Simple Garlic Butter Shrimp Pasta with Vermouth

I took a break from posting for a while but am back at it – figure something nice and simple to start. This recipe can be adjusted pretty easily, but the beauty is in the simple and delicious ingredients creating a fresh finished dish. Other positive is that shrimp keeps well in the freezer, so it can be a last minute throw together meal that tastes like a great restaurant. Here is the recipe I used from Serious Eats.

Start by salting the shrimp with kosher salt and baking soda at least a half hour before cooking. The salt starts the dry brining process that gets the salt deeper into the mea. The baking soda helps crisp up the exterior of the shrimp. I have written about this before but Serious Eats has some great content on it.

Start cooking the pasta early as we will need to use the well salted pasta water for emulsification of the sauce. Because we are using olive oil, keep the heat relatively low in the pan to avoid smoking and burning. Add 1-2 tablespoons of butter and allow to melt.

You can cook with or without heads and tails; I prefer without so I don’t have to take them apart when eating, but you will lose a little bit of flavour doing it this way. Also it is always encouraged to devein the shrimp – here is how. Don’t overcook on the first step – shrimp cooks quick and will cook a bit once added to the sauce at the end.

Remove the shrimp and put aside – add minced garlic and red pepper flakes for a little heat. Adding both at this point allows the spices to bloom and become more fragrant.

Add vermouth and allow it to simmer to cook off all the alcohol.

Add pasta water to add some starch and thicken up the sauce.

Add shrimp back in and coat with the sauce.

Add pasta, parsley, lemon zest and juice, and season to taste. Make sure to taste before seasoning as the salted pasta water combined with the butter can be overpowering if not careful.

Serve and enjoy – really simple recipe, tastes delicate, fresh, and delicious. Cole Rating: 8/10