Description
Sweet local shrimp get the full Italian “gratinate” treatment in this simple and elegant shrimp recipe. And just like those Diver scallops au gratin we made a while back, this is one of the easiest seafood dishes there is to make. Tender seasoned shrimp resting under a crispy blanket of Grana Padano cheese, panko bread crumbs drizzled with a fruity extra virgin olive oil, and clarified shrimp butter make this seafood gratin a little extra special (and tasty). The best part — these shrimp only take 4 minutes under the broiler which means you can have an easy weeknight dinner in 15 minutes or less.
Ingredients
SHRIMP AU GRATIN INGREDIENTS
- 6 to 7 medium shrimp per person, shells removed and deveined
- extra virgin olive oil, to taste
- clarified shrimp butter (or substitute ghee, or a pat of butter for each shell)
- panko breadcrumbs (or regular breadcrumbs), to taste
- grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, Grana Padano, or Parmesan cheese, to taste
- sea salt, to taste
- scallions or chives, to taste
- parsley (optional)
- 3 clean scallop shells per person (or other broiler-safe baking dish)
CLARIFIED SHRIMP-BUTTER INGREDIENTS (you may sub regular clarified butter or ghee)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (60g)
- 3 to 4 raw shrimp heads
- 1 garlic clove smashed (optional)
- freshly squeezed lemon juice, to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon sliced scallions
Instructions
- Make the clarified shrimp butter. Heat 1/4 cup of unsalted butter in a small pot over low heat to allow the milk solids to separate. Skim off the white part that floats to the top until there is no more left. Place the garlic clove and 3 to 4 raw shrimp heads into the clarified butter squeezing each head as you put them in. Add the scallions and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and cook the mixture until the butter is fragrant and has become a golden-orange hue. Strain the shrimp butter through a fine mesh sieve and discard the shells.
- Preheat the oven. Turn on the oven broiler function to high and set a rack about 3 to 4 inches from the broiler.
- Dice the shrimp & assemble the shells. Chop the shrimp into bite-sized pieces and evenly distribute it across three scallop shells. Season with a little salt, and sprinkle with panko bread crumbs and grated cheese to taste. Drizzle the shrimp with extra virgin olive oil and shrimp butter and top it off with sliced scallions (green part only). Place the filled shells onto a heat-proof baking tray or dish.
- Broil the shrimp. Broil the shrimp directly under the broiler for 3 to 4 minutes, or until bubbling and the breadcrumbs and cheese become golden brown and slightly crispy. Remove from the oven and serve immediately Enjoy!
Notes
- Use fresh or frozen shrimp for this recipe. Frozen shrimp make excellent budget-friendly shrimp au gratin and are what I’ve used in this post.
- If you want to splurge, use Royal Reds or Argentinian Red shrimp which are sweeter, and fattier, and make a superior shrimp au gratin.
- Do not overcook the shrimp gratin, or they will be rubbery.
- Substitute scallops for the shrimp in this recipe to make a great scallop au gratin.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 4 minutes
- Category: Fish + Seafood
- Method: Broiled
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 Shrimp gratin
