Lightly-charred shells gave way to luscious, marinated shrimp skewers, served with warm, scallion-studded Lemon-Garlic Butter for dipping in this grilled version of one of my family’s favorite seafood dishes. Serve Grilled Shrimp Scampi as a heavy hors d'oeuvre or a main course.
1-½poundsraw shrimp, shell on (U15 or 16/20 count)
⅓cupextra virgin olive oil
¼cupfresh lemon juice(about 1 large lemon)
1tablespoonfinely-chopped garlic(about 2 cloves)
2tablespoonsfinely-chopped shallots
1tablespoonfinely chopped fresh parsley
1teaspoonkosher salt
½teaspoonfreshly-ground black pepper
Dipping Sauce
6tablespoonsunsalted butter
2tablespoonsextra virgin olive oil
1-½teaspoonsfinely-chopped garlic(about 1 large clove)
¼teaspoonkosher salt
1teaspoongrated lemon zest
½ to 1tablespoonfresh lemon juice(to taste)
1tablespoonthinly-sliced scallions
1tablespoonfinely-chopped fresh parsley
¼teaspooncrushed red pepper flakes(optional)
Instructions
Prep the Shrimp
Devein shrimp: Using a paring knife or a pair of kitchen shears, carefully make a shallow cut along the back of the shrimp (the curved side), in the middle, from the tip to where the tails begin. Use the tip of your knife or shears to remove the dark vein. Leave shells on the shrimp, loosening them just slightly so that the marinade can seep between the shells and meat.
Marinate the Shrimp
In a medium bowl, whisk together extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, shallots, parsley, salt, and pepper. Add shrimp and toss to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and marinate, refrigerated, 45 minutes. Remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before grilling, and let stand at room temperature (approximately 70 degrees F), for a total marinating time of an hour.
Grill the Shrimp
When you remove the shrimp from the refrigerator, preheat grill over medium-high heat and lightly oil the grates.
Remove shrimp from marinade, shaking off excess, and thread onto stainless steel grilling skewers.* Discard marinade. Grill shrimp 2-4 minutes per side, until shells are pink and meat is white and opaque. Do not overcook.
Make the Dipping Sauce and Serve
In a small saucepan, melt together butter and extra virgin olive oil. Remove from heat, stir in garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add salt, lemon juice and zest, scallions, parsley, and red pepper flakes, if using. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Carefully remove shrimp from skewers to a serving platter. Serve, allowing guests to remove shells and dip shrimp into the lemon-garlic butter, alongside slices of crusty bread. Alternatively, you can remove the shells for your guests after grilling and serve, drizzled with the lemon-garlic butter, over a bed of rice or pasta.
Notes
*I prefer using stainless steel grilling skewers for their ease of use. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes before threading the shrimp and grilling so the wood doesn't ignite or burn.