Spiced Shrimp in Lemon-Ginger Sauce
Author Notes: This dish is a combination of two recipes. The spiced shrimp is my go-to recipe for a shrimp cocktail, which I learned many years ago from a Chinese cookbook by Sunset. It is delicious, aromatic, and with a pungent cocktail sauce makes a perfect appetizer. I usually make the second recipe, for the Lemon-Ginger Sauce, to serve over roasted or fried fish or chicken, and use chicken or fish stock for the liquid. I have to say that the idea to marry these two recipes and serve it hot as an entrée was a successful and a delicious one. You also can make this recipe with lobster tails, crab, or scallops. It's a saucy way to serve shrimp over pasta, white or brown rice, or just with fresh crusty bread for dipping and enjoying the wonderful sauce. —Kukla
Food52 Review: WHO: Kukla is a longtime Food52 member, and she has the swag to show it: twenty-four of her recipes are Community Picks and three of them are Contest Winners.
WHAT: A saucy way to serve shrimp over pasta.
HOW: Simmer shrimp with warm spices to make a stock, and then use that stock to make a lemony sauce. Toss the sauce with the shrimp and sop up every last bit with good bread.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Sauce, sauce, sauce! The shrimp and sauce combo sounded good, but I didn't realize just how good they would be together. You first taste the aromatics in the shrimp, followed by the buttery-lemony sauce, and end with a hit of heat from the cayenne. In order to get the smooth sauce in the photo, I had to strain the lemon-ginger combo after blitzing in the blender. The sauce was so good that I drank what was left in my bowl—all in the name of research, of course. —FrozenFoodie
Serves 4
For the Spiced Shrimp
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1
pound large raw shrimp, unpeeled
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2
tablespoons minced fresh ginger
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4
whole green onions, sliced in half
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2
tablespoons dry sherry
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1 1/2
teaspoons salt
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2
star anise
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2
teaspoons whole peppercorns
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1 1/2
cups water
- Wash unpeeled shrimp; place in a small pan. Add all the other ingredients and barely cover with water, bring to a simmer, then cover and simmer just until shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes.
- Cool in this stock; then remove, peel, and devein. Return to stock, cover, and chill for at least 4 hours or overnight. When ready to serve, strain, discard the aromatics, and save the liquid for the sauce.
For the Lemon-Ginger Sauce
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2
large lemons, zested, white pith and seeds removed, thinly sliced
-
1
inch of peeled ginger, thinly sliced
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1
tablespoon vegetable oil
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1
cup shrimp stock, divided
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1
tablespoon sugar
-
Salt to taste
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1/4
teaspoon cayenne pepper (or 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes)
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2
teaspoons cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water
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2
tablespoons unsalted butter
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Fresh herbs, chopped, for garnish
- Place lemon and ginger slices in a blender; add lemon zest and 1/2 cup of the shrimp stock. Purée until smooth.
- In a small saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat; add the puréed lemon-ginger mixture and stir-fry for 30 seconds.
- Add the remaining 1/2 cup shrimp stock, sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper; simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes. Blend the cornstarch with water; pour into saucepan and cook, stirring until sauce bubbles and thickens slightly.
- Mix in butter and then the drained shrimp to the sauce. Simmer for 30 seconds, just until the shrimp is warmed through. Sprinkle with any fresh herbs of your choice and serve over steamed white or brown rice, over pasta, or just with fresh crusty bread for dipping and enjoying the delicious sauce.
- Your Best Recipe for the Shore Contest Winner!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Spicy Recipe
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Shellfish
More Great Recipes:
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Showing out of comments
almost 2 years ago Josie Marsh
This sauce had too strong of a lemon taste for us- maybe I didn't cook it enough.
5 months ago draya3
Made this tonight and I totally agree. I figure I must have done something wrong because I have never thrown shrimp away before, but the sauce was SO tart. I was hoping to taste a hint of the star anise, too.
almost 3 years ago chop chop
I just got through with having dinner having made this dish. Bravo, bravo! It is a most excellent guest worthy dish which I put on top of some basmati rice with some basil, chives, and a little bit of fennel as the herb garnish. My wife raved about it. My brother and his wife are visiting from out of town next weekend and I am having two other couples over for dinner. This will be the main event. This will go into a fairly frequent rotation and is not hard to make.
almost 3 years ago Kukla
Thank you so, so very much chop chop for your wonderful comment!!!
I am glad that you and your wife enjoyed this dish!
almost 3 years ago QueenSashy
QueenSashy is a trusted home cook.
Bravo Kukla -- yet another great recipe!!!
almost 3 years ago Kukla
Thank you so much QueenSashy!!
almost 3 years ago Kukla
A Big thanks to FrozenFoodie for testing and reviewing my recipe!!!
almost 3 years ago Chef Lisa
Well done! Congrats! Love your recipes!
almost 3 years ago Kukla
Thanks a million chef Liza!!!
almost 3 years ago Maya
Made this dish-perfect taste, easy to make. My whole family loved it
almost 3 years ago Kukla
Thanks a lot Maya!! I am so glad you made and liked this recipe!!
almost 3 years ago Lynnette
Great recipe. I hope you'll win
almost 3 years ago Kukla
Thank you so much Lynnette for the kind comment!
almost 3 years ago Diana Nemirovsky
Mouthwatering from your shrimps!!!!! Great dish!
almost 3 years ago Kukla
Thanks a lot my dear friend!!!
almost 3 years ago sdebrango
Suzanne is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Kukla congratulations on the finalist spot, your shrimp dish sounds amazing, You really are amazing.
almost 3 years ago Kukla
Thank you kindly Suzanne for your wonderful comment!
almost 3 years ago Jenny Goycochea
This recipe looks beautiful. Congrats on being a finalist!
almost 3 years ago Kukla
Congratulations to you too Jenny! I am very glad and honored to compete in the finals with a professional chef!
over 5 years ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
This sounds wonderful!
over 5 years ago Kukla
Thanks a lot drbabs!
Showing 21 out of 21 comments