As demonstrated in the recent post for shrimp and grits, shrimp are now in regular rotation. Since the Vegetarian loves pasta more than nearly any other food (potatoes might be a close second), it only seems fitting to bring the two of them together. I don’t think potatoes and pasta work to well together.
Shrimp scampi is a pretty simple dish and doesn’t require any exotic ingredients — most are just pantry staples like stock, onions, garlic, white wine and butter. The parsley is also not just for color, it really adds a nice flavor to the simple dish. The recipe itself called for seafood stock, which could be made using the shells of your shrimp prior to dinner time, but I opted for just vegetable stock, a slightly better option than chicken (although I’m sure that would turn out fine).
Ingredients:
The recipe is courtesy of Emeril
Serves 4 (though I reduced the pasta and shrimp amounts to serve 2)
2 pounds shrimp, peeled and deveined – tails left on
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 small onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup vegetable stock
2 tablespoons cold butter
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
Lemon slices, for garnish
Pasta – cooked according to box time, preferably al dente
Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta when you begin cooking the shrimp. Reserve 1 cup pasta water.
Season the shrimp thoroughly with salt and pepper. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add enough oil to lightly coat the pan.
Add the shrimp and quickly saute until just starting to turn pink, but not cooked through. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the onions and saute just until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 30 seconds. Add the lemon juice, white wine, and stock, and reduce by 2/3, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp back to the pan and swirl in the butter. Finish with the parsley and check for seasoning.
Add pasta to pan with shrimp. Mix well, adding any pasta water if sauce is too thick and doesn’t coat pasta. Serve immediately.
