I’ve been making variations of this recipe for years. And yes, it is shrimply irresistible. I usually make it as an appetizer for a large dinner party and people go crazy. A few weeks ago I made these individual mini cocottes for Kevin and I for a special Valentine’s day dinner. Aren’t they darling!?!? They make me want to cook everything in them and then yell like Oprah, “You get a cocotte, and you get a cocotte, and you get a cocotte!!!!” Something about serving each person their own individual ramekin of shrimp makes this dinner feel a little bit fancy. This recipe is so simple shrimple, delicious, whole 30, and will take you about 10 minutes to put together.
In most of my recipes I use peeled raw shrimp because they are easy to cook with, clean, and eat. In this recipe however I’ve found that keeping the shells on is important. When you cook shrimp in their shells you get so much more flavor out of the shrimp. Shrimp that cook in their shells are also plumper and much harder to overcook. The shell acts as a protective barrier between the shrimp and the hot oil these are poached in making them amazingly succulent when they are done. If you aren’t in the mood to peel the shrimp as you eat them, feel free to make the recipe with deshelled shrimp. I promise they will still be delicious.
If you don’t have mini cocottes, order a set of simple ramekins. Or just combine all the ingredients in a baking dish and make sure that you have enough oil to fully cover all of the shrimp.
Step 1: Butterfly. Preheat oven to 350. Buttery fly each shrimp by using a sharp knife and slicing between the legs. This will help to allow the delicious oil they are poached in to get into all the crevices of the shrimp. Devein if needed.
Step 2: No being shellfish. Divide all the ingredients evenly between your ramekins. In each ramekin or cocotte combine 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons garlic, 1/2 of the shallot, 2 sprigs thyme, a pinch of dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Stir. Add shrimp and press down until they are completed covered in olive oil.
Step 3: Give ’em some oven lovin’. Put shrimp in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 15-20 minutes until they shrimp are pink and appear to be cooked through. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before eating.
Step 4: Search house for baguette. Yes, this recipe is whole 30 but you’re going to want bread. I’m warning you now. You’re going to lock eyes with the delicious garlicky oil that the shrimp are poached in and wish you had something to dip in it. Something crusty and doughy and absorbent…..like a baguette. Just putting that out there.
This Scampi Happening {shrimp scampi cocottes}
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound shrimp, shell on
- 1 cup good olive oil
- 4 tablespoons minced garlic
- 1 shallot, finely sliced
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon salt
- dash of black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350.
- Buttery fly each shrimp by slicing between the legs. Devein if needed.
- In each ramekin or cocotte combine 1/2 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons garlic, 1/2 chopped shallot, 2 sprigs thyme, a pinch of dried oregano, 1/2 teaspoon salt and black pepper. Stir.
- Add shrimp and press down until they are completed covered in olive oil.
- Put shrimp in the oven on the middle rack and bake for 15-20 minutes until they shrimp are pink and appear to be cooked through. Allow them to cool for 5 minutes.