I want to figure out how to cook raw shrimp with just a coating of olive oil and a bit of sprinkled on spice....maybe a few crumbs of corn meal or dried bread? When I try this in a fry pan, the moisture from the shrimp weeps into the pan and causes the shrimp to end up sautee'ing instead of frying. If I turn the heat up more, the shrimp burn. Is there a medium I haven't found?

I tried cooking them in a toaster oven set on broil. I need a few more clues if this is going to work as the shrimp have to sit in the drip pan and they don't turn out quite right.

NQ,
Your best bet is likely to blanch them in boiling water for about 30 seconds and then drop them into cold water so they stop cooking then proceed with your recipe.. This way, all of the moisture will already have been cooked out of the shrimp/prawns. Trying to cook them the way you are describing will be difficult because the moisture from them raw will have nowhere to go. If you were deep frying them, it'd be ok, but otherwise you will be sauteeing them like you said.

Even when I'm making shrimp scampi, I blanch them a bit just so I don't add too much water back into the butter/olive oil.

(Hello by the way - haven't seen you in FOREVER!!!!! )
~Lydia

Thank you so very much. I just didnt have a clue as to what to do. (I am just back from a place where they don't grow phone lines, no Internet)

Marcella Hazan has a recipe for this classic dish "Spiedino di Gamberi Adriatico" (shrimp Skewers Adraitic)in "The Classic Italian Cookbook.p.226

Her tips
Use fresh shrimp . [ Unlikely in most parts of the US.]
Preheat broiler 15 min to maximum setting
Pat Shrimp dry
Coat shrimp lightly w a mix of 50:50 olive oil and veg oil in a bowl.
Add enough bread crumbs to coat.
Add seassdonings. garlic, parsley s & p.
Let "marinate" 20 min
Thread on skewers. Broil no more than three min on first side. Two min on second. Golden brown. Luck

Thanks, stanbee, that seems to answer many of my questions. I have to buy some skewers. Next question...what do you do with the skewers? lay them on the rack and turn them? Sit the chair in front of the oven and use them like marshmellow forks?

oil the skewers

one double edged skewer OR

2 wood or bamboo works / shrimp. use 16-20's Shrimp. The number per lb relates to weight and SIZE. Too small and they're overcooked.

Hold thick back of shrimp perpendicular to the skwere. Push through. Roll tail in, Push though tail. Push skewer through last part of shrimp.

Roll shrimp loosely up so it is compact and skewer through 3 points to secure it. Like an arrow thu a curl. Place onlighly oiled sheet tray etc. broil 3 min on 1 st side.\ opr until golden brown. Turn skewer over. 2 min. EZ

TIP

Pre heat broiler about 15 min.
Open the oven door a crack with a cube of aluminum foil. Keeps the flame alive for decent home broild food. Usually just when the broiler is hot enough the@#$$%^& flame dies out.

Nice tips, stanbee, thanks a lot. Most of that is new information for me. I have never checked to see what the flame is doing. I think this will work best with a gas stove.