Pasta with Shrimp Scampi

I saw this recipe while watching the food network the other day and my mouth was watering just watching it. It tasted as good as it looked and it is one of our family favorites now. It is from the show Barefoot Contessa.


Ingredients

1 tablespoon kosher salt plus 1 1/2 teaspoons
3/4 pound linguine
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 pound large raw shrimp (about 16 shrimp), peeled and deveined
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
1/2 lemon, zest grated
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/4 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes


Directions


Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.


Meanwhile, in another large (12-inch), heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the garlic. Saute for 1 minute. Be careful, the garlic burns easily! Add the shrimp, 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes. Toss to combine.
When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and then put it back in the pot. Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.



*Just a couple of tips I picked up from watching her cook this. Everyone probably already knows these things, but maybe there is someone out there like me who had no idea these things made a difference.

When defrosting raw or cooked shrimp, never defrost under running water. It toughens the shrimp. Defrost in the refrigerator or watching closely at room temperature.

When she cooked the shrimp she placed them in the skillet and let them sit for about 2 minutes then flipped them over and let them sit for about two more minutes. That way they cooked evenly and they don't overcook and become tough.

Once the shrimp was pink she immediately removed them from the heat.


**I doubled this recipe because my whole family is huge shrimp fans. We had the perfect amount with just enough for a couple of plates of leftovers for tomorrow. I also forgot to pick up fresh lemons and so I used lemon juice from the bottle and I didn't do the zest. I can't imagine it tasting any yummier, but I will try fresh lemons next time. :)