Food & Drink

Turn up the heat on Valentine’s Day with Spicy Shrimp Scampi

Chef and restaurateur Ryan DePersio has a never-fail dish for getting hot with whomever you’re cooking for on Valentine’s Day. Click here to watch the video. The full recipe is below.

Angel Hair Pasta with Spicy Jumbo Shrimp Scampi & Citrus Crumbs

½ lb. fresh angel hair
12 jumbo shrimp
1 tbsp. chopped garlic
1 cup dry white wine
½ cup diced onions
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
3 tbsp. unsalted butter
Sea salt
¼ cup chopped chives
¼ cup chopped parsley
3 Red Fresno chilis (julienned)

Citrus Crumbs

3 cups panko bread crumbs
¼ cup olive oil
¼ lb. unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Zest of 2 lemons, 2 oranges and 2 limes

Place a large rondeaux on stove on medium. Add olive oil and butter. When butter foams, add bread crumbs and stir with rubber spatula around pot for 10 minutes. You will gradually see crumbs turning golden brown (if pan is smoking, lower heat). To keep an even toast throughout, continously stir. When crumbs are fully toasted, pour into bowl. Stir in zest and season with salt and pepper, then lay on sheet tray lined with paper towels for an hour. This will dry the crumbs, so they are not oily. Store in an airtight container.

Place a large pot of salted water on high heat and bring to a boil.

Place a rondeaux on medium heat and add 2 tbsp. of olive oil. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. When oil is hot (it slicks back and forth quickly), place shrimp in to sear and brown for 2 min. Then turn to other side for 15-30 seconds. Take shrimp out, place on a plate lined with paper towels.

Lower heat, add onions and chilis and sweat them for 5-7 minutes. Do not caramelize. Onions should be translucent and sweet. Stir in garlic and lightly toast. Deglaze with white wine and reduce by half. Shut off heat and place pasta in boiling water. Fresh pasta only needs 1-2 min. Check it and make sure you leave al dente. While pasta is cooking, add lemon, herbs and shrimp to sauce pan. Stir in butter and then drain pasta. Add to sauce pan. Cook for 10 seconds on low heat. Using tongs, portion pasta into large serving platter and spoon sauce over top and place shrimp on top. Sprinkle crumbs on top and serve.