OLIVE GARDEN SICILIAN SCAMPI

Once you have the onion, garlic and parsley all chopped up, this clone of a top appetizer pick at the Garden takes only a few minutes to assemble. Cooks at Olive Garden speed up the process by using what they call “scampi butter”—chilled blocks of butter with all the spices, garlic, and onions already in it—so that each serving is prepared quickly and consistently without any tedious measuring. When the shrimp is done, each one is placed on the inside end of five toasted Italian bread slices which have been arranged on the plate in a spoke-like fashion (you can also use a French baguette with the slices cut at an extreme angle). One shrimp is also placed in the middle of the plate, and the delicious sauce is poured over the top. I’ve included diced roma tomato here as an optional garnish, since one Olive Garden used it, but another location on the other side of town did not. As for the shrimp, use medium-size (they’re called 31/40) that are already peeled, but with the tails left on. Then all you have to do to butterfly them is make a deep cut (don’t go all the way through) on the outside of the shrimp where the vein was. As the shrimp cooks, they will curl and spread open.

MAKES AN APPETIZER FOR TWO

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon minced white onion
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon Chablis wine
• 6 fresh medium shrimp, butterfly cut with tails on
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon minced fresh parsley
• pinch salt
• pinch ground black pepper
• pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• 1 tablespoon sliced canned black olives
• 5 slices Italian bread, toasted

OPTIONAL GARNISH

• ½ diced roma tomato
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Toast the sliced Italian bread on a sheet pan in your oven set to broil or in a toaster oven. Toast each side for 1 to 2 minutes, or until light brown. Arrange the bread slices in a spoke-like fashion on a serving plate.
2. Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan.
3. Once the butter has melted, add the minced onion and garlic to the skillet. Be cautious not to use high heat, as the garlic may burn and turn bitter. Sauté the onion and garlic for a few seconds, then add the wine to the pan.
4. Immediately add the shrimp to the skillet.
5. Quickly add the lemon juice, parsley, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper to the pan. Cook the shrimp, tossing occasionally, for 1 to 2 minutes.
6. When the shrimp is cooked, add the cream and olives to the skillet. Cook for around 15 seconds. Using tongs, place one shrimp on the end of each bread slice (the ends in the center of the plate) and place one shrimp in the center of the plate without bread. Pour the sauce from the pan over the shrimp. Optionally, sprinkle diced roma tomato and freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top before serving.