Shrimp Scampi

Method

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1. Put a large pan of well-salted water on to boil and start the linguine so it finishes with the sauce. Reserve 300 ml of the water before draining.

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2. Pat the prawns very dry and season with the salt and pepper.

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3. Heat the oil in a large frying pan over high until it shimmers. Add the prawns in a single layer and cook 90 seconds a side, until just pink and opaque. Lift them out onto a plate — they are not quite done and will finish later.

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4. Drop the heat to medium, add 30 g of the butter and the garlic and chilli flakes, and cook 45 seconds until fragrant and pale gold. Do not brown the garlic.

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5. Pour in the wine and let it bubble hard for 3 minutes, scraping the base, until reduced by half.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

6. Add the lemon juice, then take the pan off the heat and swirl in the remaining cold butter a cube at a time until the sauce turns creamy and glossy.

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7. Add the drained linguine and 120 ml of the pasta water and toss over a low heat for a full minute, until the sauce clings to every strand.

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8. Return the prawns and their juices, toss for 30 seconds to warm through, then fold in the lemon zest and parsley.

   Mark done Start 30 sec timer

Chef’s Tips

• Dry prawns, hot pan, single layer. Wet or crowded prawns steam and never colour.
• Cold butter, off the heat, one cube at a time.
• Ninety seconds a side is not an approximation. Set a timer if you need to.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

• A cold Vermentino or Picpoul
• Grilled bread for the sauce
• A rocket salad

Storage & Reheating

Best immediately — reheated prawns toughen. Refrigerated for 2 days at most.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.