Spicy Sauteed Shrimp with Maple Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes

Name: Spicy Sauteed Shrimp with Maple Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 bunch trimmed asparagus ((cut in half if thick)); 1 pint cherry tomatoes (halved); 1/2 pound shrimp (shelled and deveined); 1 clove garlic (sliced thinly); 1 small handful fresh basil (chopped); 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; orange zest (from half an orange); 1/2 juice (from orange); 2 tsp pure maple syrup; 1/2 tsp finely chopped fresh basil; dash of freshly ground pepper; 1 tbsp minced garlic; 1 tsp minced ginger; 1 tsp asian chilli garlic sauce ((optional)); dash of freshly ground pepper

This spicy sauteed shrimp recipe combined with the fresh maple roasted asparagus and tomatoes is a delicious and healthy combination of fresh produce with a tasty marinade that you will want use on many other of your favorite dishes!

Roasted Asparagus and Tomatoes

I finally got out to Barrie Hill Farms two weeks ago where I was so excited to see freshly picked asparagus. The strawberries weren’t quite ready yet but that’s no surprise given the arctic winter we had! It will be another couple weeks before they’re ready but I’ll be there as soon as there are and look for some great recipes featuring berries. Asparagus though is one of my favourite veggies and after using a lot of it in salads, I had some leftover for roasting.

(Just a quick note about using raw asparagus in salads. I use my peeler to strip the outer layers off when I’m eating it raw because it tends to be quite woody if uncooked. It’s a lovely bright green beneath and wonderfully crunchy so will make a great addition to any salad.)

I am passionate about these three ingredients so I am always looking for ways to incorporate all of them into a recipe. This is as simple as it gets.

Spicy Sauteed Shrimp Marinade For Vegetables

I bought some Maple Orange Garlic Sauce at the market to try on the grilled garlic shrimp in the future but it got me thinking to try it on the roasted veggies. I made my own by combining some olive oil, orange zest, orange juice, maple syrup, fresh basil, and pepper and drizzling it over the veggies – wow, what a lovely surprise. I thought I might be overdoing it by mixing that many flavours together but it was lip-smackingly delicious!

I wanted a contrast with the shrimp so made it spicy with Asian chili sauce and garlic and ginger. It certainly kept my taste buds hopping and of course, I always overdo it with the spice so it was good and hot. No worries, I adjusted the measurements for the recipe.

This spicy sauteed shrimp dish is a nice side plate and especially easy to do for gatherings with a lot of people. It’s also a great dinner for us pescatarians. I keep trying to convince myself that I can switch to a diet that is entirely plant-based but I don’t know how I can give up my seafood – especially shrimp! I guess it will be a work in progress.

This can all be done on the grill as easily as the oven so let the griller in the family take over for a change. Cheers, everyone!