Garlicky Shrimp and Tomatoes

The combination of flavors in this robust dish is reminiscent of cioppino, San Francisco’s popular seafood stew. It’s not a mistake that raw garlic gets stirred into the sauce at the end of cooking—it provides a jolt of fresh flavor.

• 30 jumbo shrimp (21 to 25 per lb.), peeled, deveined, and patted dry
  
  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 Tbs. olive oil; more as needed
• 3 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1-1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, coarsely crushed
• 1-1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes with purée (from a 15-oz. can)
• 6 oz. (3/4 cup) bottled clam juice
• 3/4 cup dry white vermouth
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Season the shrimp with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Heat 3 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until partially cooked, 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large bowl.

Add the remaining 2 Tbs. oil to the skillet. Add about two-thirds of the garlic and all of the fennel seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, clam juice, and vermouth. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 12 minutes.

Turn the heat down to medium and stir in the remaining garlic and the parsley. Add the shrimp and accumulated juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.