This dish, inspired by the barbecue pepper shrimp at the Lobster Pot (the busy seafood restaurant in Provincetown, Massachusetts, that the McNulty family began operating in 1979), is a rich, satisfying shrimp dinner that comes together quickly. Chef and owner Tim McNulty came up with the idea for the dish after trying New Orleans-style barbecue shrimp. He blends those spicy flavors with the richness of beurre blanc, a classic French butter sauce. “It’s a big seller for us,” McNulty says of the dish, which has been on the menu for more than 10 years. The sauce is an ideal topping for pasta or crusty bread and is a perfect match for any seafood: “It’s a great base recipe, and you can add scallops or lobster to it instead of the shrimp.” The sauce also makes a luscious topping for steak, similar to an au poivre.

Barbecue Pepper Shrimp
Recipe from Tim McNulty
Adapted by Korsha Wilson
Ingredients:
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium shallot, diced small (about 1/4 inch)
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1 rosemary sprig
• 1 thyme sprig
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tablespoon cayenne hot sauce (such as Tabasco)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus lemon wedges for serving
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
• Crusty bread or cooked pasta, for serving

Directions:
Place the butter in the freezer until ready to use.
Pat the shrimp dry on a paper towel-lined plate and season with salt. In a large (12-inch) skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high for 2 minutes. Swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Add half of the shrimp and cook until lightly golden in spots and starting to curl (they’ll be almost cooked through), 2 to 3 minutes per side. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked shrimp to a plate. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, using the remaining tablespoon of oil to coat the pan. Transfer the remaining shrimp to the plate.

Adjust heat to medium and add the garlic and shallot. Cook, stirring, until shiny and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the wine, rosemary and thyme and stir, scraping up any browned bits. Let simmer until the skillet is almost completely dry, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cream, Worcestershire, hot sauce, lemon juice and black pepper. Continue to simmer and let reduce until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 5 minutes more. Taste and adjust salt if desired.

Remove the butter from the freezer. Adjust heat to low and add half the butter. Stir until completely melted, and then add the remaining butter. Stir constantly until butter is melted and sauce is smooth.
Return the shrimp to the pan and cook, stirring to coat in the sauce, until shrimp is piping hot and cooked through, about 2 minutes. Serve immediately with crusty bread (or over pasta), with lemon wedges alongside.

Yields 4 servings; total time: 35 minutes.

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