Description
A luxurious and flavorful Mediterranean dish featuring succulent sautéed shrimp simmered in a creamy saffron-infused sauce. Perfect for a quick yet elegant seafood dinner that pairs beautifully with rice, pasta, or crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
Shrimp and Sauté
- 1 lb large shrimp (peeled and deveined, tails on or off)
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp butter
- 3 cloves garlic (minced)
Sauce
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ½ tsp saffron threads
- 2 tbsp warm water (for steeping saffron)
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional, for garnish)
- Lemon wedges (for serving)
Instructions
- Steep saffron threads: Place saffron threads in 2 tablespoons of warm water and let them steep while you prepare other ingredients to extract flavor and color.
- Cook shrimp: Heat olive oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 1–2 minutes per side until pink and opaque. Remove shrimp and set aside to prevent overcooking.
- Sauté garlic: In the same skillet, add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and sauté minced garlic for about 30 seconds until fragrant, being careful not to burn it.
- Deglaze and reduce: Pour in dry white wine and simmer for 2–3 minutes to reduce slightly and concentrate flavor.
- Add saffron and cream: Stir in the saffron water, then add heavy cream, salt, and black pepper. Simmer gently for 3–5 minutes while stirring frequently until the sauce thickens slightly.
- Reheat shrimp: Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet and warm through for 1–2 minutes, coating them well with the creamy saffron sauce.
- Serve: Plate immediately, garnished with fresh parsley and lemon wedges for added brightness if desired. Serve over rice, pasta, or with crusty bread.
Notes
- Serve over rice, pasta, or with crusty bread to soak up the sauce.
- Substitute half-and-half for a lighter sauce, though it will be thinner.
- If saffron is unavailable, use a pinch of turmeric for color, but flavor will differ.
