Garlic Lime Shrimp

My husband declared this meal "delish!" It's very easy and full of great flavor. To be perfectly honest, we had some shrimp at home from a previous meal and also a whole bunch of limes too! So I went searching for a recipe that would make use of those things. This is excellent for a quick weeknight meal and the light citrus flavor isn't too heavy for a warm spring day.

Garlic Lime Shrimp1 pound shrimp, peeled with tails off
12 garlic cloves, peeled
1 stick butter, melted and kept warm
1 serrano chile, seeded and minced
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
juice of one lime
salt to taste
1/2 pound cooked pasta (I used whole wheat angel hair)

A few hints: 
Shrimp - I like to use raw shrimp because using already cooked shrimp usually results in tough, overcooked shrimp, but if you only have cooked shrimp just reduce the broiling time a bit.
Garlic - I know... 12 cloves of garlic might scare you. I promise it's not too much. When you boil the garlic, the flavor becomes much more mild and it won't overpower the lime.
Serrano chile - If you'd like a little kick, use two chiles. For mincing the chile and the cilantro, I use my magic bullet. You could also use a small food processor or herb grinder if you have one. It's better than mincing it all with a knife.

Place the garlic in a saucepan and cover with water. Simmer until softened (about 20 minutes); add more water if necessary. Drain the garlic and allow to cool, then finely chop the garlic.

Arrange the shrimp on a rimmed baking sheet in a single layer.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan (you can use the same one that held the garlic). Once it's melted, remove from the heat. Then add the garlic, minced serrano, minced cilantro and lime juice. Brush the shrimp with the sauce mixture. You should have some sauce left over.

Preheat the broiler and broil the shrimp for 3 to 4 minutes until cooked through.

Toss the pasta with a little of the extra sauce. Serve shrimp on top of pasta; drizzle any extra sauce over the top. Garnish with some lime and cilantro leaves.

Enjoy!



recipe slightly adapted from Food & Wine Magazine, November 1999