Thursday, August 4, 2011

Gimme me some SHRUMP!

Bo's family used to eat shrimp ALL THE TIME!  His father was actually a shrimper (kinda like The Deadliest Catch, but kinda not), and the family ate shrimp about as many ways as Forrest Gump.  As for me, the West Texan, shrimp was reserved for anniversaries, graduations, and if you were good, birthdays.  It was kind of funny when Bo and I had our first conversation about shrimp.  He told me it was an "everyday" meal for his family, and I really thought I had hit the jackpot!  I knew these people must be loaded if they were eating this fancy dish for every meal!
Anyway, one of the many perks of living in Florida is the abundance of seafood at your fingertips, such as fresh fish, scallops, oysters and my favorite fresh shrimp!  I have been able to try many new shrimp recipes, but I have to say, these are two of my favorites.  My firiend, Becca, specifically asked my for a "simple" recipe, and it doesn't get much easier than these two recipes!

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi
by Ina Garten, 2002

Ingredients
Vegetable oil
Kosher salt
3/4 pound linguine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 pound large shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, zest grated
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Directions
Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.
Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.
When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.



Roasted Shrimp
by Ina Garten, 2006

Ingredients
1/2 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Place the shrimp on a sheet pan and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Pour the olive oil and juice over the shrimp, and roast in the oven for 5 to 6 minutes


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