Smoky Shrimp Scampi
Serves 4. PG tested
This dish goes from countertop to tabletop in less than 10 minutes. Smoked paprika, made by slowly smoking Spanish pimenton over oak, adds a wonderfully smoky and seductive flavor. I served it in a bowl with thick slices of bread for sopping up the juices.
cup olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 1⁄2 pounds peeled medium shrimp
Salt and pepper
1 1⁄2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 lemon, halved
Cooked rice, pasta or thick toast for serving
1⁄3
Put olive oil in a large skillet over low heat. There should be enough to cover the bottom of the pan; don’t skimp.
Peel and chop garlic. Chop parsley. If shrimp are frozen, run under cold water to thaw, draining well.
Add garlic, shrimp, a sprinkle of salt and pepper and smoked paprika to the skillet. Toss to coat and turn the heat to medium-high.
Cook, gently shaking the skillet once or twice, until the shrimp turn pink on one side, about 2 minutes.
Cut 1 lemon half into 4 wedges.
Turn the shrimp and add half of the chopped parsley. Cook, shaking the pan again until the shrimp are pink all over and just cooked through, about 2 minutes more. (It’s OK to cut one to check.)
Squeeze the juice from the lemon half through a strainer or your fingers into the pan and cook for another 30 seconds. Taste sauce and adjust seasoning.
Garnish with remaining parsley and lemon wedges and serve.
“How to Cook Everything Fast: Great Food in 30 Minutes or Less” by Mark Bittman (Harvest, $40)
His recipe for Smoky Shrimp Scampi is a perfect example. With just six ingredients (not counting salt and pepper), it comes together in less than 10 minutes, but is incredibly full of flavor. It can be served atop pasta or rice for a filling meal, or spooned with its garlicky, paprika-kissed sauce over thick and crusty pieces of bread for a lessformal nosh. It also works as a cold or room-temperature
appetizer.
Ever the educator, Bittman also includes a new chapter on essential pantry and freezer staples, including how to properly store them. You’ll also find a Plan B chart of ingredient substitutions – say, canned tomatoes for fresh, and beer or cider for stock – and a guide to fast equipment because a cluttered kitchen, he writes, is a slow kitchen.