Barbecued Shrimp

Ingredients

Seasoning mix:

• 1 teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
• ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• ½ teaspoon dried rosemary leaves, crushed
• 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano leaves

• ¼ pound (1stick) plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, in all
• 1 ½  teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• ½ cup Basic Shrimp Stock
• ¼ cup beer at room temperature
• 2 dozen large shrimp with heads and shells (about 1 pound)

Method:

Rinse the shrimp in cold water and drain well. Then pinch off and discard the portion of the head from the eyes forward (including the eyes, but not the protruding long spine above the eyes). Leave as much as possible of the orange shrimp fat from the heat attached to the body. Set aside.

In a small bowl combine the seasoning mix ingredients. Combine 1 stick of the butter, the garlic, Worcestershire and seasoning mix in a large skillet over high heat. When the butter is melted, add the shrimp. Cook for 2 minutes, shaking pan (versus stirring) in a back-and-forth motion. Add the remaining 5 tablespoons butter and the stock; cook and shake pan for 2 minutes. Add the beer and cook and shake the pan 1 minute longer. Remove from heat.

Serve immediately in bowls with lots of French bread on the side, or on a platter with cooked rice mounded in the middle and the shrimp and sauce surrounding it.

Lagniappe:

A certain percentage of oil is released when butter is melted; shaking the pan in a back-and-forth motion and the addition of stock to the butter keep the sauce from separating and having an oily texture—stirring doesn’t produce the same effect.