Karbon Kounty Moos

This is one of those things that my family and my friends (all two of them) always beg me to make.

I used to be famous for my guacamole, too - and now I can’t remember the last time I saw a decent avocado, sigh…

Here’s the original recipe by Pierre Franey
from the New York Times 60 Minute Gourmet copyright 1969.

Crevettes “Scampi”
(Shrimp broiled in Olive Oil and Seasonings)

2 pounds shrimp, the larger the better
1/2 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed oregano
2 tablespoons fine fresh breadcrumbs
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

1. Preheat the broiler to high.

2. Split the shrimp down the backside. Rinse and pat dry.
Or peel them but leave the last tail segment intact. Rinse and drain well.

3. Add the remaining ingredients to the shrimp and
toss to coat evenly and well.

4. Line a baking dish with foil and arrage the shrimp over it.

5. Place the shrimp under the broiler
about three to four inches from the source of heat.
Broil 5 to 6 minutes. It is not necessary to turn the shrimp as they cook.
Baste the shrimp and serve hot with curries sweet peppers and rice.
*******************************************************
“My Way”

I used to make this with fresh shrimp - and I do know how to clean shrimp. But now I buy frozen with the tails on - already cleaned shrimp are pretty convenient. I let them defrost overnight in the fridge. Then I wash and drain them.

I’ve already mixed the olive oil with whatever I feel like using - and none of this has ever been measured. I pour the oil in a large mixing bowl - add some garlic, fresh or powdered; lots of red pepper flakes - definitely way more than 1/8 teaspoon; breadcrumbs (usually Progresso Italian) - again a lot more than Pierre; Greek oregano; sometimes fresh grated Romano or Parmesan; and anything else that looks like it’d work. Once I’ve got this into an oily paste - I pat dry the shrimp and add them to the mixing bowl, coating well.

I line two shallow pans with foil and fit as many shrimp on as I can - they can be crowded a bit. My oven only has “Broil”, so in they go. A few minutes later I check - the shrimp have usually started to brown a little. Out comes the pan and in goes the second one. I turn all the shrimp over in the pan. By then the second pan has started to brown. Out it comes and the first goes back in. So I turn the shrimp. The pan comes out, the other goes in. While I’m dishing out the first pan, the second pan is finishing. Never leave the room while these shrimp are in the broiler. If the phone rings - do not answer it!

It sounds like a lot of work - but it really isn’t. They’re simple and if you like shrimp - they’re heaven. This paste works well with scallops, too. You can prepare them and not cook them right away - I’ve stuck them in freezer bags - or prepared the pans for later in the day and put them in the fridge, and it doesn’t get any easier! They’re great with rice or spaghetti tossed with garlic and oil. And a cold beer goes well with the crunchy bite…
great - now I’m hungry…

This entry was posted on Monday, December 13th, 2004 at 2:33 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.