Seafood · International
Garlic Butter Shrimp
Garlic butter shrimp is the dish that disappears first at every table, and the same idea as Mexico's beloved camarones al mojo de ajo. Cooking extra-large wild-caught shrimp in their shells, frozen right after the catch, keeps them juicy and sweet while the shells add a rich, toasty flavor to the butter.
- Prep10 min
- Cook10 min
- Total20 min
- Servings4
Ingredients
- 1 kg wild-caught XL shrimp, shell-on, thawed $470
- Or 700 g wild-caught large shrimp 21/25, peeled and deveined, for easy eating $470
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 8-10 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp red chile flakes or 1 chile de árbol, crumbled
- Juice of 1 lime (or 1/4 cup white wine)
- 1/4 cup chopped parsley or cilantro
- Salt and black pepper
- Crusty bread, white rice or pasta to serve
Instructions
- If using shell-on shrimp, cut down the back of each shell with kitchen scissors and remove the vein, leaving the shell on. Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add the shrimp in a single layer (in batches if needed) and cook for 1-2 minutes per side, until pink and just opaque. Transfer to a plate.
- Lower the heat to medium, add the remaining butter and the garlic and chile, and cook gently for 1-2 minutes until the garlic is golden and fragrant, not brown.
- Pour in the lime juice or wine and scrape up the browned bits from the pan.
- Return the shrimp and any juices to the pan, toss to coat in the garlic butter and cook 30 seconds more.
- Sprinkle with parsley and serve right away with bread, rice or pasta to soak up the sauce.
Tips
- Garlic burns fast; add it only after the shrimp are out and the heat is down.
- For camarones al mojo de ajo, use more garlic, swap the parsley for cilantro and serve with Mexican white rice and lime.
