Rush Hour Gourmet: Shrimp from Jacques Pepin

Fresh shrimp in a light Provençal sauce is one of celebrity chef Jacques Pepin's creations I tasted on a cruise. With a restaurant named after him on the Oceania Marina, he told me that he wanted to serve bistro-style food.

"I like to return to classic French-bistro style food that is hard to find now, simple good food, made from fresh ingredients."

All you need is a little rice to go with his one-pot recipe. San Marzano tomatoes are Jacque's first choice in this recipe, but plum tomatoes work well. I've adapted his recipe for a taste of his French cruise cuisine at home.

Makes 2 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup diced onion

2 garlic cloves, crushed

4 plum tomatoes, diced (2 cups)

1/4 cup dry white wine

3/4 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 sprig fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 sprig fresh or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram

1 bay leaf

Salt

Brown rice, cooked

1. Heat olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes.

2. Add garlic and cook another minute without browning. Add tomatoes and cook until they release their juice, 4 to 5 minutes. Add wine and simmer 1 minute; do not let it cook dry.

3. Place shrimp over vegetables and add thyme, marjoram and bay leaf. Lower heat to medium and cover with a lid. Simmer (do not boil) 2 minutes; turn shrimp over and simmer 1 minute.

4. Remove bay leaf and thyme and marjoram sprigs, if using. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

5. Serve over brown rice.

Per serving: 322 calories, 37 grams protein, 15 grams carbohydrates, 10 grams fat, 258 milligrams cholesterol, 266 milligrams sodium, 3 grams dietary fiber.