Blackened Shrimp

Where This Goes Wrong

Heat the pan until it is very hot before the prawns go in.

Do not crowd the pan: cook in two batches if needed.

Switch on the extractor fan before you start.

Cooking Blackened Shrimp

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1. Mix the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper.

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2. Pat the prawns very dry with kitchen paper. Toss with the melted butter, then with the spice mix until evenly coated.

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3. Heat a cast iron pan over high heat for 3 minutes. Add the oil.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

4. Cook the prawns in a single layer for 3 minutes without moving them. Turn and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more until opaque.

   Mark done Start 2 min timer

5. Serve at once with the lemon wedges.

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Why It Works

Why does blackened not mean burnt? The dark crust is spice, not char: paprika, cayenne, garlic, onion and herbs toasting in hot butter until they turn the surface of the shrimp a deep brown-red. The skill is knowing how far to go before that tips into bitterness.

The technique was made famous by a Louisiana chef in the 1980s, and it relies on a very hot cast iron pan. Heat it for a full 3 minutes before anything goes in. A lukewarm pan steams the prawns, and the spice coating turns pasty rather than crusting.

Pat the prawns completely dry and toss them in melted butter first, then in the spice mix. The butter carries the spices onto the surface and helps them toast. Dry prawns brown, wet ones boil.

Three minutes on the first side, then flip and give them 2 to 3 minutes more, until they curl into a loose C shape and are opaque all the way through. A tight O means they are overcooked. Finish with lemon juice to cut the heat, and expect some smoke, so open a window.

Leftovers, Reheating and Keeping

Best eaten fresh. Keeps for 1 day in the fridge; serve cold in a salad.

Changing the Recipe

• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried thyme at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

What to Serve Alongside

• Rice
• Corn on the cob
• Coleslaw
• Lemon wedges

Sides from the same cuisine on this site: Artisan Sourdough Bread, New York Bagels, Creamy Coleslaw.

Nutrition per Serving

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list with USDA FoodData Central figures (SR Legacy). A calculation, not a laboratory analysis: brands, cuts and how you measure change the real numbers. How the figures are worked out.

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