what I had. Served with brown rice. 15 year old son liked it too. First time to roast broccoli and will do again often. Thanks.

[jennifer]

I've had this recipe bookmarked for weeks, but I just now got around to trying it. We sprinkled some almonds on top and served it over basmati rice. Even the two-year-old loved it! Thank you -- I need more easy weeknight dinners like this to add to my meal plan rotation!

[Carole Rains]

I made this tonight and was eating it for dinner 30 minutes after first reading the recipe. It couldn't have been quicker or easier. I didn't have any coriander, so subbed some garam masala.

[nikki]

I grew up in the south where every vegetable was cooked for hours in bacon grease, so I fear crunchy broccoli but this sounds so delicious I'm going to try it.

[Danielle]

I tried this recipe a few weeks ago and it turned out great. I never thought to roast broccoli before, now I do it all the time. I'm so glad I found your site!

[Stacey]

Tried this with chicken breast pieces and it was FABULOUS.

[Wramblin' Wreck]

Luisa,

Wonderful recipe! Thanks!!

Some changes. I split the olive oil 3Tbsp. broccoli/1 Tbsp. shrimp. Better balance.

I also plan to decrease salt in next batch. 1-1/2 tsp. Kosher salt too much for me. Next time it will be 1/2 tsp/1/2 tsp. split.

I may be an incorrigible garlic fanatic but I think a couple cloves of thinly sliced garlic would be a great addition. Would you agree?

Thanks again!!

[Carla D'Anna]

I've made this 3 or 5 times now as written and love it but tonight I did it with par boiled potatoes and blanched asparagus (plus shrimp of course). This was also good but didn't get the slightly carmelized edges that the broccoli does as the asparagus gave off too much fluid and it all steamed a bit.

[angi]

Amazing - thanks for tipping me off to this! I just tried this out the other night and it was a minor miracle indeed :) http://riceandwheat.wordpress.com/2009/06/30/roasted-broccoli-with-shrimp-a-la-nyt/

[Debbie]

I only came across your blog recently and discovered this. Couldn't wait to try it and it lived up to all expectations. Because I can't make up my mind, I tried a mix of ground and whole spices - and threw in some thin asparagus spears when the shrimp went in.
Delicious, thank you so much.

[Margaret]

this looks great! i happen to have broccoli and shrimp that i have to eat before i go away for a month, so i'm going to make this tonight. thanks for sharing the recipe!

[Jeannie]

Nice one! I notice in Melissa Clark's original recipe that she had first considered doing with tofu but thought it would take too much prep/drain time. So that got me thinking about ROASTED TOFU - - totally kewl substitute for vegetarians non-shrimpians.

How about trying out a roasted tofu version? I'd love to see what you could do with that. adore tofu but have no clue how to roast it.

Cheers - - hope all's great in your world.
~Jeannie

[Tula]

Just tried Rose-Anne's tofu version at : http://lifeloveandfood24.blogspot.com/2009/02/just-in-time.html
The tofu was definitely underdone - - so it really should be tossed with the broccoli probably from the very beginning. Because what ends up happening is the broccoli is verging on burnt and the tofu still has a ways to go. I picked out the broccoli to save it and let the tofu keep roasting.
Really delicious though - - perfect with jasmine rice. I also added red pepper to the brocolli and this gave it a nice colour and an interesting zip. Really Nice idea, and something that could be nicely switched around too! Tula

[Deanna]

I made this tonight and it was fast and easy to prepare. Delicious, a new staple to my dinners. Thanks!

[Frances Whitehurst]

This was so bad: the first thing I tried to make from your site and I was salivating ...Maybe if the broccoli had only been cooked the same amount of time as the shrimp it would have been ok, but as it stands the dish was sufficiently ho hum that i can't be bothered to experiment. The house reeks of overcooked broccoli, and I have the door standing open in 50 degree weather.

It wasn't a very fast dish either, what with peeling the shrimp and the broccoli.

[Malika]

Wonder what this will be like when I make it with cauliflower?? Bet it's great!

[Karen]

My husband is not a huge fan of cumin & coriander; can you suggest another spice (or spice combo) that would complement the shrimp & broccoli? Thanks!

[Caroline]

I made this recipe some time ago and had a hankering for it again. Then I drove myself crazy looking for it, unsuccessfully. I thought that I got it from Sunset magazine but who knows. I know that I didn't get it from the NYT. Anyhow, google led me here and this is it exactly. Wonderful!

Trader Joe's frozen shrimp is the way to go. I thaw it in the fridge overnight and really can't tell that it isn't fresh.

Great blog! First time here but I'll be back.

[DMR]

Saw this recipe in the NY Times food section in January of last year. I agree with Melissa's assessment of that recipe - simple and delicious.

[Petula]

That sounds and looks wonderful. My kids would love this with rice.