Baked Shrimp Scampi

Hi! I've been totally MIA but with good reason...

I moved to Tucson, Arizona! I had a job interview on Monday July 16th, got offered the job by the end of the interview, left to drive across the country on the 20th, and started work as an ESL teacher on the 25th. How crazy is that?!?!

So far, I love it here. It's a large city but it feels pretty small because all of the sections are sort of quartered off. I have everything that I need within a 15 minute drive. The weather is great. I love the heat and the monsoon season. I love that I live in the Catalina Foothills because I wake up to a gorgeous mountain view every morning. There are so many outdoor activities and cool restaurants to explore. I was really nervous about the move but I'm really glad that I did it! I'm definitely ready for an adventure :)

Back to the food!  This is the final recipe from the dinner that I made for my grandmother's birthday.

This baked shrimp scampi was awesome. It was really easy to put together and even easier to cook because you just pop it in the oven!  It was rich and garlicy without giving you the killer heart burn that buttery Italian food can often cause. I served it with Roasted Garlic Parmesan Broccoli and Roasted Rosemary Red Potatoes. As I mentioned before, it was a stellar meal made with love for an even more stellar grandmother!

the birthday dinner spread

full plate!

the fabulous four Cocozzo women :)

Baked Shrimp Scampi (6 servings)

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 onion

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 (can leave out)

2/3 cup bread crumbs

Lemon wedges, for serving

1.  Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2.  Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp. You can leave the tails on for a prettier presentation or remove them for easier eating. 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 baking 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 -3  minutes, until browned. Serve with lemon wedges.

butterflying the shrimp

butterflied!

arranged shrimp

pre-baked.

finished!