Barbecued Shrimp with Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, and Fresh Parsley
Shrimp are fished all year round and work very well with other light spring ingredients. While there are numerous species of shrimp of fresh and salt water variety, the shrimp that I have used in the following recipe is “king” (or “tiger”) simply because it is the easiest to find. Shrimp are filter feeders so should be sourced from clean unpolluted waters. They inhabit the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific region and have long been considered a delicacy. When choosing shrimp look for bright shells and firm tails. They should smell of the ocean. Avoid shrimp with darkness around the head as this can indicated that it has aged. Shrimp should be cooked as fresh as possible (thus many shrimp trawlers nowadays either cook them out at sea or freeze them immediately after being caught). It is also important to not overcook shrimp as the tails will become tough. Shrimp are high in iron, zinc and Vitamin E, protein and calcium, low in saturated fat and have good levels of omega-3 fatty acids.
Ingredients
20 jumbo shrimp, cut in half lengthwise with shell on
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small fresh chiles, finely chopped
Finely grated zest and juice of 3 lemons
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Cookbook
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Directions
PREP TIME
15
MINS
COOKING TIME
2
MINS
Serves
Serves
4
Make-Ahead:
These shrimp are best eaten as soon as they are cooked.
Prepare a barbecue for high heat or preheat a grill pan over high heat.
Drizzle the shrimp with a little olive oil and place them, flesh-side down, on the barbecue or in the pan and cook for 30 to 60 seconds. Turn the shrimp over, add the chile, lemon zest, and parsley, and squeeze the lemon juice over the shrimp.
As soon as the shrimp are cooked to a solid white color (about another 30 to 60 seconds), remove them from the heat, drizzle a little olive oil over them, and serve immediately.
