Shrimp Boats

When I was 14, my Grannie took me to Paris. It was my first time out of the country and I’m 95% sure she took me over my brother because I had been taking French for several years in school. I wasn’t fluent by any means, but I could sure produce the correct word for most any noun in the French language. It was helpful and I knew more French at that time than I did going back to Paris in my early 20’s with Mr. Prevention.

My brother is still bitter about me being able to go to Paris with Grannie and not him.

Which he should be. Paris is…amazing.

My Grannie and I did a lot of walking, a lot of getting lost, and a lot of sandwich-eating. Some of my fondest memories from Paris include sitting at cafes eating sandwiches on baguettes and taking in the views.

Another fond memory is taking a dinner cruise on the river and at 14, being served FOUR different wines with our meal. And caviar. Which, regrettably, I didn’t try. Today, I’d jump at the chance! I do remember we had some trouble stumbling to hail a cab and make it back to our hotel. Party animal Grannie 😉

The only thing that’s better than admiring the Eiffel Tower is doing so while eating a freshly baked baguette…or a sandwich on a baguette. Or maybe this sandwich — a shrimp boat.

I used a whole grain baguette and because you hollow out much of the center, this is a much lower-calorie and lower-carb meal choice than what meets the eye. The shrimp are sauteed to perfection in butter, olive oil, wine, and garlic. Is there a more heavenly combination? Better yet, this meal comes together really quickly and is one classy sandwich.

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Shrimp Boats slightly adapted from Baked Bree

1 whole grain baquette, cut on the diagonal into 4 5-inch pieces (ends discarded)
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, chopped finely
1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, sliced into thin strips
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup white wine
2/3 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, sliced into thin ribbons
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated or finely shredded

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Chop and prepare all ingredients as the cooking time goes quickly.

Slice the baguette into 3 wedges on the diagonal, about 4-5 inches each. Using a knife, cut a hole about halfway into the baguette, making a boat of sorts. Bake the bread while preparing, about 8 minutes.

Heat a medium saute pan over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, shallots, and sun dried tomatoes. Cook for about 3 to 4 minutes or until the shallots begin to soften.

Add the wine and garlic; cook for about 30 seconds. Add the shrimp.

When the shrimp are almost cooked, add the butter, stirring to thicken. Take the bread out of the oven and pour some of the sauce directly into the bread. Top with the shrimp and remaining sauce. Garnish with chopped basil and Parmesan cheese.

Yield: 4 boats.

Nutrition Information (per serving): 498 calories; 21.8 g. fat; 102 mg. cholesterol; 562 mg. sodium; 46.3 g. carbohydrate; 5.3 g. fiber; 26 g. protein

Result: Great-looking and tasting! This sandwich is perfect for dolling up a lunch or dinner while still keeping the waistline in mind. I cut a lot of calories from this recipe by reducing the fat. And still, there was a ton of flavor and texture. These were fun to eat and would be great for lunch or dinner. Mr. Prevention thoroughly enjoyed these, too.

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Teaching and a workout! Happy Birthday to my dad! 🙂

Be well,