Recipe: Olive Garden Sicilian Scampi

Olive Garden Sicilian Scampi

3 tablespoons butter, softened
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
1/2 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
1 diced roma tomato
freshly grated parmesan cheese

Toast the sliced Italian bread on a sheet pan in your oven set to broil, or in a toaster oven. The bread should toast for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until light brown. Arrange the bread slices in a spoke-like fashion on a serving plate then dance over to the stove to whip up the scampi.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add 3 tablespoons butter to the pan. When the butter has melted add the minced onion and garlic. Make sure your heat isn't up too high or the garlic may burn, and turn brown and bitter. When the onion and garlic have saut ed for just a few seconds, add the wine to the pan.

Immediately add the shrimp to the pan. After you add the shrimp, quickly add the lemon juice, parsley, salt, black pepper, and crushed red pepper and cook shrimp for 1 to 2 minutes, tossing occasionally.

After a minute or two, when the shrimp is done, add the cream and olives. Cook for 15 seconds or so.

Use tongs to place one shrimp on the end of each bread slice (the ends that are in the center of the plate), and place one shrimp in the center of the plate (not on bread). Pour the sauce from the pan over the shrimp and serve the dish with a diced roma tomato sprinkled over the top and freshly grated parmesan cheese, if that's your thing.