Photo illustration by Lille Allen; see below for full credits
This dinner for one showcases ingredients that reach peak deliciousness in mere minutes
There’s simple cooking. Then there’s fast cooking.
When I’m making dinner for myself, I always aim for the former. But I don’t necessarily care about the latter. Some days, I’m in the mood to make a multi-component meal, like my roasted cod with Old Bay potatoes, where I linger in the kitchen for a good 45 minutes. Other dishes, such as my fresh tomato pasta, benefit from time; the longer they sit, the better they get.
But when I’m in a hurry — or simply hungry now — I turn to ingredients that reach peak deliciousness quickly. In this case, those ingredients are shrimp and corn, cooked in a smoky calabrian chile butter for a dish that comes together in just 15 minutes, tops.
Start by prepping your produce: Peel the husk and silk off of 1 ear of corn. Cut off the kernels. (For all the tricks out there about how to best do this without making a mess, I find the best method is simply to lay the ear on its side.) Place the kernels in a bowl and set them aside.
Peel and dice 1 large shallot and set the pieces aside. Cut a small lemon in half and set it aside. (You can put the second half away in the fridge; you won’t need it.) Pluck a generous handful of basil leaves that are roughly the same size. If they’re small, leave them be. If they’re large, stack them, roll them up tightly, and slice into thin strands. Set them aside. (This will be your garnish, but it makes sense to get this task out of the way now, when your knife and cutting board are at the ready.)
Set a stainless steel skillet on the stove. (Though you can use something else here, cast iron is heavier duty than you need, and a nonstick won’t get as nice of a sear on the shrimp.) Turn the heat to medium. With stainless steel, it’s essential to get the temperature right from the beginning; that’s the key to the food releasing easily from the pan’s surface. Wait a couple of minutes until the pan is hot. If you’re unsure, sprinkle a couple of drops of water onto the surface. If they break into beads that slide around the skillet, you’re good to go. If the water evaporates immediately (at this point, you’re likely to see wisps of smoke, too), turn down the heat a bit so the pan cools just slightly. If the water does nothing, let the pan get a little hotter and try again.
Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet so the surface of the pan is coated in a thin layer. If you need a bit more oil for a decent coat, don’t hesitate to add it. Place ½ pound of peeled and deveined shrimp in a single layer across the bottom. Season the shrimp with kosher salt, and let them cook for three minutes. Use tongs to flip each one over. If they’re sticking, wait 30 seconds and give it another try. They’ll come up easily when they’re ready. Cook on the second side for another minute. Take the shrimp out, place them into a bowl, and set them aside.
Add 1½ tablespoons of butter to the skillet, swirling the pan as it melts so it coats the bottom. Add 1½ teaspoons of crushed calabrian chiles. This condiment is spicy, but not overwhelmingly so — and I say that as someone who likes things on the milder end of the heat spectrum. Add the diced shallots, give them a stir, and let them soften for two minutes. Add the corn, stir again, and cook for about three minutes longer, just to take the starchy, raw edge off the kernels without turning them to mush. Add the shrimp back to the pan, squeeze the half lemon over the top, and stir one last time so everything gets evenly coated in the lemon juice and chile butter.
Plate, top with basil, serve with a hunk of bread, and take pleasure in this: If you were ordering takeout, you’d still be staring at your screen, deciding what to get.
Emma Wartzman is the kitchen and dining writer at New York Magazine’s the Strategist.Additional photo illustration credits: plate photo by Emma Wartzman
