Shrimp Scampi

So before I decided to go to law school, I spent a year after graduating from my undergraduate university trying to figure out, at the tender age of 22 what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. Needless to say, it was a daunting task knowing that I literally had the entire world open up for the taking! Thankfully, the recession took care of that pesky problem of, oh...finding a job...building up my resume...even getting an interview.

For a few months, I was between both my house in Dixon and my parents' house in San Francisco, not spending more than 3 weeks in one place or the other. It was one of the more nomadic stages of my life where I was able to see friends, travel a little, and just pretty much go where the wind took me. The one thing that kept me busy most of the time was cooking. While living in Dixon, I lived a parent-less existence, meaning I had to fend for myself, and being unemployed, I had PLENTY of time to poke around in the kitchen. A few times I'd go out to dinner with friends, just because really, there's NOTHING to do in Dixon, other than waste time (and money) at our local Wal-Mart. In Dixon, we have this restaurant, Mary's Pizza Shack, which serves some of the best home-style Italian food in the area. So one day, while eating there with my housemate Kim and Maria (who practically lived with us anyways), I ordered the shrimp scampi, said "I can make this" and one week later, I've got a pan full of pasta and a story to tell.

Shrimp Scampi

(Serves: 6-8...it's a lot of pasta, like...a lot.)

1 turn of the pan Olive Oil

3-5 cloves of garlic, minced, separated into 2 even piles

1/2 medium yellow onion, minced

Dash of crushed red pepper, more to taste

2 pounds peeled, deveined shrimp

(I used a bagged brand...it's easier.)

1 stick of butter (Hello, Paula Deen)

1 bottle of your preferred white wine (I use a Mondavi Sauvignon Blanc, shoutout to UC Davis!)

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 pound of linguine pasta (dried or fresh)

chopped cilantro

parmesan cheese

jar of roasted red peppers (optional)

First, in a big big skillet (like the one pictured) you're going to want to heat up the olive oil over medium heat until it starts to shimmer, then toss in half the garlic and all the onion.

Once the garlic starts to brown and the onion begins to look translucent, toss in the shrimp and red pepper. Don't walk away, because if you overcook the shrimp it'll be tough and no bueno for everyone involved. Taste it, and add more red pepper according to your preferences.

When the shrimp just barely cooks, turn off the stove and move the shrimp out into a bowl to just chill for the time being. Add a splash of more olive oil, half the stick of butter, the rest of the garlic and heat until it melts.

Once the butter melts, throw in about a third of the white wine, and the lemon juice, and let it simmer for 3-5 minutes. Then toss in a palmful of chopped cilantro.

It's gonna be watery, don't worry. It'll still be delicious.

Omg, I totally forgot...before you do all this, toss your pasta into some boiling water, so it'll be ready by the time you finish the deliciousness part of the dish. I know I probably should have told you this first, but if you just started cooking before reading, maybe this'll teach you a lesson: to READ the recipe before actually cooking...fool.

ANYWHO.

Ideally, your pasta should be done around the time you finish the white wine sauce.

When your white wine sauce has reduced (after the 3-5 minutes), drain your pasta REALLY well. You don't want to waterlog your sauce with your wet-ass noodles.

Drop the drained pasta into your big big skillet and toss around the noodles to make sure the sauce gets all up in there. Add the second half of the stick of butter in increments until the noodles look creamy and delicious. (you might not have to use all of it...like I usually do...moo.) Do this quickly so the cilantro doesn't get all dark and wilted and gross-looking.

Take the shrimp you set aside a while ago and toss it into the pasta (drippings and all). Toss around until the shrimp is warmed through.

Finally, turn off the stove, and add in 2-3 chopped roasted red peppers and the parmesan cheese. I'm a cow, so when I make it, it should really be called "Parmesan Cheese...with some pasta and shrimp" but put as much or as little as you want.

That's pretty much it. It'll last you FOREVER. So make sure you make it when you're expecting company so they'll take some with them and you won't be left eating Shrimp Scampi for the next 2 weeks. Believe me, it is NOT fun.

And for the 3 of you who read this, I'm sorry I haven't posted in like, 30 years, but I get lazy, and things come up, and I end up on Facebook. Such is life.