The marinade for this dish makes the shrimp so flavorful, you won’t even need a dipping sauce. Even those who claim they don’t like shellfish really dig this appetizer.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar
• 1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined

Preparation

1. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first eight ingredients.
2. Add shrimp; seal bag and turn to coat.
3. Refrigerate 2 hours.
4. Drain shrimp, discarding marinade.
5. Place shrimp on an ungreased baking sheet.
6. Broil 4 in. from heat 3-4 minutes on each side or until shrimp turn pink.

Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen.

Sous Vide Method

1. Prepare recipe as directed through Step 3.
2. Make sure that the shrimp is only one layer thick in the bag. The shrimp can be touching and side by side, but if they are stacked, and in layers of 2 or 3 shrimp, then they will not cook properly. I find it best to spread them out into one layer before I vacuum seal the bag.
3. Set the sous vide to 140°F. Once the water reaches the set temperature, add the bagged shrimp to the water bath.
4. After 15 minutes, remove the shrimp from the water bath. They are done! Shrimp does not take long to cook and the pink color is an indicator of doneness.
5. The shrimp is ready to eat. They are fine to eat, right out of the bag and are great either warm or chilled. Either way, they are succulent and delicious!

Optional Jerk Variation

For jerk-seasoned party shrimp, omit the Italian seasoning and dried basil. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons jerk seasoning to the marinade while retaining the paprika, brown sugar, lemon juice, garlic, black pepper, and olive oil. Marinate and cook the shrimp as directed. Serve with fresh lemon or lime wedges to brighten the warm allspice, thyme, chile, and clove flavors.