Cooking Shrimp

Ted warned his fellow cooks that "shrimp can overcook super fast," advice that saved his souvlaki. Raw shrimp go from translucent grey to opaque pink in about 90 seconds per side over high heat. Use the shape as your guide: a relaxed letter C means perfectly cooked, while a tight O shape signals overcooked and rubbery flesh. For plumper, juicier results, brine peeled shrimp for 15 minutes in cold water with 1 tablespoon salt and 1 teaspoon baking soda per pound. For skewered souvlaki, oil the grates well and baste with lemon, garlic, and olive oil during cooking. Always pull shrimp off the heat 20 seconds before they look done; residual heat completes the cook on the plate.