I have a confession to make…. I started Besotted with more than just the goal of jotting down my favorite recipes and rambling about my culinary experiences. I desperately want to get people back into the kitchen, and for them to do more than peel back the plastic on a microwaveable meal or ‘add water’ to make a meal magically puff up before their eyes.

It’s an absurd quest in our multi-tasking, over-taxed, over-stressed world, but I’m taking it on, and if there’s one recipe in my arsenal to battle the delivery-guy, grocery-store-prepared-foods, and the like, it’s this one, because it takes 15 minutes from grocery bag to table. Not only is it easy and quick, but the flavors – fresh chilis, ginger, garlic, and lemon – will instantly remind you why fresh always tastes best.

Toss in a few large shrimp and some olive oil-soaked toast, and you have a pretty spectacular meal that you can be eating before the pizza delivery guy has even put on his hat.

Start with big, fat shrimp (16-20 count). They're the focus of the meal and should be generously sized.

Click here for a printable version of the recipe

Shrimp, Chilis & Ginger, Serves 2

Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Happy Days with the Naked Chef

Ingredients:

3 Tbls. Olive Oil

2 Tsp Fresh Ginger, peeled and finely chopped

3 Cloves of Garlic, peeled and finely chopped

3 Fresh Chilis (Habanero, Jalapeno, etc. according to your taste), deseeded* and rough chopped

2/3lb. Large shrimp (16-20 count), tails and shells removed

Juice from 1 Lemon

½ Cup of Fresh Flat-leaf Parsley, rough chopped

3 Tbls. Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

6 Slices of French Baguette, toasted

Sea Salt and Fresh Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Plate your toasted French baguette, 3 slices per person and set aside.

Heat a saute pan over medium-medium-high heat until nicely hot. Add the olive oil, ginger, chilis, garlic, and shrimp. Cook, stirring constantly for 90 seconds; turn the shrimp onto the uncooked side and cook for another 90 seconds.

Turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the lemon juice, parsley, and extra-virgin olive oil. Stir for 30 seconds and remove from the heat.

Pour the shrimp and sauce over the plated toasted baguettes. Season to taste and serve.

*Please take extra care with deseeding chilis. The last thing you want to do is get the seeds under your nails or near your nail bed, nor do you want to touch your face after handling the seeds. If you’re new to this, rubber gloves are your best defense. If you want to live dangerously, wield a paring knife (small and easy to manage), split the chili in half lengthwise, and flick the offending seeds into the sink or garbage, taking care not to touch them.