Go gourmet: Sherried shrimp with endive

Usually when home cooks hear or read the word "gourmet" they automatically think they won't be able to preapre the dish. Nothing could be farther from the truth. "Gourmet" is just a word. It is siimply seven letters strung together to make a French word. There is nothing to be afraid of, to worry about or a reason to cower in a corner of the kitchen. Don't believe me? Okay, try this dish and I promise you won't mess it up and once you have dined upon the fruits of your labor, you will honestly be able to tell the world, you have conquered gourmet cooking!

What this dish is, is perfect bistro food. By-the-way, bistro food is not really French (albeit this is a French dish). Bistro's came about when Russia was attempting to overthrow France and the Russian soldiers would barge into the French restaurants and demand food. They would yell at the French Chef's "bistro! bistro! bistro!" -- meaning make it quick. So, in a very real way, bistro food is the original fast food. Sherried shrimp with endive was one of the first dishes I cooked when I was attending Escoffier in Paris, and everytime I eat it, I get the urge to hit a French chef (I'm joking...I think).

By the way, you are going to see a step to this dish which you might consider to be strange. This step will have you sauteeing the shells of the shrimp. This secret step by Chef's is a way to get great flavor in a sauce. The shells of the shrimp contain quite a bit of flavor and by sauteeing them, you are releasing that flavor.

Ingredients needed to make Sherried Shrimp with Endive (serves 2):

• 1/2 pound shrimp, deveined and shelled with the shells set aside
• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 2 Tbs. butter
• 3 endive, julienned (cut into very thin strips - see the pictures)
• 1 green onion, minced
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1/2 cup sherry
• 1 Meyer lemon, juice and zest (grate the zest)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps:

1. Rinse the shrimp under sold water and pat dry.
2. In a medium saute pan or skillet, melt the butter into the olive oil over medium heat.
3. Add the shells of the shrimp and saute them about 5 minutes ( they will turn pink). Remove the shells with a slotted spoon and discard.
4. Into the pan add the shrimp and saute 3 minutes.
5. Add the endive, green onion and tomato and saute 3 minutes.
6. Into the pan stir in the sherry, lemon juice and zest and cook 4 minutes.
7. Into the pan sprinkle the Parmesan cheese.
8. Remove the pan from the heat and let sit 5 minutes before serving.

** You can follow the Chef Inside Google calls "possibly one of the most popular Chef's in the world" either on Twitter @ChefLarryEdward or on Facebook **