Egg and Shrimp Scramble

When I share a leisurely brunch with friends, a savory scramble is an easy, healthy and tasty go to dish.  This recipe is perfect for two served with a wonderful bread and fruit salad.  It can also be made omitting the shrimp, adding mushrooms or any other thing you like.   I also frequently make something similar with smoked Alaskan salmon and capers rather than shrimp and garlic.

INGREDIENTS
Extra virgin olive oil
Soy butter
1/4 cup finely minced onion
1/4 cup diced red bell pepper
1/4 cup grated zucchini
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 - 1/3 lb (about 10 31-40 count) raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
4 eggs
3-4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
zest of one lemon
freshly ground black pepper

PREPPING THE SHRIMP
Generally, I keep a bag of fresh-frozen raw shrimp in the freezer.  To thaw, pull out the number you need and put in a bowl of cold water, covering them well.  Exchange the water as needed as they thaw.  This usually takes 10-15 minutes.  Drain the water off the shrimp and peel the shells and, rather than discard, refreeze them in a baggie or container for use in broth-making.

When the shrimp are dry, chop them into small bite-sized pieces and place them in a bowl.  Pour over enough olive oil to nicely coat your shrimp.  Add the garlic, lemon zest, and ground black pepper to taste.  Mix thoroughly and set aside.

COOKING THE DISH
Bring a sautee pan for which you have a lid to temperature over medium-low heat.  Add olive oil and soy butter (about a T of each).  Add the vegetables and gently sautee until softened.

Mix eggs gently into the shrimp-garlic mixture.

When you are ready to add the shrimp and eggs to the vegetables, turn the heat toward low if your pan is not heavy bottomed.  This keeps the scramble from getting watery and allows the shrimp to cook gently with the eggs.  Cover, mixing with a spatula gently every minute or so until the eggs are cooked and the shrimp is a nice pink color.

Serve with salsa or mole sauce. 

...AND THE LEFT OVER LEMON JUICE
Mix it with a T of honey and into a plain organic regular or Greek-style yogurt.  Use as a wonderful topping for fresh fruit.  If you have berries in the mix, it is surprisingly delicious to grind a bit of black pepper over the fruit salad!