Gastronomy: Shrimp Scampi, a Bi-Weekly Classic

In my continued quest to cook all of the eight "classic" dishes that were featured on last season's Top Chef, I think I finally created a really great Shrimp Scampi. It is the perfect blend of acid, butter, garlic and fresh herbs. The best part about this dish is that it's fresh, delicious, and easy—even the clean-up is minimal.

Even though I wouldn't consider this one of the top eight "classic" dishes, the folks at Top Chef don't have to convince me to add this simple and tasty meal to my bi-weekly repertoire. Here's my recipe for the taking: Create, enjoy, and as always, drink a great glass of wine!

Shrimp Scampi

3/4 lb dry linguine

5 T unsalted butter

2 1/2 T good olive oil
2 large cloves or 4 small cloves of garlic

1 lb large, uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 1/2 t sea salt
1/4 t freshly ground black pepper

1/4 c fresh Italian parsley, chopped

2 T lemon zest, grated

1/4 c freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 lemon, sliced into rounds

1/2 c pasta water

1/4 c Parmesan cheese plus extra for top

Add linguine to a large pot of boiling, salted water and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package. Reserve pasta water.

Meanwhile, in another large, heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for about 2 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, salt, and pepper; sauté until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 7 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat; add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, and lemon slices. Toss to combine.

When the pasta is cooked, drain the linguine and add it to the pan with the shrimp. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well. Add parmesan and reserved pasta water, toss again. Serve hot with a generous sprinkle of Parmesan cheese.

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