Description
This subtly sweet, fairly fiery shrimp ragu served over my creamy corn custard would make a fantastic first course for any dinner, and it’s certainly rich enough to be enjoyed as a entree. You can also pour this over rice or noodles with complete confidence.
Ingredients
- ½ pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined – shells reserved
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 pinch smoked paprika
- 1 cup water
- ½ lemon, juiced
- ¼ cup ketchup
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- salt to taste
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives
Instructions
- Place shrimp shells into a saucepan with bay leaf and 1 pinch of smoked paprika over medium-low heat; cook and stir shells until they turn pink
- about 5 minutes. Pour in water
- bring to a simmer
- reduce heat to low
- and simmer shrimp stock for 20 to 25 minutes.
- Mix lemon juice
- ketchup
- brown sugar
- ground chipotle pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- garlic
- 1 pinch of salt
- and cayenne pepper in a bowl.
- Strain shrimp stock into a bowl; discard shells and bay leaf. Whisk shrimp stock into ketchup mixture and set aside.
- Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat until small wisps of smoke rise from the skillet. Cook shrimp in the hot oil until bottom sides of shrimp are seared and browned
- about 3 minutes. Stir in shrimp stock mixture and cook until shrimp are opaque
- about 3 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a bowl using a slotted spoon
- leaving sauce in skillet.
- Bring sauce to a boil and cook until sauce has reduced and thickened
- 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in cold butter
- turn off heat
- and let residual heat of pan melt butter. Stir until butter has incorporated into sauce and sauce is slightly thickened.
- Stir shrimp into sauce and toss with chives. Serve shrimp with sauce.
Prep Time: 20 mins
Cook Time: 30 mins
Total Time: 50 mins
Servings: 4