Baked Shrimp Scampi

Do you ever feel like you just can’t catch a break?  We do.  To be fair, we know we’re really lucky.  Both Laura and I are in good health, and Robbie is a wonderful (wonderfully exhausting, that is!) toddler.  But when it comes to having work done around the house, we just have terrible luck.  In general, we’re more ‘do-it-yourself’ type of folks, but there are just some things where I draw the line.  Like installing an escape window in the basement.  Or tearing out and re-laying a new driveway.  Or anything electrical.  That’s where I call someone.

Oven baked shrimp SCAMPI topped with flavourful golden, buttery, garlic parmesan breadcrumbs. This Baked Shrimp Scampi recipe has been adapted from Ina Garten, one of my favourite food women. Dying to try her recipe but scared of the amount of butter involved, I managed to cut the butter down by less than a third! How? Adding other flavours into the breadcrumb mixture to make sure butter is not missed in this recipe.

But calling someone seems to rarely work out in our favor.  I generally like to keep things upbeat here on the blog, but some of these situations just blow my mind!  There was the time we had to call the police on our painter…the first week in our new house.  (I can’t imagine what the neighbors thought of that one.)  And then the other day, I walked into the house and heard a gigantic CRACK!  I actually ducked and covered my head it was so loud.  I looked up and saw this.

So easy to make, you won’t believe the flavours coming out of your skillet OR dish when it’s done! How fitting it is to be beachfront with a glass of rosé, writing up a post about shrimp. It does not get any better.

This version still has a good amount of buttery flavour in it without being in complete fear of busting out of your jeans. Also, I’ve cut a couple of steps out of the original recipe, creating something a little more easier for those of us finding ourselves out of breath!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds (12 to 15 per pound) shrimp in the shell
• 3 tablespoons good olive oil
• 2 tablespoons dry white wine
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
• 1/4 cup minced shallots
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 extra-large egg yolk
• 2/3 cup panko (Japanese dried bread flakes)
• Lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
2. Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp, leaving the tails on. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.
3. In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.
4. Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. If you like the top browned, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.