This Shrimp Scampi recipe from the Serious Eats webpage is delicious. For the total package, toss over spaghetti or linguine and serve with a green salad. Using vermouth and a mixture of fresh herbs adds more flavor than recipes more commonly calling for white wine and parsley.
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and split down the back, veins removed
- Kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 10 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided: approx. 4-6 tablespoons for cooking the shrimp, plus 5 more for preparing the scampi sauce
- 1 lb. of linguine, spaghetti or fettuccine
- 8 teaspoons minced garlic (8-10 medium cloves)
- Pinch red pepper flakes
- 1 cup dry vermouth
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
- 2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice plus grated zest from 1 lemon
- 4 teaspoons each: minced parsley, minced tarragon, chives
DIRECTIONS:
- In a large bowl, toss together shrimp with 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt and baking soda until evenly coated. Let stand for at least 10 minutes and up to 1 hour.
- In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil over high heat until shimmering. Add half of shrimp in an even layer and cook, stirring and turning shrimp occasionally, until pink, barely cooked through, and just starting to turn lightly golden in spots, about 2 minutes.
- Using a slotted spoon, flexible slotted offset spatula, or tongs, transfer shrimp to a plate. Repeat with remaining shrimp, adding 2-3 more tbs olive oil if necessary. Set cooked shrimp aside.
- Add remaining 4 tablespoons olive oil to skillet along with garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until garlic is just starting to turn golden, about 1 minute; lower heat if necessary to prevent scorching.
- Add vermouth and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up any browned bits, until raw alcohol smell is mostly gone and vermouth has reduced by about half, about 3 minutes.
- Separately from the shrimp scampi, start cooking the pasta. Cook four servings of linguine or long noodles until it is al dente.
- Returning to the scampi sauce preparation, add butter to the saute pan and cook, stirring and swirling pan rapidly as butter melts to create a silky, emulsified sauce. Remove from heat, add lemon juice, and season with salt. Return to medium heat and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. (If sauce breaks, whisk in a teaspoon or two of water until sauce emulsifies again.
- Return shrimp to skillet, add herbs and lemon zest, and toss until shrimp are coated in sauce and warmed through. Toss the linguine or pasta in the pan with the shrimp and scampi sauce, adding a little pasta-cooking water to bind it all together. Serve immediately.