Easy dinner recipes: simple shrimp pasta, potato salad and frittata

Love shrimp? Fresh and bright with large shrimp, tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic and a sprinkling of fresh parsley, Capellini al gamberetti, a pasta dish from Napoli Italian Restaurant in Loma Linda, doesn’t get any easier. Make it in less than 30 minutes.

Serve this potato salad as a light dinner or as a generous side -- either way, you’re covered! Steamed fingerling potatoes are tossed with shrimp and cherry tomatoes in a bright green goddess dressing. Garnish the salad with some snipped chives and it’s ready to go. And it’s ready in a little over an hour.

Serve this potato salad as a light dinner or as a generous side -- either way, you’re covered! Steamed fingerling potatoes are tossed with shrimp and cherry tomatoes in a bright green goddess dressing. Garnish the salad with some snipped chives and it’s ready to go. And it’s ready in a little over an hour. Continue reading below for the recipe. - See more at: https://latimesblogs.latimes.com/dailydish/2012/06/potato-and-shrimp-salad-green-goddess-dressing.html#sthash.3wgsb5b5.dpuf

RECIPES: 99 easy dinner ideas in about an hour or less

According to Food Editor Russ Parsons, a weeknight dinner can be as easy as a frittata. Russ has a recipe for shrimp and basil frittata that’s about as easy as it gets with only six ingredients (shrimp, eggs, green onions, butter, salt and fresh basil leaves). Make the frittata ahead of time, so it’s ready in the fridge when you need it, or whip it up when you get home -- the whole thing comes together in only 30 minutes.

You can find all three recipes below.

And for more ideas, click through our easy dinner recipes gallery and check out our Dinner Tonight page, devoted to recipes that can be made in an hour or less. Looking for a particular type of recipe? Comment below or email me at noelle.carter@latimes.com.

NAPOLI’S CAPELLINI AL GAMBERETTI

Total time: 25 minutes

Servings: 4

Note: Adapted from Napoli Italian Restaurant in Loma Linda

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound large (16 to 20 count) shrimp, peeled and cleaned

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 pound sliced mushrooms

1 cup diced tomatoes

1 cup drained jarred artichokes

Salt and pepper

1/2 pound capellini (angel hair) pasta, cooked al dente in salted water

1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley

1. Heat a 12- to 14-inch sauté pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the olive oil, shrimp and garlic, and cook, tossing or stirring frequently until the shrimp is just cooked, about 2 minutes.

2. Add the mushrooms, tomatoes and artichokes and continue to cook until the mushrooms are softened, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

3. Stir in the pasta and parsley, and toss to combine and warm the pasta. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

Each serving: 519 calories; 29 grams protein; 50 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 22 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 168 mg cholesterol; 4 grams sugar; 328 mg sodium

POTATO AND SHRIMP SALAD WITH GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

Total time: About 1 hour and 20 minutes

Servings: 6

Note: Reserve the trimmings from the green onions, parsley and tarragon from the dressing for use in the second part of the recipe.

Green goddess dressing

4 anchovy fillets, chopped

2 green onions, green parts only, finely chopped

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped parsley

2 tablespoons chopped tarragon

2 tablespoons tarragon vinegar

2 tablespoons minced chives

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1. In a food processor or blender, puree the anchovies, green onions, parsley, tarragon, vinegar and chives, or grind with a mortar and pestle to make a fairly smooth paste. Stir the mixture into the mayonnaise. Refrigerate tightly covered.

Shrimp and potato salad and assembly

1 1/2 pounds fingerling potatoes

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons tarragon vinegar

1/2 cup white wine

2 cups water

1/3 cup loosely packed trimmings from the dressing (equal parts green onions, tarragon and parsley)

1 pound shell-on shrimp

1/2 pound cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in half lengthwise

2 teaspoons snipped chives

1. Bring water to a simmer in a double boiler. Slice the fingerlings in half lengthwise. If they are more than 3 inches long, cut them in half again crosswise. Steam, covered over medium heat until tender, 12 to 14 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and season with salt and tarragon vinegar. Toss to coat well and set aside at room temperature to cool.

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the white wine with 2 cups of water and herb trimmings to a simmer over high heat. Immediately reduce the heat to bring the contents to a gentle simmer, and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes to allow the contents to steep. Add the shrimp, cover tightly and simmer for 3 minutes before removing the pan from the heat. Let stand, covered, until the shrimp are firm but cooked through, about 15 minutes. Drain, peel and refrigerate in a tightly sealed bag or covered container.

3. Just before serving, add the shrimp to the potatoes. If the shrimp are large, they should be cut into bite-size pieces. Stir in the green goddess dressing. You won’t use all of the recipe, so start with one-third cup, then add more dressing a tablespoon at a time until the shrimp and the potatoes are lightly napped, but not gloppy with mayonnaise. It will take about one-half cup total. Gently fold in the tomatoes, and sprinkle with snipped chives. Serve immediately or refrigerate, tightly covered, and bring to cool room temperature before serving.

Each serving: 285 calories; 15 grams protein; 22 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 16 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 123 mg. cholesterol; 665 mg. sodium

SHRIMP AND BASIL FRITTATA

Total time: 30 minutes, plus cooling time for the frittata

Servings: 6 as appetizer, 4 as main course

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions (both green and white parts), about 4 onions

1/2 pound peeled small shrimp (70 to 100 per pound)

6 eggs

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 to 10 leaves of basil, torn into small pieces

1. Heat the broiler. Melt the butter in a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium low heat. Add the green onions and cook until they’ve softened slightly, about 2 minutes. Add the shrimp and cook until they are firm, about 5 minutes.

2. While the onions and shrimp are cooking, beat the eggs, salt and basil with a fork in a mixing bowl just until the yolks and the white are thoroughly mixed, but don’t overbeat, which can make the frittata dry.

3. Add the egg mixture to the pan with the onions and shrimp and stir well to combine. Reduce the heat to low and cover the pan. Cook, without stirring, until the eggs have set, leaving only a top layer uncooked, about 10 minutes. Place under the broiler until the top is browned and puffy, 1 to 2 minutes.

4. To unmold the frittata, let it cool slightly in the pan. Use a spatula to loosen it along the sides, and then bang it firmly on a cutting board to release the underside. Slide it out onto a serving plate. Serve either hot or at room temperature. If you’re going to refrigerate the frittata, let it warm to room temperature before serving.

Each of 6 servings: 148 calories; 14 grams protein; 1 gram carbohydrates; 0 fiber; 9 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 279 mg. cholesterol; 1 gram sugar; 225 mg. sodium

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