Garlic butter shrimp is so quick and easy. Shrimp sautéed in garlicky sauce with lemon and a hint of chilli and parsley . Toss these shrimp in pasta or eat as they are with homemade naan bread and a salad. Ready in less than 10 minutes.
Shrimp are one of my favourite foods. They are quick to cook, pack a wallop when it comes to healthy benefits and they taste like a million bucks. But... I know so many people who don't cook shrimp, or any seafood for that matter, at home because they're nervous that they won't do it properly.
No one wants to end up with rubbery overcooked prawns. Sure, they'll still have all of their nutrients, but it will feel like your chewing on tires for dinner.
During my years as a professional chef I've probably cooked thousands of prawns... and salmon, and crab, and cod and... you get the point. I've cooked a lot of fish and shellfish in my day.
So, although they're quick and simple to cook, you may need a few pointers to get you on the road to gourmet shrimp at home. So, here we go.
How to cook garlic butter shrimp like a chef
- You can buy fresh or frozen shrimp. Fresh is better, but sometimes they just can't be found. So, frozen is okay. Just make sure that you thaw them and dry them off before cooking. If not, they'll be retaining too much moisture and will simmer rather than sauté.
- What ever you do, for the love of G-d, please de vein your shrimp. I have read articles that state that it's not necessary to remove the vein. I can assure you, it is completely necessary. Usually I take a pretty relaxed approach to cooking, but there are some instances that call for straight up rules and protocol. This is one of them. No one wants to bite into a juicy, garlicky, lemony shrimp only to find that you couldn't be bothered to devein. You get the point!
- You don't need to marinate your shrimp before you sauté. Shrimp flesh is delicate and if there is any acid in your marinade it will start to cook the flesh and you'll end up with tough shrimp. When your prawns are cooked perfectly, you'll want to make sure that you halt the cooking process to ensure that they don't over cook. To stop the cooking you simply add acid to the pan. Wether you use white wine, lemon juice or a splash of white balsamic vinegar, they all serve the same purpose.
These tips will have you well on your way to bowls full of delicious, tender and juicy shrimp at home on even your busiest .night of the week. Like, I said, you can toss these over some pasta, or on top of a salad. At this time of year I personally just serve them in a bowl with my 2 Ingredient Naan Bread and a glass of chilled wine.
Cheers...
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Garlic Butter Shrimp With Chilli
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds shrimp peeled and de veined
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic finely chopped
- 3 Tablespoons butter
- pinch chilli flakes
- juice of ½ lemon or equivalent splash of white wine
- 2 Tablespoons parsley finely chopped
Instructions
- Place the olive oil in a large non stick skillet over a high heat. Heat the olive oil until it just starts to smoke. Add the shrimp and cook. Shake the pan to ensure that the shrimp are all in a single layer.
- Cook until the shrimp are pink and just cooked. Remove to a bowl.
- Add the garlic and butter to the pan and cook until the butter is foaming and the garlic is fragrant. Put the shrimp back in the pan and add the lemon juice and chilli flakes. Scatter with parsley and place in a bowl for serving
Karen (Back Road Journal) says
Simple dishes are some of the best and this recipe is one of them. Delicious.