Pan-Seared Shrimp with Peanuts, Black Pepper, and Lime

Name: Pan-Seared Shrimp with Peanuts, Black Pepper, and Lime
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 1/2 pounds, extra-large shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed; 1 teaspoon, kosher salt, divided; 2 teaspoons, coriander seeds; 1 teaspoon, black peppercorns; 1 teaspoon, paprika; 1 , garlic clove, minced; 1 1/8 teaspoons, sugar, divided; 1/8 teaspoon, red pepper flakes; 4 teaspoons, vegetable oil, divided; 1/2 cup, fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped; 1 tablespoon, lime juice, plus lime wedges for serving; 3 tablespoons, dry-roasted peanuts, chopped coarse

104 comments

By Andrew Janjigian

Appears in Cook's Illustrated November/December 2020, America's Test Kitchen TV

Main Courses

Fish & Seafood

Weeknight

Shrimp cook so quickly that it's difficult to brown them before they become dry and rubbery. That's why we start them in a cold skillet and sprinkle them with sugar.

SERVES4

TIME45 minutes

has video

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

Shrimp are so small that it's hard to brown them before they overcook. We started by briefly salting them so that they retained moisture even as they were seared over high heat. Sprinkling sugar on the shrimp (patted dry after salting) and ...

This is a members' feature.