A Recipe for Harry the Cat

I had some sad news this weekend. My 17 1/2 year old cat Harry died a peaceful death. I adopted Harry when he was a tiny kitten barely 4 weeks old. He was separated from his mother at too early an age, and was never properly weaned. So when I first took him home, he'd lie on my neck and suck on my ear, trying to nurse and purring his little kitten head off.

Anyway, this story and recipe are excepted from my book (you can watch a demo of this dish I did as a video for WNYC's Leonard Lopate show here) and I thought I'd post them here as a little tribute to my shrimp-eating kitty. May he rest happily in the big catnip field in the sky.

 

Shrimp For a Small Kitchen (Shrimp with Capers, Lemon and Feta)

I’ve lived in New York City nearly my entire life, which means having grown accustomed to apartment kitchens smaller than the average suburban shower stall. But for the tiniest kitchen of all, my apartment on 27th St. and Lexington Ave. takes the thimble-sized cake.

That kitchen was so miniscule that it could only hold two bodies if one of them happened to be feline, like my old cat Harry for example, who liked to weave in between my legs while I was stirring my morning oatmeal. Granted, I couldn’t really separate my legs quite enough to give him a pass through unless one of my feet was planted out the doorway. But Harry didn’t mind my half-in-half-out status as long as I let him lick the milky oatmeal pot.

I could make an entire meal without moving the bottom half of my body, just reaching my arms from stove to fridge to the cutting board I positioned over the sink. This arrangement gave me what had to pass for counter space, otherwise I’d be chopping on the floor, or on the dining table in my living room.

I suppose I could have used the top of my mini-fridge as a counter, but that was the only place to put the microwave.

Now the unusual thing about my relationship with my teeny, tiny kitchen is not that I would cook full meals for several guests in it. It’s that I also used it as the base for a very small, highly illegal catering company.

Somehow within its confines, I could whip up tandoori chicken skewers, shrimp dip, caviar canapés and miniature quiches with homemade pastry for 40. To make the pastry, I stood on a step stool to reach the food processor I stashed on top of the microwave. I kept my stockpot under my bed, filled with sweaters that were easily dumped out when the soup siren sang.

Although I only lived there for a year, I developed several go-to dishes that I could pull together in one pan, with minimal chopping and cleanup. This shrimp dish was my favorite. The lemon, garlic, and capers gave it a zesty pungency without much work, while the feta melted into a creamy pan sauce, luxuriously coating the shrimp.

It was, it should be noted, Harry’s favorite too. For obvious reasons.

 

Shrimp For a Small Kitchen (Shrimp with Capers, Lemon, and Feta)

Time: 10 minutes

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 pound large shrimp, shelled and cleaned

1/3 cup feta, crumbled

1/2 lemon, squeezed

1 to 2 tablespoons capers, to taste

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or basil, plus additional for garnish

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic, stirring, and cook until fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Stir in the shrimp, then add the feta, lemon juice, capers, salt, and pepper.

2. Continue stirring over the heat until the shrimp become just opaque and the sauce begins to thicken. Add the cilantro or basil and stir to combine. Serve garnished with additional herbs, if desired.

Serves 2 to 3.

 

Comments

[Margaret Roach]

Jack the Demon Cat won't eat people food...except raw shrimp. Not cooked; only raw...a sushi-chef cat (the sushi to also include every small animal within a mile, of course).

Sorry for the loss, but happy as ever to be reminded of another of your great tales of where food intersects with all aspects of life.

[Abigail @ Good To Think and Eat]

My cat Harriet (we call her Harry!) is licking out my oatmeal bowl as we speak. I'm so sorry about Harry. This was a beautiful post to honor him.

[Linda]

So sorry to hear sad feline news. Was he named after the cat in The Cricket in Times Square?

I love A Good Appetite and have a huge file of clips, can't wait to buy the book. Did not know you were a Curry Hill alum! (I'm at 28th + Lex)

[Lesli]

I'm so sorry to hear about Harry. I lost my 19-year old tom, craftily named Tom, this past January and a week later, I lost my job. He was such a sweetheart.

I'm a new reader and checked out your new cookbook from the library--I really love it! Glad to have found you--and hang in there about Harry. He had a good, long life with you.

[Melissa]

Thanks Lesli - I'm sorry to hear about Tom - and your job. Bad timing, that must have been one hell of a month. And thanks re: my cookbook! I really appreciate the nice words.

[Melissa]

Linda- He wasn't actually - I named him after my grandfather! My other cat, Emma, is named after the Jane Austen character. Thanks re: my column and I hope you enjoy the book!

[Casey@Good. Food. Stories.]

I read this piece with my salmon-loving cat Lenny draped across my lap and my chicken-loving cat Harry rubbing my ankles, waiting for any bit of food to drop off the table (guess what, Har- it's not happening.) Your Harry sounded like the perfect companion and muse, and in his honor, maybe my boys will get a little something extra for dinner tonight.

[amyrose]

Such a great post for one of the few cats my allergy-ridden heart came to know and love, plus a tribute-worthy recipe.
RIP, and my condolences to you, Melissa.
Amy

[Melissa]

thanks Amy!!