QUICK & FLAVORFUL. Pictured is saucy and spicy Drunken Shrimp. (Milk Street via AP)

From The Asian Reporter, V34, #9 (September 2, 2024), pages 14.

By Christopher Kimball

Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street

Saucy, spicy shrimp paired with a cold beer or margarita is a simple summertime meal that’s best enjoyed outside with lots of napkins. To make this weeknight-easy dish of "drunken" shrimp, we gently simmer them with tequila and a garlic-infused combination of butter and olive oil, for a flavor-packed meal that comes together in just over half an hour.

Though head-on shrimp typically are used, in this recipe from our cookbook Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year, we use the more easily sourced head-off shrimp and devein them before cooking. You can remove the shells or leave them on, as is our preference; they contain loads of umami-heavy shrimp flavor and do an excellent job of trapping the sauce.

And while the flavor in this dish may be bold, the cooking method is gentle. Even the largest shrimp are small and lean compared to other proteins, and aggressive cooking does them no favors. Chicken thighs, marbled steaks, and even fatty salmon are far more forgiving, as fat protects meat from overcooking, keeping cuts tender and juicy. Shrimp have no such protection.

To infuse the dish with flavor without overcooking, the shrimp are gently poached in a spicy, garlicky combination of melted butter, olive oil, and tequila, along with a little water to temper the bite of the spirit. If using frozen shrimp, transfer them from the freezer to the fridge the day before you want to cook them and let them slowly thaw for the best texture. If you need to thaw them quickly, place the bag of frozen shrimp in room temperature water. Press the air out of the bag and use a heavy plate to weigh it down, so the shrimp stays under the surface.

You’ll know the shrimp are done when they have a gentle C-shaped curve, three minutes for shelled shrimp or about five minutes for shell-on shrimp. Overcooked shrimp resemble an "O," and a tight spiral indicates that the shrimp’s proteins have tightened and squeezed out much of their moisture, rendering them dry and rubbery.

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Start to finish: 35 minutes

Servings: 4 to 6

2 pounds extra-large (21/25 per pound) shrimp, peeled and deveined (if desired)

2 teaspoons lime juice, plus lime wedges to serve

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

½ cup tequila (see headnote)

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons salted butter, cut into 3 pieces

6 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 to 3 teaspoons red pepper flakes

¼ cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

½ cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced

½ small red onion, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, stir together the shrimp, lime juice, and ½ teaspoon salt; set aside. In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, combine the tequila and 1 cup water.

In a 12" skillet over medium, heat the oil and butter until the butter foams. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until fragrant but not browned, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tequila-water mixture, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced to about 2/3 cup and turns red, 6 to 9 minutes.

Reduce to medium, add the shrimp and cook, stirring and turning occasionally, until pink and opaque throughout, about 3 minutes for shelled shrimp or about 5 minutes for shell-on shrimp.

Off heat, stir in the cilantro, then taste and season with salt and black pepper. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl and garnish with the cucumber and onion. Serve with lime wedges.