Equipment
Ingredients
Bayou Spice Blend
- 3 g fennel seeds, whole
- 1 g ground allspice
- ½ g ground cloves
- 2 g smoked paprika
- 1 g cayenne pepper
- 4 g kosher salt
Shrimp and Aromatics
- 500 g raw jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail-on
- 60 g unsalted butter
- 15 ml olive oil
- 3 garlic, minced
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 10 ml gluten-free worcestershire sauce
- 5 g fresh parsley, finely chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Method
Toast the whole fennel seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until deeply aromatic, taking care not to scorch them.
Transfer the toasted fennel seeds to a spice grinder or mortar and pestle, and crush them into a fine powder.
Combine the crushed fennel, ground allspice, ground cloves, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and kosher salt in a mixing bowl.
Add the prepared shrimp to the bowl and toss thoroughly until each shrimp is evenly coated in the spice blend. Set aside to marinate.
Heat the unsalted butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until the butter begins to foam.
Add the minced garlic to the bubbling fat and saute briefly until fragrant, ensuring it does not take on a dark brown color.
Arrange the seasoned shrimp in an even layer in the skillet using tongs. Sear undisturbed on the first side.
Turn the shrimp over, then pour the lemon juice and worcestershire sauce into the skillet to lift the spiced brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
Simmer the shrimp in the resulting sauce until they are fully opaque and reach a safe internal temperature of 63 degrees Celsius or 145 degrees Fahrenheit.
Transfer the shrimp and the rich pan sauce to a serving platter, scatter the chopped parsley over the top, and serve immediately.
Chef's Notes
- Toasting the fennel seeds before crushing them releases volatile oils that amplify their licorice-like sweetness, bridging the savory shrimp with the warm baking spices.
- Leaving the tails on the shrimp provides an elegant presentation and gives your guests a built-in handle for dipping into the spiced butter sauce.
- Do not crowd the pan when searing the shrimp. Cook in batches if necessary to ensure a proper sear rather than steaming them in their own juices.
- The residual heat of the pan and the hot sauce will continue to cook the shrimp after they are removed from the heat, so pull them just as they turn fully opaque.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container with the butter sauce.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze shrimp and sauce together; texture may become slightly softer upon thawing.
Reheating: Gently warm in a skillet over low heat just until heated through to prevent overcooking the shrimp.
