Ted Kennedy Watson

We love shrimp all sorts of ways, but one way I go back to time and again is to marinate them to infuse the shrimp with tons of flavor and then simply roast them on a sheet pan. This Wine & Dine Wednesday post is about a meal I made at Hawthorne last week as the snow fell outside and was wanting to make a cozy supper by the fire on the back porch.

You want to peel and devein your shrimp or buy them that way, is fine too. In a good sized ziplock bag, add a serious glug of your best olive oil, along with generous pinches of salt and pepper. Add the raw shrimp to that. Then a finely chopped clove or two of garlic, a handful of thyme stems and a few halved Meyer lemons. If you can’t find Meyer lemons, any lemon will absolutely do. This time of year is prized Meyer lemon time, so we use them every chance we get. Now the fun part. Put your hand in the bag and mix it all around. The shrimp should be covered in all the goodness. Note, I did not squeeze the lemons yet. This is done right before they go into the oven. If you did it now, the juices would start to cook the shrimp. You are only looking to get the essence of the lemons now. Close up the baggie tight and put in fridge for at least an hour. I often do this in the morning so it sits in the marinade all day and is ready right when we get home.

Once ready, put all the contents of the bag onto a sheet pan and now squeeze the lemons over the entire mixture. It all goes into a 400 degree oven. Watch carefully as the shrimp cook fast. Start testing them at the 5 minute mark. Depending on the size of the shrimp, they might be done or need a few minutes more.

That is it! Could not be easier. I served the shrimp over basmati rice, spooning some of the juices (from the olive oil and lemon juice that was created) over the shrimp. Discard the thyme leaves and lemons. Add a fresh slice of lemon to the serving. I added some pitted olives and a dollop of herbed soft cheese we had leftover. Feta here would be awesome too. Served it next to a big bunch of pea shoots TPS picked up for us at our beloved Hawthorne Valley Farm Store, and dressed them with a shallot vinaigrette I often make. We enjoyed it all with a glass of Sonoma-Cutrer Chardonnay. Hendricks ran around playing with his toys while we all enjoyed the falling snow outside.