#cooking #recipe
I've whiled away the day with errands, computer repairs (the real reason the post is so late) and suddenly it's dinnertime. I know it happens to you, too, so here's a fast and elegant recipe for those sort of nights when you're not wanting a peanut-better sandwich, but you haven't time for much cooking.
Shrimp Scampi
I keep a bag of frozen shrimp in the freezer for Thom Kha Gai and for meals like this one. I don't buy the pre-cooked shrimp.
Serves 2
Begin by preheating the oven to 400 deg F. Get a medium baking dish (I used a 10" deep baking dish this last time, use a 9x13 if you're doing family size) and put it in the oven with the half stick of butter in it. While this is heating gather:
1/2 lb frozen uncooked shrimp.
Open a bottle of dry white wine
dollop of chopped garlic (I use 1-2 tbsp. We like garlic)
Optional: dried basil or parsley
lemon juice (you will want this if you use a sweet white wine)
Put a large pot of water on to high heat and cover. Get about 1/2 lb of your favorite pasta. I like linguine for this, but you could use whatever is in the pantry.
When the baking pan is hot and butter melted, whisk in 1/2 cup wine and the garlic, add the spices if you want. Put the frozen shrimp into the sauce and give it a bit of a swirl to get the garlic all over them. Put the dish back in the oven and set the time for 20 minutes. About halfway through the bake time, the water will come to a rolling boil, add the pasta, do not re-cover the pot, and turn the heat to medium. Give it a gentle stir from time to time to keep the pasta from sticking. Open the oven and pull out the scampi, give it a careful swirl or stir with a spoon to cover the shrimp, and put it back in.
When the pasta is al dente, drain, and put back in the pot, drizzle with a little olive oil, toss to coat. Set the table, with glasses of the wine you cooked in. Pull the baking dish out of the oven and stir. If the shrimp are all pink, it's ready to serve. If not, put it back in for 5 minutes. When they are done, put pasta in shallow bowls, and spoon shrimp with sauce over it. Serve with parmesan cheese if desired, and a side of vegetables. I like to steam frozen broccoli in a covered container in the microwave for 5-6 minutes for a fast meal like this one.
There you are, about 30 minutes from start to table. Enjoy!
