The heart of summer is peak season for two of my favorite pastimes: grilling and eating shrimp from the Gulf. This recipe for Grilled Shrimp With Herb and Wine Butter first appeared in Texas Co-op Power in June 1988, but its appeal is timeless. It’s easy enough to prepare at a beach house and makes for the perfect light summer meal—especially when paired with a pile of angel hair pasta, crackly bread or warm steamed rice. To deepen the smoky nuance, use juice from lightly charred lemons in the butter sauce. The original recipe suggests skewering the shrimp or cooking them in a grill basket. I prefer to fire the shrimp in a preheated paella pan to retain all the buttery juices.
Grilled Shrimp With Herb and Wine Butter
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh chives
1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
1/4 cup dry white wine
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 1/2–2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Olive oil
Lemon wedges, for serving (if desired)
1. In a heavy saucepan, heat the butter and garlic over very low heat, just until the butter sizzles. Stir in the chives, parsley, tarragon and rosemary and cook 1–2 minutes more, then whisk in the wine and lemon juice (charred or fresh) and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Place the shrimp in a large bowl and drizzle with enough olive oil to lightly coat. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
3. Grill the shrimp in a preheated paella pan (or in a wire basket or on skewers) about 5–7 minutes total, stirring frequently, until the shrimp is pink and just tender. (Do not overcook or shrimp will be tough.) Serve warm with additional lemon, if desired.
Serves 4–6.
