Hot & Spicy Shrimp
Submitted by memary
Butter-poached shrimp baked in their shells with garlic, rosemary, cayenne, and a full tablespoon of paprika. The shells turn crispy while shrimp stay tender. Serve with crusty bread to soak up the spiced butter.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
60 minThis hot and spicy shrimp recipe treats shell-on shrimp like the delicacy they are, baking them in a fiery butter bath spiked with fresh herbs, cayenne, and enough garlic to make you swoon.
Start by simmering butter and oil with rosemary, basil, thyme, oregano, fresh chili peppers, and peppercorns until the kitchen smells like a Mediterranean taverna.
Let those flavors marry for 30 minutes (or make it a day ahead), then nestle raw shrimp into the reheated sauce, cook until they turn pink, and finish in a hot oven until the shells crisp up.
The shells become edible and add textural contrast, but the real treasure is that spiced butter demanding to be mopped up with bread.
Kitchen Tips
- Shell-on advantage: Shells protect shrimp from overcooking and add briny flavor to butter sauce
- Make ahead: Butter sauce benefits from sitting; refrigerate up to 24 hours and reheat before adding shrimp
- Heat level: Adjust fresh chilies and cayenne to your tolerance; start conservative and add more
- Bread matters: Serve with crusty sourdough, ciabatta, or French bread for proper sauce sopping
- Don’t skip the simmer: That 10-minute infusion is what builds depth in the butter
Ingredients
Directions
Shrimp should be of a size to number 30 to 35 per pound.
Melt the butter and oil in a flameproof baking dish .
Add the garlic, herbs, peppers, bay leaves, paprika, and lemon juice, and bring to a boil.
Turn the heat down and simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove the dish from the heat and let the flavors marry at least 30 minutes.
This hot butter sauce can be made a day in advance and refrigerated.
Preheat the oven to 450F.
Reheat the sauce, add the shrimp, and cook over medium heat until the shrimp just turn pink, then bake in the oven about 30 minutes more.
Taste for seasoning, adding salt if necessary.
When the shells are crisp it is a pleasure to eat the shrimp with their shells on.
This rich butter sauce cries out to be sopped up with crusty bread once the shrimp are gone.
Comments
