Entrée Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi

IT'S NOT THE SHRIMP. IT'S THE RICH, BUTTERY GARLIC-WHITE WINE SAUCE THAT MAKES THIS DISH A WINNER!

Okay, I’ll admit it…I’m not too proud to rip off a restaurant recipe. And this one is a favorite of mine. Consider it a compliment because if I thought I could do it better, I’d post it. But to me, there’s nothing scampier than Red Lobster’s shrimp scampi. When it comes to dishes like this, it’s not about seasoning meat. Shrimp is shrimp. The real secret is the delicate, buttery garlic wine sauce it’s swimming in, because how well you do the sauce will make or break the recipe. And that secret is white wine! Something happens when you heat wine that’s just amazing!

Previous
Next
Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi

Garnish & Serve

This is what the final result should look like. You’ll notice that some of the lobsters here have a more mealy or grainy appearance, while others look more “fluffy”. That’s the corn meal. That stuff you use when you fry fish. Which one you use more of is a matter of taste. This recipe calls for more corn meal. But corn meal is heavier than the flour so it can take a little longer to fry. And you will get a little of that cornbread taste that you get with fried fish. If you don’t want that, change the ratio of cornmeal to flour, as in add more flour than corn meal to make the coating more fluffy. 

SErving NOtes:

The beauty of this recipe is that it can be made as an appetizer or you can serve it as the main course. As an entrée, you can’t go wrong with a nice side of pasta or rice. But if you’re plating for guests, be sure to garnish it with something pretty. Green onion never hurts. It’s colorful, and it’s really super easy to pick off if your guest doesn’t care for onions. Chives are another pretty possibility, and they’re much less offensive to onion-haters. Parsley is really pretty and basically tasteless. 

But I’d stay away from Cilantro, and let me tell you why…it’s nasty as hell! I’m convinced you have to have a special gene for it to taste good. But if you don’t, and I definitely don’t, it’s the perfect way to ruin a good lobster. Doesn’t matter how pretty it is. It tastes like soap to me, and I don’t care how much you paid for it…I’m not eating it. Play it safe. Cilantro is fine if it’s just you. But if you’re serving guests, pick something else.