Name: Water Polo Restaurants Jumbo Shrimp Scampi Recipe
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 12 pieces jumbo shrimp (16/20 count), peeled and deveined, tails on or off as preferred; 1 tsp Kosher salt; 1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper; 0.5 tsp Smoked paprika (optional); 1 tbs Lemon zest; 6 tbs Unsalted butter; 2 tbs Extra-virgin olive oil; 6 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced; 1 each Shallot, finely minced; 0.5 cups Dry white wine (or low-sodium chicken stock); 2 tbs Fresh lemon juice; 0.25 tsp Red pepper flakes; 2 cups Cherry tomatoes, halved if large; 4 cloves Garlic cloves (for confit), thinly sliced; 0.75 cups Extra-virgin olive oil (for confit); 0.5 tsp Kosher salt (for confit); 2 each Fresh thyme sprigs; 3 tbs Fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped; 1 tbs Fresh basil, chiffonade (optional); 2 tsp Grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan; 2 each Lemon wedges; 8 slices Crusty bread or crostini, for serving

Method

Confit cherry tomatoes

Prepare and slow-cook tomatoes

Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). Place cherry tomatoes, sliced garlic, thyme sprigs, 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil and 1/2 tsp kosher salt in a small ovenproof baking dish. Stir to coat. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 35–45 minutes until tomatoes are softened, beginning to blister but still hold shape. Remove from oven and let sit covered while you prepare the rest; reserve oil and tomatoes. (Can be made a day ahead and stored refrigerated.)

Shrimp & seasoning

Season shrimp

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. In a bowl, toss shrimp with 1 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (if using) and 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Let sit 5–10 minutes while you heat the pan.

Garlic butter sauce

Build the sauce and cook shrimp

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tbs olive oil and 2 tbs of the butter. Once butter has melted and is shimmering but not brown, add the thinly sliced garlic and the minced shallot. Sauté, stirring, for 1–1.5 minutes until fragrant and just beginning to color. Add the seasoned shrimp in a single layer and cook 1.5–2 minutes per side (depending on size) until opaque and just curled; do not overcook. Remove shrimp to a warm plate and tent loosely with foil.

Deglaze and finish sauce

With the skillet still over medium heat, add the white wine (or stock) to deglaze, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the liquid reduce by about half (1–2 minutes). Add the remaining 4 tbs butter in small pieces, swirling the pan until the sauce emulsifies into a glossy garlic butter. Stir in 2 tbs fresh lemon juice and 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper as needed.

Assembly & garnish

Combine components

Return the cooked shrimp to the skillet and gently toss to coat in the garlic butter sauce for 30 seconds so shrimp reheats and absorbs flavor. Spoon in the confit cherry tomatoes and 2–3 tablespoons of the confit oil and juices, gently folding so tomatoes remain mostly intact.

Finish and serve

Remove skillet from heat. Stir in chopped parsley and optional basil. Sprinkle grated Pecorino or Parmesan and the remaining lemon zest over the top. Transfer to a serving plate or individual small plates, garnish with lemon wedges and serve immediately with crusty bread or crostini to mop up the garlic butter and confit tomato oil.