Shrimp Scampi

Description

Shrimp scampi is a classic dish that is closely associated with Italian-American cuisine. Interestingly, the name “scampi” is the plural form of the word for langoustine in Italian, meaning that this dish technically just means “shrimp shrimp” in two different languages. Technicalities aside, shrimp scampi is a simple and delicious dish that has been popular in the Italian-American homes and restaurants for decades.

Ingredients

(1 serving)

• Dried linguine or spaghetti pasta

• 8-10 shell-on shrimp

• Zest of 1 lemon

• Juice of 1/2 lemon

• 1/4 cup white wine

• 3 cloves garlic

• 2 tsp olive oil

• 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley + stems reserved

• 2 tbsp unsalted butter

• Red pepper flakes

• Salt

Preparation

Peel and devein the shrimp and set the shrimp shells aside. In a small pot, heat 1 tsp of the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the shrimp shells, the parsley stems, lemon zest and one whole clove of garlic. Cook for 1 minute, then add 1 cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 30 minutes. Strain and reserve the shrimp stock.

In a large pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the garlic & red pepper flakes, and cook for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add the wine and turn the heat to medium-high. Cook for 1 minute to cook off the alcohol. Then add the strained shrimp stock, and lemon juice and bring to a simmer. Add the shrimp and cook for 30 seconds on each side, the remove from pan. Cook the sauce until it is reduced to the point that it clings to the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat and stir in the butter.

Boil the pasta per the package directions, cooking 1 minute less than the suggested cook time. Heat the sauce in the pan and add the pasta and shrimp, along with a splash or two of pasta water if necessary. Cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Season to taste with salt. Turn off the heat, stir in the parsley, then serve immediately.

Notes

• Some people enjoy this dish with grated parmesan cheese on top.