Smoky Brown Butter Shrimp

I have to be honest. I ran across this recipe on one of the many food pages that I follow on Instagram. I took a screenshot of the recipe because the pic looked great and I had all the ingredients on hand. It seemed quick and easy enough and since I am all about taking it easy, this recipe called my name! Now, I’ll admit, I am not the best when it comes to using the specific amounts of seasonings listed in recipes. I merely use them as a guide because aintnobodygottime to be using quarter and half teaspoons to measure out spices. I use my judgment, but for the inexperienced cooks out there, I suggest you do a better job at following the rules and if you think your finished product is missing something, add small amounts of the different suggested spices to taste.

INGREDIENTS

1     lb. raw, peeled and deveined shrimp

1/2   tsp. salt (Himalayan pink salt is my “go-to”)

1/2   tsp. black pepper (I’m partial to the fresh cracked stuff)

1/2   tsp. paprika (the smoked stuff is the best stuff)

1/4   tsp. chipotle chili powder (the chipotle is what gives the shrimp its kick!)

1/4   tsp. ground cumin

2     tbs. unsalted butter (if you have salted butter, that’s fine, just cut back on the salt!)

2     garlic cloves, minced or pressed (There’s no such thing as too much garlic; the more, the merrier- I think I used 3 or 4)

DIRECTIONS

1. After cleaning, pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels.

2. Once dry, season shrimp with salt, pepper, paprika, chili powder and cumin.

3. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the butter. Once butter is melted and begins to sizzle, add the shrimp. (Do not overcrowd the pan. If your skillet is not large enough, cook the shrimp in batches.)

4. Cook shrimp on both sides until pink. The butter will brown as the shrimp cooks, so whisk it occasionally to prevent the butter from burning.

5. When the shrimp are finished, lower the heat, and stir in the garlic (if you cooked in batches, add the other batches back to the pan.) Cook for a minute or until garlic is softened (not burned). Remove from heat and transfer to a serving plate immediately.

* I served this dish with sauteed kale and whole wheat couscous.