Kickin' Cajun Seasoned Shrimp

INTROduction:

I’m ADDICTED to shrimp! There! I said it! Shrimp is versatile and can be succulent, juicy and delicious. On the other hand, if not cooked properly, shrimp can be rubbery among other things. To give myself a little pat on the back (pat, pat), my method of cooking shrimp has improved over the years, especially in the past year or so. I hope to demonstrate these “techniques” with this blog and video below! Cook Well! Eat Well!

BACKground:

I used to add oil to the pan, heat up the pan to medium, add shrimp and stir around, flip, etc. STOP doing that if you do!

I have another addiction – watching you tube cooking videos. I don’t recall exactly which chef treated me to this key method. Ah yes, it was Eric Ripert! I believe he sautéed’ his shrimp with herb de province, with a hint of butter mid process.

And the mission started, to master sautéing shrimp.

COOKing tips:

The key to juicy and perfectly cooked sautéed shrimp is to sear them at the perfect temperature (medium to medium high depending on the pan thickness, size of shrimp, type of stove, etc). DON’T TOUCH OR MOVE these gentle morsels after you put them in the pan. Let them seer and build a crust, and flip only until the shrimp are almost half cooked. Look at the backs of the shrimp. They start to turn “white” on the cooking side, and remain translucent on the uncooked side.

When adding the shrimp to the pan, start at the bottom closest to you and add clockwise. When it is time to flip, start with the 1st shrimp added at the bottom of the pan, and again clockwise. This helps to ensure even cooking of the shrimp.

As soon as the shrimp are flipped, add the butter and a sprinkle of seasoning. Sautee for 30 seconds. At this point, feel free to move the pan and shrimp around, to coat with the flavourful juices. The middle of the back of the shrimps should be slightly translucent. DONE! Serve and garnish with chopped parsley. Squeeze fresh lemon juice and serve with your favourite sauce (e.g. cocktail sauce).

HEALthy options:

Feel free to skip the butter. The shrimp will be delicious! Trust me!

CLICK HERE FOR THE RECIPE (PRINT OR SAVE)!

LET’S cook:

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 5 mins

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp grape seed oil

• 1 lb large shrimp (21 – 25 per lb) – shells removed and patted dry

• 1 tbsp butter – cubed into 3 pieces

• 1 tsp Cajun seasoning (click for my Kickin' Cajun Seasoning)

• 1 lemon – cut into wedges

• 1 tbsp parsley - fine chop

• ¼ tsp Cajun seasoning - garnish

Kitchen Tools:

1. Frying pan (preferably stainless steel)

2. Tongs

3. Cutting board

4. Chefs knife

5. Wooden spoon

6. Large bowl or serving plates

Instructions:

1. Heat frying pan over medium heat

2. Sprinkle oil in hot pan – oil should be barely shimmering

3. Add shrimp to pan clockwise starting at the bottom of the pan – closest to you

4. Sprinkle ½ seasoning mix over shrimp

5. Sear until cooked almost halfway

6. Turn shrimp over starting with the 1st shrimp added – clockwise

7. Add butter to the pan

8. Sprinkle remaining seasoning over shrimp

9. Stir and turn off heat when shrimp is slightly translucent in the middle – approximately 30 seconds

10. Move shrimp to a bowl or serving plates and drizzle pan juices over shrimp

11. Sprinkle parsley and ¼ tsp Cajun seasoning over shrimp

12. Squeeze fresh lemon juice over shrimp

13. Serve hot with your favourite sauce

Cook Well! Eat Well

Notes:

• I like to use grape seed oil as it has little to no flavour. You want to maximize the flavour of the shrimp and seasoning. Other high heat oils are fine as well (e.g. canola, avocado).

• Butter adds additional flavour and texture to the pan juices and shrimp. Butter is optional.

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