Pan-Seared Shrimp
Submitted by Bobbi Hill on Apr 24, 2009

The cooking times below are for extra-large shrimp (about 21-25 shrimp per pound.)
If using smaller or larger shrimp, be sure to adjust the cooking time as needed.

Servings:
4

Complexity:   
Medium

Total Time:
10 minutes

Ingredients:
2 pounds extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/4 tsp. salt plus additional to taste
1/4 tsp. pepper plus additional to taste
1/8 tsp. granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil (divided)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley
Lemon wedges (for serving)

Directions:
Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, then season with 1/4 tsp. salt, 1/4 tsp. pepper and the sugar.
Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over high heat until smoking. Add half of the shrimp to the pan in a single layer. Cook until the shrimp are curled and pink on both sides, about 2 minutes.
Transfer the shrimp to a bowl and cover with foil. Repeat with the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and shrimp.
Off the heat, return all of the shrimp to the warm skillet. Add the butter, lemon juice and parsley and toss to coat until the butter melts. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with lemon wedges.

Chipotle-lime variation: Omit the butter, lemon juice and parsley. Combine 2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro, 1 minced canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce, 4 tsp. firmly packed brown sugar and 2 tsp. adobo sauce. After returning all of the shrimp to the skillet, add the chipotle mixture and toss to combine.

Cook's Notes:
Shrimp take only 2 minutes to cook through. Cook them any longer and you’ll wind up with tough, rubbery bits that have zero flavor. The key to searing shrimp in such a short time is to use a very hot skillet and to sprinkle the shrimp with a little sugar before cooking. The sugar caramelizes quickly to a nice sear on the outside of the shrimp and helps to bring out the fresh, sweet shrimp flavor. It is necessary to cook the shrimp in a single layer in the skillet so that each shrimp sears individually. This means that for a dinner for four people, you’ll have to cook the shrimp in two batches. After cooking the second batch, return the first batch to the skillet with the sauce; the residual heat will warm everything through before serving.