Growing up, one of my absolute favorite dinners was Shrimp Scampi. The succulent shrimp and tender pasta would be absolutely dripping in a white wine, garlic, and butter sauce that made my heart skip a beat. The smell of the garlic and butter cooking together would render me incapable of finishing my homework and I would come into the kitchen just to watch my mother cooking the meal. Of course, my siblings and I would fight over who got the largest shrimp or who ate the most garlic bread but it was all part of the experience of eating a delicious meal together. When I think of scampi, I inevitably am drawn back to these memories.
Now that I have grown up a bit and have started cooking on my own, I am always interested in creating new interpretations of my family recipes. As always, I want to increase the nutrition in every meal I make by increasing fruits and vegetables, decreasing fat and cholesterol, decreasing salt, and introducing whole grains wherever possible. The spring vegetables that are cropping up in farmer's markets and grocery stores everywhere inspired me to add asparagus, baby tomatoes, baby portobello mushrooms, and red onions to this dish. I also use whole grain pasta and I limit the shrimp to four large shrimp per serving in order to control the cholesterol. The result is a healthy, springtime shrimp scampi that tastes and smells good enough to bring all of the childhood memories rushing back to me.
Spring Shrimp Scampi
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 lb whole wheat spaghetti
1 tsp butter
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup sliced red onion
1 cup grape tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced baby portobello mushrooms
1 cup asparagus, trimmed of rough bottoms and chopped into 2" pieces
3 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lb fresh large shrimp (31-35 count per lb)
3/4 cup white wine
Methods
1. Fill a large pot with water (add salt or olive oil if desired) and bring to a boil. Cook the pasta according to the directions on the pasta. Drain.
2. Melt the butter and olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion, tomato, mushrooms, and asparagus. Saute for about 5 minutes, and then add the garlic.
3. Saute the vegetables for an additional 1-2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the shrimp to the pan and cook for about 3 minutes, or until they begin to turn orange. They will cook for a couple more minutes as you make the sauce.
4. Take the pan off of the heat and add the wine to deglaze the pan and make the sauce. Return the pan to medium-high heat and allow to simmer for 2-3 minutes.
5. Pour the vegetables, shrimp, and sauce over the pasta and 'voila', you are done. Bon Appetit!
