We all know the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach and this shrimp appetizer was perfect for our spontaneous at home date night a few years back. A tray of succulent cajun seasoned shrimp, a chilled glass of Prosecco and a store bought dessert, that has all the makings of the perfect date night. It comes together quick and easy with minimal effort and yet so delicious and still has that special little touch.

Date nights were hard to come by, so we took advantage of our time together even if it was one extra hour to unwind and have a nice conversation before the kids got dropped off. Whoever was the closest home was in charge of picking something up or throwing something together. We quickly learned that sometimes that meant we only had time for an appetizer.

On this occasion, I had one hour to shop, get home and start cooking. Like on one of my favorite shows on The Food Network, Supermarket Stakeout, this recipe was put together in my mind while I’m racing down the aisles at the Supermarket. I’ve come up with some pretty tasty meals on the fly, I guess I work best under pressure when I don’t have time to overthink. Simple sometimes is the best way to go and in this recipe, less is definitely more! It’s very simple, yet very special. 

These peel and eat shrimp are the perfect sharable dish that you will enjoy with a special someone. It forces you to slow things down a bit; food is an experience, it’s meant to be interactive, enjoyable, and shared.

Shrimp boils come in many different forms. This recipe is a little taste of good old southern cajun flavors but still simple enough to enjoy on a weeknight for two or for a crowd, with just a few minor adjustments. Kim Severson, of the New York Times writes, “A seafood boil is one of the great communal eating experiences of an American summer.” Just another great recipe to have on hand for entertaining this summer. 

For this recipe, I recommend keeping the shell on the shrimp when cooking them. It allows the maximum flavor of the boiling water to penetrate the shrimp and get trapped underneath the skin. However, if you choose to peel the shrimp, follow the easy method listed below.

Happy Eating!

Four Simple Steps to Peeling Shrimp

Southern Living gives us four simple steps to peeling shrimp.

Step 1. Pull or chop off the head and pull off the legs.

Step 2. Slide your thumb under the shell from the bottom and pull the shell off in one piece (and save those shells for a flavor-packed stock).

Step 3. If your prepping for a handheld appetizer, like coconut shrimp, keep the tail on. For all other dishes, go ahead and pinch the tail and pull it off.

Step 4. Skim a paring knife along the dark vein on the shrimp’s back, making a shallow cut. Pull at the vein with the knife, starting at the top, and remove with your fingers.

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Cajun Boiled Shrimp with Garlic Butter Dipping Sauce

• Servings: 2-4
• Prep Time: 20minutes
• Cook Time: 5minutes
• Difficulty: Easy
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Quick and easy, cajun boiled shrimp seasoned with Old Bay Seasoning and served with a squeeze of fresh lemon and a garlic butter sauce for dipping.

BY ERICA GAMBOA

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. raw headless jumbo shrimp, unpeeled, cleaned, and deveined
• 3 lemons
• 6 dried whole bay leaves
• 2 heads of garlic (one left unpeeled and whole for the boiling water and one minced for garlic butter)
• 6 tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp. black peppercorns
• 1 stick of unsalted butter
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions

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CAJUN BOILED SHRIMP WATER PREPARATION

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STEP 1

Using a 6 quart stock pot, fill the pot with water about 3/4 from the top. Turn your stove burner on high and start to boil the water. Immediately add the bay leaves, Old Bay Seasoning, black peppercorns, apple cider vinegar, the whole head of garlic.

STEP 2

Take two lemons and cut both in halves, squeezing the juice into the pot and adding them to the pot as well.

STEP 3

Bring the water to a rolling boil, this should take about 15 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the shrimp and garlic butter sauce.

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SHRIMP PREPARATION

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STEP 1

Rinse the shrimp thoroughly with cold water and drain, the skin of the shrimp should be left on. If you do not wish to serve the shrimp unpeeled, you can peel them but leave the tails on.

STEP 2

Devein the shrimp by cutting a slit down the back. Using a paring knife to make a very shallow slit down the back of the shrimp, stopping just before you get to the last section before the tail.

STEP 3

Gently pull the slit apart and remove the dark vein, rinse and set aside.

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GARLIC BUTTER DIPPING SAUCE

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STEP 1

Peel the remaining garlic head completely and finely mince all the garlic cloves and put in a sauce pan.

STEP 2

Add the stick of unsalted butter and simmer on low until butter is melted and garlic is fragrant and tender. You want to stay close to the pan and watch closely. Garlic can quickly burn and turn bitter, this should only take 2 to 3 minutes.

STEP 3

Remove the sauce pain from heat, cut the remaining lemon in half and squeeze the juice of that half into the butter and garlic and combine well. Taste for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper if needed. I do not recommend using salted butter for this recipe, I have found that in this recipe the butter can be too salty, it is better to taste and add if needed.

STEP 4

Pour the butter in serving dish and set aside.

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ADD SHRIMP TO BOILING WATER

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By now, the water has come to a steady boil and ready for the shrimp.

STEP 1

Add the shrimp to the boiling water carefully, you do not want to the water to splash on you. Give them a good mix and let them boil for about 4 minutes or until they turn an opaque pink color. Watch them closely, mixing them after two minutes to check for doneness.

STEP 2

Once the shrimp are done, remove from the boiling water with a metal spider or a slotted spoon.

STEP 3

Place the shrimp on a serving tray and garnish with fresh lemon wedges and place the garlic butter on the tray as well for dipping.

SUGGESTIONS:

Although peeling shrimp may not be for everyone, I recommend keeping the shell on the shrimp when cooking them. It allows the maximum flavor of the boiling water to penetrate the shrimp and get trapped underneath the skin. This helps lock in all the flavor of the seasoned water.

In addition to serving the shrimp with the garlic and butter sauce, it is also delicious served with a side of cocktail sauce and a few dashes of your favorite seafood hot sauce.

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Nutrition

Servings: 2 to 4

% Daily Value*

Calories 364.65kcal | Total Fat 24.9g | Carbs 9.61g | Sugars 0.9g | Protein 29.39g | Sodium 3215.6mg = 1/2 tsp| Fiber 1.74g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is not guaranteed for accuracy.

*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calorie a day is used for general nutrition advice.

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