Everyone's Basic Shrimp Scampi

Everyone makes their Scampi Sauce a little bit different, except that it all starts out the same, with a few simple, basic ingredients. Mark Bittman's Shrimp Scampi is very basic. So for this weeks IHCC's Potluck, I made a simple Shrimp Scampi. The exception to the rule, I made it my way.  

I added to the mix (as I always make mine), a dash of red pepper flakes, shallots, and a couple of tablespoons of butter in the end to "finish" the sauce. I also forgot to put the garlic cloves and shallot into the picture. Rest assured there's plenty of garlic in this.

Shrimp simmering in oil, shallot, garlic and red pepper.

Shrimp Scampi

Adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything

Ingredients

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 shallot, minced

3 or 4 big cloves of garlic

About 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, 20 to 30 per pound, peeled, rinsed, and dried

Salt and fresh ground pepper

1/4 cup fresh parsley, Yeah, I used the dried, (mine is withering in the heat we're having)

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 cup white wine

3 tablespoons butter

Chopped parsley for garnish

Directions

Warm the olive oil in a large, skillet over low heat. There should be enough olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Add the shallots, garlic, and red pepper flakes and cook until just golden, a few minutes. Raise the heat to medium high and add the shrimp and salt and pepper. When the shrimp turn pink on one side, turn them over and add 1/4 cup parsley. Raise the heat slightly and cook until the shrimp are done, about 2 minutes more. Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and white wine, and cook for anothr 30 seconds. Stir in the butter 1 tablespoon at a time until each is incorporated before adding the next. Pour over pasta if desired and garnish with parsley. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

We had this served over pappardelle, a wide flat pasta. Simple, classic, yet always delicious and satisfying.

This is my offering to our IHCC Potluck this week.

 I hope everyone of you are having a fantastic summer. I know we are as we are moving into a much larger home on the 1st. of August. I hope to get back to posting more often in the beginning of the month. I'll post what I can, when I can until then. Stay close, my next post is from Trisha Yearwood's newest cookbook.

Until then, stay safe.

Carla and Michael