Skillet Barbecued Shrimp recipe from Around the Southern Table: Coming Home to Comforting Meals and Treasured Memories (Southern Living) by Rebecca Lang

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Author Rebecca Lang:

New Orleans is home to the kind of barbecued shrimp that doesn’t require skewers or charcoal. These shrimp swim in a spicy, buttery sauce that practically yells for big pieces of French bread for dipping.

Cooks&Books&Recipes Editors {Dee}:

When I was growing up, “barbecue” meant some sort of meat slathered with a tomato-based sauce and cooked outside on the grill. So the first time I encountered barbecued shrimp — at the New Orleans-style, now-defunct Andrews restaurant in Dallas — I was surprised to be served (non-grilled) shrimp bathed in an oh-so-rich and spicy, non-tomato-based sauce. One problem: the shrimp still had much of the shell on, making it very difficult to eat. The waiter quickly showed me how to use my knife and fork to remove the shell while the shrimp was still in the butter sauce — something I proceeded to do expertly that night but could never master again…

When I saw Skillet Barbecued Shrimp in Around the Southern Table, I knew it would be the first recipe I’d try. It is crazy-simple and quick to cook. We peeled the shrimp entirely, not even leaving the tails on (though leaving the tails on is recommended in the recipe). I didn’t want anything to interfere with my enjoying the result! We probably should have used a Louisiana beer (apologies to Louisiana), but we were intrigued by Kill Devil Brown Ale, a limited edition imperial brown ale from Widmer Brothers Brewing. The ale gave the shrimp a subtle sweetness. Brown ales are not usually my favorite beer, but in addition to cooking with this one, I found it to be the perfect pairing with the meal.

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One other tip: be sure to have more bread on hand than you think you’ll need. Believe me, you’re going to want it to soak up every drop of the decadent sauce.

As soon as we finished eating this meal, we were looking for an excuse to cook it again. Luckily, my mother loves shrimp, and Mother’s Day was coming up; Skillet Barbecued Shrimp was perfect for our brunch. What’s next? Let’s see, there is Father’s Day, Fourth of July, the doldrums of August…

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Skillet Barbecued Shrimp

Featured Recipe From: Around the Southern Table: Coming Home to Comforting Meals and Treasured Memories (Southern Living)

 

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

Shrimp

• 2 lb. unpeeled, medium-size raw shrimp
• 1⁄2 tsp. salt
• 1⁄2 tsp. ground red pepper
• 1/4 tsp. sweet paprika

Sauce

• 1⁄2 cup unsalted butter
• 1⁄3 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1⁄2 tsp. ground red pepper
• 1⁄4 tsp. sweet paprika
• 1⁄8 tsp. onion powder
• 8 oz. brown ale (such as Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Nut Brown Ale)

Remaining Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1 lemon, cut into thin slices
• French bread

Directions:

1. Prepare Shrimp: Peel shrimp, leaving tails on; devein, if desired. Place
shrimp in a large bowl. Combine salt and next 2 ingredients in a small bowl.
Sprinkle salt mixture over shrimp, and toss gently to coat.

2. Prepare Sauce: Combine butter and next 6 ingredients in a saucepan. Bring
to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium; simmer 5 minutes.
Add beer; simmer 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic, and cook
1 minute, stirring constantly. Add shrimp, and cook 3 minutes, stirring often.
Carefully add sauce, and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add 2 Tbsp.
butter, and gently swirl skillet until butter melts. Add lemon slices. Divide
among 4 shallow bowls, remove bay leaves, and serve with French bread.

© 2012 Time Home Entertainment

Reprinted with permission from Around the Southern Table: Coming Home to Comforting Meals and Treasured Memories (Southern Living) by Rebecca Lang (Oxmoor House)

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