Shrimp dish big on flavour
Garlic and lemon add some Mediterranean dash to scampi
What’s not to like about shrimp sauteed in butter with garlic?
I often have shrimp tucked away in the freezer to take out at a moment’s notice. It’s great for a quick dinner or unexpected guests because it thaws and cooks quickly. One of the best aspects of shrimp scampi is that it’s ready in less than 45 minutes, start to finish.
To give this dish added richness, I added some heavy whipping cream. The sauce should just coat the pasta. For a saucier dish, you can add more cream or some of the reserved pasta cooking water.
Easy Lemony Shrimp Scampi
Serves: 4 Prep time: 15 minutes Total time: 45 minutes 8 oz. angel hair pasta 1½ lbs. large shrimp (12 to 15 per pound) in the shell 3 Tbsps. olive oil 4 Tbsps. dry white wine, divided ½ tsp. kosher salt ¼ tsp. fresh ground black pepper ¼ cup unsalted butter 1 heaping Tbsp. minced garlic (about 4 medium cloves) ¼ cup minced shallots ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream ¼ cup minced fresh parsley leaves 1 tsp. grated lemon zest 2 Tbsps. fresh squeezed lemon juice
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta according to package directions just until al dente.
While the water heats, peel the shrimp, leaving the tail intact, if desired. Devein the shrimp using a paring knife to make a slit on the back starting at the head and working toward the tail. Remove and discard the vein.
Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and drizzle with olive oil, 2 Tbsps. wine, salt and pepper. Set aside while you make the butter and garlic mixture.
In a large skillet, heat the butter until melted over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute; do not brown. Add the shallots and red pepper flakes and sauté 3 minutes until shallots are translucent. Add shrimp mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl to get some of the olive oil, wine, salt and pepper into the skillet. Cook the shrimp on each side until opaque. Add the remaining 2 Tbsps. white wine and stir to scrape up any bits on the bottom of the skillet. Stir in the heavy cream, parsley, lemon zest and juice. Continue cooking until slightly thickened.
Reserve ½ cup of pasta cooking water and drain the pasta. Add the pasta to skillet and stir to coat with the sauce. The sauce should just coat the pasta and shrimp. Add some of the remaining pasta cooking water and more cream for a saucier dish.
Nutrition facts: 390 calories, 16g fat, 20g carbs, 38g protein, 685mg sodium, 345mg cholesterol, 3g fibre.