Easy Spiced Shrimp Scampi

Easy Spiced Shrimp Scampi – This dish is made with large shrimp that is seasoned with warm spices ( turmeric, coriander and cumin), then cooked and generously smothered in butter, more spices, garlic, chili pepper, a-lot of fresh chopped parsley, shallots and lemon/lime juice. All those flavors come together in less than 30 minutes and lunch/dinner is ready. I love serving this spiced shrimp scampi with a side of fresh baguette. But if I am making this for the family, I will serve it with cilantro rice or basmati rice – So GOOD!

Shrimp Marinate

I used about 1&1/2 pound of good quality large shrimp. I love getting my seafood from my local Whole Foods – I notice a difference in the shrimp quality. Whole Foods is not cheap, but whenever I make shrimp scampi, I splurge a little more in the shrimp because I want it to be large, juicy, and fresh since it is the star of the dish!

Marinate: Minced garlic, lemon juice, cumin powder, coriander powder, black pepper, chili lime powder( optional), salt, and olive oil. Marinate the shrimp for about 30 minutes -1 hour.

Another Option: You can even marinate the shrimp, cover it and place it in the fridge overnight and use it throughout the week to make shrimp scampi, or pan sear the shrimp and top on salads for lunch. This recipe is very versatile.

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Spiced Shrimp Scampi

Course Main Course

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 14 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

• 1 &1/2 pounds Large Shrimp peeled and deveined (16 to 18 shrimp)
• 4 tablespoons Lemon or Lime juice
• 3 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons coriander powder
• 2 teaspoons cumin powder
• salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 Thai chili pepper or 1 teaspoon of red crushed pepper or to taste based on your spice preference
• 6&1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 4 garlic cloves 2 grated and 2 thinly sliced
• 3&1/2 tablespoons water or veggie broth
• 3 &1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 shallot, thinly sliced

Instructions

• In a large bowl, add the shrimp, 2 garlic cloves minced, 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder, salt to taste, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Mix everything together until shrimp is well coated. Place in the refrigerator or set aside on the kitchen counter to marinate for about 30 minutes and up to 1 hour.
• In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Cook the shrimp for about 1 minute on each side or until it reaches a pink color and it is slightly underdone. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.
• Sauce: In the same skillet, add the sliced garlic, thinly sliced shallot, 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1 teaspoon cumin powder, 1 teaspoon coriander powder and chili pepper – cook, stirring constantly until fragrant – this will take about 1 minute.
• Add the 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, water (or veggie broth) and cook, stirring constantly for about 1-2 minutes. Add the butter, stir and lower the heat. Stir until the butter has melted and sauce has thickened slightly — this may take about about 3 minutes or more. Taste the sauce and add additional seasoning to your liking. Add the chopped parsley and stir.
• Add the shrimp to the sauce, stir and cook until all the shrimp are cooked through — this may take about 2-3 minutes ( cooking time depends on the size of the shrimp). Transfer to a large serving platter, top with additional fresh parsley, and serve with delicious warm baguette for dipping!