The mash comes first and is kept warm while everything else happens quickly in one skillet: the shrimp sear, come out, and the sauce is built from what they leave behind.
The sauce is meant to stay thin and golden. Heavy cream and a little chicken broth simmer just until they coat a spoon, then the shrimp go back in only to warm through.
Mash on One Burner, Shrimp on the Other
The potatoes take the longest, so they start first and wait warm while the skillet work happens.
Potato pot
- 15 to 18 minutes
Yukon Golds boiled in salted water until fork-tender.
- Drained
Mashed with butter, warm milk and salt, then kept warm.
Skillet
- Medium-high
Shrimp seared in olive oil and butter, 1 to 2 minutes per side, then lifted out.
- Medium
Garlic and red pepper flakes for 30 seconds in the last butter.
- 3 to 4 minutes
Cream and broth simmered until the sauce coats a spoon.
On the plate
Mash first, shrimp returned to the sauce just to warm and spooned over, then parsley.
How to Make It
Potatoes boiled and mashed with butter and warm milk
Boil the potatoes in salted water until fork-tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Drain well, mash with 2 tbsp butter, the warm milk and 1/2 tsp kosher salt, and keep warm.
Shrimp seared until browned and pearly
Pat the shrimp dry and season with the rest of the salt and the black pepper. Heat the olive oil and 1 tbsp butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and sear the shrimp until browned and pearly-opaque, about 1 to 2 minutes per side, then lift them out.
Garlic and chili flakes in the last butter
Turn the heat to medium, melt the last 1 tbsp butter and cook the garlic and red pepper flakes for 30 seconds.
Cream and broth simmered, shrimp warmed through
Add the cream and broth and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes, until the sauce lightly coats a spoon. Return the shrimp just long enough to heat through.
Mash, shrimp, sauce and parsley
Spoon the mashed potatoes onto plates, top with the shrimp and the golden garlic cream, and finish with parsley.
Ingredient Notes
- Yukon Gold potatoes
- A pound and a half, peeled and cut into chunks, for a naturally creamy mash.
- Large shrimp
- One pound, peeled and deveined, seared hard and quickly.
- Heavy cream and chicken broth
- Three quarters of a cup of cream with a quarter cup of low-sodium broth keeps the sauce light.
Why This Recipe Works
- Patting the shrimp dry lets them brown in a minute or two per side instead of steaming.
- Taking the shrimp out before the sauce is made keeps them tender while the cream reduces.
- A quarter cup of broth loosens the cream, so the sauce pools around the mash rather than setting thick on top.
- Warm milk mashes into the potatoes smoothly without cooling them down.
Success Tips
- Sear the shrimp in a single layer; crowding the skillet stops them browning.
- Keep the mash covered over very low heat while the shrimp cook.
- Stop simmering the cream as soon as it coats a spoon so it stays pourable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I know the shrimp are cooked?
They turn from grey and translucent to pearly and opaque, about 145°F. Lift them out then; they finish warming in the sauce.
Can this go over grits or rice?
This recipe is built on mashed potatoes, which is what the sauce is balanced for.
Should the sauce be thick?
No. It should only lightly coat a spoon, staying thin enough to pool around the mash.
Storage and Reheating
Refrigerate
Refrigerate leftovers promptly, and rewarm the sauce gently rather than boiling it.
Serving Ideas
Serve on warm plates with a mound of mash, the shrimp piled on top and the golden sauce pooled around, finished with parsley and a few red pepper flakes.
