When we think about quick weeknight meals, shellfish is not something that often comes to mind. With one exception: shrimp! Yes, we can enjoy this lean protein for dinner in less than thirty minutes. Today, I want to share with you my delicious recipe for quick and easy weeknight garlic shrimp which can come in handy on one of those days when you need to put dinner on the table really fast!
All you need for this recipe is a pound of shrimp and some standard Mediterranean staples: garlic, lemon, and parsley. Since even the fresh shrimp at the seafood counter has already been frozen once and then thawed, I often buy frozen shrimp and keep it in the freezer for quick meals like this. To defrost it, I place the shrimp in a colander in the sink and then run cold water over them for about 5 minutes. After that, I mix all ingredients for this recipe in a bowl and let the shrimp marinate for just 20 minutes. The shrimp cooks in just a few minutes.
A bowl of hot, garlicky shrimp with some crusty bread is perfect on its own, but you can serve this with a side dish for a complete meal. Steamed rice, grits, quinoa, or any cooked grains would go well as a base and of course spaghetti with garlic shrimp is always a terrific option. This dish can also be served as an appetizer or first course, with three or four shrimp arranged over a green salad.
- 12 oz. wild red shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact, (15-20 count)
- 4 TBSPS. olive oil
- 5 med. cloves garlic, chopped
- ¼ tsp. red pepper flakes
- ¼ tsp. ground cumin - no
- ¼ tsp. fennel seeds (optional) -no
- ¼ tsp. oregano
- ¼-½ tsp. sea salt
- ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
- --- zest of half a lemon
- 5 lemon slices
- 1-2 TBSP. fresh parsley, minced finely - chives
- Place the shrimp on a tray lined with paper towels. Place another piece of paper towels. on top and pat the shrimp dry.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 3 TBSP. of the olive oil, garlic, pepper flakes, cumin, fennel seeds, salt, pepper, lemon zest and slices. Add the shrimp and toss well to coat. Cover and set aside to marinate for 20 minutes.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 1 TBSP. of olive oil and tilt it to coat the bottom of the pan. Once it is well heated, using tongs add the shrimp to the skillet - the shrimp should sizzle. Pour the olive oil marinade over the shrimp. Cook for about 4-5 minutes total, turning half way through and shaking the pan every now and then to make sure that the garlic does not burn. The cooking time depends on the size of the shrimp, so adjust the time for larger sizes.
- Turn the shrimp and sauce onto a platter, sprinkle the parsley over top, and serve.
Red Argentinian shrimp, off the waters of Patagonia, is sweet with a delicate texture
You might also like to try my recipe for Greek Shrimp Saganaki – a perfect summer recipe utilizing fresh tomatoes and Feta!
https://marilenaskitchen.com/2017/05/19/shrimp-saganaki/
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