TASTY TUESDAY, APRIL 27, 2021 – NATIONAL SHRIMP SCAMPI DAY
National Shrimp Scampi Day is right around the corner on Thursday, April 29th! I love Shrimp Scampi, made with fresh shrimp. I grew up in Kansas – not much fresh seafood in the Midwest. But, for the past 40 years I’ve lived in Washington State, Pacific Northwest where there is an abundance of fresh seafood. In fact, a difference between me and my grandchildren is I didn’t even eat shrimp until I left Kansas, while my grandchildren, at a young age, enjoyed pinching tails and sucking heads off fresh shrimp!
I’ve always learned that it can be not only fresher and tastier, but cheaper to buy shrimp from shrimpers, practically right off the boat. A good tip for any seafood is to smell it. If it doesn’t smell like the ocean then it is probably old, and you might not want to eat it – go for pork, beef, or chicken instead! BUT, seafood is extremely healthy, can be very easy to prepare and even easier to eat! So, get to know your fish shop, your fish monger and enjoy seafood as often as you can.
SHRIMP SCAMPI
Ingredients
1 – 1 ½ pounds fresh large or jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined, with tails on (your fish monger can peel and devein for you if you ask)
Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper (or table salt and pepper)
8 Tablespoons unsalted butter or 6 T butter and 2 T olive oil (garlic olive oil adds an extra layer of garlic flavor)
3 cloves of garlic, grated or minced
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano, dry
1/2 teaspoon thyme, dry
1/3 cup dry white wine or vegetable stock
2 Tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 1 lemon)
1 Tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet. Dry the shrimp. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
- Melt 2 Tablespoons butter in skillet and add half the shrimp. Cook until pink (done) about 2 minutes per side.
- Move to bowl or plate.
- Heat another 2 Tablespoons butter in skillet and add the other half of the shrimp. Cook until pink (done).
- Add 2 Tablespoons of butter or olive oil and add the spices. Cook 30 seconds. Do not burn. And do not crowd the pan while cooking.
- Stir in the wine or broth. Heat to boiling and cook about 1 minute until slightly thickened.
- Stir in 2 Tablespoons butter and parsley. Stir.
- Add shrimps and toss. Taste and adjust if necessary. DO NOT OVERCOOK.
- Serve.
Serve with fresh bread, fresh noodles, or rice pilaf. YUMMY! HEALTHY! DELICIOUS!
CHEF’S NOTES:
I think any seafood is best served fresh, so adjust quantities to fit number of people being served. After cooked I do not freeze seafood. Just my preference.
Served with a fresh salad rounds out a great meal. This is worth saving and splurging for during shrimping season or brought in a trusted seafood store.
Hoping you will try this simple shrimp dish. It is so quick to prepare you can make this on a weeknight.
Please enjoy! ????
Bon Appetite’ with Love,
To download this recipe, click here.