Gamberi piccanti

Spicy Shrimps

Southern Italian cooking is intimately linked to the land and the sea. In a region that has known its share of poverty, the legacy of foraging and agriculture is rich and diverse. This simple shrimp dish comes together in no time and makes a delicious antipasto. Just don’t overcook the shrimp or they will be tough and rubbery. Shrimp are cooked just when they turn from translucent to opaque and curl slightly into a “C” shape. If they curl to an “O”, they are
overcooked.

Ingredients:

1 pound large (U21-25) uncooked shrimp, peeled with tails left intact, deveined
Vegetable oil for pan
Kosher salt
Marinade
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 ½ teaspoons hot red pepper flakes

Garnish

· ¼ cup chopped parsley

· 2 teaspoons Calabrian or Aleppo chili flakes

· Lemon, cut in half

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, marinate shrimp for a minimum of 20 minutes.
Heat a 12 inch skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and when hot, add half the shrimp in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt. Sear on one side for 1-2 minutes without turning until spotty brown and edges turn pink; turn over and sear on other side for up to an additional 2 minutes until cooked through (center becomes opaque).
Arrange on plates and squeeze lemon juice over shrimp. Sprinkle with parsley and Aleppo chili flakes. Serve with lemon wedges.