Shrimp Roasted with Garlic and Parsley

Ina Garten’s recipes have always been so reliable for me that I’d be willing to make them for a dinner party untested. I’ve now made two recipes from her book Make It Ahead—Garlic & Herb Roasted Shrimp and Make-Ahead Zabaglione with Amaretti—and both are really good recipes, definitely keepers.

Shrimp Roasted with Garlic and Parsley
Adapted from Make It Ahead by Ina Garten (Clarkson Potter, 2014)

Serves 2 generously

The deliciousness of this dish depends on the quality of the shrimp and not overcooking it. I get my shrimp from Anchored Shrimp Company in Brunswick, Georgia, a family business that sends me frozen wild shrimp with no additives at all.

There are so many side dishes that would go well with this dish, but I like basmati rice to soak up the sauce and sautéed spinach, which makes a pretty plate—all pink and white and green.

2 ounces (½ stick) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
A scant ½ teaspoon kosher salt
A few generous grindings of black pepper
1 pound large shrimp
1 large lemon
½ teaspoon Maldon salt

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Peel the shrimp, rinse in a small colander, and set aside.

In a 10-inch skillet (mine is cast iron), 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 add them. 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.

Stir the parsley into the sauce and add the shrimp in a single layer. Stir to coat them well. Season with kosher salt and black pepper. Stir once more, making sure the shrimp are still in a single layer. Tuck the 3 lemon slices among the shrimp.

Put the skillet into the hot oven and cook until the shrimp are just cooked through—pink and firm. The amount of time this takes depends on the size of the shrimp and the accuracy of your oven temperature. The shrimp I use, 21 to a pound, are done in 10 minutes in my hot oven.

Crush a little Maldon salt over the shrimp right before serving.