Deviled Shrimp Ragu by Chef John

Ingredients

• ½ pound raw shrimp, peeled and deveined - shells reserved
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pinch smoked paprika
• 1 cup water
• ½ lemon, juiced
• ¼ cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground dried chipotle pepper
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• salt to taste
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon cold unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

Step 1

Put the shrimp shells into a saucepan along with a bay leaf and a pinch of smoked paprika. Cook this over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the shells turn pink—about 5 minutes. Then add water, bring it to a simmer, lower the heat, and let it gently simmer for 20 to 25 minutes to make a flavorful shrimp stock.

Step 2

While that’s simmering, mix together lemon juice, ketchup, brown sugar, ground chipotle pepper, half a teaspoon of smoked paprika, minced garlic, a pinch of salt, and cayenne pepper in a bowl. This will be your tangy, spicy sauce base.

Step 3

Once the stock is ready, strain it into a bowl, discarding the shells and bay leaf. Whisk the shrimp stock into your sauce mixture and set it aside for now.

Step 4

Heat some vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat until it just starts to smoke lightly. Add the shrimp and cook them without moving for about 3 minutes, until the bottom sides are nicely seared and browned. Pour in the shrimp stock mixture, stir everything together, and cook until the shrimp turn opaque, about 3 more minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the shrimp to a bowl, leaving the sauce behind in the pan.

Step 5

Turn the heat back up and bring the sauce to a boil. Let it cook until it thickens and reduces slightly, about 3 to 4 minutes. Then stir in some cold butter off the heat, allowing the residual warmth to melt it and give the sauce a nice, silky finish.

Step 6

Finally, toss the shrimp back into the sauce with some chopped chives. Give everything a good stir and serve it up warm with plenty of that flavorful sauce.