Flaviella. A Big Bend kitchen almanac
Early fall on the Gulf  ·  October

Gulf Shrimp Skillet with Blistered Tomatoes & Garlic

When October finally takes the edge off a North Florida afternoon, the shrimp boats working out of Apalachicola and St. Marks are still bringing in wild Gulf shrimp. I buy them head-on from the truck on Highway 19, peel them at the sink, and have this on the table before the rice cooker clicks off. The trick is searing the shrimp first and pulling them out, so they stay snappy while the tomatoes collapse into a sauce.

Prep
15 min
Cook
15 min
Total
30 min
Serves
4
Level
Easy
Jump to recipe Back to Early fall recipes
Shrimp and tomatoes served in a skillet with bread
Photo: Joe Boshra, Unsplash

Ingredients

Serves 4. Tick items off as you go.

Method

  1. Season the shrimpPat the shrimp very dry with paper towels, then toss with the salt and smoked paprika.
  2. Sear and removeHeat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp in a single layer and sear 60 seconds per side, just until the edges turn pink. Transfer to a plate — they will finish cooking later.
  3. Build the garlic baseLower the heat to medium. Add the butter, garlic and red pepper flakes and stir for about 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant and barely golden.
  4. Blister the tomatoesAdd the tomatoes cut-side down and cook 4–5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until they soften, blister and release their juice.
  5. ReducePour in the wine or stock, scrape up the browned bits and simmer 2 minutes until reduced by about half.
  6. FinishReturn the shrimp and any juices to the pan. Cook 1–2 minutes, turning, until the shrimp are opaque and curled into a loose C. Off the heat, add the lemon zest, lemon juice and parsley. Taste for salt and serve right away with bread.

Kitchen notes

  • Shrimp go from tender to rubbery fast — a tight O shape means they are overcooked.
  • Frozen wild Gulf shrimp work well; thaw overnight in the fridge or under cold running water.
  • Leftovers keep 2 days refrigerated. Rewarm gently; do not microwave on high.

More to cook this season