Italy

Italy (#13) Scampi

Scampi is the Italian culinary name for Norway lobster which is in fact a small, slim lobster.  Immigrant cooks adapted Italian techniques to American ingredients, and “shrimp” scampi was born.  I always thought scampi was French until I learned of this detail.  I always have a bag of shrimp in the freezer and all of the simple ingredients on hand so I make scampi pretty often.  I melt a couple of big heaping tablespoons of butter in a pan, add rough-chopped garlic, then add the shrimp and sprinkle with sea salt and fresh cracked pepper.  Cook for two minutes then add wine and a splash of lemon juice.  Cook another minute and done!  The key with this and all shrimp dishes is to not overcook the shrimp.  I serve it over thin spaghetti noodles and topped with lots of fresh Italian parsley.  And of course torn pieces of baguette to soak up the sauce.