Shrimp, butter, garlic, lemon, and white wine: what could be better? Yes, it’s the Italian American shrimp scampi, a classic that’s been stealing hearts and minds for decades. There’s no right way to make a scampi: it’s a thing of elusive beauty that’s up to the chef to define. But we think this version is pretty stellar: juicy, garlicky shrimp swimming in a rich, tangy butter sauce. Sop it up with crusty bread, or pour it over pasta: either way, it’s divine.
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium shrimp*, deveined (tail on or peeled)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Fresh ground black pepper
- ¼ cup finely minced white onion
- 6 garlic cloves, finely minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- ½ cup dry white wine (like Pino Grigio) or broth
- Zest of 1 lemon
- To serve: 8 ounces Angel Hair Pasta** or pasta of choice, crusty bread, or rice
Description
- Thaw the shrimp, if frozen. Pat the shrimp dry. In a bowl, sprinkle it with ½ teaspoon kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper and stir to combine.
- Chop the onion, garlic and parsley.
- In a very large skillet, heat the olive oil on medium high heat. Add the minced onion and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp in a single layer (without stacking it) and cook for about 3 minutes, turning halfway through, until just cooked. (The shrimp will continue cooking after removing from the heat.) Remove the shrimp to a bowl while making the sauce.
- In the same skillet add the butter, wine, lemon zest and parsley. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened. Add the shrimp back to the skillet and rewarm it for a few seconds. Serve immediately, with pasta on the side**, rice or crusty bread (drizzle spoonfuls of the sauce over the shrimp and the pasta on the side).
