Shrimp Roasted with Garlic and Parsley

Adapted from Make It Ahead by Ina Garten

As I was waiting for the elevator, a new tenant came into the building, picked up her mail, and came to stand by me.  She was holding a small cardboard package from Amazon.  I introduced myself and said, “It’s so much fun to get a new book.”  “Yes,” she said.  “I’m sure it’s Ina Garten’s newest.”  I replied that I had already received mine as it was pre-ordered.

She looked at me and said “I used to work for her.”

I have now made two recipes from the book, Garlic & Herb Roasted Shrimp and Make-Ahead Zabaglione with Amaretii, and both of them are really good recipes, definitely keepers.  Two for two means there must be a lot more in the book that I am going to like.

Ina Garten’s recipes have, for me, always been so reliable that I would be willing to make them for a dinner party untested.  If I had a daughter who liked to cook, I would give her one book for every occasion that came along until she had a complete set.  And this book, Make It Ahead, would certainly be included.

Shrimp Before It Goes Into the Oven

Shrimp After It Comes Out of the Oven

With my thanks to the always-reliable Ina Garten, here is my adaptation of the shrimp recipe I made last night, which will replace the shrimp scampi recipe I have used for years.  There are so many side dishes that would go well with this dish, but I do highly recommended crusty French bread to dip into the delicious sauce you end up with.

Shrimp Roasted with Garlic and Parsley

Adapted from Make It Ahead by Ina Garten

Serves 2

2 ounces (1/2 stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon (3 cloves) minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)

A few generous grindings of black pepper (or to taste)

1 pound large shrimp (I only buy shrimp from the USA)

1 large lemon

½ teaspoon of Maldon Salt

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Peel the shrimp, rinse in a small colander, and set aside.  (Personally, I don’t devein it.)

In a 10-inch black iron skillet, melt the butter.  Turn off the heat, and add the olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes (crushing them a little with your fingers as you put them in).  Turn the heat back on, and cook over low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.  Do not let the garlic even color. 

Remove the pan from the burner, and zest the entire lemon directly into the pan.  Slice three  ¼-inch slices from one half of the lemon, and set them aside with the other unsliced half. 

Next, stir the parsley into the sauce, and add the shrimp in a single layer.  Stir to coat it well with the sauce, and season with the kosher salt and black pepper.  Stir one more time, making sure the shrimp stays in a single layer.  Tuck the 3 slices of lemon among the shrimp.

Put the skillet into the hot oven, and cook until the shrimp are just cooked through, to pink and just firm. I don’t brown them at all.  The amount of time this takes will depend on the size of the shrimp and the accuracy of your oven temperature.  The size shrimp I use are normally cooked in a hot oven in 8 to 10 minutes, but it could take even longer if the shrimp are really big, so keep checking. You don’t want to overcook them because they will get rubbery. The deliciousness of this dish depends on the quality of the shrimp and not overcooking it.

Crush the Maldon Salt over the shrimp right before serving.

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