Shrimp Scampi

Despite the fact that I have never, ever, tasted shrimp scampi, but because I am nothing if not the intrepid Failed Chef, so I decided to try making it.

I adapted from Emeril’s Food network recipe only because I had all the ingredients.

Shrimp Scampi

8-10 shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil
1 small onion, sliced thinly
2 tablespoons chopped garlic
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup shrimp stock, recipe follows
2 tablespoons cold butter
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves

1. To make shrimp stock, add the shells and shrimp heads into a pot of 150 ml of boiling water. Boil the shrimp parts for 5-7 minutes, then turn off the heat. Strain the stock. Because I don't have a strainer I didn't. But if I made it in advance, I'd put coffee filter and secure it with rubber band on a glass and leave it to strain overnight.
   
2. Season the shrimp thoroughly with salt and pepper.
3. Heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add enough oil to lightly coat the pan. Add the shrimp and quickly saute both sides until just starting to turn pink, but not cooked through (the sides are still a little gray when I stopped the flame). Remove from the pan and set aside.
4. Add the onions to the wok with the browned shrimp bits and saute just until they begin to soften, about 3 minutes.
5. Add the garlic and cook until starting to turn golden brown.
6. Add white wine, and stock, and reduce by 2/3, about 5 minutes.
7. Add the shrimp back to the pan and swirl in the butter.
8. Top with the parsley.

What would The Failed Chef do next time?

• Well, I followed everything that is, except for the lemon. B and I are not too fond of lemon, so I left it out altogether. Tasting how the dish turned out, for a non-wine drinker like me, I felt that the wine was quite strong, and putting in lemon next time would subdue to white wine a little.

Also, now that I’ve made the dish, I want to see what unfailed-chef-made shrimp scampi taste like. Does anyone know where to go for shrimp scampi?