Serves 6
Shrimp scampi is another traditional course for the Christmas Eve Feast of the Seven Fishes. Originally, scampi was the name of a lobster-like crustacean found in Europe that was cooked in its own juices. When Italian immigrants came to the States, they adapted the recipe to use the local shrimp. Today, “scampi” has become synonymous with shrimp. Italian cooks in the early twentieth century used whatever ingredients were available, so there is a wide range of ways to make this dish. I like to stick with the classic version using wine, lemon, red pepper flakes, and parsley.
½ cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup dry white wine
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1¾ pounds large or extra-large shrimp, peeled and deveined
⅓ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Juice of ½ lemon
Cooked pasta or crusty bread, for serving
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the wine and red pepper flakes, season with salt and pepper to taste, and bring to a simmer. Simmer until the wine is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.
Add the shrimp and sauté until they turn pink, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in the parsley and lemon juice.
Serve the shrimp over pasta or with crusty bread.