Shrimp scampi reminds me of khaki shorts.
A thin satin ribbon is threaded through a small silver hair clip and finished with a small bow on the end.
I had red, pink, purple and white. What colors did you have?
Shrimp Scampi reminds me of Foreigner. The old Foreigner, not the “I Wanna Know What Love Is” Foreigner. Maybe they’re the same, but not in my mind.
No kidding. So go ahead and listen to “Waiting for a Girl Like You.” Absorb it. Feel it. Think back to the time you slow-danced with Stevo at the youth group dance. You’re wearing a Gunne Sax dress. He loves Carrie, not you. This dance is a sympathy dance. Stevo likes you as a friend, nothing more. Your red bangs are frizzy. Carrie’s tanned.
Now, listen to “I Wanna Know What Love Is.” Close your eyes. It’s 1984. Stevo is gone. You’re two inches taller than him and now you’ve moved on to Simon Le Bon. I don’t want Foreigner to sing a love ballad from 1984. I want them to sing a love ballad from 1981. Or better yet, “Head Games” or “Cold as Ice.” Not “I Wanna Know What Love Is.”
Anyway, the whole dish reminds me of shrimp scampi, a classic dish from the late ’70s and early ’80s that combines shrimp, butter, garlic, and lemon, and while I (obviously) try to add a little wine and hot sauce to give it a wacky flavor, it’s hard to improve too much on the original.
I use angel hair because it pairs well with a very light sauce, but thin spaghetti or linguine will also work, I wouldn’t use short penne or rigatoni as they have too many noodles.
As for shrimp scampi, I think I had it once with Stevo, probably at Carrie’s house.
(See you in July, Carrums! I love you and your tan. Always have.)
(Stevo does too.)
Finely chop the onion.
Next, prepare 3-4 cloves of garlic (depending on the size).
And chop it really finely.
Melt the butter and a little olive oil in a large frying pan (I left out a little of this, don’t worry).
If you’re like me, don’t leave the pan until the butter has browned, then add the onion and garlic.
Sauté the onion and garlic for a few minutes or until translucent.
Breathe in, breathe out, and sing praises to scents like these.
Then continue cooking.
Add 1 pound of peeled and deveined shrimp.
Pour in about half a cup of dry white wine.
You squeeze lemon juice onto shrimp with the weirdest, wackiest, most bizarre looking pink alien claws you’ve ever imagined. Close your eyes for a moment and imagine what life would be like if your hands were used frequently in photo shoots. Then you slap your hands, not because you hate them, but because you have to keep opening your eyes and cooking.
Add a few drops of hot sauce to the pan for a little extra heat.
Finally, sprinkle with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Leave this to bubble for a few minutes.
It only takes a few minutes to cook, so add the angel hair at the very end.
Add the boiled angel hair and toss to coat in sauce.
It’s hard to tell from the photo, but the pasta will be coated in the delicious pan juices, which are flavored with butter, garlic, lemon, and shrimp. Add the pasta in batches, and stop adding more if there isn’t enough juice to keep the pasta moist and coated.
Finally, garnish with chopped herbs (parsley and basil are good)…
And some grated Parmesan.
Dinner is ready!
I hope you all enjoy this easy weeknight dinner.
Here’s the printable recipe:
