Chardonnay with Easy Sheet Pan Shrimp and Crab Cakes

Some days I just feel like having a Seafood and Chardonnay Wine Adventure! My family likes shrimp, while I prefer crab cakes (and wine!). I like to accommodate everyone’s dinner wishes by providing several food choices. Unfortunately, I struggle multi-tasking when it involves preparing several entrees at once. (Which is further complicated because I drink wine while cooking!) Shrimp is especially challenging to prepare because it cooks so quickly. I often get distracted and overcook it while trying to prepare the rest of the food. Timing is everything! That is why Easy Sheet Pan Shrimp works well for me. After the prep work is done – I just put it on baking pan in the oven for 15 minutes which frees me up to concentrate on preparing anything else I am struggling… I mean attempting to make.

I just happened to have a bottle of the Traveling Vineyard’s 2016 Steeple Street Chardonnay from the California wine region. This vintage is no longer available, however any unoaked (wine aged in steel rather than oak barrels) Chardonnay will pair nicely with this meal. Though oaked Chardonnay may pair nicely as well, I prefer the unoaked Chardonnay because it’s refreshing and crisp and doesn’t overwhelm the food. (And on this day, an unoaked Chardonnay is what I happen to have on my wine rack!)

If you'd like to try this at home - follow the recipe below. Cheers!

Sheet Pan Shrimp

Ingredients:

• Raw Shrimp (peeled and deveined) NOTE: I do not recommend pre-cooked shrimp. I tried it and the shrimp was overcooked and ended up with a rubbery texture.

• 2 or 3 lemons

• Stick of butter

• Fresh garlic

• Fresh Parsley

• Any other sprinkle herbs that make you happy

Prepare:

1. Melt stick of better on a baking pan

2. Slice lemons and lay slices on top of the butter

3. Lay shrimp down

4. Sprinkle fresh garlic and fresh parsley

5. Put in oven and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes

Crab Cakes (Easy Version)

Purchase already prepared but uncooked crab cakes from the grocery store butcher. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, coat pan with oil and heat until shimmering. Add crab cakes and cook, in batches, until golden and crispy, 3 to 5 minutes per side.

I hope you enjoyed reading about my Seafood and Chardonnay Wine Adventure! Cheers!