SCRUMPTIOUS SHRIMP SCAMPI!

Shrimp Scampi is one of those meals that comes together very quickly. The hardest part is peeling and deveining the shrimp, but this time my husband, Jerry did it for me! I used large wild-caught Argentine red shrimp, which really made this meal delicious.

Ingredients:
6 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. olive oil
6 cloves garlic, chopped
Shrimp, peeled and deveined. I use 5 to 6 shrimps per person depending on the size.
1/2 cup dry white wine, I used Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc, but any white wine works.
Salt/Pepper
Dash of red pepper flake
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
Zest of 1/2 the lemon
Generous amount fresh parsley, both for cooking and for garnishing; about 1/4 cup in total.

Preparation:
Bring large pot of salted water to boil, then reduce heat while you are preparing the scampi. Peel and devein the shrimp. Place the cleaned shrimp on paper towels so they are dry by the time you place them in the hot butter. Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet until sizzling. Add garlic and reduce heat as you don't want the garlic to brown.  Add salt/pepper, then drop in the shrimp and cook until just pink, about 2-3 minutes per side, again depending on size of shrimp. Add 1/2 cup white wine and gently simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Add parsley, red pepper flake, lemon juice lemon zest and adjust salt/pepper.

I served over a Barilla spaghetti which takes about 10 minutes to cook to al dente. Once the pasta is cooked, drain leaving a small amount of pasta cooking liquid (about 1/4 cup) and add the pasta and liquid to the shrimp. Stir thoroughly to coat the spaghetti with the sauce. Serve at once. Top with freshly chopped parsley. I served with roasted asparagus, big, chunky pieces of garlic bread and a simple side salad made with local hydroponically grown lettuce and radish sprouts. I topped the green salad with balsamic, citrus vinaigrette.

ON TO DESSERT...

I have always wanted to try this "guilt-free" 1 ingredient ice cream.

 

ONE-INGREDIENT BANANA ICE CREAM

Ingredients:
4 very ripe bananas, plan on one banana per person/serving

Preparation:
Peel bananas and cut into 1 inch pieces. Place in a zip-lock baggie and freeze for at least 6 hours.

Remove from freezer and blend thoroughly in a food processor. I tried blending in my blender, but it was not powerful enough.

That's it! Either eat right away (consistency will be quite soft) or place in an air-tight container and freeze for a couple hours. This is not a perfect ice cream, as the consistency, even after freezing, is a bit odd, but it tastes delicious, despite no cream or eggs, and if you're dieting and looking for a low-cal treat, this is it!

I served on a slice of buttery grilled banana bread.
There goes the diet!

NEXT TIME I'M GOING TO SHARE

A LITTLE OF THIS AND THAT...

 

STAY TUNED!

 

OUR SON, MIKE HAS BEEN VISITING THIS LAST WEEK. WE'VE HAD A FABULOUS TIME COOKING TOGETHER, EATING, IMBIBING, ENJOYING EACH OTHERS COMPANY AND SEEING SOME BEAUTIFUL SIGHTS

IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA!

Jer and Mike at Patagonia Lake State Park.

 

The Café, Sonoita, AZ

WWW.COOKWITHCINDY.COM