Fresh shrimp in a light Provencal sauce is one of celebrity chef Jacques Pepin’s creations I tasted on a cruise.

With a restaurant named after him on the Oceania Marina, he told me that he wanted to serve bistro-style food.

All you need is a little rice to go with his one-pot recipe. Simply heat a package of microwave brown rice according to package instructions. Measure out 1 1/2 cups rice (reserve the rest for another use), and mix in 2 teaspoons olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Divide it into two servings.

San Marzano tomatoes are Jacque’s first choice in this recipe, but plum tomatoes work well. I’ve adapted his recipe for a taste of his French cruise cuisine at home.

Wine suggestion: A light, crisp Pinot Grigio would go nicely.

JACQUES PEPIN’S SHRIMP PROVENCAL—Yield: 2 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil1/2 cup diced onion2 garlic cloves, crushed4 plum tomatoes, diced (2 cups)1/4 cup dry white wine3/4 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined1 sprig fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme1 sprig fresh or 1 teaspoon dried marjoram1 bay leafSalt

Procedure: 1. Add oil to nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until transparent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook another minute without browning. Add tomatoes and cook until they release their juice, 4-5 minutes. Add wine and simmer 1 minute; do not let it cook dry.2. Place shrimp over vegetables and add thyme, marjoram and bay leaf. Lower heat to medium and cover. Simmer (do not boil) 2 minutes; turn shrimp over and simmer 1 minute.3. Remove bay leaf, thyme and marjoram. Sprinkle with salt to taste. Serve over brown rice.

Nutrition data per serving: 322 calories (29 percent from fat), 10.3 g fat (1.6 g saturated, 5.5 g monounsaturated), 258 mg cholesterol, 36.9 g protein, 15.4 g carbohydrates, 3.3 g fiber, 266 mg sodium.

Fresh shrimp in a light Provencal sauce is one of celebrity chef Jacques Pepin’s creations. Photo by MCCLATCHY

Chef Jacques Pepin Photo by MCCLATCHY