Buttery Lemony Garlicky Shrimp Scampi Pasta

A couple days ago I was going through my cook book and I found an amazing recipe which I haven’t prepared in a long time and I thought, this recipe should be on my blog because this creamy garlicky pasta is an amazing date night treat. So foodies, I present to you - Buttery Lemony Garlicky Shrimp Scampi Pasta.

Now let me tell you that this flavorful pasta is a very popular dish often served in restaurants and if you like to cook this can be a very good opportunity to impress your loved one. While trying a new recipe or dish always remember to check for ingredients which you may be allergic to. Certain seafood’s like Crab meat or Shrimp are not for everyone so, I always advise to ask your guests/ family members for any allergies they may have. For those who love Shrimp but have never had an Italian pasta before, this can be a very good meal to start with. Plus, your Date may be reluctant for a big piece of steak but a leaner protein will certainly be more acceptable. I have prepared this pasta quite a few times as a Date Night dinner for Debarshi and it always turns out pretty good. All you need to do is prepare the pasta and serve it with a piece of French bread or a bowl of salad, fill up two glasses with your favorite drink and enjoy a candlelight dinner with your date.

I love that this pasta recipe is so different than my Chow Mein recipe in which we used a lot of vegetables, meat and sauces and we prepared the pasta by stir-frying it with different ingredients. Now this pasta is prepared in a totally different way. We will use Parsley and Lemon which will create a fresh and citrusy flavor while the Shrimps and Garlic will bring a unique sea food aroma in the entire dish. We will begin by first cooking the Shrimp in the spices and then prepare a creamy sauce of Butter, Olive Oil, Shrimp Shells’ water, Garlic, Parsley and Lemon. The Shrimps will be then mixed with the thin Linguine Pasta and cooked in this scrumptious sauce. 

This recipe also introduced me to a new herb – Parsley, which I have never used in India. Indian cuisine uses a variety of herbs, Cilantro and Mint being the two most common of them. When I saw Parsley the first time I actually confused it with Cilantro as the two look so much alike. However, Parsley has a very different taste than Cilantro. Now, if you are unable to get any fresh Parsley you can use the dried one which is easily available in any grocery shop in the spice aisle. This brings us to my favorite part of the recipe - Spice Mix.

I found that there are readymade spice mix packages of this pasta readily available in the market. I have used this a couple of times and it works great. The spice package is usually labelled as ‘Shrimp Scampi seasoning mix’ and I always use the brand ‘McCormick’. If you cannot find this particular brand, you can still use any other brand you may find with just a small additional step which is, cross check the ingredients included in the mix. Sometimes the spice mix may not have all the ingredients in it so always check and buy any ingredients which we need for the recipe at the same time. Also, for a new cook peeling and deveining the Shrimp can be overwhelming. Many stores have people assigned in the meat section to do this task for you. You will need the shells for the Pasta so don’t forget to take them back.

This Pasta can be easily prepared in 15- 20 minutes so you may want to arrange the table, candles etc. before you start cooking. While preparing this dish for the first time, I would recommend you to follow the recipe as it is because the Butter and All Purpose Flour Linguine Pasta gives it the actual restaurant flavor. Once you get familiar with the taste and cooking method don’t be afraid to improvise. You may use any other type of pasta available in your pantry and if you are cutting on calories you can even choose Wheat Pasta and cook with Olive Oil instead of Butter. For your convenience I have also added a guide on ‘How to Cook Perfect Pasta’.

Try it and let me know how it turns out. Bon Appetit!

Ingredients:

• Linguine (Angel Hair or other pasta) - 8 Ounces 
• Olive Oil - ¼ Cup
• Butter - ¼ Cup (½ stick) 
• Large Shrimp - 1 Pound, peeled and deveined, reserve the shells
• Garlic Cloves - 6, grated
• Onion - ¼ cut in cubes 
• Red Pepper Flakes - 1 Teaspoon
• Salt - ½ Teaspoon
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper - ½ Teaspoon 
• Parsley - 1 Small Bunch, leaves chopped
• Lemon - 2, juice + zest or 2 Tablespoons White Wine

Let’s Prep:

• In a bowl, combine the Garlic, Lemon Zest and Juice (of 1 Lemon), Olive Oil, Red Pepper Flakes, Salt, Pepper and the Shrimp. 
• Set aside to marinate.

Let’s make the Shrimp stock: 

• Heat 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.

Tip: If you forget to reserve the shells or don't want to do this step, add ½ teaspoon Onion Powder in the Shrimp marinade.

Let’s cook the Pasta:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat and add a generous amount of salt. 
• Add the Linguini and cook until just tender, 2 minutes less than instructed on the package. 
• Drain and reserve ½ cup of cooking water. 
• See the tips on ‘How to Cook Perfect Pasta’.

Directions for Shrimp Scampi:

• Heat a big pot over high heat. 
• Add the Butter.
• Remove the Shrimp from the marinade (but reserve the marinade) and add the Shrimp to the pot. 
• Cook until they turn pink and start to caramelize, about 3 minutes, stirring it occasionally.

• Remove the Shrimp from the pot to a plate and add the reserved marinade. 
• Let it cook for a few minutes then add about 1 cup of Shrimp Stock and about ½ cup pasta water. 
• Continue to cook until this sauce reduces by half. 

• Add half of the chopped Parsley and check the acidity. If you want more acid add the Zest and Juice of the second Lemon and stir to combine. 
• Adjust the seasoning with Salt and Pepper. 
• Add in the Shrimp, rest of the chopped Parsley with the Pasta and toss to combine with the sauce. 
• Turn out into a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Tips:

• Use a package of Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi Seasoning Mix. Check the ingredients of the package it should have the following: Garlic, Red Pepper Flakes, Salt, Butter and Parsley. If anything is missing, then buy those ingredients otherwise this package is sufficient to prepare the pasta. 
• You can use 1 stick of Butter instead of Olive Oil for more taste.
• If you want to cook ahead, fry the shrimp, reduce the marinade with the pasta and shell water and cook the paste before hand. Before serving, microwave the shrimp and pasta to warm them up, heat the sauce and add everything together. Fry for a few minutes so that everything mixes nicely. Sprinkle the leftover chopped parsley and serve.

Make it Healthy:

• Use only ½ cup of Olive Oil to prepare the pasta. 
• Use a Wheat Pasta.

How to Cook Perfect Pasta

Recommend reading:

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