Shrimp sautéed in pastis

A dear friend of mine, and long-time resident of France, has recently set up a food blog detailing simple methods of cooking classic French recipes, and I thought I would share the link with you.

The Everyday French Chef website, while in its infancy, already contains a number of useful recipes, and new content is being added on a daily basis.

See below for a sample recipe:

6 raw gambas or large shrimp
1 clove garlic
1 sprig thyme or 1 pinch thyme leaves
1 small dried cayenne pepper
1 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbps. pastis or another anise-flavored liqueur

This recipe takes about three minutes from beginning to end. Peel and mince the garlic. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over a medium flame. When the oil is steaming, add the garlic and the gambas. Sprinkle in the thyme and cayenne. Lift the gambas to check them after about 30 seconds. If they have turned pink underneath, flip them over. Keep checking until all the gambas have been flipped. Now lower the heat slightly and add the pastis. It will sizzle and bubble. Cook another 30 seconds. Serve immediately accompanied by a dry white wine or a dry rosé. 

Serves two.