Spicy Shrimp – two ways to serve the same dish

Often when we think of shrimp, the first thing that comes to mind is “fried or boiled.” Well, that’s certainly not true anymore. Shrimp has come full circle and is as versatile as chicken.

This dish falls in what I call the “small plates” category, meaning a small informal yet chic meal that is healthy without leaving you feeling stuffed. These vividly seasoned shrimp are great on their own or served atop pasta. Leave the tails on for a prettier presentation.

One of the best parts about shrimp is that it’s healthy and good for you. Plus cooking time for shrimp is super speedy, making it perfect for quick and easy meals. The hands-on cooking time for this dish is 20 minutes, so in less than a half hour you can have dinner on the table.

The fun part about this spicy shrimp is that you can serve it two ways - with pasta or without, giving you some versatility.

Spicy Shrimp
Adapted from Cooking Light – serves 4 - 5

1 ½ pounds medium shrimp, peeled & deveined, preferably wild shrimp
¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon dried oregano
1 ½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided (or use avocado oil if available)
Lime wedges

Sprinkle shrimp with salt. Combine sugar, chili powder, cumin, coriander and oregano and lightly coat the shrimp with the spice mixture.

Heat a teaspoon of the oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add half of the shrimp and sauté 4 minutes or until done. Do not crowd the pan. Remove the shrimp from pan and repeat the procedure, adding 1 more teaspoon of oil before you add the remaining shrimp. Place shrimp on a platter and drizzle with remaining 2 ½ teaspoons oil. Serve with lime wedges. Serving with pasta extends the dish.

This recipe will be linked to Miz Helen’s Country Kitchen Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum, and On the Menu Monday at Stone Gable.

Have a great weekend everyone.