Prosciutto-Wrapped Shrimp with Sage-Garlic Butter
Prosciutto-wrapped shrimp with garlic-sage butter works equally well as a starter or main dish. Don't miss it.
Calories: 141kcal
Ingredients
- 2 pounds (907 grams) jumbo wild shrimp
- 8 ounces (227 grams) thinly sliced prosciutto
- 4 tablespoons (56 grams) salted butter
- 8 garlic cloves chopped
- 6 fresh sage leaves minced
- 1 lemon cut into wedges
- ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Peel and clean the shrimp if you haven't bought them this way, leaving tails on if possible. (Tails make a nice presentation and a useful handle, but you can serve the appetizer with cocktail forks or toothpicks instead.)
- Cut each slice of prosciutto into two or three long strips. Wrap one strip around each shrimp. Place shrimp on a rimmed half sheet pan lined with a piece of parchment paper that just fits in the pan.
- Melt butter in a small pot. Brush half of the butter over the shrimp.
- Preheat broiler to high with a rack close to the heat source.
- While broiler preheats, add garlic and sage to remaining butter. Cook on medium heat for a minute or two, until very fragrant.
- Broil shrimp for 90 seconds — they will be starting to turn opaque, and the prosciutto will begin to look cooked.
- Flip each shrimp with tongs and broil about 60 seconds more, depending on size, until just cooked through.
- Transfer to a serving platter. Spoon garlic sage butter overtop, squeeze with plenty of lemon juice, and and sprinkle with the pepper.
- Serve right away.
Notes
- For this recipe, I like to start with cleaned, shelled wild shrimp that still has the tails on. (The tails make good handles for finger food and also add a surprising amount of nuance to the flavor profile even though you don't eat them.) The size is up to you, but I tend to think the bigger the better, within reason and budget — both for ease of wrapping and for impressiveness of presentation. Shrimp sizes in the U.S. are labeled numerically according to how many shrimp of that size constitute a pound. The ones pictured here are U/16-20, meaning there are 16 to 20 shrimp per pound. Naming conventions vary, but this puts them in the super-jumbo range.
- Properly sliced prosciutto should be on the thin side but not so thin that it falls apart. Use any variety that you enjoy eating.
- Use a really good-quality butter if you can. Here and virtually everywhere, I start with a cultured, salted butter from grass-fed cows. This sounds fancy but doesn't have to be. Kerrygold, for example, is sold in most supermarkets at a reasonable price.
- There's no substitute for lots and lots of fresh garlic. Give it an even chop, but don't mince it too finely. That way it will contribute little pops of flavor and texture and won't burn.
- Fresh sage contributes a beautiful earthy flavor and mild astringency that really elevate this dish.
- My favorite way to serve this recipe as a main dish is to prepare a batch of my favorite orzo and use it as a bed for the shrimp, spooning the garlic-sage butter overtop right before serving. Basmati rice pilaf, mashed potatoes, or creamy mashed cauliflower would also work beautifully, as would a longer pasta like linguine.
- To prep ahead, you can wrap the shrimp in prosciutto up to 24 hours in advance, arrange it on the baking sheet, and store tightly covered in the fridge until 30 minutes before serving time. Prepare the butter and broil the shrimp right before serving.
- Leftovers will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. Reheat gently so the shrimp doesn't get overcooked.
Nutrition
Calories: 141kcal | Carbohydrates: 0.9g | Protein: 21.7g | Fat: 5.7g