Birthday Shrimp

Recently I made birthday dinner for a dear friend, one of my favorite things to be asked. And with the pandemic, we’ve had to rethink what birthdays look like. When you cook for a living, some people hesitate to ask you for your help or to even host a birthday dinner. They don’t want to bother you. But I will say it again, it’s one of my favorites. Birthdays are special, and we place a lot of pressure on ourselves and our people to make sure THE birthday is perfect. I loved it when customers celebrated a birthday at Harvey’s. Making the decision that yes, we are going to have THIS meal associated with THIS day. It’s an awesome responsibility, and one that I adore. Cooking with family for the holidays – the food is expected to be great, at least it is in my mind. It’s the holidays – cooking for a birthday, is THE holiday.

This shrimp recipe is perfect every time. Quick, packed with flavor and because it’s shrimp, it seems fancy, like a special occasion, but it’s actually really simple, and not just for birthdays. Last night I made this dish with orecchiette pasta and roasted asparagus. But you could also just eat it out of the pan. It’s birthday shrimp after all.

Ginger & Garlic Shrimp

Serving Size:
4 servings
Time:
20 minutes
Difficulty:
Easy

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. large shrimp (26-30ct.), raw, peeled and de-veined
  • 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup minced garlic (it’s a lot – I know)
  • 2 Tbsp. minced ginger
  • 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter,
  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
  • 2 Tbsp. minced fresh parsley

Directions

  1. Thaw raw shrimp under cold running water until thawed. On a paper towel lined baking sheet, dry shrimp of any excess water and add to a large bowl.
  2. Sprinkle shrimp with flour, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Stir shrimp to evenly coat and put in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
  3. In a large 12-inch non-stick skillet, melt butter and olive. Add garlic, ginger and saute 30 seconds, or until nicely fragrant, but not burnt.
  4. Add shrimp to the skillet, cook for 4-6 minutes or until pink and translucent.
  5. Remove from heat, squeeze fresh lemon all over shrimp and garnish with parsley

2 thoughts on “Birthday Shrimp

  1. I see a tube a garlic and maybe ginger in the background? Can those be purchased at say HyVee or whole foods? This sounds delicious and know it will be cause you made it!

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