Ingredients
Method
- Pat shrimp completely dry. For best results, let them sit uncovered in the fridge for 30 minutes before searing.
- Heat oil in a pan over high heat. Sear shrimp without crowding, about 90 seconds per side until pink and just curled. Pull while slightly underdone — they'll finish in the sauce.
- Remove pan from heat. Add minced garlic and let it bloom in residual warmth, about 30 seconds. Do not return to heat — garlic burns fast.
- Return pan to low heat. Add lemon juice and zest, scraping up browned bits. Cook 30 seconds — this is not a reduction, just enough to combine.
- Add cold butter a few pieces at a time, whisking until each addition melts before adding the next. Keep heat as low as possible throughout.
- Return shrimp to the pan to warm through and finish cooking, about 1 minute.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper.
- Plate in a bowl, top with parsley and lemon wedges, and serve with crusty bread.
Video
Notes
Why cold butter? Cold butter melts slowly, and that slow melt is what holds the emulsion together instead of letting it break. Room-temperature or melted butter added too fast will separate the sauce rather than thicken it.
Why skip the reduction? Wine needs reducing because it's diluted and alcoholic — reduction concentrates flavor and cooks off the alcohol. Lemon juice is already concentrated, so there's nothing to reduce. A quick 30-second simmer is enough to merge the acid with the pan flavors.
If your sauce breaks: Take the pan off heat immediately, add a splash of cold water or a small ice cube, and whisk hard. The shock of cold plus vigorous whisking is usually enough to bring it back together.