Greece is surrounded by sea. According to encyclopedias, Greece has the 11th longest coastline in the world at 13,676 km (8,498 miles) in length, with approximately 1,400 islands, of which 227 are inhabited. From the ancient ages all civilizations that lived in this part of the world had a very close and strong connection to the sea. From Minoans to Mycenaeans and from Athenians to Macedonians, Greeks have developed a numerous and very capable fleet, commercial and warship. They were skilled merchants and at the same time fearless sailors and warriors. Their ships were sailing all over Mediterranean Sea selling local products and buying wealth from the countries of the Middle East and southern Europe.
In the modern years the shipping industry is a very important sector of the Greek economy accounting for 4.5% of GDP.
Η συνταγή και στα ελληνικά στο τέλος της ανάρτησης!
During the 1960s, two men Aristotle Onassis and Stavros Niarchos helped our country’s fleet to double. I am sure you all have heard of at least one of them and perhaps you have seen one or all the movies depicting their lives, which were full of passion, love, betrayal, hatred, wealth, and controversies, elements that make a good soap opera.
According to a United Nations Conference on Trade and Development report in 2011, the Greek merchant navy is the largest in the world at 16.2% of the world’s total capacity.
Traditionally the inhabitants of our islands were the main pool from which ship owners were staffing their vessels. All the others who were left behind, they were becoming either fishermen or they were collecting sponges. Very difficult jobs both of them and very dangerous. Many men were lost along with their fishing boats because of storms, while others were left paralyzed or with serious health issues because of decompression sickness.
Fish constitutes a very important and common ingredient in Greek cooking and all Greeks enjoy eating all the food sea provides. Our fish and seafood are saltier than those of the ocean, because of the largest concentration of salt in the Mediterranean Sea.
Shrimps are very popular and widely eaten here! Every time I try to find a new way to cook them and make yet another tasty meal for the family. This time I decided to make them with a lemony sauce. It is a dish similar to shrimps scampi but with a few differences. It was so delicious! The combination of lemon and honey gave a sweet and sour flavor to the shrimps and pasta was the perfect bed for them to release their flavors. This is an easy, quick and very tasty meal very appropriate for the busy weekdays, but also ideal for a Sunday with less cooking and more relaxing!
Lemony Shrimps
Ingredients
400 gr. / 14 oz. spaghetti
400 gr. / 14 oz. shrimps deveined and without shells
1 green pepper, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic, minced
1 cup white wine
3 tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp dried basil
3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbsp honey
Salt and pepper
Ingredients
In a skillet in medium heat, sauté the onion and peppers until they become soft.
Add the garlic and sauté for a minute, until fragrant.
Add the wine, the lemon, salt and pepper, the dried herbs and the honey, increase the heat to medium/high and sauté until remains half the quantity.
Throw the shrimps and parsley and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
While you make the shrimps prepare the spaghetti and when they are ready drain them and throw them in the skillet with the shrimps.
Toss to mix the sauce with the spaghetti and serve while warm.
Tip: If the sauce is somewhat runny, thicken it by adding to it 1tsp of corn starch dissolved in 1 tsp of water.
- 400 gr. / 14 oz. spaghetti
- 400 gr. / 14 oz. shrimps deveined and without shells
- 1 green pepper, sliced
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 garlic, minced
- 1 cup white wine
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ tsp dried oregano
- ½ tsp dried basil
- 3 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 1 tbsp honey
- Salt and pepper
- In a skillet in medium heat, sauté the onion and peppers until they become soft.
- Add the garlic and sauté for a minute, until fragrant.
- Add the wine, the lemon, salt and pepper, the dried herbs and the honey, increase the heat to medium/high and sauté until it remains half the quantity.
- Throw the shrimps and parsley and cook for 3 to 4 minutes.
- While you make the shrimps prepare the spaghetti and when they are ready drain them and throw them in the skillet with the shrimps.
- Toss to mix the sauce with the spaghetti and serve while warm.
- 400 γρ. σπαγγέτι
- 400 γρ. γαρίδες καθαρισμένες
- 1 πράσινη πιπεριά, σε φέτες
- 1 κρεμμύδι, ψιλοκομμένο
- 1 σκόρδο, τριμμένο
- 1 φλ. λευκό κρασί
- 3 κ.σ. χυμό λεμονιού
- ½ κ.γ. ρίγανη
- ½ κ.γ. βασιλικό
- 3 κ.σ. φρέσκο μαϊντανό, ψιλοκομμένο
- 1 κ.σ. μέλι
- Αλάτι και πιπέρι
- Σε μια κατσαρόλα σε μέτρια φωτιά, σωτάρετε το κρεμμύδι και τις πιπεριές, μέχρι να μαλακώσουν.
- Προσθέστε το σκόρδο και σωτάρετε για ένα λεπτό, μέχρι να μυρίσει.
- Προσθέστε το κρασί, το λεμόνι, αλάτι και πιπέρι, τα μυρωδικά εκτός του μαιντανού και το μέλι, δυναμώστε τη φωτιά σε μέτρια/υψηλή και σωτάρετε μέχρι να μείνει η μισή ποσότητα.
- Ρίξτε τις γαρίδες και το μαϊντανό και μαγειρέψτε για 3 έως 4 λεπτά.
- Ενώ κάνετε τις γαρίδες ετοιμάστε τα μακαρόνια και όταν είναι έτοιμα τα στραγγίζετε και τα ρίχνετε στο τηγάνι με τις γαρίδες.
- Ανακατεύετε να πάει η σάλτσα σε όλα τα μακαρόνια και σερβίρετε όσο είναι ζεστά.
