When I saw the title of Lola Milne's cookbook, "One Dish Fish" (Kyle Books, 2020), I knew it was for me. I often turn to seafood when I want to toss together a quick weeknight meal, because the proteins generally cook quickly and are easily complemented with a little fat and a few fresh or dry herbs.
If you're comfortable cooking seafood, you'll likely agree. If not, Milne's cookbook might help you slide into that comfort zone. She features 70 recipes for white-fleshed fish, such as cod, haddock or sole; oilier fish, such as salmon and mackerel; and shellfish, including shrimp, squid and clams.
All the dishes are made in the oven in one pan, so no transferring or flipping of delicate seafood required. She divides her recipes by timing: ready in 20, 30 or 45 minutes.
The dish featured here, which can be made with shrimp or dry scallops, was in her 20-minute chapter and made sans potatoes as a starter. She suggested adding potatoes to make it a meal and, with them, it took me just under 30 minutes to get it on the table. (And, yes, it meant I had to use a second pan to boil the potatoes, but it was still pretty darn quick and easy to clean up.)
The only thing that takes a bit of time is slicing the brussels sprouts into thin strips. Put the potatoes on to boil, then start prepping your sprouts. Once the sprouts and shrimp are in the oven, you'll have time to make the aioli and even a green salad and a light vinaigrette, if you like. (If you're so inclined, slip a bottle of sauvignon blanc in the refrigerator before you start cooking.)
For us, the dish felt festive — even a bit playful as we dipped and dolloped — which we embraced on a gray, fall evening after a long day of work.
Chile Shrimp With Brussels Sprouts and Lemon Aioli
- For the potatoes:
- 1 pound new or baby potatoes
- Fine sea or table salt
- For the shrimp and sprouts:
- Olive oil
- ½ pound brussels sprouts (about 20 small), thinly sliced or shredded
- ½ teaspoon Aleppo pepper or any chile powder
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more to taste (optional)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 ½ tablespoons salted butter, cut into small pieces
- ½ pound peeled, deveined medium shrimp (40-50 count), thawed if frozen
- Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves and tender stems, chopped
- For the aioli:
- ¾ cup mayonnaise
- 1 preserved lemon (about 1 ounce) pith and innards discarded, finely chopped (see note)
- 1 large garlic clove, minced or finely grated
- Finely grated zest of 1 large lemon, plus wedges for serving
Place the potatoes in a medium pot and add enough water to submerge them. Generously salt the water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes can be easily pierced with a fork. Drain and cover to keep warm.
Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and heat to 475 degrees.
While the potatoes are cooking, on a lightly oiled quarter sheet pan or a 9-by-13-inch pan, toss the sprouts with the Aleppo pepper or chile powder, crushed red pepper flakes (if using) and the garlic powder. Dot with the butter. Roast for 5 minutes, then toss and return to the oven for another 5 minutes, or until just starting to brown. Remove the pan from the oven and stir in the shrimp. Return to the oven for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink, curled and cooked through.
While the sprouts and shrimp are roasting, in a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, preserved lemon, garlic and lemon zest until well combined.
Transfer the shrimp and sprouts to a platter, alongside the potatoes. Sprinkle additional crushed red pepper flakes, if using, over the potatoes and drizzle with olive oil.
Scatter the parsley on top and serve warm, with the aioli and lemon wedges on the side.
Makes 2 to 4 servings.
Note: If you do not have preserved lemon, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of fresh lemon juice to the aioli just before serving. The preserved lemons must be made at least 5 days in advance.