Whole shrimps with lemon garlic butter sauce
Head-on shelled shrimps are seasoned, pan fried shortly in butter and arranged on a plate. In the same pan, more butter is added, and chopped garlic is stirred in and cooked until aromatic before lemon juice and chopped parsley are whisked in. The lovely sauce is poured over the cooked shrimps and the dish is ready to serve.
Ingredients
- ½ kilogram medium to large shrimps (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons salted butter divided
- 2 tablespoons chopped garlic (you may always use more)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice (again, you may always use more)
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
Instructions
- Rinse the shrimps and drain well.
- Using a small knife or kitchen shears, make a shallow cut along the length of the shell on the back of each shrimp.
- Pull out the digestive tract (it looks like a bleack thread) and discard.
- Cut off most of the antennae and feet, and discard.
- Place the cleaned shrimps in a bowl. Add the salt and pepper, and toss well.
- Heat two tablespoons of butter in a wide shallow pan and spread the shrimps in a single layer. Cook for about two to three minutes (depending on their size) then flip them over and cook for another two minutes.
- Scoop out the shrimps and arrange on a serving plate.
- Heat the rest of the butter in the pan, add the garlic and cook over low heat, stirring often, until aromatic (you can wait until the garlic bits start to brown but watch it because garlic and butter both burn fast).
- Pour in the lemon juice and whisk.
- Taste and add salt, if needed (remember that the shrimps have already been salted).
- Stir in the parsley.
- Spoon the contents of the pan over the shrimps.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
If you intend to serve the dish as a main course, you'll have to double or even triple the ingredients.