Here’s a great shrimp recipe to serve as a delicious appetizer/hors d'oeuvres, or as a main dish with rice like Chinese Fried Rice. Quick and easy to make, the marinade sauce caramelizes in the skillet as you cook the shrimp coating each piece with a rich savory sweet and spicy sauce sure to please your family and guests! Serve the reserved sauce for dipping or drizzling over rice. Truly tasty!

Marinated Sweet and Spicy Shrimp
Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 16 large shrimp (21-25 count), peeled and deveined

• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced or grated

• 1/2 teaspoon ginger, minced or grated

• 4 tablespoons honey

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce

• ½ teaspoon chili-sesame oil (Note: if you don’t have chili-sesame oil, use ½ teaspoon of sesame oil and ¼ teaspoon of red pepper flakes.)

• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

Preparation:

1. Mix the ingredients and marinate the shrimp in half of the sauce for about 30-40 minutes, reserving the other half to drizzle over the cooked shrimp or rice.

2. Remove the shrimp from the marinade and discard the marinade.

3. Add 1-2 teaspoons of canola or other neutral oil to a hot cast-iron skillet. Working in two batches, add half the shrimp to the hot skillet and sear for 1 minute on each side. The marinade on the shrimp will caramelize. For added flavor, rub the shrimp in the caramelized sauce as you remove them from the skillet.

Note: substitute 3-4 large sea scallops per person and sear for 2 minutes per side after marinating as above. If possible use U-20 dry fresh or air-chilled frozen scallops rather than chemically treated scallops. Allow frozen scallops to thaw in the fridge before using.

Wine pairing: a crisp Chablis, Albariño, Sauvignon Blanc, Verdicchio, Verdejo, or Rosé would complement this dish.