You become an adult when you have 3 or 4 recipes you consistently make, each time, calling up a parent to “remind you” how to make it. This Extra Garlicky Shrimp Scampi was one of the first recipes I took on in my adult life. Possibly, because my first time out on my own, without a meal plan, was in New Orleans, where the local catch was Gulf Shrimp. But even more so, because this meal is a breeze to throw together, doesn’t require special kitchen equipment or tools and only calls for a handful of ingredients you can schlep home without a shopping bag. As simple as it was, the first dozen or so times I made Shrimp Scampi, in my 20s, I would call up my dad and have him walk me through it. “How much garlic again?” “When do you add the wine?” “What kind of wine?” As a red wine drinker, he had strong opinions about this: “It doesn’t matter. I don’t drink white wine. It’s just for cooking. Use whatever you have.” For him, that was the remains of a bottle someone left behind in his fridge at the last card game or dinner party he hosted. Works for me.

This is my dad, holding a mail box he made out of wine corks, from bottles he likely enjoyed.

If adulting is calling up your parents to reteach you how to make a recipe, well then middle age is making that recipe repeatedly, in your own way that you’ve come to adapt over the years. I’ve since added the parsley stems to my version of Shrimp Scampi, as a way to infuse more of that herbaceous flavor, and to make use of the whole bunch. I also added shallots. Occasionally, I mix in chopped spinach or kale, to ensure we’re getting a rounded meal. And I wait to add the butter so that it doesn’t risk burning and maximizes its flavor. But when I make Extra Garlicky Shrimp Scampi, I still think of my dad and usually call him to let him know what a delicious dinner I’m having that night, with a crisp glass of Sancerre or Vermentino.

Extra Garlicky Shrimp Scampi

Serves: 4-6

On my list of Culinary Quickie recipes, this meal can be pulled together rapidly, perfect for a weeknight, but is also fancy enough for a dinner party. It’s fast and filling and the recipe is written in such as way as to help you maximize your time in the kitchen.

What You Need:

1 pound linguine
Kosher salt
1 bunch parsley
1 bunch scallions
2-3 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, sliced, optional
5-6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 head of garlic, about 10-12 cloves, peeled and minced
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled & deveined
Juice from ½ a lemon
½ cup dry white wine

What You Do:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add about 3 tablespoons of salt. Cook linguine until al dente (usually about 1-2 minutes less than package instructions call for). Reserve 1 cup cooking liquid, drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, separate the parsley stems from the leaves. Finely mince the stems and set aside. Finely chop the leaves. Set aside separately.
Trim the scallions of their root ends and frayed tops. Discard tops and ends. Finely slice or mince the white and light green parts. Set aside. Slice the green parts at an angle. Set aside separately.
Heat a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil. When hot, add shallots and white/light green scallions and a few pinches of salt. Reduce heat to medium. Sauté until soft,about 2-3 minutes.
Add the butter. When melted, add the garlic, minced parsley stems and a pinch of salt and freshly ground pepper. Sauté for about 1-2 minutes.
Add the shrimp, a lot more freshly cracked pepper and sauté about 3-5 minutes, or until the shrimp are pink and cooked through. (It will depend on the size of the shrimp and their temperature when being cooked.) Transfer the shrimp to a plate or bowl and set aside.
Add the lemon juice and wine, if using. Stir to scrape up any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add the cooked linguine and about ½ cup of the pasta cooking liquid. Gradually add more pasta cooking liquid if needed and cook until sauce is thickened. Return the shrimp to the pan. Toss to combine. Turn off the heat. Stir in the parsley leaves.
Transfer to a platter and garnish with more parsley leaves, green scallion tops, and freshly cracked black pepper.