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Food

There's so much more to scampi

From chicken to scallops to feta cheese, the tastes of this easy-to-make gourmet dish are endless.

By JANET K. KEELER
Published March 21, 2007

Shrimp scampi with linguine, as pleasant to the eye as to the palate, is simple and quick to make. And once you have scampi down, piccata is also a piece of cake.
	[Times photo: Scott Keeler]

Most of us treat the word scampi like an adjective.

We use it to describe a classic shrimp dish in which the shellfish is sauteed with garlic, olive oil, butter, lemon juice and white wine. A little parsley goes in for color and fresh flavor; more often than not, a nest of pasta holds the juices.

But scampi is really a noun. It is the plural of scampo, the Italian word for a small crustacean that swims in the Adriatic Sea, among other waters. It is alternately called a Dublin Bay prawn, Norway lobster or, if you're in France, a langoustine. The little guy doesn't swim in waters surrounding the United States, so few of us have tasted one, though it is sometimes compared to crawfish.

Like many recipes carried in the suitcases and memories of immigrants, scampi has been adapted to fit the ingredients available in a new world. Out with the scampo, in with the shrimp, plentiful here in plenty of sizes.

I'll bet even a smart fifth-grader didn't know all that.

But push the food trivia aside for now and continue thinking of scampi as a style of preparation. Once you've got the recipe down and it won't take long, you'll find it incredibly improv-worthy.

Scallops? Sure. Chicken tenders? Why not? Feta and capers and bread crumbs, oh my.

Bonus points for quick stovetop preparation, too. Scampi is ready to eat in the time it takes the pasta to be cooked al dente. This is dinner in minutes that's good enough for date night.

The ingredients count a lot for such a simple dish, or maybe because it is so simple. In one mouthful, the layers of flavor come in succession: earthy olive oil, then the mellow kick of garlic, a sharper tinge of red pepper flakes and a bright pop of lemon. Dry white wine - I like pinot grigio - is the backdrop.

And the shrimp. I use extra-jumbo, about 20 to a pound, for the recipe included here. Look for wild Gulf of Mexico shrimp, which have a sweet, sea flavor that is sometimes lost on shrimp shipped from across the globe.

Do not overcook the shrimp, or they become rubbery. About 90 seconds on each side will cook them enough for the first step. Residual heat plus a toss with the rest of the ingredients in the final stage of preparation will ensure they are cooked through.

Shrimp scampi is really that easy, but, oh, how it'll wow your family. Now, for some variations:

- Spoon shrimp melange into individual ramekins or gratin dishes and top with fresh bread crumbs. Broil to brown the crumbs and serve. The bread crumbs take the place of the pasta and soak up some of the garlic-olive oil for a crisp crust.

- Substitute bay or sea scallops for shrimp (or use a combination of both). Add a handful of grape tomatoes for color and flavor. The tomatoes will soften and burst during cooking.

- Use chicken instead of shellfish. There are several options with chicken, including paillards (boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded thin and sauteed), tenders or small cubes of white meat.

- The tangy punch of Greek feta crumbles, slightly melting and still holding their shape, is a fine fillip. I prefer feta in a broiled version rather than over pasta.

- Don't forget the capers, which are more piccata than scampi. In fact, scampi is an awful lot like piccata. The main difference is the abundance of lemon and absence (usually) of garlic in traditional piccata. Never mind the rule: A spoonful of capers in your scampi won't break any laws.

You say shrimp, they say scampi. Forget the semantics and cook.

ENTREE

Shrimp Scampi With Linguine

1 pound linguine

4 tablespoons butter, divided use

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided use, plus more for drizzling

1 large shallot, finely diced

5 cloves garlic, sliced

Pinch red pepper flakes, optional

20 large shrimp, about 1 pound, peeled and deveined

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup dry white wine

Juice of 1 lemon

Zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup finely chopped parsley leaves

For the pasta, put a large pot of water on the stove to boil. When it has come to the boil, add a couple of tablespoons of salt and the linguine. Stir to make sure the pasta separates; cover. When the water returns to a boil, cook for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the pasta is not quite done. Drain the pasta reserving 1 cup of water.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter in 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute the shallots, garlic and red pepper flakes (if using) until the shallots are translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper; add them to the pan and cook until they have turned pink, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan; set aside and keep warm.

Add wine and lemon juice to skillet and bring to a boil. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons oil. When the butter has melted, return the shrimp to the pan along with the lemon zest, parsley and cooked pasta and reserved pasta water. Stir well and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over a bit more olive oil and serve immediately.

Serves 6.

Source: Adapted from a recipe by Tyler Florence, Food Network

About this series

Tried and True

Tried and True is a monthly feature focusing on classic recipes with instruction on how to make them at home. The techniques aren't difficult and once mastered can be used to prepare other recipes.

Coming in April: Quiche Lorraine

[Last modified March 20, 2007, 11:27:17]