While a lexicographer might say that “jumbo shrimp” is an oxymoron, a chef knows it means something specific: Shrimp are marketed according to size, with different classifications depending on how many shrimp will constitute a pound. Jumbo shrimp are 11 to 15 per pound, and extra-large are 16 to 20 per pound; at the other end of the scale, miniature are 100 per pound, and small are 36 to 45. In general, the larger the shrimp, the more expensive they are; but if you’re peeling them or handling them in any way, the larger they are, the less work you have to do. A trade-off, like many things.

Ingredients

　　1 teaspoon plus 2 tablespoons olive oil

　　1 pound jumbo shrimp

　　2 tablespoons salt

　　Brush 1 teaspoon of oil over a barbecue rack or a ridged grill pan. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for high heat or preheat the grill pan over a high flame. Using scissors, cut the shell down the center of the back of the shrimp. Brush the shrimp with the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil and sprinkle with salt. Grill the shrimp until just cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and serve.

　　Cooks' Note

　　Serve with spaghetti with Arugula Pesto (page 77).

　　Reprinted with permission from Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes by Martha Stewart Living Magazine. Copyright © 2005 by Giada De Laurentiis. Published by Crown Publishing Group. All Rights Reserved.Giada De Laurentiis is the star of Food Network's Everyday Italian and Behind the Bash. She attended the Cordon Bleu in Paris, and then worked in a variety of Los Angeles restaurants, including Wolfgang Puck's Spago, before starting her own catering and private-chef company, GDL Foods. The granddaughter of movie producer Dino De Laurentiis, Giada was born in Rome and grew up in Los Angeles, where she now lives.