WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS For a shrimp dish that’s bursting with garlic flavor, we found that a simple mixture of butter and olive oil combined with a healthy amount of potent minced garlic, plus anise seeds and red pepper flakes, delivered loads of aromatic, complex flavor to sweet jumbo shrimp that we roasted under the high heat of the broiler. To keep the shrimp plump and moist, we brined them briefly in salt water. To further protect them as they cooked and to produce a more roasted flavor, we left their shells on. The shells browned quickly in the heat of the oven and transferred that flavor to the shrimp itself. Leaving the shells on also allowed the garlic butter to get under them and really permeate the shrimp. The parsley and lemon provided assertive fresh flavors that complemented the rich garlic butter. Don’t be tempted to use smaller shrimp with this cooking technique, as they will likely end up over seasoned and overcooked.
Serves: 4 to 6
Total time: 30 minutes
INGREDIENTS:
- ¼ cup salt
- 2 pounds shell-on jumbo shrimp (16 to 20 per pound)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 6 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon anise seeds
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
- Lemon wedges
INSTRUCTIONS:
- Dissolve salt in 1 quart cold water in large container. Using kitchen shears or sharp paring knife, cut through shell of shrimp and devein but do not remove shell. Using paring knife, continue to cut shrimp ½ inch deep, taking care not to cut in half completely. Submerge shrimp in brine, cover, and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
- Adjust oven rack 4 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Combine melted butter, oil, garlic, anise seeds, pepper flakes, and pepper in large bowl. Remove shrimp from brine and pat dry with paper towels. Add shrimp and parsley to butter mixture; toss well, making sure butter mixture gets into interior of shrimp. Arrange shrimp in single layer on wire
rack set in rimmed baking sheet. - Broil shrimp until opaque and shells are beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through broiling. Flip shrimp and continue to broil until second side is opaque and shells are beginning to brown, 2 to 4 minutes longer, rotating sheet halfway through broiling. Transfer shrimp to serving dish and serve with lemon wedges.
VARIATIONS
GARLIKY BROILED SHRIMP WITH CILANTRO AND LIME:
- Annatto powder, also called achiote, can be found with the Latin American foods at your supermarket. An equal amount of paprika can be substituted.
- Omit butter and increase oil to ½ cup. Omit anise seeds and pepper. Add 2 teaspoons lightly crushed coriander seeds, 2 teaspoons grated lime zest, and 1 teaspoon annatto powder to oil mixture in step 2. Substitute ¼ cup minced fresh cilantro for parsley and lime wedges for lemon wedges.
GARLIKY BROILED SHRIMP WITH SESAME, GINGER AND CUMIN
- Omit butter and increase oil to ½ cup. Decrease garlic to 2 cloves and omit anise seeds and pepper. Add 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil, 1½ teaspoons grated fresh ginger, and 1 teaspoon cumin seeds to oil mixture in step 2. Substitute 2 thinly sliced scallion greens for parsley and omit lemon wedges.
