Shrimp Scampi
While the shrimp scampi that we all know and love isn’t quite the same as its Italian parent from which it was birthed, which consists of actual scampi (langoustines in English; lobster-like crustaceans), it’s still delicious and has become a staple in American cuisine as have many other immigrant curated dishes in the U.S. over the years.
The beauty of a shrimp scampi lies in its versatility. Want it to be sweet or have some crunch? Throw in some cherry-tomatoes or bread crumbs. Like it spicy and less acidic? Up the crushed red pepper and leave the lemon. Want something a little more indulgent and creamy? Swap butter for olive oil. Hate the flavor of parsley? Please don’t use it. Tired of pasta? Try a warm, crusty bread or even fluffy white rice. If all else fails, you can count on a shrimp scampi being great all on its own.
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients:
1 pound shrimp, peeled, deveined
4 medium garlic cloves, finely minced or grated on a microplane
2 teaspoons kosher salt
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, finely diced
¼ cup white wine or unsalted vegetable stock
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (to taste)
3 tablespoons lemon juice and 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
1 pound linguine or other long, thin pasta (if using)
⅓ cup parsley, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
Peel the shrimp, but leave the end tail segments attached. Then, devein them with a paring knife. Place the shrimp in a large ziplock bag, and add two of the grated garlic cloves, two tablespoons of the olive oil, and one teaspoon of the kosher salt. Seal the bag and vigorously shake it to thoroughly coat the shrimp. Let marinate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Once shimmering, add shrimp to the skillet, and let cook for around 90 seconds, until they have turned pink on one side, flip, and then let cook for another 90 seconds. Remove shrimp from the skillet and set aside in a bowl.
Add two more tablespoons of the olive oil to the skillet and add the diced shallot, sautéing for around 2 to 3 minutes until translucent.
Add the remaining two finely minced garlic cloves and crushed red pepper, sautéing until fragrant and garlic is slightly colored light golden brown, around 1-2 minutes.
Deglaze skillet with the white wine or vegetable stock, scraping any fond from the bottom of the pan.
Add lemon juice and zest. Reduce heat to medium and allow liquid to slightly reduce for around 6-8 minutes.
Meanwhile, add pasta (if using) to a boiling pot of generously salted water.
Once pasta is fully softened but still has a slight bite to it (i.e., al dente), around 1 minute short of its listed cook time, drain it, reserving ½ cup of the pasta water.
Add shrimp back to the skillet and allow to heat through. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper.
Add pasta to the shrimp. While stirring, add small amounts of the pasta water until sauce thickens, coating the shrimp and pasta.
Remove from the heat and mix in the parsley. Top with more black pepper and the remaining olive oil.
Serve immediately and enjoy!
If you try this recipe, you can leave a comment down below letting myself and others know what you think! Happy cooking! :)
