Crispy Roasted Shrimp with Garlic and Lemon
/
This may just be the best way to eat shrimp – ever! I'm not kidding...this is so outrageously good, I'm sort of at a loss for words here. There is something so beautiful about a perfect shrimp, perfectly cooked, perfectly seasoned, with a perfect balance of texture and flavor . Granted, perfection is a very subjective experience, but I'm willing to stick my neck out here and say that this could be shrimp perfection. This particular recipe comes from Tastes of Italia magazine a couple of years ago. I've made it once or twice, but it wasn't until I swapped out the regular breadcrumbs for panko breadcrumbs that they became the stuff of legend. Regular breadcrumbs seemed to get a little soggy, while the panko hold their crunch. Oy!! So good!!
Easy? Yup. Cheap? Nope. You knew there had to be a downside, right? We all know that shrimp can be pricey, but for this, I’m going to suggest that you really splurge and use jumbo shrimp (10-15/lb). You can certainly choose a smaller shrimp and still have something very special, but those large shrimp were just spectacular with this preparation.
Let’s take a moment and talk about shrimp. There are lots of choices when looking at shrimp in the market. Seafood Watch, the sustainable seafood guide from the Monterey Bay Aquarium, suggests that we buy wild shrimp, caught in U.S. and Canadian waters. Most imported shrimp come from aguaculture farms that are environmental disasters. That said, wild-caught shrimp are not always easy to find. Just do the best you can with this.
OK, now let’s talk about parties and entertaining and all the possibilities for this great shrimp dish. Tuck this recipe away in a safe place, and at that moment when you need to serve something VERY special, whip this one out. Appetizer or main course, these shrimp could be best friends with a glass of champagne or a beer. Whatever, whenever, wherever, this one just rocks!
Roasted Shrimp with Garlic and Lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 lb extra large raw shrimp (peeled, deveined, tail on)
salt and pepper
1 lemon for juicing
1 lemon, cut into wedges or slices
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Spray a roasting pan or sided baking sheet with cooking spray.
In a large bowl combine the olive oil, garlic, parsley, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper. Spread the shrimp in a single layer in your roasting pan and spread the breadcrumbs over the shrimp, sort of working them around each shrimp so they are fairly covered. Drizzle with a little olive oil and bake for 8 to 10 minutes depending on the size of your shrimp.
Place the shrimp on a serving platter and drizzle with lemon juice. Serve warm or at room temperature with additional lemon wedges.
