Black Pepper Shrimp with Garlic and Lemon

We were grilling hot dogs for the grandkids and decided we'd like something a little more upscale.  I had a pound of wild-caught Louisiana shrimp in the freezer. I wanted to cook them on the grill but wasn't in the mood for kebabs.  So a new recipe was born!

I went heavy handed on the black pepper. After all, it is THE main seasoning for this dish. With the butter, olive oil, and lemon juice a delicious sauce is developed which means one thing for me.  Grill French bread slices to get every single drop of that sauce!  If you'd like a more charred shrimp, cut back on the butter, olive oil, and lemon juice by about half.

Here's the Mise en Place which is a French culinary phrase meaning "putting in place" or "everything in its place."  This is essential for this recipe because once you start cooking, everything goes quickly.

You'll need the following:

2 T. unsalted butter

2 T. olive oil

1 lb. wild-caught shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 t. sea salt

2 T. minced garlic

1 - 2 T. McCormick pure ground black pepper (use more or less to suit your taste preference)

2 T. lemon juice

3 green onions (white and some green) thinly sliced on the diagonal

Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. I used charcoal and let the charcoal pieces burn down to an ashy gray.  Place a heavy castiron skillet on the grill grates.  Add the butter and olive oil and let heat until the butter bubbles.

Add in the shrimp and salt and cook, stirring constantly.  

When shrimp begin to cook through and turn opaque, add about half the black pepper.

Next, add in the garlic and lemon juice.

Cook, another few minutes to allow the sauce to thicken and then add the remaining black pepper and onions.

When green onions have slightly softened, carefully remove from the grill. Serve immediately with lemon slices on the side for a little extra lemon flavor.