Shrimp scampi
Shrimp scampi is an Italian-American restaurant classic from the East Coast, especially New York and New Jersey, a quick weeknight pasta or a Friday-night date dish. Large prawns are seared briefly, then tossed with plenty of garlic, chilli flakes, butter, white wine, lemon and parsley, and twirled through linguine so the glossy sauce clings to every strand. The dish uses wine, which is simmered briefly so some alcohol remains; for an alcohol-free version use the same amount of chicken or vegetable stock with an extra tsp of lemon juice. The usual mistake is overcooking the prawns into rubbery curls: they need only 2–3 minutes until pink and opaque all the way through. Buy raw prawns that smell of the sea; throw away any that smell of ammonia or feel slimy. Chef's tip: add the butter off the heat in cold cubes and swirl the pan; it emulsifies into a creamy sauce instead of turning greasy.
























