Spicy Shrimp with Lemon and Peapods

Ever since we got home from Florida, I've dreamed of seafood.  Oh, how I wish we could get fresh, wild, succulent critters from the sea, year-round, and at a great price.  Right.  In Minnesota.

Last week at Costco, I picked up a bag of frozen, raw shrimp.  They had their nice little tails on and were labeled "21-25" which means there are twenty-one to twenty-five shrimp per pound.  It's a nice size for a regular dinner.  The big, fat ones are great to have for skewers or shrimp cocktail.

The bag said 8 servings.  This recipe made plenty for our family of 8 (remember, the kids are ages 4-15), with one serving leftover for some lucky person's lunch tomorrow.  The dish was fresh, light, healthy and full of flavor.  You can make it as spicy or not as you like - it's all in how big and how many those "pinches" of red pepper flakes turn out to be :)

We served it along side of a big pile of brown rice.

*NOTE - when I say "dry white wine" - I mean Sauvignon Blanc, or maybe Pinot Grigio.  Don't use Riesling or Chardonnay or (gag) White Zinfandel.  Please.  Thank you.


Spicy Shrimp with Lemon and Pea Pods

2 pounds of raw shrimp, 21-25 per pound, tail on
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and pepper
large pinch of red pepper flakes
1/2  cup dry white wine *
8 ounces of sugar snap pea pods, or regular pea pods
juice of one lemon
zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons butter
handful of freshly chopped parsley

In a very large skillet, heat the butter and olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and the shrimp, season with salt and pepper and red pepper flakes, and cook for only a few minutes.  Pour in the wine and lemon juice, stirring a bit.  Add the lemon zest and pea pods.  Cook until shrimp are just pink and the pea pods are barely tender.  Stir in the 2 tablespoons of butter.  Taste for seasoning.

Sprinkle with parsley and serve with rice, pasta or couscous.


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English Chocolate Biscuit Cake - a.k.a. "William's Groom's Cake"

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