Sadly, there will be no parties or gatherings to watch Super bowl LV this coming Sunday. But that doesn't mean you still can't whip up some delectable finger foods to enjoy during the game!!!
I'll be making my usual beanless turkey chili, chips and guacamole, and deviled eggs. And maybe some garlic edamame to be "healthy". Ha Ha.
But for sure, I'll be making these tasty shrimp skewers. You can prep everything the morning of, or even the night before, and store them skewered in the fridge. Then just 30 minutes before game day kick-off, pan fry the skewers under super high heat, and they will be ready in a matter of minutes. And you'll still have time to clean the pans and counters before kick-off!
Here's how to make this dish.
The key is to to get a nice caramelization on one side of the shrimp skewers for flavor, and then TURN OFF the heat, and let the residual heat from the pan continue to cook the shrimp for a minute or so before plating. This ensures juicy succulent perfectly cooked shrimp. Nobody wants rubbery tough overcooked shrimp!
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| Remove shells and devein. Then massage with salt, and rinse thoroughly. |
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| Marinate, then skewer 3 per skewer |
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| Melt butter. Swirl and turn the heat to max high. |
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| Quickly place skewers in a single layer. Do not move skewers for 2 minutes |
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| After 2 minutes, flip over the skewers and turn off the heat. Leave for 1 minute. The residual heat from the pan will finish cooking the shrimp. After 1 min is up, plate skewers, garnish and serve! |
Yields 3 to 4 appetizer servings (8-10 skewers)
Ingredients:
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined (leave tail shell on if desired)
- 1 T olive oil
- ½ t garlic powder
- ½ t dried basil
- ¼ t sugar
- ¼ t smoked paprika
- 1 T unsalted butter
- 8 to 10 Bamboo Skewers (6 inches)
- green onions for garnish (optional)
Procedures:
1. Defrost, peel and devein shrimp. Leave the shrimp tail shell on if desired. It’ll yield a nicer presentation. [NOTE: Defrost shrimp by soaking the frozen shrimp in a large bowl of cold water for 30 minutes to 1 hour. (This will also help to remove most of the sodium triphosphate if you were unfortunate enough to accidentally not read the ingredients carefully and buy frozen shrimp that has the additive.)]
2. In a bowl, add 1 t salt to the shrimp and massage the salt into the shrimp with your hands for 3 to 5 minutes. Some foam will start to form. This massage helps to firm up the shrimp and give them a nice “crunchy bite” when cooked. Wash the shrimp with water several times to remove all the foam and excess salt. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Pat dry with a paper towel if necessary. (Note: Immediately wash after massaging or the shrimp will be too salty.)
3. To the bowl, add the olive oil, garlic powder, basil, sugar and smoked paprika. Mix and allow to marinate for 5 minutes. (Note, you do not need any salt in the marinade. The salt massage, even after thorough rinsing, gives the shrimp plenty of salt already.)
4. Thread 3 shrimps on a bamboo skewer. Repeat until all the shrimps are skewered. You'll get about 8 to 10 skewers depending on how large your shrimps are.
5. Melt butter in a non-stick skillet. Turn up the heat to high. When the butter stops foaming, place skewers in a single layer on the pan, being careful not to crowd the pan. Pan fry on high heat for 2 minutes. Try to not move the skewers around so that the shrimps have a chance to caramelize.
6. After 2 minutes, check if the shrimps are browned on the bottom. If yes, then quickly flip the skewers over, and turn off the heat. (If the bottom is not browned, then leave them for another 30 seconds before flipping over.) Allow the skewers to sit in the pan for 1 minute. The residual heat from the pan will finish cooking the shrimp. After 1 minute, remove skewers from the pan to a plate and garnish with chopped green onions if desired. Enjoy!