Wild Caught Gulf of America Shrimp

The plainest way to cook shrimp. Old Bay, smoked paprika, a hot pan and lemon at the end — nothing else needed.

Ingredients

• 1 lb wild caught Gulf of America shrimp (16–20 count per pound, raw & deveined)
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Preparation

1. Dry the shrimp. Pat them dry with paper towels.
2. Season. In a bowl, toss the shrimp with olive oil, garlic, Old Bay, smoked paprika, salt and pepper.
3. Heat the pan. Large skillet over medium-high.
4. Cook. Shrimp in a single layer, 2–3 minutes per side, until pink and opaque.
5. Finish. Off the heat, stir in lemon juice and parsley.
6. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Serving

Serves 2–3. Rice, a salad, or straight out of the pan.

Pro tips

• Season in a bowl, not in the pan. Every shrimp gets coated instead of half of them.
• Single layer. Crowding drops the pan temperature and they steam.
• Old Bay already has salt in it. Go easy on the extra.
• If you only make one shrimp recipe, make this one. It's the baseline everything else builds on.