LEMON SHRIMP SCAMPI

This is one of my favorite pasta dishes! I love making it in spring time because my glorious lemon tree is absolutely covered in huge lemons!

It’s flavorful, zesty, spicy, light and so fresh! I like this dish a lot more than the heavy, oily, creamy version that you’d find in restaurants. The flavorful sauce just soaks into the pasta and the leftovers taste even better the next day!

Here’s the recipe, definitely give it a try if you’re a lover of lemon and garlic!

Ingredients

8 garlic cloves, pressed or grated

2 lemons, zested and juiced

5 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and butterflied (reserve shells)

1/4 onion

1 pound thin linguini

2 tablespoons butter

1 small bunch parsley, leaves chopped

Directions

In a bowl, combine the garlic, zest and juice of 1 lemon, olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, to taste, and the shrimp. Set aside to marinate.

Meanwhile make a quick shrimp stock: In a small pot, over medium heat, add the shrimp shells and onion. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain into a bowl and discard the shells and the onion.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add a generous amount of salt. Add the linguine and cook until just tender, 2 minutes less than instructed on the package. Drain and reserve 1 cup of cooking water.

Heat a skillet over high heat. Remove the shrimp from the marinade, reserve the marinade, and add the shrimp to the skillet. Cook until they turn pink and start to caramelize, about 3 minutes. Remove the shrimp from the pan to a plate and add the reserved marinade. Let cook a few minutes then add about 1 cup of shrimp stock and about 1/2 cup pasta water. Continue to cook until sauce reduces by half. Add the zest and juice of the remaining lemon, the butter and the parsley and stir to combine.

Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, to taste. Add in the shrimp and pasta and toss to combine with the sauce. Turn out into a serving bowl and serve immediately.

I am submitting this recipe to the amazing Angie’s Fiesta Friday #61 at http://fiestafriday.net/2015/03/27/fiesta-friday-61/