Recipe Background
Fancy Shrimp Casserole is uniquely bold with rich sherry and bright herbs, perfect for a celebratory meal.
The first time I made Fancy Shrimp Casserole was the weekend my childhood best friend, Max, moved back to town after a whirlwind career abroad. He was the one with the knack for culinary adventures, always eager to see what I would come up with next. I remember sifting through my pantry, locating a bottle of sherry from a trip to Spain years ago. It seemed poetic to use that distinctive, nutty aroma to celebrate Max's return.
Incorporating sherry into the marinade for the shrimp was a revelation. It melded beautifully with the chili flakes and garlic, creating a base that had just the right amount of kick. Butter was softened on the counter, the breadcrumbs crumbled neatly through my fingers as I mixed them with fresh lemon rind and parsley—elements that brought a bright note to balance the richness.
Max arrived just as I was layering the mixture atop sizzling shrimp in a casserole dish. We caught up over a glass of wine while it baked, the kitchen filled with the scent of nutmeg and oregano. A simple tip I swear by: let the breadcrumbs sit for a minute on the shrimp once they come out of the oven; it's a game-changer for texture. Watching Max's eyes light up with each bite was a reminder that sometimes coming home offers the best flavors of all.
Ingredients
- 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons butter at room temperature and divided
- 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
- 1 tablespoon lemon rind
- 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon parsley chopped and divided
- 1 tablespoon oregano chopped
- 2 tablespoons garlic divided
- 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
- 1/2 cup sherry divided
- nutmeg to taste
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 1-1 1/2 pounds shrimp (16-20 jumbo shrimp) deveined and shelled
- 2 scallions chopped
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a bowl, combine 1 stick of the butter with the breadcrumbs, the lemon rind, 1/4 cup of the parsley, the oregano, 1 1/2 tablespoons of the garlic, the chili flakes, 1/4 cup of the sherry, the nutmeg, the salt, and the pepper, whisking well to combine everything into a compound butter.
- Heat the remaining butter on medium-high heat in a skillet.
- Add the shrimp, the scallions, the remaining parsley, the remaining garlic, the remaining sherry, the salt, and the pepper to the melted butter.
- Mix the shrimp in the skillet well and cook until they are light pink in color and about to curl up, about 1-2 minutes.
- Transfer the shrimp and the sauce it cooked into in a casserole dish.
- Top each of the shrimp with a generous dollop of the compound butter mixture.
- Bake until the top becomes golden brown and the shrimp are cooked through to 145 degrees F, about 20-25 minutes.
- Serve immediately.
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