My husband loves shrimp scampi.
I must admit, it took me a few times to perfect this but he never complained. Even when an exorbitant amount of lemon overpowered every other ingredient (my first failed attempt), he still ate it and smiled, or tried to through the pucker. What a team-player.
Thankfully, I managed to redeem myself after multiple tries. Sometimes, that’s just how the best things are made.
Peel the shrimp, gently rinse and pat dry. Heat the butter and oil in a large, sauté pan with deep sides. Add the shrimp and look in several batches until each side is just barely pink. The shrimp will finish cooking in the sauce. Remove to a bowl, cover, and set aside. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and sauté until slightly softened and aromatic, 3-4 minutes. Add more butter if necessary. Add the wine, lemon juice, and tomatoes to the pan. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer, reducing until nearly all the liquid is gone, about 10 minutes. You should be able to slide a wooden spoon across the pan without the liquid immediately pooling back. While the sauce reduces, cook pasta according to package directions for al dente. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 C of cream with about 2 T of cornstarch until smooth. Add to the wine mixture. (?For a thicker sauce, add more cornstarch. For a thinner sauce, add less). Add the remaining cream, parmesan cheese, basil, salt, pepper, cayenne, and shrimp. Heat until slightly bubbling on the edges and shrimp have cooked through, about 2-3 minutes. Drain the cooked pasta and add to the sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and extra parmesan cheese if desired. Serve immediately. Note: If you find that your sauce is too thick, add some pasta water to thin it out. Creamy Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients
Instructions
Optional: I like to slice the remaining lemon and add it to the pan while the shrimp are cooking. For added heat, sprinkle some red pepper flakes onto the shrimp. Use caution, a little will go a long way!
