Bensonhurst Kitchen: Spicy Lime Shrimp
You know those ads on TV for chain restaurants – many of which don’t have locations in New York City?
Anyone who grew up in Brooklyn and is over 30 probably remembers a time when New York City – and especially Brooklyn – had virtually none of these places, which at the time made us Brooklynites naturally curious about these unnatural suburban curiosities. I actually remember it being sort of a big deal when a T.G.I. Friday’s opened up on Knapp Street in Sheepshead Bay. The excitement, in my case at least, lasted until I was old enough to realize what good food really was.
Many of the dishes on the menus of these places sound good in theory, but they’re always loaded with too much salt, cheap pre-measured powders, meat that tastes like it’s been microwaved, ingredients that are hopelessly out of season, and a corporate philosophy that’s hopelessly out of touch.
But hey, some things do sound good. For instance, Chili’s advertises a spicy lime shrimp dish that Colleen has “recreated” right here in the Bensonhurst Kitchen.
Thankfully, she wasn’t faithful to the whole cutting-corners, load the food down with salt so those poor slobs out in the dining room down more drinks part of the preparation. No, she wanted to make it good.
Enjoy!
Colleen’s Spicy Lime Shrimp
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 clove of garlic. minced
1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
Directions:
Combine salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, parsley flakes, garlic powder,
paprika, dried thyme and onion powder in a small bowl and set aside.
Melt butter in a large saute pan or skillet over medium heat.
Stir in minced garlic then add shrimp.
Pour the lime juice over the shrimp.
Spoon the salt and pepper mixture over the shrimp.
Stir the shrimp to evenly distribute the seasoning and lime juice.
Cook shrimp for 5 to 7 minutes or until pink all over.
Serve immediately.
TIP:
Overcooking shrimp can make them taste like rubber, my bet is something
similar to those fake rubber shrimp in the display at sushi restaurants.
Shrimp cook quickly, once they are pink or some say opaque they are done.
Be kind to your taste buds and watch those shrimp carefully!
Recipe and tips by Colleen
