New Orleans Shrimp in "Barbecue" Sauce

This recipe is adapted from Mark Bittman's The Minimalist Cooks Dinner. The name is actually quite a misnomer, since the shrimp don't go anywhere near a grill or barbecue. Bittman explains, "its name comes from the spicy, slightly smokey flavor the shrimp gain when cooked with Worcestershire sauce and lots of black pepper. It's a fine and almost absurdly fast dish - once the shrimp are peeled you can have it on the table in 10 minutes...with a rich, creamy, savory sauce that completely belies the amount of effort required on your part." I'm all for that...great flavor and not a single thing to chop!

Serves 4

Ingredients

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 1/2 - 2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
juice of 1 lemon

Directions

1. Put the butter in a large skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. When the butter melts, add the shrimp and Worcestershire sauce. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is glossy and thick and the shrimp uniformly pink, about 5 minutes. If at any point the sauce threatens to dry out, add 1 to 2 tablespoons water.

2. When the shrimp are done, season with pepper, then stir in the lemon juice and serve with white rice.