France: Pastis Shrimp

By Karl Richard




           For as long as I can remember, this dish was always prepared for family occasions or reunions. The dish originally came from my grandmother on my father's side who then gave it to my mother and has ever since been enjoyed by everyone in my family. I chose this recipe because it is a family favourite. I come from a multicultural family, yet whenever we all get together, we can all enjoy this recipe. As a kid I never liked shrimp because I always thought they looked like insects, and the smell from the cold ones always disgusted me. But when my mother started using this recipe, I was soon attracted by the mixture of smells and started loving everything about shrimp.
           This recipe originates from France and is served in many five star French restaurants. The beauty of this recipe is that it can be made in five to ten minutes and is low in calories and fat, so it is perfect for you dieters out there.


Recipe

Ingredients

– 2 cups shrimp
– ¼ cup salted butter
– 2 tsp olive oil
– 2 tsp crushed garlic
– 1/5 cup freshly pressed lemon juice
– 3 tsp Pastis or Ricard
– 1/5 cup fresh cut basil
– 1/5 cup fresh cut coriander
– 1/5 cup fresh cut parsley
– 3 tsp of pepper
– salt to taste

Procedure
  1. In a pan at medium heat, melt the butter, then add the garlic, basil, coriander, and parsley together. Stir for about a minute.
  2. Add the shrimp to the mixture. Let them cook a bit, then add the olive oil, lemon juice, pepper, and salt.
  3. When the shrimp are almost cooked (usually after 4 minutes), add the Pastis or Ricard and let infuse for about 30 seconds and it is ready for serving. :)


Photo source:  http://jonsullivan.com/pictures2/scampi_1_bg_011503.jpg