Baked Shrimp Scampi

One of the first recipes I ever made with shrimp was shrimp scampi. It is still a favorite of mine today. I typically serve the shrimp over a bed of noodles, sautéed with garlic and olive oil. Last month I noticed several of the barefoot blogger participants posting about Ina's baked shrimp scampi. Instead of serving the scampi over pasta, Ina added a simple breaded topping over the shrimp that could be served on its own. With all the rave reviews I new I had to try it. What a mouthful of flavor! With each bite you could taste the garlic and lemon, complimenting the shrimp nicely. The recipe states that it serves 6 and I was a little skeptical that it would stretch that far, but the dish is so rich it doesn't take much to fill up.

Baked Shrimp Scampi

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2 pounds shrimp in the shell

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons dry white wine

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

12 tablespoons ( 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

4 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup minced shallots

3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 large egg yolk

2/3 cup panko

Lemon wedges, for serving

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Peel, devein, and butterfly the shrimp. Place the shrimp in a mixing bowl and toss gently with the olive oil, wine, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Allow to sit at room temperature while you make the butter and garlic mixture.

In a small bowl, mash the softened butter with the garlic, shallots, parsley, rosemary, red pepper flakes, lemon zest, lemon juice, egg yolk, panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper until combined.

Starting from the outer edge of a 14-inch oval gratin dish, arrange the shrimp in a single layer cut side down with the tails curling up and towards the center of the dish. Pour the remaining marinade over the shrimp. Spread the butter mixture evenly over the shrimp. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until hot and bubbly. To brown the top, place under a broiler for 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges.

Source adapted from: www.fodnetwork.com/ina-garten