Monday, January 11, 2016

Garlicky Baked Shrimp



If there is one thing we have learned here at Mystery Lovers Kitchen, it's that casseroles only photograph well when they're fresh from the oven and still intact in the pan. Once a serving spoon hits the pan, the delicious contents have a tendency to look like, well, mush.

So I don't want anyone to poo-poo this recipe based on the photos. I see this recipe all over the web and it may have come from Real Simple. Wouldn't surprise me.

There's a lot to love about this recipe. For starters, it's really easy. But as someone who often gets phone calls like this from friends– How would you like company tomorrow night? –my greatest joy is that I can create this tasty dish from ingredients in the freezer and the pantry. No hasty trip to the grocery store required!

I made it with one pound of jumbo shrimp frozen in a bag. There's the convenience factor. Is it better with fresh shrimp? Probably. But the "fresh" shrimp in my neck of the woods are, ahem, thawed. So as long as you have the basics, Panko, shrimp, and a little leftover white wine, you can whip together this dish in no time.

It was a runaway success with all my tasters. The Panko gives the shrimp just the right amount of crunch without stealing the show. I found salt and pepper to be adequate but I couldn't help wondering what would happen if I used Old Bay Seasoning instead . . .

Garlicky Baked Shrimp

1 pound raw shrimp
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons white wine
salt and pepper
4 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons fresh Italian-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
half a lemon (optional)

Preheat oven to 425. Peel and clean shrimp. Place in a bowl with the minced garlic and the white wine. Turn a few times to mix and pour into a 9x13 baking dish. Spread out the shrimp so they are not on top of each other. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Mix together the melted butter, Panko, and parsley. Use your fingers to distribute the mixture over the shrimp. Bake until the shrimp are pink and done, about 15-18 minutes.

Peel frozen shrimp. (Just run some water over them, they'll thaw fast.)
Mix with white wine and garlic.
Sprinkle with Panko mixed with melted butter.
You can barely see the shrimp!

 

10 comments:

  1. Shrimp make life so easy, don't they? (Like yours, our local market offers "fresh" shrimp that have made the trip from Thailand and been thawed here--uh, not quite fresh?) And garlic. And wine. What's not to like?

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    1. Isn't that funny? And if you're not paying attention, you think it really is fresh shrimp. I've seen them refilling the "fresh" display in the case with the same bags of frozen shrimp that I buy. So much for fresh!

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  2. Yum! I love easy, filling dinners....especially when I have all the ingredients on hand. I tend to make rice 3-4 times a week, and jambalaya and gumbo are my mainstays. This will make a nice change. Thanks for posting, Krista! :-)

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    1. I love easy delicious dinners, too. Who doesn't? We're all so busy but we still like to eat well.

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  3. Excellent--flavorful shrimp with a crunch. And easy, too!

    My store had a sale on shrimp. I wanted to buy them, but needed to put them in the freezer for future use. I asked if the shrimp they had were previously frozen because I needed to freeze them. They had some that hadn't been thawed that I could buy and not have to worry about the refreezing. It's worth asking.

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    1. I have seen them take the "fresh" shrimp from bags in the freezer case, Libby. It's frustrating. I once spotted a wonderful deal on frozen salmon. I couldn't believe the price. The package had the US flag on the front of it. I flipped it over, and it was from China. Sigh.

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    2. A whole new level of "bait and switch"!

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  4. Yummy! I cannot wait to try this. We love shrimp and love garlic. Thanks, Krista. I think it looks great too.

    XO

    MJ/Victoria

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  5. We just bought a bag of frozen shrimp. This will be great to try! Thanks!

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  6. I have 3 bags of frozen shrimp and all the other ingredients except just ran out of panko. Will buy more this week and try this yummy looking dish. BTW, I always use Old Bay and Tony's Creole Seasoning on the shrimp. Gives them a nice kick. Thanks for the inspiration, Krista!

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