Whether you’re craving something comforting for a quiet weeknight dinner or an indulgent yet light showstopper you can whip up with just a few simple ingredients, the iconic shrimp scampi is the way to go. Its luxurious butter sauce infused with garlic and a splash of vermouth (we like its depth over the classic white wine), and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice is a velvety symphony of flavors enveloping the plump, juicy shrimp and bed of al dente pasta. A sprinkling of fresh herbs lends a visual, textural and gustatory counterpoint…in other words, all kinds of “YUM.”
Ingredients
- 2 lb raw shrimp – rinsed, peeled, deveined and patted dry with paper towels – 16/20 size or similar
- 8 Tbsp unsalted butter
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/3 cup dry white vermouth
- ¼ cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp lemon zest
- 1 lb linguine
- Salt/Pepper to taste
- For serving: lemon wedges and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil
Directions
- Cook linguine to al dente, according to package directions. Set aside.
- Arrange shrimp on a paper plate or disposable pie pan so they’re evenly spaced and lay flat. Season with salt and pepper.
- Add butter to a large sauté pan over medium heat, allowing butter to melt and foam. Once foaming subsides, raise heat to high and invert plate of shrimp over the pan so they all go in at once.
- Cook shrimp one minute without moving them. Add garlic and cook one minute more. Flip shrimp over and cook two more minutes. Remove shrimp from pan and set aside.
- Return pan to heat and add vermouth and lemon juice to deglaze, allowing liquid to boil slightly and reduce/thicken without breaking. Scrape pan with a wooden spatula or spoon to get any browned bits from the pan. Stir in lemon zest and half the parsley.
- Add cooked linguine to the pan and toss to combine. Add shrimp and sprinkle in remaining parsley. Gently toss again, adjust salt/pepper and serve immediately with lemon wedges and a drizzle of olive oil.