This dish has absolutely nothing to do with real barbecue, but it’s a classic, and the garlicky, swamped-in-butter shrimp are irresistible. I’ve seen recipes that bake the shrimp in the oven, but I prefer to cook them in a cast-iron skillet on the stove—it’s faster, and you can see what’s happening.

Cook the shrimp in their shells for optimum flavor…and optimum mess, but I feel that peeling the shrimp at the table is part of the fun. People need to get their hands dirty when they eat sometimes—just make sure to supply lots of napkins. This can be an appetizer, but I like to serve it as a main course, just as my mother did, with everyone drawing shrimp from same the skillet. If that’s too communal for your tastes, peel the shrimp, plate them over hot white rice, and make sure to get lots of the buttery sauce on there. The recipe below makes enough sauce to cook 1 to 2 pounds of shrimp.

Recipe

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon Creole or whole-grain mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon Tabasco sauce
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1-2 pounds shrimp, shells on
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic, mustard, Worcestershire, Tabasco, cayenne, thyme, and oregano. Turn heat to low and cook gently, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes.

2. Increase heat to medium-high. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, just until bright pink (3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the shrimp and the size of your skillet). Add the parsley and scallions. Season with salt and black pepper. Serve straight from the skillet at the table, if you like, with a baguette and hot rice. A green salad is nice with this, too.

1 pound of shrimp serves 3 to 4; 2 pounds serves 6 to 8.