Dinner Together: Shrimp Scampi Pasta
I already told you about my son's scrumptious birthday cake. Now here's the birthday dinner. The boy chose shrimp, "my favorite seafood."
I figured a simple shrimp preparation with pasta would please everyone. I could serve the pasta without the shrimp to my daughter, and the shrimp without the pasta to my son. And a lot of everything to my husband and me.
Darn that parsley, though. ...
(Photo by me)
It's amazing the histrionics that can be caused by a few little flecks of green.
Adults give this dish two thumbs up, especially if you like garlic. (If you don't so much, it should be easy to dial down.) Birthday boy gives it the nod, minus pasta. Daughter? Big no.
Shrimp Scampi Pasta
Serves 4
¼ cup olive oil
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp (raw; 20-25 per pound)
4 large garlic cloves, left unpeeled and forced through a garlic press
½ teaspoon dried hot red-pepper flakes
½ cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ pound capellini or thin spaghetti
½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Bring a 6- to 8-quart pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté shrimp, turning once, until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a large bowl. Add garlic to oil remaining in skillet along with red pepper flakes, wine or broth, salt and pepper and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, 1 minute. Add butter to skillet, stirring until melted, then stir in shrimp. Remove skillet from heat.
Cook pasta in boiling water until just tender, about 3 minutes. Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander. Toss pasta well with shrimp mixture and parsley in large bowl, adding some of reserved cooking water if necessary to keep moist.
--From “The Best of Gourmet”
Per serving: 703 calories, 36 grams protein, 32 grams fat, 12 grams saturated fat, 67 grams carbohydrate, 4 grams fiber, 210 milligrams cholesterol, 758 milligrams sodium. Analysis by registered dietitian Jodie Shield.
