Simple Shrimp Piccata with Zoodles
Try this Simple Shrimp Piccata with Zoodles recipe, or contribute your own.
Try this Simple Shrimp Piccata with Zoodles recipe, or contribute your own.
- Carbohydrate 1.285568333456 g
- Cholesterol 27.6687500087207 mg
- Fat 16.5651275033111 g
- Fiber 0.225466667571862 g
- Protein 3.5479025000925 g
- Saturated Fat 7.20606133542261 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (183g)
- Sodium 352.301666762906 mg
- Sugar 1.06010166588413 g
- Trans Fat 0.876386833570035 g
- Calories 165 calories
Step-by-step
- Spiralize zucchini using the fattest noodle blade then add to a colander set atop a bowl. Lightly salt the zoodles, toss with your fingers to coat, then cover and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or up to one hour to drain. Pat or gently squeeze excess liquid from the zucchini with paper towels or a kitchen towel then set aside.
- Pat shrimp very dry between paper towels then season both sides with garlic salt and pepper. Heat 1-1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a large, 12†+ skillet over heat that’s just a touch above medium then add half the shrimp and saute for 2 minutes a side, or until cooked through. When shrimp have 30 seconds left to cook, drizzle in a little lemon juice then remove shrimp to a plate once the lemon juice has evaporated. Heat remaining 1-1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in the skillet then saute remaining shrimp, repeating the lemon juice step at the end.
- Melt butter in the skillet then add the garlic and saute until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add zoodles then turn heat up slightly and saute until crisp tender, 3-4 minutes. Add a drizzle of lemon juice, the capers, parmesan cheese, and salt and pepper to taste, then toss to combine. Plate then top with cooked shrimp and serve.
Bright citrus, briny capers, and sweet, plump crustaceans meet tender strands of vegetables in a pan-sauce adaptation that replaces traditional wheat pasta with fresh squash ribbons. Creating this dish successfully hinges on managing moisture, because zucchini releases an enormous amount of water when exposed to heat and salt. Salting the spiralized squash beforehand and letting it drain in a colander for thirty minutes removes excess cell water, preventing a watery sauce from diluting the concentrated lemon and butter pan juices. When executing the sear on a large twelve-inch skillet, crowding the pan drops the surface temperature too quickly, which leads to steaming rather than browning the protein. Cooking the jumbo crustaceans in two distinct batches with high heat ensures each piece develops a golden crust while remaining tender inside. After the squash hits the hot pan with the minced garlic, keep the cooking window brief at three to four minutes to maintain a crisp-tender bite without turning the strands into mush. Leftovers require careful handling due to the high water content of the squash. Storing the cooked components in an airtight container in the refrigerator for no more than twenty-four hours prevents total structural collapse, though consuming the dish immediately yields the best textural contrast between the snappy protein and the tender ribbons.
Mastering Zucchini Moisture Control
The fundamental challenge of using squash ribbons as a pasta substitute involves cellular structure. Zucchini consists largely of water held within rigid plant walls that rupture easily upon contact with sodium and heat. Applying salt draws out this internal moisture via osmosis before the pan gets involved, saving the sauce from dilution. Skipping this resting phase guarantees a pool of vegetable water at the bottom of the serving plate that washes away the pan drippings.Protein Searing and Pan Dynamics
High heat is mandatory when cooking shellfish quickly to prevent toughness. Searing sixteen-to-twenty count shrimp in extra virgin olive oil requires a hot surface maintained by working in separate batches. Deglazing the hot pan with fresh lemon juice just seconds before the protein finishes cooking builds the classic piccata foundation directly into the pan drippings without requiring separate stock.
