Grilled Shrimp Caprese and Mozzarella Fonduta

We are huge Olive Garden Lovers.  But with the economy the way it is, even though Olive Garden is fairly priced, we can’t afford to go as much as we’d like. 

My MIL’s birthday was last Saturday and we were going to take her out to eat on Sunday to where other than Olive Garden.

Well, since she has ate several of their entree’s here at my own house, she insisted we save the money and cook it instead!

So, I cooked my favorites from there…Grilled Shrimp Caprese and Mozzarella Fonduta!  YUM-OH!  These recipes can be found on their web site.  Yes, Olive Garden has tons of their recipes. 

Grilled Shrimp Caprese

Prep Time:

1 hour, 30 minutes

Cook Time:

20 minutes

Serving Size:

4 8 12

Ingredients
Marinated Tomatoes:
1 1/2 lbs Roma tomatoes, cored* and cut into 1” pieces
20 medium fresh basil leaves, stems removed and cut into 1” pieces
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian seasoning
Salt to taste
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup white wine
11/2 cups heavy cream
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 lb capellini (angel hair) pasta, cooked according to package directions
2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 lb 26/30 or 21/25 shrimp, peeled and deveined
*Chef’s Note: To preserve juices and seeds, use a pairing knife to remove just the top of the core on each tomato.

Procedures
Preheat broiler.

1. COMBINE tomatoes, basil, olive oil, garlic, Italian seasoning and salt in a large bowl and blend thoroughly. Cover, set aside and marinate for at least 1 hour.
2. HEAT a large, nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add butter and let melt. Stir in white wine and bring to a boil. Add heavy cream and Parmesan cheese and bring to a simmer. Let sauce reduce to desired consistency.
3. ADD cooked, drained pasta and marinated tomatoes to skillet. Stir to thoroughly coat pasta with sauce.
4. TRANSFER pasta and sauce to serving platter and top with mozzarella cheese.
5. GRILL or SAUTE shrimp until internal temperature reaches 150°F and set aside.
6. PLACE serving platter in broiler for 2-3 minutes, or until cheese has melted.
7. TOP pasta with cooked shrimp and serve.

Mozzarella Fonduta

Ingredients:

1 loaf Italian bread, such as ciabatta or semolina, sliced into 1/4 inch slices

1 cup sour cream

1 tsp thyme

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

3 cups shredded mozzarella or smoked mozzarella cheese

3 cups shredded smoked provolone or provolone cheese

3 tbsp grated parmesan cheese

3 tbsp grated romano cheese

8 tsp fresh diced tomatoes

Fresh chopped parsley

Directions:

Arrange sliced bread flat on baking sheet and cover with foil.  Set aside until ready to use.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Combine sour cream, thyme, red pepper, cayenne pepper and four cheeses in large bowl, blend thoroughly.

Spray at brownie pan with cooking spray.  Using a large spoon, spread cheese mixture to create an even surface.

Place dish in oven on center rack.

After 5 minutes, place bread on top rack.  Bake for an additional 5 minutes.

Remove bread and fonduta from oven.

Garnish with tomatoes in center and sprinkle with the parsley.

For the cheese, I purchase Sergento brand Italian cheese blend, just check to make sure it includes the smoked mozzarella.  I buy two bags of this (2 cups each) and then one bag of shredded mozzarella.)   It also takes longer then 10 minutes for the cheese to bake completely.

These are yummy dishes and we love making them!