Use shrimp at the height of its season — midspring to late summer — and always put it center stage, as we do in these recipes that explore tastes from New Orleans to Mexico. All are easy to make for lazy summer evenings.

Chris Hunt, chunt@ajc.com/AJC (ENLARGE)

Gambas al Ajillo, or garlic shrimp. Styling by Meridith Ford, mford@ajc.com

Shrimp in season Photo gallery: How to butterfly shrimp Buying shrimp Farm-raised, wild or imported? Where your shrimp was caught makes a big difference More recipes | More Food & Drink

Jumbo BBQ Shrimp, from Parish Foods and Goods 4 servings

Hands on: 15 minutes Total time: 45 minutes

Parish Foods & Goods executive chef Timothy Magee uses only wild-caught American shrimp for this New Orleans-style recipe. The sauce is rich and buttery, so have lots of good bread on hand for dipping. Abita Amber beer is available at Parish in Atlanta and many liquor stores. You can also substitute another good brown ale. The recipe

Chipotle Shrimp Over Rice 4 servings

Hands on: 40 minutes Total time: 25 minutes

This fun recipe appeared in the AJC's food section in January 2003. It's a great way to use popular chipotle peppers. Just a few years ago, recipe authors Beverly Mills and Alicia Ross told us to find them "in the Mexican foods section of a supermarket. They are very hot, so add them to taste." We've come a long way, baby, since chipotles are readily available in almost every market these days. The recipe

Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic Shrimp) 4 servings

Hands on: 20 minutes Total time: 30 minutes

This recipe is inspired by Teresa Barrenechea's "The Cuisines of Spain: Exploring Regional Home Cooking" (Ten Speed Press, 2005), where she cooks garlic shrimp in traditional cazuelas — small earthenware bowls used for stovetop and the oven. If you don't own a cazuela, an iron skillet is the next best thing. We've skewered the shrimp with fruits and veggies to create traditional Andalusian tapas. Look for adobo seasoning in the international aisle of your supermarket. Toss in a couple of lemon slices for color and flavor. The recipe

Sherried Shrimp 4 servings

Hands on: 20 minutes Total time: 30 minutes

This old Savannah recipe comes from Damon Lee Fowler's new cookbook, "The Savannah Cookbook" (Gibbs-Smith, $29.95). Fowler states that the recipe is actually from Elizabeth Malone Smart, grandmother of Connie Hartridge of Battersby-Hartridge House on Savannah's Lafayette Square. Fowler recommends using the freshest shrimp possible: "Success depends entirely on the quality of the shrimp and the carefulness of the cook." The recipe

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